A public hearing held earlier this week resulted in Twin River gaining approval for a change in operation for their Tiverton Casino Hotel. There were no objections to the company’s request to change the pilot license for 24-hour operations to a permanent one. While the license was approved, it must be renewed annually after show-cause hearings are held if violations are perceived.

Moving Forward:

During the meeting, the attorney for the casino, Mark Russo, was on hand to speak. He told the Town Council that it is important for the casino to remain open for a competitive standpoint. The casino and hotel property currently employees 600 individuals and according to the attorney, more than 60 of that number are from Tiverton.

The casino has been open for almost a year now and has already seen a few issues that needed attention. A hearing took place regarding the first quarterly report of the venue since opening which results in the police and fire departments airing out issues that needed attention.

Those in charge of both departments have requested an upgrade to the communications equipment used to make it easier for personnel at Tiverton Casino Hotel to be able to communicate with the first responders located offsite. According to the casino’s attorney, new cables and equipment are being installed to solve the issue.

According to NewportRI.com…

Only one resident spoke out during the public hearing this week on the license. Barbara Pelletier has been a support of the operation from the start and praised the casino during the meeting. She commented on how for the first time in many years, the area has seen a tax reduction. Ms. Pelletier stated that the casino seems to know what they are doing and are doing it well.

Early Success:

Tiverton has done well since opening in September 2018. By April 2019, the venue had seen close to $1 million in gambling revenues. Revenue reports from that time frame showed the general fund had reached just over $970,000.

For the first ten months of operation, the casino continued to see an increase in revenues each quarter. However, the recently opened Encore Boston Harbor may begin to affect the property. The Twin River Lincoln Casino has already been affected, subject to layoffs due to Encore.

According to the Town Treasurer of Tiverton, the town is still earning anywhere from $4,000 to $5,000 a week from table gaming revenues.