by Josh Resnek
The table is being set for the grand opening of the Encore Casino and Hotel on Sunday – and what a day that will be in the history of this city.
The moment the ribbon has been cut and the public begins pouring into the casino and hotel complex, a new day is upon us in this city.
When the slot machines are whirring and the table games are attracting those who love to play, the circle has almost been completed on a long and winding road journey that began more than seven years ago.
One of the most polluted and ravaged land sites in the nation has been cleaned.
Not only has it been cleaned, it has been planted with mature trees, thousands of them, flowers and bushes, smaller trees, and several acres of unbelievably green grass.
The entire scene is one of natural wonder where only poisoned soil existed seven years ago.
At the center of all this natural wonder is the casino itself – perhaps the most ornate and expensive facility ever built in the state of Massachusetts.
Tons and tons of polished marble, miles of fine wool carpeting, artwork that ranks among the world’s most famous and expensive, including the centerpiece of it all, the Popeye Stainless steel sculpture by Jeffrey Koons.
That cost $28 million.
Pop Eye inside the casino complex is expected to be a tremendous draw.
The entire place is expected to be a huge draw.
The entire project inside and out is about as close to perfection as a project can be.
The excellence of everything that has been built is noticeable.
The craftsmanship is stunning.
All the appointments are extraordinary – the height of the ceilings, the moldings, the woodwork, the art, the polished marble and fine woods used throughout.
Bottom line, this is New England’s new Disneyland – a destination in the making.
It is the mother of all casinos and hotels in this region.
It overshadows everything that has come before.
More than $2 billion has been spent to bring this place to its astounding finish.
No expense has been spared.
The five star status is its moniker.
Bottom line, the slot machines singing and the table games crowded, the restaurants packing it in and guests staying in finely appointed rooms that dwarf anything else in Boston in the Encore Hotel adds up to one thing – an entertainment venue quite unlike any other.