MGM Springfield goes before the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to present design changes to its casino plan this morning. The most visible change is the elimination of a 25-story hotel tower. At the head of today’s meeting: Steve Crosby, chair of the Gaming Commission. Crosby says he wants to know exactly what sparked MGM’s decision to cut the size of its Springfield resort by some 14 percent.

“We’ve wanted to know whether they’re assessing the market with concern,” Crosby says. “Are they saying ‘we’re nervous about the market’? Are they nervous about potential competition from Connecticut? Has something else changed? Where their heads are as to their assessment of the market is important to us.”

Crosby says he’s not concerned the Springfield casino will fail. He says MGM executives are smart enough to figure out how competition from other markets – including Connecticut – will affect their bottom line.

Click the SoundCloud player above to hear the full interview with Gaming Commission Chair Steve Crosby.