Representatives in favor and opposed to Ballot Question 1, a constitutional amendment granting the Narragansett Indian tribe and Harrah's Entertainment exclusive rights to construct a destination casino in West Warwick, spoke at a panel forum Tuesday night hosted by Native Americans at Brown. Over 70 students, University staff and community members attended the event in Salomon 101, which was moderated by Ross Cheit, an associate professor of public policy.
The panel included Narragansett Chief Sachem Matthew Thomas and District 25 State Rep. Timothy Williamson, a Democrat who represents parts of West Warwick. Thomas and Williamson advocated for the casino. Father Gene McKenna of Citizens Concerned about Casino Gambling and Tom Jones of West Warwick Citizens Against the Casino spoke against the proposed "Foxwoods-style" resort, in reference to the sprawling Connecticut casino.
Save Our State, the official campaign against Question 1 chaired by former Gov. Lincoln Almond, was scheduled to send a representative but backed out at the last minute.
Nearly two-thirds of those in attendance raised their hands when McKenna, head priest at St. Lucy's Catholic Faith Community in Middletown and the first panel member to speak, asked if they had already made up their minds on Question 1.
According to McKenna, who said his parish has not had a bingo game in 24 years, 60 percent of gaming revenues spent at Rhode Island's existing slot machine parlors in Lincoln and Newport go to the state, while Harrah's proposal provides the state with only 25 percent of its gaming revenues.
"$1,000 lost at Lincoln Park means $600 goes to Rhode Island," said McKenna. "If that same person goes to Harrah's, that person has to lose $2,400 for the same effect. We have to create more problem gamblers - more addicted gamblers to maintain current revenues."
According to Williamson, the casino industry has two distinct markets: those who play slots and those who gamble at tables in resort casinos.
"That's $1.2 billion (in resort casino revenue) that does not stop in Rhode Island," Williamson said. "People don't want to go to Lincoln, Rhode Island, and (Lincoln Park) cannot compete with (Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun)."
Jones, a retired law enforcement officer and West Warwick citizen, questioned the promises made by Thomas in the past when working with other private gaming corporations.
According to Jones, Thomas violated a $10 million promise to Capital Gaming Limited four years ago and a separate $4 million partnership with Boyd Gaming. Both companies were former partners of the Narragansett tribe in the casino venture.
Jones called Thomas's latest efforts "the same roll of the dice."
Capital Gaming has since sued the Narragansett Indian Tribe for $10 million, and, according to Thomas, the money will be paid once a casino is up and running.
"Everybody is so scared to death of change," Thomas said. "(The casino) is not going to be the great end of the Western Hemisphere like everyone says it is."
Instead, Thomas equated Question 1 to a matter of civil rights for Native Americans. "We don't want any sympathy, we want our rights back," he said.
Thomas said the casino question is no different than racial segregation in the 1950s and 1960s or women's suffrage.
Comments from a woman wearing a "No on Question 1" sticker opened the hour-long question-and-answer session with panel members. "I'm insulted that (Thomas) said getting a casino is equivalent to women's rights," she said. Several audience members interrupted her remark with applause.
Questions from the audience ranged from issues of corruption and transparency within the General Assembly and the Narragansett Indian Tribe to the effect of the casino on college students and West Warwick residents and the ramifications of a constitutional amendment.
In 1999, West Warwick voted in a non-binding referendum to support a destination casino in the town. Jones said he doubts citizens of West Warwick are aware of the land options and real estate deals arranged by Harrah's to secure future land for possible expansion.
Harrah's has already purchased residential property in West Warwick, including a six-acre farm located at 461 East Greenwich Ave., Jones told The Herald after the forum. He said town leaders have violated trust with the community, citing "false statements, broken promises, dust in the wind."
One audience member questioned a claim made by Williamson that 10 states have incorporated private companies or institutions into their constitutions. The audience member said that among the states named, Massachusetts only has Harvard University written into its constitution and no other private corporation or institution.
"I don't think it's right to consider Harvard University and a casino the same thing," she said.
At one moment the exchange between sides heated up when Williamson alleged opponents of the casino are against creating jobs and property tax relief.
"They don't want you here," Williamson said in response to a question from a Johnson and Wales University student. Visibly angered, McKenna grabbed the microphone and began, "What rational person-" before he was silenced by Cheit.
Supporters of the casino claimed the proposed project will provide 3,500 construction jobs and 3,200 new jobs within the casino. According to Thomas, the Narragansett Indian Tribe stands to make $25 million annually from casino revenues but said "the lion's share is going to the state."
Jones said the tribe, which has 2,400 members, already receives 5 percent of its annual revenues - $10 million - from existing slot parlors. But according to Thomas, the state couples this money with specific requirements for where the funding goes.
"It's an issue of sovereignty and trying to get ourselves off the ground," Thomas said.
"It was disappointing (Save Our State) didn't show and we had to settle for the third string," Thomas told The Herald after the forum, calling casino opponents McKenna and Jones "frozen in time."
Mallory Phillips '08, who is the Native American Heritage Series programmer for the Third World Center, said she was singularly responsible for organizing Tuesday's forum. Phillips declined to reveal whether she supports Question 1.
"My take is there was a lot of good back-and-forth. With this issue there are heated views," Cheit told The Herald after the forum. As moderator, Cheit was under tight restrictions to maintain neutrality on the issue and keep the forum balanced.
A table in the lobby, however, only had literature, bumper stickers and pledge cards representing the "Yes" campaign.
