www.HartfordBusiness.com • April 15, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 3
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Tom Cantone
By Sean Teehan
steehan@hartfordbusiness.com
T
om Cantone isn't worried.
While MGM Springfield is making moves
to transform that city into an entertainment
destination — including recently taking over man-
agement of the Springfield Symphony — Cantone,
senior vice president of sports and entertainment
for Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, says Mo-
hegan boasts a prominent stature among venues,
which attracts some of the biggest national acts.
"With our total programming of over 170
events a year, I'm confident our arena will sus-
tain its reputation," said Cantone, a Harrisburg,
Penn., native who is a Penn State graduate.
That means over the next year his priorities
largely lie in maintaining relationships neces-
sary to book big acts at the casino. On the sports
front, he says he's focused on trying to make the
two professional teams Mohegan Sun owns (the
New England Black Wolves lacrosse team, and the
WNBA's Connecticut Sun) championship teams.
How important is entertainment to the overall
success of a casino?
It is a key part to our brand for sure and a selling
point throughout the world as Mohegan Gaming
& Entertainment expands globally. The amount of
programming we do really drives our database and
cash business. As a result, our arena venue in Con-
necticut is the No. 1 casino venue in the world.
When booking acts at a casino, are there a dif-
ferent set of considerations to take into account
compared to other kinds of venues?
Not really. We are in the arena and concert busi-
ness so having a casino as part of it is a definite plus,
but our demographics are typical of the average
concertgoer anywhere that doesn't have a casino.
Are there any sports Mohegan Sun hasn't
hosted but would like to in the future?
We have hosted just about every sporting event
imaginable — but it looks like esports (com-
petitive multiplayer video gaming) will be in our
future and that could be the next big thing.
What's your biggest growth opportunity?
Technology has made it so much easier to
buy a ticket — it is the fastest-growing part of
the entertainment business. The immediacy of
a purchase is within seconds and the buzz on
social media has now made us the No. 1 social-
media venue in the world.
Have you ever had a star-struck moment when
meeting an act you booked?
Without question — I grew up with the Bea-
tles, they changed the world and when I had the
chance to spend some quality time with Ringo
Star, it was a pinch-me moment back to when I
was a kid. He was an absolute gentleman and it
is a memory for life.
Senior Vice President of Sports and
Entertainment, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment
Tom
Cantone
PHOTO
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