Ameristar Unveils Casino Proposal For Springfield

Ameristar Casinos has unveiled plans for a $900 million-plus casino at a former industrial site in Springfield.

The Ameristar plan announced Tuesday includes 150,000 square feet of gambling space, a 500-room hotel, multiple restaurants and a spa on a former Westinghouse Electric site it owns near Interstate 291. It is the only company that owns land in the city. Plans also call for a ramp from the highway.

Ameristar Chief Executive Gordon Kanofsky said the company's project would provide more jobs and more revenue and is at a more convenient site than plans proposed by MGM Resorts International and Penn National Gaming.

In a separate development, the consultant hired by the city to review casino proposals on Monday promised the city council transparency in the process following concerns raised by councilors and residents.

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