Encore Boston Harbor Sees Revenue Fall to Five-Year Low During September Strike
Written by Yara Hayes · Oct 24, 2026
Encore Boston Harbor Sees Revenue Fall to Five-Year Low During September Strike
Encore Boston Harbor, the Wynn Resorts property located in Everett, Massachusetts, posted gross gaming revenue of approximately $46.1 million for September 2026, marking the lowest monthly total recorded at the facility in more than five years. Observers note that this figure represents a 22.1 percent decline from the $59.1 million generated during the same month the previous year, and data from state regulators confirms the drop coincided precisely with the start of a labor action involving roughly 1,350 workers.
Strike Details and Union Involvement
The labor dispute began on September 4, 2026, when members of Teamsters Local 25 and UNITE HERE Local 26 walked off the job after contract negotiations failed to produce agreement on wage increases and expanded benefits. Those who've tracked similar disputes point out that the two unions represent a broad cross-section of casino employees, including dealers, servers, housekeepers, and maintenance staff, which left management to operate with reduced crews once the action started. The casino remained open throughout the month, yet staffing shortages affected service levels in multiple departments, and state officials recorded corresponding reductions in tax remittances tied directly to the lower revenue base.
Revenue Figures and Historical Context
September 2026 gross gaming revenue reports for Massachusetts casinos show that Encore Boston Harbor's performance stood out as an outlier compared with prior monthly results at the property. The $46.1 million total fell below every monthly reading since early 2021, according to figures compiled by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Experts have observed that the 22.1 percent year-over-year decrease occurred even though the property continued to offer its full complement of table games and slot machines, suggesting the strike's impact on customer experience played a measurable role in the outcome.
Operational Adjustments and Service Impacts
Management maintained basic operations by reassigning remaining staff and bringing in temporary personnel, but people familiar with the situation report that certain amenities operated on reduced schedules while others closed temporarily during peak periods. The ongoing nature of the strike, which extended through the end of September and into October 2026, meant that these adjustments became a sustained feature of daily business rather than a short-term fix. State tax collections from the property declined in line with the revenue drop, reducing the share of funds directed to local municipalities and the Commonwealth's general budget.
Broader Effects on State Collections
Because Massachusetts levies taxes on gross gaming revenue from its licensed casinos, the lower figures at Encore Boston Harbor produced an automatic reduction in monthly payments to state and local accounts. Regulators have confirmed that the drop in collections tracked the 22.1 percent revenue decline without any additional adjustments required, illustrating the direct linkage between operational volume and fiscal returns. Those who've studied casino economics note that such revenue shortfalls can influence short-term budgeting decisions at both the municipal and state levels while the dispute continues.
Strike Developments Entering October 2026
As October 2026 began, the strike remained active with no announced settlement between the unions and Wynn Resorts management. Negotiators continued to meet periodically, yet demands for higher wages and improved benefits stayed central to the discussions. The casino continued to function under the reduced staffing model established in September, and preliminary October revenue tracking has not yet been released by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Observers continue to monitor whether the labor situation will produce similar effects on the next set of monthly figures.
Conclusion
The September 2026 performance at Encore Boston Harbor demonstrates how a sustained labor action can translate into measurable financial results for both the operator and state revenue streams. With the strike entering its second month and no resolution announced, the property's ability to restore prior revenue levels remains tied to the outcome of ongoing negotiations between Wynn Resorts and the two unions representing its workforce. State regulators and local officials will receive updated monthly data that should clarify whether the revenue pattern established in September persists into the final quarter of 2026.