The head of MGM Resorts says the company made a mistake by not communicating a 14% reduction in size of the casino project to Springfield leaders.

After what Mayor Domenic Sarno described as “a frank discussion”, he says he accepts MGM’s apology for not giving him a heads-up about the casino design changes. MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren took the blame.

“These little things could have easily been avoided with better communication,” Murrren says. “That was fundamentally the discussion that the mayor and I had. We need to communicate better, and I committed to doing that.”

At least some of these changes, including the elimination of a hotel tower, will need approval from the mayor, city council and state gaming officials. MGM plans to make a public presentation on the project in mid-November.