THE ARMORY AT MGM SPRINGFIELD

The Armory at MGM Springfield is an entertainment venue housed inside the historic 1895 State Armory building at 29 Howard Street in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts. The Gothic-style granite structure, designed by Wait & Cutter with supervision by Gardner, Pyne & Gardner, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and was sold to MGM Resorts for $1.6 million in 2014 as part of the MGM Springfield casino redevelopment.

Expect a restored historic setting within the MGM Springfield casino complex, currently home to ROAR Comedy Club and hosting touring comedians, live entertainment, and special events. The venue features the restored stone front section of the armory with its crenellated towers reaching 50 and 60 feet tall. The rear drill shed was destroyed by the 2011 Greater Springfield tornado and not rebuilt.

The armory was built in 1895 as the first purpose-built facility for the Springfield companies of the state militia. It served for decades as the main facility for all militia companies based in western Massachusetts and was the largest space in the city for social functions. After years as the South End Community Center, the building was extensively restored as part of the MGM Springfield project that opened in 2018.