Community Corner
Casino Opponents Say Covering up SLOTS Sign is a Publicity Stunt
Citizens Concerned about Casino Gambling said today's press event while covering the SLOTS sign is a distraction.
Citizens Concerned About Casino Gambling (CCACG) released the following statement today in response to the “Jobs for Newport” campaign covering up the “Slots” sign at Newport Grand. CCACG Campaign Coordinator, Liz Taber, said:
Jobs for Newport’s publicity stunt is just another example of how they’re attempting to mislead and distract voters.
The developers started early by purchasing homes here in an attempt to pass themselves off as locals, then popped up a corporation in January to lobby the General Assembly. Most offensively, they were the authors of the legislation that illegally took away Newporters’ right to vote on our local ballot. Their actions continue to show that they’re most interested in delivering political spin to voters – not the welfare of our long-term economy and local businesses.
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The reality is that Newport has a strong tourism economy because of the focus on world-class sailing, arts and history. We also have strong partnerships with the Navy and a city that is working hard to develop forward-thinking projects like the Innovation Hub. A casino expansion would jeopardize Newport’s economic stability because the casino shops and restaurants would have an unfair advantage over our local businesses while increasing reliance on a failing industry.
Casinos are closing across the country and we shouldn’t increase our reliance on that revenue source. More importantly, as a city and state, we need to stop looking for the “quick-fix” solution to our economy. We’re strongly urging our supporters to Reject Question 1 on the State Ballot on November 4 and support our local businesses.”
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Citizens Concerned About Casino Gambling is a Newport nonprofit dedicated to stopping the establishment and expansion of gambling in the city. Established in 1977, CCACG’s has a long history of success fighting gambling in Newport, including a 1980 attempt to turn Newport’s Goat Island into “Monte Carlo.”
Photo Courtesy: Citizens Concerned About Casino Gambling via Facebook
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