SPRINGFIELD – Another change comes to MGM Springfield: Cal Mare is out and Costa is in.

Costa will occupy the same space as Cal Mare but will offer a different menu. MGM Springfield Director of Communications Saverio Mancini told Reminder Publishing there will be no change in staffing and there will be minimum changes to the look of the restaurant.

Costa will make its debut on Feb. 28. Cal Mare was the creation of the well-known restaurant company, The Mina Group. This is the third Costa location within the MGM casino group. The other two are at The Mirage in Las Vegas, NV, and MGM National Harbor in Baltimore, MD.

Anthony Caratozzolo, vice president of Hospitality at MGM Springfield, said, “MGM Springfield decided to alter Costa to meet the needs of guests, rather than compromise the integrity of the Cal Mare brand. This allows the resort greater flexibility to make changes as often as necessary, based on guest feedback, changing consumer trends and market updates.”

Caratozzolo said, “We made the mutual decision to close Cal Mare based on both MGM’s and Mina Group’s evolving business strategies to explore new culinary opportunities in 2020.”    

According to Caratozzolo, “MGM Resorts and Mina Group have had a strong partnership since opening their first restaurant together at Bellagio in 1998  – all the way to present day with the opening of International Smoke at MGM Grand in 2019.”

He noted, “Authentic Italian cuisine is a hallmark of our South End neighborhood in downtown Springfield. We’re honored to celebrate those traditions and make new memories with one of our own original restaurants. In Italian, ‘abbondanza’ signifies plenty, and that’s exactly what guests will experience at Costa. From family-style antipasti to generous portions of our house-made pasta, guests will savor the abundance of our take on Italian home cooking.”

The new menu will include antipasti, handcrafted pastas, Neapolitan pizzas, grilled seafood and more. The restaurant will produce fresh mozzarella daily and will feature the Neapolitan style of pizza.