Rhode Island Revised Casino Referendum Released

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island – As reported by the Providence Journal: "A reworked version of the casino-referendum bill that was effectively knocked off the ballot by the state Supreme Court last year will be unveiled by the state's Narragansett Indian tribe, Harrah's Entertainment and their legislative backers at a State House news conference today.

"The legislation seeks to speed up the state's election clock by a year to allow a public referendum on the proposed West Warwick casino at a special election on Nov. 8, 2005.

"The advisory announcing today's 3 p.m. news conference said the two legislative sponsors -- Rep. Timothy A. Williamson and Sen. Stephen D. Alves -- would also unveil 'A Property Tax Relief Act,' that dedicates the entire state share of the 'Narragansett Indian Casino' to tax relief.

"…The unveiling comes two days after a consortium with ties to the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut went public with a $435-million offer to buy Lincoln Park, and spend another $125 million reburbishing the aging greyhound racetrack and making way for an additional 1,750 slot machines.

"…In drafting this year's reworked bill, the West Warwick casino proponents and their legal advisers -- including local lawyer Lauren Jones -- obviously took their cue from this observation within the Supreme Court opinion:

"'It is true that the state may delegate operational control of a lottery scheme or facility to the Lottery Commission . . . but the General Assembly has not done so through the Casino Act. Rather . . . the Lottery Commission would take a back seat to Harrah's when it comes to the daily operation of the proposed casino.'

"With those words clearly in mind, the drafters of this year's legislation are proposing to put this question to the voters instead: 'Shall the state operate a casino gambling facility in the town of West Warwick?'…"