Lincoln

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24-7 proviso draws ire in Lincoln

01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, June 24, 2009

By Michael P. McKinney

Journal Staff Writer

LINCOLN –– If the proposed Twin River bankruptcy agreement does provoke host-community criticism, it may come over a provision to expand gambling to 24 hours, seven days a week.

It “is not going to sit very well with residents,” said Town Council President Ronald A. McKenna. “The governor right now is not thinking of the people of Lincoln. He is only thinking of the bottom line. They are forcing this down our throats.”

Town Administrator T. Joseph Almond said he did not expect BLB Investors’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing Tuesday to affect the revenue payments the town receives from Twin River as its host community. He said officials’ concern had been over whether the property would remain under private ownership, thus subject to local taxation.

Twin River currently operates around the clock on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In a 2007 nonbinding referendum, 65 percent of Lincoln voters opposed 24-7 operations.

Lincoln projected $5.2 million in video lottery terminal revenue for the year that runs through June 30; Almond said actual revenue appears to be headed above that.

But the town is facing other financial unknowns.

It is bracing for the loss of much of the $70,000 in greyhound racing money it has counted on for the next budget year. Twin River decided in May to suspend the racing, a money-losing proposition, beginning Aug. 8, but the General Assembly might reject that move.

Twin River is also suing the town over property taxes. One suit, filed last year, contends that real estate was overvalued by the town and asks a court to cut the assessment from $94.7 million to $26.07 million. A second suit, filed this year, seeks to cut $8.5 million from the assigned valuation of equipment and fixtures.

mmckinne@projo.com

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