Interview with Mitchell Etess, the chief executive officer of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, about entertainment options at Mohegan Sun:
Q: Does CT's proximity to New York and Boston hurt or help us when it comes to entertainment offerings? Are the larger acts stopping here this summer or are they skipping us? A: The truth is we are now often the starting point for national tours, like Bon Jovi, One Direction, New Kids, Rascal Flatts, Michael Buble, Keith Urban to name a few. The Arena, now ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and worldwide, is considered a top stop on the national tour schedule. A big reason — our reputation for having the finest running crew of technical experts and the busiest box office operation in the nation selling on average 500,000 tickets to 60 events at one time. Q: How much is casino entertainment affected by the drop in slots revenue? Does reduced gaming dollars curtail the shows being offered or do they increase as a marketing tool to get gamblers through the door? A: The latest research by the American Gaming Association shows that 57 percent of people visiting a casino go to shows, and non-gaming is now exploding where gaming in general may have leveled off due to expanded gaming capacity. Not too long ago, Connecticut enjoyed a duopoly, and now there are 25 more casinos with some 70,000 more slot machines in our market. Yet, we are on a record pace for arena events and results. The marketing of the arena into an elite worldwide venue is not only a key product differentiator, but no other casino competitor can match our entertainment firepower.Get the Story: