April 2005
By Dale J. Venturini
President & CEO, Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association
Last August, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief when casino legislation was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and ripped from the November ballot. However, as we expected, casino proponents wouldn’t stay quiet for long.
Last month, revised casino legislation was put back on the table at the state house. In order to work around the state’s constitutional provisions, this year’s bill seeks a special election in November on a “state-operated casino,” run by Harrah’s Entertainment and the Narragansett Indians under contract with the state Lottery Commission.
As the infamous saying goes, “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig” – this seems to describe this year’s legislation in a nutshell. Some of the words may have changed, but by and large, the legislation remains the same. It still calls for a mega-resort destination casino with a 500-room hotel, Harrah’s brand restaurants, retail shops, entertainment venues and convention space. And, the bill still proposes that Harrah’s pay only 25 cents of every dollar to the state, while Rhode Island’s VLT facilities provide 60% of their revenues to state coffers.
What’s more, the effort to change the bill’s wording to avoid constitutional hurdles has only made the legislation even more deceptive. The bill’s drafters are proposing to put this question on the ballot: “Shall the state operate a casino gaming facility in the town of West Warwick?” There’s no mention of Harrah’s in the question, although the majority of the money spent at the casino would end up in their pockets. Don’t be fooled.
The Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association is continuing its fight against the building of a casino in Rhode Island, and is currently working in partnership with several associations to stop the proposed casino from getting on the November ballot. Last year, we could not have won the fight without the passion and commitment of the individual businesses that make up our hospitality and tourism industry. Now, as Harrah’s proves almost daily that they will stop at nothing to ensure their big casino interests succeed in Rhode Island, we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to work even harder in our efforts to oppose the casino. Most importantly, we need your support.
The first line of defense is to educate customers on the negative impact the casino would have on existing businesses and our way of life in Rhode Island. We may not have the deep pockets of Harrah’s, but we do have the truth, and we need to share it with every customer that’s willing to listen. The reality is this – any economic boon that Harrah’s promises with its enormous casino would be at the expense of the 5,000 hospitality venues and more than 67,000 employees in Rhode Island.
The Association will continue to update members on all developments from Harrah’s and the Narragansett Indian Tribe, and will inform you of ways you can assist in protecting your business, our industry and the quality of life in Rhode Island. With so much at stake, we cannot be lulled by a false sense of security or the idea that the casino issue will resolve itself as it did last year. More than ever, we need to maintain a united front to continue the fight against the devastating effects of a casino.
By Dale J. Venturini
President & CEO, Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association
Last August, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief when casino legislation was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and ripped from the November ballot. However, as we expected, casino proponents wouldn’t stay quiet for long.
Last month, revised casino legislation was put back on the table at the state house. In order to work around the state’s constitutional provisions, this year’s bill seeks a special election in November on a “state-operated casino,” run by Harrah’s Entertainment and the Narragansett Indians under contract with the state Lottery Commission.
As the infamous saying goes, “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig” – this seems to describe this year’s legislation in a nutshell. Some of the words may have changed, but by and large, the legislation remains the same. It still calls for a mega-resort destination casino with a 500-room hotel, Harrah’s brand restaurants, retail shops, entertainment venues and convention space. And, the bill still proposes that Harrah’s pay only 25 cents of every dollar to the state, while Rhode Island’s VLT facilities provide 60% of their revenues to state coffers.
What’s more, the effort to change the bill’s wording to avoid constitutional hurdles has only made the legislation even more deceptive. The bill’s drafters are proposing to put this question on the ballot: “Shall the state operate a casino gaming facility in the town of West Warwick?” There’s no mention of Harrah’s in the question, although the majority of the money spent at the casino would end up in their pockets. Don’t be fooled.
The Rhode Island Hospitality and Tourism Association is continuing its fight against the building of a casino in Rhode Island, and is currently working in partnership with several associations to stop the proposed casino from getting on the November ballot. Last year, we could not have won the fight without the passion and commitment of the individual businesses that make up our hospitality and tourism industry. Now, as Harrah’s proves almost daily that they will stop at nothing to ensure their big casino interests succeed in Rhode Island, we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to work even harder in our efforts to oppose the casino. Most importantly, we need your support.
The first line of defense is to educate customers on the negative impact the casino would have on existing businesses and our way of life in Rhode Island. We may not have the deep pockets of Harrah’s, but we do have the truth, and we need to share it with every customer that’s willing to listen. The reality is this – any economic boon that Harrah’s promises with its enormous casino would be at the expense of the 5,000 hospitality venues and more than 67,000 employees in Rhode Island.
The Association will continue to update members on all developments from Harrah’s and the Narragansett Indian Tribe, and will inform you of ways you can assist in protecting your business, our industry and the quality of life in Rhode Island. With so much at stake, we cannot be lulled by a false sense of security or the idea that the casino issue will resolve itself as it did last year. More than ever, we need to maintain a united front to continue the fight against the devastating effects of a casino.
