Mohegan Sun Looks Toward the Horizon

 Set to open in phases through the summer of 2010, the hotel will add much needed room capacity for a property that has been running at 93 percent occupancy this year.

“It has been quite a trip here for the last 10 years. And demand for our product is still growing,” said Mitchell Etess, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mohegan Sun during a press conference announcing the nearly $0.75 billion project. Project Horizon also calls for 115,000 square feet of additional retail and restaurant space and the new 64,000-square-foot "Casino of the Wind." In addition, Mohegan Sun will expand its Asian gaming in the Casino of the Earth.

"We're thrilled to unveil the next phase of our evolution," said Bruce Bozsum, Chairman of the Mohegan Tribe. "The future of the Mohegan Tribe and Mohegan Sun shines bright, as we continue to develop as an overall entertainment destination and position Mohegan Sun as an industry leader. Our Project Horizon will further expand upon our cultural heritage and traditions to offer our customers a spectacular, one-of-a-kind experience in the Northeast."

The expansion relies heavily on the House of Blues addition, and will include 300 themed hotel rooms as part of the hotel tower, a 1,500 seat House of Blues Music Hall, 300 seat restaurant, retail outlet, and 45-table poker room. There will be  separate check in desk for House of Blues hotel guests. Additionally, the hotel, which will be owned and operated by Mohegan Sun, will boast a 20,000-square-foot Mandara Spa and 6,000-square-foot Kids Quest II child care center.

Greg Trojan from House of Blues said during the press conference the company was excited to bring the concept to Mohegan Sun, and reveled discussions began several years ago. In that time, House of Blues has opened a similar concept at Showboat Atlantic City and has a presence at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. 

According to Connecticut state comptroller Nancy Wyman, the casino already supplies more than 10,000 jobs and have helped the state economically. “Mohegan Sun has become an extraordinarily important economically,” said Wyman. “Our towns directly benefit from the revenue.” Estess later remarked Mohegan Sun slots have provided Connecticut with more than $1 billion in taxes. Another 1,500 permanent jobs will be created by this project as will 1,400 construction jobs.

The expansion will also include 115,000 square feet of new retail and restaurant space. This addition will consist of an 11,500-square-foot Japanese restaurant with 200 seats, 9,000-square-foot American contemporary restaurant with 175 seats, 10,000-square-foot family-style Italian restaurant with 200 seats, 3,000-square-foot Burger Bar with 90 seats, and three quick-serve food outlets totaling 5,800 square feet.

The new retail and restaurant area will also be complemented by 40,430 square feet of new retail space and a 30,000-square-foot adult recreation lounge featuring bowling and billiards. The new restaurant and retail component is slated to open in fall 2009.



The new Casino of the Wind will be located adjacent to the Casino of the Sky, and its design will include 42,000 square feet of gaming space with over 900 slot machines, 10 table games and a specially-themed House of Blues poker room with 45 tables (operated by Mohegan Sun). Other amenities would include: a 2,700-square-foot retail outlet; 4,000-square-foot quick-serve dining venue; and a 15,000-square-foot, multi-level, high-energy, branded restaurant/bar. The Casino of the Wind is expected to open in the spring of 2008.

Meanwhile, in the Casino of the Sky, a new Mexican-themed dining venue is expected to open outside the Convention Center. This establishment would be owned and operated by the Cornerstone Restaurant Group, which currently operates Michael Jordan's Steak House and Michael Jordan's 23 Sportcafe at Mohegan Sun.

With Project Horizon, Mohegan Sun will also expand the gaming experience for its Asian clientele. Located in the Autumn section of the Casino of the Earth, the new Asian gaming area is designed to feature a 5,000-square-foot bus lobby, 4,000-square-foot "Hong Kong" Street food outlet and 12,000-square-foot gaming floor offering 46 table games such as Baccarat, Sic Bo and Pai Gow Poker. The area is scheduled to open in the summer of 2007.

Project Horizon is a collaborative effort by several design firms, including Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG), architects of Mohegan Sun's iconic exterior, and the Rockwell Group, in charge of creating the Mohegan-inspired design for the new gaming space, hotel lobby, retail and dining areas.

The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, as the owner and operator of Mohegan Sun, plans to finance the project through a new $1.0 billion revolving credit facility from a syndicate of financial institutions and commercial banks. The facility is expected to close in December 2006.

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