The mayor of Springfield, Mass. released a plan Monday for selecting one of the four competing developers who hope to build a casino in the city, The Associated Press reports.
Mayor Domenic Sarno met privately earlier in the day with representatives from Ameristar Casinos, Hard Rock International, MGM Resorts and Penn National Gaming.
He then announced a selection process starting Sept. 5, when the city will begin considering the project developers based on factors such as their finances, experience and project concepts.
Companies who pass this initial screening will be asked, starting in October, to explain how their projects help Springfield meet various goals, such as bringing in new jobs and revenues and sparking additional development in Springfield.
Sarno expects to choose which developers the city will negotiate with by mid-December. The city council would have to approve any agreement, and the city plans to host public meetings and presentations to discuss the various plans.
