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Foxwoods Resort Casino is the largest casino in the world -- it has more gaming space than its competitor, Mohegan Sun, more slot machines and has been open four years longer.
Those were all advantages for Foxwoods, until July 2003.
Since then, Mohegan Sun, with fewer slot machines and less gaming space, has dominated in slot machine revenue. In the 2003-04 fiscal year, Mohegan Sun made more money on slots than Foxwoods for the first time -- by about $35.8 million. In the 2005-06 fiscal year, Mohegan Sun's slots collected $74 million more than Foxwoods.
"The gap has been getting bigger and bigger," Mohegan Sun President and Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Etess said. "I don't know why all of a sudden."
Factors such as construction at Foxwoods, the differing designs of the two casinos and their offerings may play a role in the number of customers they get and how much those customers are willing to spend.
Foxwoods has only beaten Mohegan Sun in monthly slot revenue five times since July 2003. Since that time, Foxwoods has had at least 344 more slot machines on its gaming floor and has had as many as 1,235 more slots.
In fact, Foxwoods' slot revenue was down $1 million the last fiscal year.
Foxwoods executives did not return calls seeking comment.
And Foxwoods slot machines keep more of the money played on them. Foxwoods kept 8.7 percent of the money played on machines in the last fiscal year, compared to 8.54 percent at Mohegan Sun. Mohegan Sun's machines haven't held more than Foxwoods' since the 2001-02 fiscal year.
Foxwoods has had several issues cut into slot revenue, though.
From December through April, Foxwoods had between 500 and 800 machines offline while switching the location of its poker room with a room full of slots. The casino also is going through a $700 million expansion and had to close parking lot 9, which was popular with people in motor homes and RVs.
Merrill "Butch" Simpson, 65, of Ashford said he preferred Foxwoods when he brought his motor home, but has started frequenting Mohegan Sun, because the lot where he parks his vehicle is more level.
"If you went and counted the motor homes, there's a lot more at Mohegan Sun," Simpson said.
Etess said Mohegan Sun does has an advantage in access. Route 2A takes patrons directly to the casino from Interstate 395. Foxwoods patrons coming from Interstate 95 must still drive more than seven miles on Route 2, which is two lanes in some places.
Beyond accessibility, patrons of both casinos said Mohegan Sun has a less-complicated layout.
Mohegan Sun is designed with gaming areas, restaurants and retail shops set apart from each other. Foxwoods intersperses food, retail and games throughout its complex.
Tom Krupa, 51, of Ashford said he prefers Foxwoods to Mohegan Sun, because he feels he wins more often at Foxwoods. But he goes to Mohegan Sun sometimes, because he likes the casino's layout.
"To me, this is what a casino is supposed to look like," Krupa said while at Mohegan Sun. "Foxwoods looks like a strip mall."
Donald McGhie, owner of McGhie Consulting in Reno, Nev., said the layout of a facility can make a huge difference. He said the look and feel of a casino will shape a player's mood.
"Just like anything, you go into a building and like it or you go in another and it's confusing and you don't like it," McGhie said.
McGhie also said keeping people happy is important to keep them at a machine. He said the casino can't seem too crowded and the food has to be good and reasonably priced.
Annie Woodward of Windsor said she plays bingo at Foxwoods, but does all her other gambling and dining at Mohegan Sun.
"You can get around easier," Woodward said. "Foxwoods, you're on top of each other."
Tony Corcella, 74, of Noank said he thinks of Mohegan Sun first when he thinks about going to a casino, because he listens to The Wolf, the classic rock station that broadcasts from Mohegan Sun. He also said the buffet is better.
"The selection just seems to be a little better," Corcella said.
Etess said Mohegan Sun also has the advantage of the Mohegan Sun Arena, which draws in Connecticut Sun basketball fans, concert-goers and others who attend shows and events there.
"Mohegan Sun Arena has given us a very unique marketing advantage," Etess said.
Etess said he's interested to see how Foxwoods' $700 million expansion changes the slot revenue numbers, because the expansion will include more slot machines. He said Foxwoods may have hit a limit with its number of machines.
"To some extent, I think you've seen that at Foxwoods," Etess said. "When they added their last 700 slots, it didn't change anything." |
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