More Than Just a Roll of the Dice

ALL BETS ARE ON THE STELLAR ENTERTAINMENT AT CASINO RESORTS LOCATED JUST A SHORT DRIVE AWAY FROM THE BERKSHIRES

By Anastasia Stanmeyer

Hands Down, summer once again was bursting with world-class theater, dance, classical and pop music, and outdoor recreation in the Berkshires. Even in the fall, through winter, and into spring, when the whirlwind of summer quiets down, there’s a steady stream of cultural offerings to keep us entertained. 

Diana Ross, Morrissey, and Jerry Seinfeld are coming to Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn. (Courtesy of Foxwoods)

If you want to step out of the Berkshire entertainment dome, though, and catch a performance or two elsewhere—call it a day trip or make it a weekend getaway—casinos located within a two-hour drive are a safe bet. Gambling might be the obvious draw for those locations, but the entertainment offerings are impressive and rival any big-city venue. Our regional casinos also boast a variety of impressive dining options, hotel rooms, and fun activities for the whole family, if you want to bring the kids along. We have taken a survey of three casino resorts within range—MGM Springfield, Mohegan Sun, and Foxwoods—and you won’t believe what we’ve found.

MOHEGAN SUN 

Mohegan Sun (mohegansun.com) is a casino and entertainment complex located on 240 acres of the Mohegan Indian Reservation in Uncasville, Connecticut. Kevin and Michael Bacon, aka The Bacon Brothers, are featured in this issue (see page 8) and are performing on Saturday, September 13, at The Cabaret Theatre ("The Cab"), a mid-sized theater hall with a seating capacity of 450. Here are some other impressive shows that we’ve gleaned. These performances are at the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena also located within the casino’s complex:

• Saturday, September 20, 7 p.m., Eric Clapton with special guest The Wallflowers

• Thursday and Friday, September 25 & 26, 7:30 p.m., Adam Sandler: You're My Best Friend Tour

• Friday, October 3, 7 p.m., Keith Urban with special guests Alana Springsteen, Chase Matthew & Karley Scott Collins

• Saturday, October 25, 7:30 p.m., Bryan Adams: Roll with the Punches with special guest Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo

• Friday, November 14, 8 p.m., Jonas Brothers, Jonas20: Living The Dream Tour

• Saturday, November 15, 7:30 p.m., Warren Zeiders: Relapse, Lies, & Betrayal Tour with special guest Chayce Beckham

• Tuesday, November 18, 8 p.m., Sting

FOXWOODS

Foxwoods Resort Casino (foxwoods.com), the largest resort casino in the Northeast, boasts a packed schedule of live entertainment, signature events, and seasonal experiences from mid-September through the end of the year. The 1,200-acre resort is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on their reservation located in Ledyard, Connecticut. The resort's appearance inspires frequent comparisons to the "Emerald City,” after the city seen in the film The Wizard of Oz. 

Although we missed John Legend at Tanglewood this year with his September 5 show canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, he will be performing in November at Foxwoods. Here are some shows that will be held in Foxwood’s Premier Theater and the Great Cedar Showoom:

• Saturday, September 13, 8 p.m., George Thorogood & The Destroyers

• Thursday, September 18, 8 p.m., comedian Trevor Noah

• Friday, September 19, 8:30 p.m., Morrissey

• Sunday, September 28, 7 p.m., comedian Tom Segura

• Saturday, November 1, 7 p.m., Diana Ross

• Friday, November 7, 8 p.m., The Stray Cats

• Saturday, November 8, 8 p.m., John Legend

• Saturday, November 15, All-Star Sumo, including ICHI and HIROKI

• Saturday, November 29, Sesame Street Live! 

• Saturday. December 13, comedian Jerry Seinfeld

MGM SPRINGFIELD 

MGM Springfield (mgmspringfield.com) is situated in the heart of Springfield—the closest hotel and casino complex to the Berkshires. Opening in 2018 in a block of buildings that are historically or culturally influential to Springfield, it became the first resort casino in the Commonwealth. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. 

Shows at MGM Springfield are held in the Aria Ballroom, ROAR Comedy Club in the historic former Springfield Armory, and at Springfield Symphony Hall that MGM Springfield helps to manage. MGM Springfield also manages the MassMutual Center, which is owned by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and has a capacity of 8,000 people.

• Monday, September 15, 7:30 p.m., WWE Monday Night Raw, John Cena continues his “Last Time is Now” 

• Friday, October 3, 8 p.m., “It’s Happening with Snookey and Joey” live show for a comedy podcast

• Saturday, October 4, 8 p.m., comedian Eddie Griffin

• Saturday, October 25, 4 p.m., The Magical Music of Harry Potter—Live in Concert

• Saturday, November 15, 8 p.m., Air Supply

• Friday, November 21, 8 p.m., Croce Plays Croce, A.J. Croce performs classics by his late father Jim Croce (“Operator,” “Time in a Bottle,” “I’ll Have To Say I Love You,” “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” etc.) and more.

• Wednesday, December 10, 4:30 p.m., Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, Albany vs. Yale and UMASS vs. Boston College (presented by The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame)