Politics & Government
State House Hearing on Table Games for Newport Grand Wednesday
The hearing is before the Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans' Affairs in Room 310.
Legislation to put a question before Newport voters this fall whether to allow table games at Newport Grand will be heard before a Senate committee at the Rhode Island State House on Wednesday.
The bill, sponsored by Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) is a joint resolution to put the question before voters in November.
The bill would pave the way for a sale of Newport Grand to a team of investors led by former Providence Mayor Joseph Paolino, who want to turn the bland structure into a first-class casino destination.
There will be no deal without table games, Paolino has said.
The hearing is before the Senate Committee on Special Legislation and Veterans' Affairs in Room 310. The hearing will be held when the committee meets at around 5 p.m.
A companion bill, 2014-H 8265, has been submitted by Rep. Marvin L. Abney (D-Dist. 73, Newport, Middletown) in the House.
The City Council voted 4-3 to ask the General Assembly to put the measure on the ballot after a long meeting last week during which both sides of the issue — for and against table games — pleaded their cases.
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