West Warwick Casino: Good Idea or Bad? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 08:45 AM

With the West Warwick Casino plans pending on votes during election day, what are your thoughts on the possibility of it passing?

I personally think it will benefit the state economically in the long run. Even though revenue will most likely be lost from the Convention center. But let's look at the bright side of it. Let's see... State profits from casino, value of houses rise, neighboring businesses thrive, ghetto people forced to move south, better state of living... Good Plan!

RIJIMMY · 06-29-2006, 08:48 AM

The whole economic benefit argument is a scam IMHO. Ask the population of CT how much things "changed" with the two casinos there. Did their taxes go down? Lower cost of living? All the casino will add is traffic and low paying jobs.

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 08:58 AM

I wouldn't say the jobs are low paying... 20 dollars an hour for casino dealers isn't bad at all. Lowering cost of living isn't necessarily a good idea. I'm all for if you wanna be part of the state then you have to work for it. Rhode Island is the worsed governed state in the U.S. and the tax rate is pretty high for what it has to offer. It can't get any worse right?

Clammer · 06-29-2006, 09:07 AM

I believe / many property values will continue to drop / & also many of the workers are transient [sp] like circus workers /// many more renters than home owners ///

personally I think in the long run /the ripple effect will out weight the positive ;;;

taxes ---lets see==================== many years ago we got the lottery -under the pretense of less, lower , or doing away with some taxes ----------the lottery system has grown ten-fold --------D/S has gone down ...

IMO it will be a mistake /if we get it

Saltheart · 06-29-2006, 09:13 AM

I like the idea. I hope to get a job there when I retire .

Overall , I think it will hurt the city of Providence badly. I don't think it will do squat for the rest of the state.

In RI , they never lower taxes when they get more income . They always increase spending. No matter how much they take in , they will find ways to spend it.

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 09:18 AM

Hmmm... Well you're from Warwick so you probably wouldn't want the traffic around your home. Well the lottery didn't do any justice on taxes so you do have a point. The state invested in a building we call the Convention Center which probably has some affect on the tax rate as it fails to produce expected revenue.

So how are the taxes in Warwick? Are you getting back what you paid for in Taxes? For example, efficiency of the Fire Dept. and police Department.

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 09:22 AM

Good point there Saltheart... Personally I want Rhode Islanders to spend in Rhode Island. Why not have out of staters spend in RI? I'm sure there's some benefits to that.

MakoMike · 06-29-2006, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

The whole economic benefit argument is a scam IMHO. Ask the population of CT how much things "changed" with the two casinos there. Did their taxes go down? Lower cost of living? All the casino will add is traffic and low paying jobs.

CT is a much bigger state than RI. The people in the immediate vicinities of the casinos have benefitted, and the state as a whole has gotten a lot more revenue. Problem is in a state that big its hard to see the impact. I think RI would be Much much better off with the casino. The convention center is a big flop anyway, we should probably put the casino in the convention center, but that ain't gonna happen. A lot small RI business will also benefit in supplying stuff to the casino.

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 09:38 AM

Amen

RIJIMMY · 06-29-2006, 09:51 AM

you could be right, my gut just tells me its the wrong thing to do. Selfishly, I know it will increase southbound traffic on my way to fish, I'll have to start fishing the canal and cape

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 09:59 AM

Well you can always go route 24 towards 138...

Fishpart · 06-29-2006, 10:58 AM

Casinos are a bad idea.

There is NO WEALTH GENERATED THAT EVER GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY!!!! Check out the book "The Wealth of Nataions" it was written centuries ago about this very issue. In this case Harrahs takes their large percantage of the profits and leaves. Wages are artificailly driven up in a quest to capture the skilled workers from manufacturers and the factories close because they cannnot get skilled workers nor afford them. In maunfacturing every time materials change hands value is added and profit is generated. Workers can earn a living wage and put the money back into the areas where they live....

As for the proposed TAX SAVINGS....it will save me about $50.00 per year on my property taxes...That won't do me much @#$%^&ing good when the factory I work at closes because we can't attract and retain good workers....

MakoMike · 06-29-2006, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishpart

Casinos are a bad idea.

