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PROPOSED: Trump Casino

Cotuit

By Cotuit
in Rhode Island

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Dan Hamlet

Dan

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From the 1025 Club:

"Trump's gambling specialists believe that the state legislature might be persuaded to solicit bids for the most attractive casino-development proposal. "

Could this be possible?

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...21.355b08e.html

It seems for RI the time to act is now...

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20...21.34bb7b1.html

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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Allow me a Stanley Weiss moment here:

The people who work for Donald Trump came to town last night to tell residents about their glitzy visions for a New England version of Atlantic City's Taj Mahal.
Are the people in Johnston really so white-trash that this is attractive to them?

From the 1025 Club:

"Trump's gambling specialists believe that the state legislature might be persuaded to solicit bids for the most attractive casino-development proposal. "

Could this be possible?

The legislature will give Trump whatever he wants, it's the Governor who has been leading the anti-casino fight.

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Jerry2 Hamlet

Jerry2

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Allow me a Stanley Weiss moment here:

Are the people in Johnston really so white-trash that this is attractive to them?

The legislature will give Trump whatever he wants, it's the Governor who has been leading the anti-casino fight.

Yes, they are.

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rhuck Unincorporated Area

rhuck

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Here's a link to a few pictures of Trump's Atlantic City Taj Mahal, if anybody's interested. But I warn you: if you choose to click the link, I assume none of the responsibility for the cheesiness to which you're about to be subjected.

Donald Trump doesn't get what this state is all about. It worked in Atlantic City because it was a little resort town that already had some "glitz". Rhode Islanders will be against it as much as they are against any casino built.

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glassandsteel Whistle-Stop

glassandsteel

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"People look at Johnston as scum, everybody looks down on us."

It's okay, I grew up in West Warwick and I used to hear all the same crap too. When I first heard about the plan to build a casino there I was suped because there wasn't much to be proud of there but it's just West Warwick, just like Johnston, just like anywhere else that's a suburb of Providence. Johnston isn't going to be the only place you live in your life, then you'll realize what it's own identity is in relation to everywhere else in the world. No casino is going to make Johnston better, no attraction will for that fact. Everything the casino will have to offer will be indoors (except for the golf course, eww), it's not going to create a lively neighborhood, it's not going to spur good development in your town, it's not going to change anything except: the tax base (not for the better in relative-facility comparisons), crime rate (a little), traffic congestion (depends), and skyline......oh, it'll be the only building you can see. IF you or all of Johnston wants it's identity to be defined by a gaudy casino, that's cool, but when you see the rest of the world you'll realize that it's just that. ANOTHER GAUDY CASINO.

Oh, and go ask people in Ledyard how cool it is.

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Frankie811 City

Frankie811

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http://www.projo.com/opinion/columnists/co...bw.688286f.html

A Providence waterfront casino with no meeting space and not too many hotel rooms. Would that be our best RI casino scenario?

I agree that the waterfront would be an excellent spot for a casino, but only if there is ample access to Rt 95. On another note, CT has just approved a plan for a bypass road for Rt 2, making it easier to get to Foxwoods.

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Dan Hamlet

Dan

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The way I see it the legislature is trying to amend the constitution to enable a Harrah's / West Warwick / Narragansett Indians exception to the state-owned lottery law. That would block any proposed Trump / Johnston casino.

I believe the Casino in Providence idea was argued for Fox Point years ago and never went anywhere. I like the non-destination concept with limited hotel rooms. That casino would connect the Jewelry District with the Allens Ave Waterfront nicely. Never gonna happen.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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"People look at Johnston as scum, everybody looks down on us."

It's okay, I grew up in West Warwick and I used to hear all the same crap too. When I first heard about the plan to build a casino there I was suped because there wasn't much to be proud of there but it's just West Warwick, just like Johnston, just like anywhere else that's a suburb of Providence. Johnston isn't going to be the only place you live in your life, then you'll realize what it's own identity is in relation to everywhere else in the world. No casino is going to make Johnston better, no attraction will for that fact. Everything the casino will have to offer will be indoors (except for the golf course, eww), it's not going to create a lively neighborhood, it's not going to spur good development in your town, it's not going to change anything except: the tax base (not for the better in relative-facility comparisons), crime rate (a little), traffic congestion (depends), and skyline......oh, it'll be the only building you can see. IF you or all of Johnston wants it's identity to be defined by a gaudy casino, that's cool, but when you see the rest of the world you'll realize that it's just that. ANOTHER GAUDY CASINO.

Oh, and go ask people in Ledyard how cool it is.

foxwoods is the ugliest casino. mohegan sun is not. it's actually quite nice and the hotel is a nice looking building. but i agree, foxwoods is just awful looking. it doesn't fit where it is.

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damus Burg

damus

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foxwoods is the ugliest casino. mohegan sun is not. it's actually quite nice and the hotel is a nice looking building. but i agree, foxwoods is just awful looking. it doesn't fit where it is.

I agree that Foxwoods awful, I prefer the Mohegan Sun. The real issue people in Southeastern CT have with the casinos is they pay nothing for taxes, but draw in tens of thousands of visitors daily clogging up the roads. At the same time immigrants from all over are moving in for casino jobs and sending their kids to public schools where they sometimes need to learn English. As of 2005 there were 32 languages spoken in the Norwich Public School system, in a "city" of about 35,000. There was a deal brokered by Gov. Lowell Wiecker when Foxwoods wanted slots to give the state 25% of the slot revenue, but the piece the area around the casinos get is miniscule. It's good that Johnston is being careful with the casinos, the ones around here were pretty much shoved down our throats via the court system.

In reference to that opinion piece from Projo; in the areas around the casinos, property values and taxes have skyrocketed since the casinos were built, though I'm not sure how much of that is part of the overall housing boom. Another negative effect of the casinos is the suburbanization, or should I say exurbanization, of the area, though this probably wouldn't be as big an issue in Johnston.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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I agree that Foxwoods awful, I prefer the Mohegan Sun. The real issue people in Southeastern CT have with the casinos is they pay nothing for taxes, but draw in tens of thousands of visitors daily clogging up the roads. At the same time immigrants from all over are moving in for casino jobs and sending their kids to public schools where they sometimes need to learn English. As of 2005 there were 32 languages spoken in the Norwich Public School system, in a "city" of about 35,000. There was a deal brokered by Gov. Lowell Wiecker when Foxwoods wanted slots to give the state 25% of the slot revenue, but the piece the area around the casinos get is miniscule. It's good that Johnston is being careful with the casinos, the ones around here were pretty much shoved down our throats via the court system.

In reference to that opinion piece from Projo; in the areas around the casinos, property values and taxes have skyrocketed since the casinos were built, though I'm not sure how much of that is part of the overall housing boom. Another negative effect of the casinos is the suburbanization, or should I say exurbanization, of the area, though this probably wouldn't be as big an issue in Johnston.

i haven't read the whole proposal for the johnston casino, but it's my understanding that the casinos in CT don't pay taxes because they're on tribal land and not state land. the johnston casino would be built by donald trump, who, last i checked, was not native american. i am pretty sure he's actually planning on paying taxes and fronting most (if not all) the money himself. i'll have to go back and read through the whole proposal, but that's my understanding.

i don't know if i'd call increased property values a negative affect of the casino, but having to pay more taxes is (although they go hand in hand). it's like people who bought property on the shoreline about 20-30 years ago really cheap and now that piece of property they bought for $100k is worth $500k. is that a bad thing?

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jencoleslaw Town

jencoleslaw

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i don't know if i'd call increased property values a negative affect of the casino, but having to pay more taxes is (although they go hand in hand). it's like people who bought property on the shoreline about 20-30 years ago really cheap and now that piece of property they bought for $100k is worth $500k. is that a bad thing?

if the whole beating the drum on the casino call is all about how it is going to make people's lives better by DECREASING the tax burdon on the people who live there, than increased property values, with increased taxes is in fact not a good thing. that's why i've been asking whether there are instances where development (of any kind) that comes with the promise that it will decrease the tax burdon by putting that burdon on the development, actually happens, or if it is a red herring.

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damus Burg

damus

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i haven't read the whole proposal for the johnston casino, but it's my understanding that the casinos in CT don't pay taxes because they're on tribal land and not state land. the johnston casino would be built by donald trump, who, last i checked, was not native american. i am pretty sure he's actually planning on paying taxes and fronting most (if not all) the money himself.

