Rhode Island’s Twin River Management Group has closed on the purchase of state rival Newport Grand Slots and plans to move the latter’s gaming license to a new casino Twin River wants to build in Tiverton in Newport County.
The company, which operates Twin River Casino in Lincoln, is planning a casino with 1,100 slot machines and 24 table games on 45 acres it owns in the town. The venue would be about one-quarter the size of the Lincoln casino but larger than the Newport facility, which generated $26 million for the state last year.
Twin River said Newport Grand will remain open until the new casino is built, and its 160 workers will continue to be employed.
The Tiverton casino still requires voters locally and statewide to approve the plan in a referendum scheduled for the general election in November 2016.
