Legislation for Narragansett casino bid questioned

Thursday, June 24, 2004  

A bill to put the Narragansett Tribe's casino bid before the voters is being questioned by supporters and opponents.

Two versions of the bill were rushed through the House and Senate on Tuesday evening. Now that more people have looked at it, they are concerned about the time frames imposed, revenue-sharing, regulation of the casino and law enforcement duties.

The biggest issue appears to be how much the tribe and Harrah's Entertainment would pay for the right to operate the casino. In addition to a $100 million license fee, the partnership would contribute a percentage of slot machine revenues. The figures range from 25 percent to 40 percent, depending on how much the casino makes.

Another concern is the impact on two non-Indian gaming facilities. The facilities are worried about losing revenue and say the bill could prevent them from negotiating a lower tax rate. Currently, they pay 60 percent of video slot machine revenues to the state.

Get the Story:
Confusion remains on casino legislation (The Providence Journal 6/24)
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