Dear Jimmy,

Maybe the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations should allow Twin Rivers to shut down.  In a moment of foresight, maybe the General Assembly should allow the purchase of the land and, with intelligent state coordination,  develop a heavy industrial park.  The future Twin Rivers Industrial Complex would be the perfect location for industry at the intersection of Routes 146 and 295.  Perhaps the state could lure  Hyundai manufacturing into the state and employ 5000 people in meaningful jobs.  

Jim 

Energy too expensive and unions too strong for the car mfg.

We are bailing out GN and Chrysler for that reason

Guess why we are keeping the Lincol solidarity?

R.I. legislators line up to support casino referendum 3:14 PM Thu, Feb 26, 2009 | Permalink Susan Areson    Email

By Katherine Gregg, Journal State House Bureau

PROVIDENCE, RI -- Lest there be any doubt that casino gambling has a base of support in the Rhode Island House of Representatives, Rep. William San Bento mustered two dozen cosponsors for his call for a referendum next year to allow full-fledged casinos at Twin River and Newport Grand.

And San Bento, who serves as chairman of the Assembly's Lottery Oversight Commission, said he enlisted those cosponsors in "the first five minutes.''

The bill seeking the referendum that he introduced yesterday is identical in intent -- and drafting errors -- to one introduced earlier in this legislative session by Sen. John Tassoni.

Both bills cite the ever-present threat that Massachusetts will approve casino gambling or slot machines at its racetracks, reducing Rhode Island gambling revenue from Bay State gamblers who now travel here. But both bills incorrectly ascribe this threat to Connecticut, which is already home to the Indian-owned Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos.

The greater concern among key lawmakers today is what might happen in Massachusetts. The Associated Press has quoted new Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo in saying that lawmakers could vote on legislation to expand gambling before the end of the year.

Earlier this week, House Speaker William J. Murphy acknowledged the change in legislative leadership in Massachusetts and the boost that gives Bay State casino promoters, means "we very well could be in trouble.''
Murphy, D-West Warwick, said he is not yet ready to say whether there should be another public referendum in Rhode Island on casino gambling, after the failed 2006 vote on a proposed Narragansett Indians casino, financed by Harrah's, in West Warwick.

"it's something [that] obviously will rise to a discussion level during this term,'' Murphy said yesterday in a brief interview.

No hearing has been scheduled as yet on either the Tassoni or San Bento casino bills.

Sure need casinos to aqueeze a few dollars more and have more foreclosures