There is NO WEALTH GENERATED THAT EVER GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY!!!! In this case Harrahs takes their large percantage of the profits and leaves. Wages are artificailly driven up in a quest to capture the skilled workers from manufacturers and the factories close because they cannnot get skilled workers nor afford them. In maunfacturing every time materials change hands value is added and profit is generated. Workers can earn a living wage and put the money back into the areas where they live....

As for the proposed TAX SAVINGS....it will save me about $50.00 per year on my property taxes...That won't do me much @#$%^&ing good when the factory I work at closes because we can't attract and retain good workers....

You could make the same argument against any service sector business, but like it or not the entire U.S. economy is becoming more and more a service sector based economy. Besides I would call waiters and waitresses or dealers "skilled workers."

chris L · 06-29-2006, 12:26 PM

there are 2 casinos in CT and our taxes still keep going up . and what is it the state gets from the casinos for slot revenue 200 million ? I enjoy casinos cause Im a gambling idiot and its entertainment for me . But does it help the state and taxes I dont see it . build it and they will come !

fishdump · 06-29-2006, 12:48 PM

The biggest probelm is it is a no bid deal exclusive to Harrah's. They are voting to change the state constitution to allow Harrah's and The Narragansetts to build a casino. It should be a general amendement to the constitution to allow casino gambling in the state then let Harrah's and who ever else come in and let the state chose the best deal. If Trump wants to come in and give the state 400 million bucks up front and then say 40% of the slot revenues and Harrah's is only offering 350 million and 30% of slot reveneues, Trump sounds like a better offer to me, but that isn't what is being voted on. It is solely for Harrah's, so if this passes with no real numbers in black and white already on the table, the state could get rooked. Yes the convention center is a flop, but the casino is also saying it will host concerts, which will then detract from the Dunkin Donuts Center, this will affect folks that own parking lots, restaurants, etc. The trickle down effect could really put so harm on other businesses. Like others have said more money means more spending, I really don't foresee any tax relief, it will just probably just slow the increases a bit.

zacs · 06-29-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakoMike

CT is a much bigger state than RI. The people in the immediate vicinities of the casinos have benefitted...

this is not true. my wife is from north stonington, and I have at least 15 relatives within 10 miles foxwoods and they have had no positive results. taxes are higher. more traffic. only good thing is that there is a nice casino and hotel down the street when there used to be nothing but woods.

i am not against the casino, but i don't think it will do anything to improve my life, other than give me another option for something to do on a friday night in december...

Redsoxticket · 06-29-2006, 01:35 PM

The state of RI should expend its energy to attract corporations (high technology, bio-medical, financing, etc.) to the state at these proposed casino locations which will create thousands of jobs. Future generations can then look forward to a career as oppose to a casino employee.

Father: "Son, what do you want to be when you grow up."

Son: "I want to work at the casino just like you"

The future would be bleak for the children that have the potential to go to college or a business career if the easy way is working at a casino.

Also, if MA gets a casino then the only money generated would be from the gambling losers of RI. The people from CT would go to CT and the MA people will go to MA depending on the location if it does happen and especially if they have to pay less tax on their winnings

Fishpart · 06-29-2006, 02:29 PM

Not saying that only factory workers are skilled, we have difficulty recruiting quality employees now, with a Casino the problem would be even worse.....Most service sector employees generate monies that stay in the area, more so those who work for a local business.

In a Casino the profit comes from trickery, not a service....

"The state of RI should expend its energy to attract corporations (high technology, bio-medical, financing, etc.) to the state at these proposed casino locations which will create thousands of jobs. Future generations can then look forward to a career as oppose to a casino employee." Redsoxticket

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishdump

If Trump wants to come in and give the state 400 million bucks up front and then say 40% of the slot revenues and Harrah's is only offering 350 million and 30% of slot reveneues, Trump sounds like a better offer to me, but that isn't what is being voted on.

Trump is full of Bull! From my sources, he wanted in on a certain casino in CT and pulled out of the deal when it comes to signing. When push comes to shove, Trump is all talk. Trump speaks of opening a casino in Johnston but you know that's all talk.

The Trump Tower practically files for bankruptcy every year.

Not to bag on factory work but I rather have Rhode Island tailored for the corporate setting than industrial mills that pollutes the bay.
I agree with Mike, waitresses and dealers are "skilled." Let's one of us shuffle hundreds of hands a day or carry 50 pounds of drinks at a time.

