Mohegan Sun has scored another win in its quest to become a leading events venue, announcing Tuesday it will host December’s Miss America 2020 pageant.
The Miss America Organization announced Tuesday afternoon its marquee event will leave Atlantic City, where the event was founded in the 1920s, for the second time. The annual pageant had moved to Las Vegas in 2005 before returning to Atlantic City in 2013.
This year’s pageant will be held Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in the Uncasville section of Montville. The live broadcast will air on NBC.
The Miss America event, now in its 93rd season, generated about $9 million annually for its nonprofit overseers between 2015 to 2017, according to nonprofit reporting service GuideStar USA Inc.
“We’re thrilled to be hosting an impactful event like the Miss America Competition in December, and we look forward to working with both Miss America & NBC on what will be a tremendous evening,” Ray Pineault, Mohegan’s president and general manager, said in a statement.
Amid increased gaming competition across the Northeast, Connecticut’s two tribal casinos — Mohegan and Foxwoods Resort Casino — have increased their focus on promoting on-site events.
Last November, Mohegan Sun’s new $80 million convention center hosted the annual Connecticut International Auto Show, which was previously held in downtown Hartford’s Connecticut Convention Center.
Months later, the events space hosted The Hartford Boat Show, which was also formerly housed in downtown Hartford for the last half century.
Tuesday’s announcement marks a major win for Mohegan Sun, which, along with Foxwoods, has recorded lower year-over-year slot revenues in 12 consecutive months.
