Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

By Katherine Gregg
Journal State House Bureau

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A top-level Carcieri administration official has written House Finance Chairman Steven Costantino to assure him of his commitment to continuing overnight gambling at Twin River on weekends and the nights before holidays.

The letter went out Monday, amid rumors that the lawmakers intend to attach a rider to their unseen state budget plan that would force Twin River's owners to drop their plans to discontinue live dog racing at the slot parlor in mid-season.

House leaders had no immediate comment. But state officials have credited overnight gambling on weekends and holidays for an additional $12 million-plus in additional state gambling revenue.

The 2008 law allowing the overnight gambling expires June 30, and the Senate has passed a bill coupling an extension with a requirement that Twin River complete the greyhound racing season, Twin River's owners are trying to abort the racing season Aug. 8 to save money. The owners, in default on close to a half billion in loans, are hurtling toward a threatened bankruptcy filing next week.

The letter from Gary S. Sasse in his capacity as director of the state Department of Revenue, advises Costantino that he believes he (Sasse) has the authority to extend the overnight gambling and intends to do so "absent a legislative enactment to the contrary prior to July 1.''

Sasse did not make the letter public, but the owners of Twin River did Tuesday, the day before House Democratic leaders are slated to unveil - and vote - on their tax and spending plans for the year that begins July 1.

 Tags  Carcieri Lincoln RI Providence ri Twin River

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