Mohegan Sun facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mohegan Sun |
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| Address | 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard Uncasville, Connecticut 06382-1355 |
| Opening date | October 12, 1996 |
| Theme | Native American |
| No. of rooms | 1,563 |
| Total gaming space | 364,000 sq ft (33,800 m2) |
| Permanent shows | Connecticut Sun during WNBA season New England Black Wolves during National Lacrosse League season |
| Signature attractions | Mohegan Sun Arena Connecticut Sun New England Black Wolves WMOS Radio |
| Notable restaurants | Michael Jordan's Steakhouse Todd English's Tuscany Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Hash House a go go |
| Casino type | Land-based |
| Owner | Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority |
| Previous names | none |
| Renovated in | 2001 2002 2016 |
Mohegan Sun is a large resort and casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. It is run by the Mohegan Tribe, a Native American group. The resort is built on 240 acres of their land near the Thames River. It is a popular spot for tourism in southeastern Connecticut.
Mohegan Sun has a huge gaming area, but it's also much more! It includes the 12,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena. This arena is home to sports teams like the New England Black Wolves (lacrosse) and the WNBA's Connecticut Sun. The resort also has theaters, many shops, and places for meetings. You can even find the studio for WMOS radio there.
The casino part has many games like slot machines and table games. These include poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and more. There's also a race book where you can bet on horse or dog races from different countries.
Contents
History of Mohegan Sun
How Mohegan Sun Started
The idea for Mohegan Sun began in 1992. Some companies worked with the Mohegan tribe to plan a casino. They helped the Mohegan tribe get official recognition from the government. This recognition happened in March 1994. It allowed the tribe to build a casino on their land. The land used to be a place where nuclear reactors were built. It was cleaned up before construction started.
The casino and resort first opened its doors on October 12, 1996. In 2000, the Mohegan tribe took full control of the resort.
Mohegan Sun During COVID-19
Mohegan Sun closed for the first time ever on March 17, 2020. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people who worked there were temporarily out of a job. Both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino (another nearby resort) reopened on June 1, 2020. They opened with some limits to keep people safe.
Exciting Features at Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun has many unique and cool features:
- The Casino of the Sky has a special domed ceiling. It looks like a planetarium with lights that show the sun, moon, and stars. There's also a huge crystal mountain called Wombi Rock. It's made of special stone from different countries.
- You can see a 55-foot high indoor waterfall called "Taughannick Falls." This waterfall represents a difficult journey the Mohegan tribe made long ago.
- The whole resort has a Native American style. The art and design reflect their culture. You might even see mechanical wolves that howl softly! The resort's design also shows the four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.
- Mohegan Sun partnered with a company called Blade. This allows people to travel by helicopter between Manhattan and the resort.
- A comedy club called Comix Comedy Club moved to Mohegan Sun in 2015.
- The Earth Tower is a large hotel with 400 rooms. It officially opened on November 18, 2016.
Gaming Options
The gaming area at Mohegan Sun is very big. It has 6,500 slot machines and 377 table games.
- Table games include 116 blackjack tables, craps, roulette, baccarat, and 3-card poker.
- They also have video versions of blackjack, craps, and roulette.
Mohegan Sun's Economic Impact
Mohegan Sun is a big employer in the area. It provides jobs for about 8,000 local people. In 2018, the resort made over $1 billion in revenue. Concerts and boxing events also bring in more money and temporary jobs. The casino also gives about 25% of its slot machine earnings to the State of Connecticut.
Expanding the Mohegan Sun Experience
Local Expansions
In November 2006, Mohegan Sun announced a big expansion plan called Project Horizon. It was going to add new gaming areas and 1,000 more hotel rooms. The "Casino of the Wind" opened in August 2008 as part of this plan. It has 650 slot machines and many table games. However, the rest of Project Horizon was put on hold because of economic challenges. It was eventually stopped.
Later, in May 2011, Mohegan Sun planned to build a new hotel with 300 to 500 rooms. This was to meet the growing need for hotel rooms. However, this project did not start.
New expansion plans were announced in June 2013 for a "Downtown District." This area would have a food court, a 14-screen movie theater, a fancy bowling alley, and many retail shops. Stores like Coach, Tiffany, and Sephora were planned.
On November 18, 2016, Mohegan Sun opened The Earth Tower. This was a new 400-room hotel connected to the Casino of the Earth.
Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
On January 25, 2005, Mohegan Sun bought its first gaming property outside Connecticut. This was the Pocono Downs Racetrack in Plains Township, Pennsylvania. Mohegan Sun renamed it "Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs." They expanded it, and it became the first slots casino in Pennsylvania in November 2006.
Plans for Mohegan Sun, Massachusetts
In August 2007, the Mohegan Tribe bought land in Palmer, Massachusetts. They planned to build a retail center there. Later, Massachusetts decided to allow casinos in the state. Mohegan Sun hoped to build a casino resort there. However, voters in Palmer rejected the casino plan in November 2013.
Mohegan Sun also tried to get a license for a casino resort near Boston at the Suffolk Downs racetrack. This plan included many slot machines and table games. Voters in Revere, Massachusetts, approved a revised plan for this casino in February 2014. However, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission chose another location for the casino license.
New York Plans
In May 2011, Mohegan Sun announced plans to expand into New York. They wanted to build a casino in the Catskills. This casino would have included a hotel, gaming area, restaurants, and a race track. However, the New York Gaming Commission chose other locations for casinos, so this deal did not happen.
Atlantic City Management
In August 2012, the tribe agreed to manage the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
South Korea Project
In May 2018, the Mohegan Tribe announced plans for a large hotel casino at Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea. They planned to spend a lot of money on this project. In December 2018, they signed a deal with Paramount Pictures. This deal was to build the world's first Paramount-branded theme park at the Inspire Integrated Resort in South Korea.
