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Paul Munick remembers when major entertainment shows at Mohegan Sun were held in what he refers to as "the tent."
Known to most as the Events Center, the temporary building -- which resembled an airplane hangar minus the airplanes -- served as the casino's first real venue for popular entertainment until the Mohegan Sun Arena opened in 2001.
"I remember when we had [the band] Kiss. As they went to hang their gear on the sides of the tent, it started to bow a little," Munick, Mohegan Sun's vice president for sports and entertainment, said with a laugh. "It was designed to do that, but they had that look on their faces, and they were a little nervous."
The 10,000-seat arena at Mohegan Sun, which now houses concerts, wrestling and boxing matches and basketball games, was unveiled and played host to its first performer, country singer Tim McGraw, in November 2001.
Since the grand opening five years ago, the arena's presence has ushered in a new era of entertainment in Eastern Connecticut. Residents who were used to traveling to Boston or New York to see a show could now catch performances by their favorite entertainers right in their own back yards. The arena has been a stop on some of the entertainment industry's biggest tours, including Bon Jovi, Gwen Stefani and Mariah Carey.
"The presence of the casino has elevated the quality of entertainment, no question," said Tony Sheridan, president of the Eastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce. "It's very convenient for people. You have a basketball team that sells out every game. It's a new level for the people here."
Sheridan said drawing top entertainment to the casino benefits not only Mohegan Sun, but also the local economy. Since many large-scale performers don't want to travel by bus and don't want to fly out of a major airport, a number of acts fly out of the small airport in Groton, Sheridan said.
"It's caused a ripple effect that includes all the goods and services and wages in the area," he said.
Munick said variety is the key to the casino's success in entertainment. While patrons can see acts for free in the Wolf Den, they can also get tickets to some of the industry's top performers in the arena. Sports fans can also catch a Connecticut Sun game during the season.
Tammi Flynn of Norwich was used to traveling in order to enjoy top entertainment and was pleased when the local casinos started drawing big names.
"It literally brings the concerts to my back door," Flynn said. "They seem to consistently bring in the big names, too. Parking is easy, you can get dinner right there. All in all, pretty convenient for me."
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