MA vs RI Casino Wars Heat Up

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Friday, March 04, 2011

While RI Seeks a Strategy, MA Mayor's Pitch Expansion

While Rhode Island seeks a strategy for gaming, the Mayors of many of Massachusetts' largest communities have unified to push for an expansion of gaming in the Bay State. Their success could be devastating to Rhode Island's already fragile budget situation.

Earlier this week, the Mayors of 13 communities wrote a joint letter to Governor Deval Patrick, Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Therese Murray urging the Commonwealth to take action.

"The Commonwealth needs the jobs and revenues that expanded gaming will bring and needs it now. Our local communities, struggling with state aid cuts and declining local receipts, cannot afford to wait any longer.
It is time for action ‐‐‐ positive action," the Mayors wrote in their joint letter.

While in RI, there were mixed messages on gaming coming from the Governor Lincoln Chafee's office regarding the future expansion of gaming and even the operator of Twin Rivers Casino.

The Massachusetts effort is driven in part be a jobs focused Web site under the title, "Jobs and Growth Today." The Massachusetts effort is lead by Mayors, more than 20 unions and a range of other business interests.

Obviously, the stakes are high for both - Rhode Island generates millions of dollars in revenues from residents of Massachusetts. If gaming were developed in the Bay State it could be a significant blow to the RI economy.

See the full letter below.