More than 75 Area Businesses Sign up for Mohegan Sun at the Concord's Momentum Points Program

First-of-its-kind program will infuse tens of millions of dollars into the local economy Customers can redeem points at businesses throughout the region

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Mohegan Sun

Sep 24, 2014, 01:05 ET

THOMPSON, N.Y., Sept. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Mohegan Sun at the Concord today announced that 79 area businesses, organizations and destinations have signed on to participate in its industry-leading Momentum players' club points program.

The first-of-its-kind initiative will enable customers to redeem their earned points at participating area businesses and destinations outside Mohegan Sun at the Concord. With traditional industry points programs, such as those in Las Vegas, patrons are only able to redeem their points at businesses located within the resort casino.

Exterior Image of the proposed Mohegan Sun at the Concord in Thompson, NY. (PRNewsFoto/Mohegan Sun)

Mohegan Sun's Momentum players' club points program is expected to generate tens of millions of dollars annually for the local economy.

"Our industry-leading points program has quickly become tremendously popular with businesses and organizations throughout the Catskills," said Mitchell Etess, CEO of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. "Mohegan Sun at the Concord is designed with the entire region in mind, and our Momentum points program will be an important tool for generating economic activity. It's just one example of our commitment to ensuring that the entire area will benefit from this world-class destination resort."

The 79 participating businesses and organizations are located across the region in approximately 20 communities spanning from Callicoon in Western Sullivan County all the way to Mountaindale in the South Eastern Part of the County.

"Mohegan Sun's Momentum players' club points program is vitally important to ensure that businesses throughout the region can take full advantage of all the economic opportunities that will be generated by this industry," said Cathy Paty, president of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce. "We're pleased that Mohegan Sun has shown such a strong commitment to partnering with local businesses. This program is exactly the type of initiative that our region and the entire state of New York needs to maximize benefit from the gaming industry."

A wide range of restaurants and retail businesses have signed onto the program, along with service-oriented firms and arts related organizations.

"Mohegan Sun's points program will mean a lot to small business owners like myself. It shows their commitment to the entire region, and a desire to be real partners with local business," said Les Kristt, owner of Kristt Company in Monticello. "Not only does Mohegan Sun's proposal fit well with the community, but its commitment to working closely with the region means that the project will directly benefit local residents and business."

In addition, current Mohegan Sun players who have accumulated points at other Mohegan Sun properties can start immediately redeeming them on day one of the Mohegan Sun at the Concord opening, bringing immediate economic benefits to participating area businesses.

"When it comes to creating jobs and driving economic growth for the entire region, our proposal is clearly superior," added Etess. "There's a reason why we have earned the strong support of business and community leaders throughout the area: our business model is outward facing and based on partnering with our neighboring organizations, businesses and venues to create new economic and tourism opportunities."

Mohegan Sun at the Concord will draw upon the beauty of the Catskills and storied past of the iconic Concord Hotel. The approximately $500 million resort casino will feature a premier gaming experience, retail, restaurants, nightlife, a hotel, performance venues for music, comedy and live shows, and 52,000 square feet of gaming space.

In addition, it will enable other new developments that include the revitalization of the 18-hole Big "G" golf course at the Grossinger Country Club, new investments in the Holiday Mountain Ski and Fun Park, redevelopment of Grossinger's in Liberty with a spa, hotel and vacation homes, and the redevelopment of three acres of commercial property in downtown Monticello. As part of its proposal, Mohegan Sun has committed to hiring and buying locally, and will implement a variety of cross marketing and branding initiatives to further promote the region and increase tourism.

The Mohegan Sun development team has already spent more than $100 million to date on the project, including costs to acquire land, permitting and demolition. Mohegan Sun at the Concord is expected to produce $3 billion to $3.7 billion in total economic benefits over a 20-year period, with approximately $1.5 billion to $1.86 billion of those gains to be realized in Sullivan County. Almost $800 million will come during the construction period and first year of operations.

Mohegan Sun jobs support families and households, with the opportunity for career growth and advancement in areas such as gaming operations, hospitality, marketing and promotions, transportation, engineering, human resources, accounting and finance.

About The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority
The Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority is an instrumentality of the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut and the owner and operator of a gaming and entertainment complex located in Uncasville, Connecticut, known as Mohegan Sun, and a gaming and entertainment facility located in Plains Township, Pennsylvania, known as Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs. For more information, visit: www.mtga.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140924/148193

SOURCE Mohegan Sun