Now that Tiverton casino is a ‘go’, opponents still push for protective measures

By Alana Cerrone

acerrone@abc6.com

@Alana_Cerrone

The site of the future casino in Tiverton will soon see table games and slots, bars and restaurants, and an 84-room hotel.

The project is expected to bring hundreds of jobs and an estimated $45 million in revenue to the state and town.

But not everyone is on board.

Voters approved the plan only by a slim margin, and for some, the fight isn’t over.

Now that voters have approved the casino, Twin River Management can go ahead with moving Newport Grand to Tiverton. They say they will remain sensitive to the environment and the needs and concerns of the people who live there. But those who oppose the plan, like Liz Taber of ‘Citizens Concerned about Casino Gambling’, worry this is just the beginning.

“Gambling revenues as is here decline over time. Our big concern and one of the things we’d like to press for moving forward is a resolution that any increased gambling revenue does not become a new line item in our state budget."

Taber says this state depends too much on money brought in by Newport Grand and Twin River.

"The ideal would be that our state doesn’t have any dependency whatsoever on gambling revenue."

Another concern is fueling gambling addiction. Taber says she’d like to see management and lawmakers offer support and help to those who need it.

And even though the state has capped its casino limit at 2, she’s afraid that could change.

"One of the challenges we’ve seen is both Massachusetts and nearby Connecticut had caps and just in the past few years there was legislation quickly moved in to have more casinos."

The Tiverton casino is slated to open in the summer of 2018, at which point Newport Grand would close.

© WLNE-TV 2016