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 02:46 PM

Another thing is I rather have illegal immigrants clean casino toilets than work under the table in factories and cheat the state of taxes.

MakoMike · 06-29-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishdump

The biggest probelm is it is a no bid deal exclusive to Harrah's. They are voting to change the state constitution to allow Harrah's and The Narragansetts to build a casino.

That's simply not true. The amendment says that the Narragansett's and their partner can build and operate a casino. The name "harrah's" isn't in there and the indians can change partners if someone offers a better deal.

MakoMike · 06-29-2006, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redsoxticket

The state of RI should expend its energy to attract corporations (high technology, bio-medical, financing, etc.) to the state at these proposed casino locations which will create thousands of jobs. Future generations can then look forward to a career as oppose to a casino employee.

Plenty of room for big corps. in the state, but getting them here ain't gonna happen without a major tax reform, which both houses of the legislature oppose. MA won't build a casino if we do it first. The market studies show that the area can only support three casinos and no one in their right mind is going to put up the capital to build a fourth. The casinos compete on more than just distance. For example, many people drive right by Foxwoods to get to Mohegan Sun.

Jenn · 06-29-2006, 05:12 PM

on the skilled employee vs. casino employee issue...
I know a black jack dealer that make 95,000 a year (has me wishing I lived closer to a casino thats for sure!!). He would be lucky to make half that as a "skilled employee". Now thats a hard thing to compete with.....

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MakoMike

Plenty of room for big corps. in the state, but getting them here ain't gonna happen without a major tax reform, which both houses of the legislature oppose. MA won't build a casino if we do it first. The market studies show that the area can only support three casinos and no one in their right mind is going to put up the capital to build a fourth. The casinos compete on more than just distance. For example, many people drive right by Foxwoods to get to Mohegan Sun.

Textron and G-tech headquarters based in Providence isn't bad at all for a small town. We have school's like RISDI, J&W and Brown all clustered just begging for more corporate conglomerates to reside outside of Providence. Not to mention rising digital marketing firm BZ results who was based in E. Providence now in Coventry. I feel by adding a casino in RI would be the icing on top of a cake for corporate attraction.

I believe Foxwoods allowed MGM to build another casino next to it, which will make 3 in Conn. within the next 2-3 years.

Driving on 95 it is noticible that the Coventry area is expanding as in a hotel to replace the old G-tech and it's just coincidental that it will reside in between the casinos if the WW Casino passes. Look for that area to appreciate in value. Just like the casino at a poker table, the state hopes to rake in its rates.

But hey what do I know? Just my two cents...

gone fishin · 06-29-2006, 07:49 PM

Casino = syndicate big money. The poor get poorer and the syndicate and all their businesses rake it in.

afterhours · 06-29-2006, 08:00 PM

anyone know what % the narragansetts get vs the corp they jump in bed with?

stormfish · 06-29-2006, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gone fishin

Casino = syndicate big money. The poor get poorer and the syndicate and all their businesses rake it in.

Kind of explains how George W. is making his money nowadays.

"uffah!!" · 06-30-2006, 05:00 AM

We don't need no Casinos in West Warwick, or Rhode Island for that matter. JUst like we don't need another Whitehouse in Washington.
And thats all I got to say on that matter..(For now)

stormfish · 06-30-2006, 08:15 AM

Ok, let's look at this on a safety issue... Would you rather have a love one travel 40-50 miles to go get wasted/gamble and drive back the distance rather than a 5-15 mile trip?

I guess I'm just being bias on the subject because both my parents are dealers at Foxwoods and I recently lost a brother in a car accident. I can't afford to lose anyone else on the road...

Mr. Sandman · 06-30-2006, 08:26 AM

One would think there is enough coruption related problems in RI without bringing in gambling. But then again, maybe if we concentrate all the graft, crime, and scumbags in one place we can carpet bomb it and kill it off once and for all.

Just an idea.

RI is the only place I have ever lived where I hear this on the news:

"Today, police stopped a car on I-95 near Cranston and found a pair of human hands in the trunk, police are investigating who they belong to" WTF? And during the time I lived there I heard this more then once.

RI needs to clean up its own mess before you bring in anything so tempting as gambling. If you want to gamble drive a few miles to CT.