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PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The House of Representatives approved a constitutional amendment Thursday night that would allow the Narragansett Indian Tribe and an unnamed business partner to open a casino in West Warwick.
The amendment would eliminate a provision in the Rhode Island constitution that requires state authorities to run all lotteries, including casinos. The state Supreme Court has twice ruled against casino gambling bills that it said didn’t give state authorities enough control over casino operations.
The amendment, passed by a vote of 44-28 in the House, now goes to the Senate. If both chambers give the OK, voters will have their say on changing the constitution in November.
Rep. Timothy Williamson, D-West Warwick, originally introduced an amendment setting a tax of 25 percent to 40 percent on gaming income generated by the proposed casino. The House finance committee stripped away that language earlier this week, which means legislators must set a tax rate after voting on the amendment.
The amendment does not say who will run the casino, but the tribe has long been partnered with Las Vegas-based Harrah’s Entertainment.
Amendment supporters have said Harrah’s will invest up to $1 billion under their latest proposal and pay a $100 million licensing fee to the state. Williamson has argued that Rhode Island voters should decide the issue, not state legislators.
Rep. Carol Mumford, R-Scituate, has warned the casino could hurt the state’s revenue just as lawmakers are trying to close a $300 million budget deficit.
Rhode Island gets about 60 percent of gaming income from the state’s two slot parlors, the Newport Grand and Lincoln Park.
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