Casino news from http://www.projo.com/
NEWPORT -- The Newport County Chamber of Commerce has come out against the November referendum that would allow a Harrah's-Narragansett Indian casino in West Warwick.
"Rhode Island and Newport County, in particular, have a highly recognizable and successful destination tourism economy," executive director Keith Stokes said in a statement. "The prospects of adding a new destination resort casino attraction that may very well compete, rather than complement our existing museums, hotels, retail and dining businesses, is simply poor economic planning and policy."
The chamber is a business advocacy group with 1,200 members, including Newport Grand, the video gambling operation that many say would be hurt by a West Warwick casino. The 26-member board of directors, which does not include a Newport Grand representative, voted unanimously at its Thursday meeting to oppose Question 1.
The vote followed two forums the chamber held on Question 1 as part of its economic luncheon series. At one, officials from Harrah's Entertainment and the Narragansett Indian tribe spoke in favor of the referendum. At the other forum, participants heard from representatives of Concerned Citizens About Casino Gambling, Save Our State and the Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association. Citizens and business community members were welcome at the forums and allowed to speak.
"Given the importance of the casino question, the chamber made every effort to provide information on both sides of the debate to our members," David Andrade, board chairman, said in a statement. "After carefully considering the presentations and the response from our members at large, the board of directors of the chamber concluded unanimously that the casino does not serve the greater economic interests of Newport and Rhode Island."
According to the chamber's statement, board members had concerns about granting "a constitutional right to provide a private business the right to build and operate a casino in Rhode Island without first establishing a negotiated revenue sharing formula with the state."
The West Warwick casino "may have a substantial effect on the State of Rhode Island's existing and future gaming revenues, which fund essential state programs and services."
The chamber will forward a resolution opposing the Nov. 7 referendum to the Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, the General Assembly, Governor Carcieri and the state's cities and towns.
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