Its four months until the November election but already a campaign to persuade voters to approve of a casino in Tiverton, Rhode Island has spent nearly 0,000.
The pro-casino TV ads feature union leaders and other supporters touting the jobs and increased state revenue that will result if the casino is approved. Twin River Management Group is funding the campaign, owners of the Twin River Casino and the Newport Grand. The organization actually running the campaign is Citizens to Create Jobs and Protect Revenue Inc.
Twin River wants to close the Newport and reopen it on the border with Massachusetts, to make it as effective as possible in keeping Bay State casinos, especially the Plainridge Park Casino, and the proposed tribal casino in Taunton from draining away Rhode Island gaming revenue, which is the state government’s third largest source.
That combined revenue has fall from $325 million in 2015 to $308.7 million in the fiscal year that just ended.
Twin River wants to build an 85,000 square foot casino and hotel.
