Located in Plainville, Massachusetts, Plainridge Park Casino is a casino-style gaming facility that offers various slots and table games to patrons. Opened in June 2015, it was one of the first casinos established outside the casino Plainridge Park tribal lands under the Expanded Gaming Act signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2011.
Overview
Plainridge Park spans over 120,000 square feet within a former harness horse racing track facility called Plainridge Greyhound Racetrack and Slots Parlor. The gaming area boasts more than 1,250 reel-spinning slots, including Wheel of Fortune-themed games, classic reels, progressive jackpots, and electronic bingo-style machines.
In addition to slots, the casino features 49 table games spread over two floors, offering various stakes for players of different skill levels. This includes roulette, blackjack, craps, baccarat, poker variants like Three Card Poker and Let It Ride, as well as several high-limit gaming areas catering to more affluent patrons.
History
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission awarded a commercial casino license in 2012 to Penn National Gaming (PNG), which ultimately formed Plainridge Park Partners with its affiliates. This marked the company’s entry into the competitive New England market while contributing over $100 million towards state coffers as part of its licensing fees and ongoing tax payments.
Plainridge Park invested around $250 million to convert, renovate, and upgrade the property formerly known as a thoroughbred track racing facility from the late 19th century. Construction finished ahead of schedule in mid-2015, allowing the business to commence operations six months sooner than initially projected.
Key Statistics
- Total gaming floor: approximately 120,000 square feet
- Number of slots and electronic bingo-style machines: over 1,250 reels
- Table games available: 49 variants across various stakes levels
- Poker tables: eight poker-themed stations offering both tournament play and cash games (Three Card Poker & Let It Ride)
- Gaming floor hours of operation:
- Slot gaming area open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m.
- Main table game floor operates between noon to midnight, with the high-limit areas operating during these extended hours.
Background on Massachusetts’ Expanded Gaming Act
To gain insight into Plainridge Park’s inception and development history within Massachusetts politics, we examine key events leading up to its establishment under Governor Deval Patrick.
Signed in June 2011 by former Governor Deval Patrick of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is one pivotal piece of legislation allowing licensed operators access outside Native American tribal lands on a commercial basis while subjecting gaming entities to regulatory oversight.
In establishing regulations and permitting procedures under the Expanded Gaming Act’s new statute, then-commission chairman Stephen Crosby was crucial in coordinating multiple public hearings throughout regional communities as early efforts took shape toward this development endeavor during late 2010 through springtime following that next summer.