Mohegan Sun Casino Rings in 25th Anniversary Celebration
It has been 25 years since the Mohegan Sun Casino first opened its doors in Uncasville, Connecticut. An unlikely superstar
Tristan Green
It has been 25 years since the Mohegan Sun Casino first opened its doors in Uncasville, Connecticut. An unlikely superstar gem nestled in the heart of a New England state, the Mohegan Sun Casino has entertained some of the biggest names in entertainment over the years, and they don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. CELEB take a look at the 25th anniversary celebration, what’s happened over the last quarter century and what 2022 holds for the fun and entertaining destination.
25th Anniversary Party
It was a night to remember as Mohegan Sun Casino celebrated a quarter century since opening. Accordingly, stars came out to play. Here are some of their thoughts on the big life event they put on pause to celebrate the monumental night:
- Teyana Taylor: Singer/songwriter, actress, dancer, director, model. Taylor’s husband is Iman Shumpert. At the 25th celebration, she shared these thoughts on her 2021-2022 tour: “Oh my God. I mean, just rehearse, rehearse, rehearsal getting everything together. I’m also styling the tour as well. So I’m like getting all the outfits together, and I’m super excited about that.” And ahead of hubby Shumpert’s Dancing With the Stars performance this week, the feminine half of the power couple added, “Honestly, it feels great and it feels greater to be able to support one another. He comes to my stuff, I come to his stuff. I think it’s just the dopest feeling ever cause we try and keep our relationship as normal as possible. So it feels good to like just take time off and just go. Even if you only got an hour off, that little hour, we make sure we take that time to support one another.”
- Jason Tartick: One of the contestants for BacheloretteBecca Kufrin, Tartick has since enjoyed some acclaim of his own between DWTS and his own stint on The Bachelor. Tartick has been busy planning a wedding with fiancé Kaitlyn Bristowe, and shared, “My dream guests would be Queen Elizabeth. Ready for that? Because she’s probably the most photographed human in the world, she’s seen World War 2 to 2021. Imagine the stories she would have. And there’s a lot of controversy going on in the royal family right now.”
- Melissa and Joe Gorga: Stars from Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey, this power couple dazzled at the anniversary party. Joe has been busy building their dream home and preparing to take his comedy tour on Broadway, while Melissa’s business is growing by the day. On the progress of their new house, Joe quips, “Whatever she wants, I’m going to build.” Melissa added that her new closet will be double the size of her last one.
- Other stars to hit the anniversary party from RHONJ include Dolores Catania and ex Frankie Catania, along with Margaret Josephs & Joe Benigno. It was a Jersey-bonanza in nearby Connecticut.
Stars walked the red carpet, enjoyed each other’s dazzling company – or avoided drama, as one does around fellow castmates – and celebrated with the Casino’s remarkable anniversary night.
What 25 Years Has seen
It’s been a truly tremendous quarter century for the casino. It’s more than just a casino floor; in the 25 years since opening, the Mohegan Sun has grown into a mega-plex, with multiple dining and shopping options, along with an entertainment venue like no other. 9 million visitors a year cycle through the unlikely hub of Uncasville’s Mohegan Sun.
Mohegan Sun’s president and general manager shared, per Yahoo!, “‘We’ve hosted world title fights, Aerosmith, Springsteen, U2 and events like Barrett-Jackson and Miss America,’ Hamilton said. ‘We’ve made hospitality and tourism around here into a much bigger thing than it ever was.’
‘In the ’80s, we were built on defense and some destinations in Mystic, but the casinos have changed the dynamics,’ he said.
Mohegan Sun has continued to stoke the trend during its 25th anniversary celebration, a three-day event that ends Sunday. The celebration actually began Thursday night with the first of two sellout Harry Styles concerts in the arena.”
The Mohegan Sun Arena opened in 2001 and has hosted a variety of world-class superstars, including recently Blake Shelton and Run-DMC. Next year’s billing will be just as impressive.
What’s Next for Mohegan Sun Casino
So what’s on deck for next year? New Kids On the Block are hitting Mohegan Sun in July. Joining them are more blasts from the pasts including Salt-N-Pepa, Rick Astley and En Vogue.
Given the Casino’s stellar ability to draw some of entertainment’s biggest name, that’s far from the only rumble visitors can expect in 2022. It’s hard to follow up something as momentous as a 25th anniversary, but they have their eyes trained on the next 25 at Mohegan Sun. The venue will be growing locally, to a 400-acre parcel across the river at Preston River Walk. Here’s to growth and 100 years more!