Twin River Group Brings Casino Pitch to Tiverton

Officials from Twin River Management Group will appear tonight in the first of what will be numerous public meetings about their plans to move Newport Grand to Tiverton at Tiverton Middle School.

The meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m., will bring the Tiverton Town Council and Twin River officials together for an overview of the plan to build a “convenience gambling” facility on 45-acres right at the town border with Fall River.

While the meeting will be open to the public, residents will have to sit tight as the council gets an overview of the early plans, though Patti Doyle, spokeswoman for Twin River, said there will be 30 to 50 neighborhood meetings with residents through the summer.

Tiverton Town Manager Matthew Wojick said that it seems residents are being open minded about the proposal but they want more information. He told Rhode Island Public Radio that “People, I think, feel like they want a good deal more information before they take a strong view, one way of another.”

A group opposed to the casino has been formed, however. No Tiverton Casino has launched a website and begun a campaign to convince residents that the casino would do little to boost the economy in the long run and would harm the town’s rural character, among other concerns.