Casino? Mr Silvester promised that Newport could buy the land back if Jai Alai failed

In 1975, City Mayor Harp Donnelly III and Mr. Arthur Silvester negotiated in good faith to sell 10 acres of the city dump for Jai Alai.

The first of 2 5 acre parcels of land sold in January 1975. Harp had been holding out for a better deal for the city, but was persuaded to take less money from the Jai Alai people in exchange for the “reverter rights” which were promised.

Mr Silvester promised the City that if Jai Alai failed, the city could buy the land back for the same price it paid.

The deed language actually gives the city the right to take back the land if ever the property is not used continually for a Jai Alai fronton or as a Civic Center. By including this language, Mayor Donnelly was looking out for the public.

Unfortunately, the city seems to have lost track of the reverter rights. They weren’t exercised in 1988 when Jai Alai was closed because of a player strike.

And although they were re-stated in a 1997 deed when the property was deeded to a company owned by Diane Hurley (Mr. SIlvester’s daughter), the city declined to exert the rights when Jai Alai failed in 2003.

This issue needs a close examination by an independent attorney to determine whether the city has rights which it may have ignored over the last several years. Given the threatened lawsuit, it’s not fair to ask our Solicitor’s Office to weigh in on the topic.

The fact is, if these reverter rights are valid, then Newport Grand could be obligated to sell over 10 acres of vacant land to the City of Newport for the bargain price of $157,000. Imagine what could be done with 10 acres of land: a new subdivision with 100 “regular people” house lots, or a collection of outlet stores, or a Waterpark, or an aquarium, or we could add 10 acres to the adjacent Innovation Hub campus.

Although it would eliminate the majority of the parking lot for Newport Grand.

What would YOU do for the public good if you had 10 acres of Newport land?