Forgive me for not reading into it. Trump was a leading candidate to build the Eastern Pequot's casino in North Stonington, CT and I assumed this all tied into the Naragansett's bid for a casino.

The problem with the property values was that when the casinos pay no taxes, and with them being all in one resorts generating little ancillerary development (gas stations, fast food), the burden falls on the taxpayer to pay for the schooling of the children of the 10,000+ employees of a large resort casino.

i don't know if i'd call increased property values a negative affect of the casino, but having to pay more taxes is (although they go hand in hand). it's like people who bought property on the shoreline about 20-30 years ago really cheap and now that piece of property they bought for $100k is worth $500k. is that a bad thing?

It's a bad thing for people who lived in an area for years (i.e. retirees) who all of a sudden have to pay a substantially higher amount for taxes, with the quality of life being the same or lower than it was in the past. This isn't exactly the same as waterfront property. People did not move to Johnston or its surrounding towns for a Casino. They'll be paying higher taxes for something they never dreamed would happen to that town.

I love going to the Mohegan Sun and appreciate everything it has to offer, but I also consider it a self contained city of moral decay. Some of the weakest people in society have succombed to addiction and ruined their lives because the casinos were so close to where they live. The car dealership across the water from the Sun lost millions of dollars because one woman needed her fix and decided to pay herself for it. My father's law office was broken into. Several area towns have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to embezzelment. In addition, due to the fact that casinos like to comp out free drinks for gamers, there will likely be a substantial increase in drunk driving.

A casino would probably also like to book shows. PPAC and the dunkin donuts center will probably have to compete with the casino for the same acts. If the casino is as convenient to get to and park as the Sun is, you've greatly diminished two of downtown's best attractions.

There are pros and cons to these things. While the casinos have had their negative impact on segments of society, they also created (mostly lower paying) jobs when Electric Boat was laying off thousands. Instead of having nothing to do in this area, we have the casinos and all of the great entertainment and dining options they offer.

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DaveRPI Whistle-Stop

DaveRPI

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A casino would probably also like to book shows. PPAC and the dunkin donuts center will probably have to compete with the casino for the same acts. If the casino is as convenient to get to and park as the Sun is, you've greatly diminished two of downtown's best attractions.

thats one way to look at it... or

maybe PPAC and the Dunk will have to invest more money into their operations to compete, which in turn brings our entertainment value to much higher level across the board

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Cotuit Megalopolis

Cotuit

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Trump's engineers say site can accommodate casino. Although some resources have to be addressed, backers of the proposed gambling development say the parcel of land along Route 295 is adequate to house such a facility. [ProJo.com]

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Jenkins Whistle-Stop

Jenkins

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I'll say right up front that I am opposed to casino's in RI. And I fear that slowly but surely it is becoming politically easier for the reps to allow casino's, than for them to make the tough choices that would create a positive economic climate here in the long run.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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I'll say right up front that I am opposed to casino's in RI. And I fear that slowly but surely it is becoming politically easier for the reps to allow casino's, than for them to make the tough choices that would create a positive economic climate here in the long run.

there are already 2 casinos in RI. i don't know why they're not considered casinos, but they are... newport grand and lincoln park.

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Jenkins Whistle-Stop

Jenkins

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there are already 2 casinos in RI. i don't know why they're not considered casinos, but they are... newport grand and lincoln park.

Well, slot parlors, not full fledged casino's. I may be splitting hairs, but there is a difference both qualitatively and quantitatively in my book between NPG/Lincoln and a Harra's or Trump full fledged affair.

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runawayjim Metropolis

runawayjim

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Well, slot parlors, not full fledged casino's. I may be splitting hairs, but there is a difference both qualitatively and quantitatively in my book between NPG/Lincoln and a Harra's or Trump full fledged affair.

they both can cause the same problems, the same addictions, and attract the same people. the difference i see is that harrah's or trump will attract more big wig types and non-gamblers alike.

i don't like it because i don't want to see conferences and entertainment pulled out of providence.

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Jenkins Whistle-Stop

Jenkins

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i don't like it because i don't want to see conferences and entertainment pulled out of providence.

I am right with you on that. Providence is just about getting its training wheels off now, hate to see it passed on the left by a casino monstrosity.

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