Casino revenues better than projected; $60K goes to charity in blackjack tourney

By John Howell
Posted 12/10/15

The mood was jovial, and for a good reason.

Everyone invited to play in the holiday backjack for charity tournament hosted Tuesday afternoon at Twin River Casino was going to be a …

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Casino revenues better than projected; $60K goes to charity in blackjack tourney

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The mood was jovial, and for a good reason.

Everyone invited to play in the holiday backjack for charity tournament hosted Tuesday afternoon at Twin River Casino was going to be a winner.

“Where else can you go, get a good meal, and be assured of winning $1,000?” asked one of the participants.

Many of those playing for the charity of their choice were state lawmakers, including local legislators Sen. Michael McCaffrey and Reps. Joseph Trillo, K. Joseph Shekarchi and Patricia Serpa.

And while they were all delighted to be playing for charity – a total of $60,000 went to non-profits – what many also learned is that Twin River is performing better than projected since the opening of Plainridge in Plainville, Mass., just a scant 18 miles away.

That is good news for state coffers, which rely heavily on gaming revenues. According to a 2012 report by Christiansen Capital Advisors LLC, Rhode Island could see a $150 million loss in gaming revenues. But now it appears the hit won’t be that big.

Twin River had projected revenues would slide by 12 percent with the opening of Plainridge, said John Taylor, Twin River chairman. But as of the week ending Dec. 1 – a total of 23 weeks since the Massachusetts casino opened – non-table game revenues have dipped $13.8 million from the same period last year, a drop of 6.7 percent. Overall revenues for the period were $191.9 million, as compared to $206.6 million last year.

While not as great, revenues from table games for the 23 weeks was up 15.4 percent from the same period last year. Twin River took in a total of $50 million, a $6.7 million increase from the same period in 2014.

“Generally, we couldn’t be happier,” Taylor said in an interview at the conclusion of the charity event. He believes Twin River’s emphasis on customer service has kept players as well as brought back the ones who sampled Plainridge.

“It’s a better customer experience,” he said of Twin River. “There’s a warm, comfortable feeling.”

As an example of the attention being paid to the customer, Taylor said Twin River is introducing a non-smoking area for table games. Also, in the last week, Twin River has opened 16 poker tables, which he said have been booked tight.

Looking ahead, Taylor said a 200-room hotel planned for the north end of the Twin River site in the vicinity of where the dog track was located should be an additional amenity for customers. He doesn’t see the hotel as making Twin River a destination casino, but rather as a convenience to those seeking to extend their experience. The hotel has gained approval from the town of Lincoln, and construction is projected to start this coming spring and be completed within a year.

Twin River is also looking to build a casino in Tiverton, which would require the approval of local and state voters. According to Patti Doyle, Twin River spokeswoman, the aim is to gain General Assembly approval to put the question on the ballot for next November’s general election.

There was no lack of customer satisfaction among the 36 charity players Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s about reinforcing that link to the community,” Craig Sculos, vice president and general manager, said in introducing the audience to the event.

This was the third annual blackjack for charity. A total of $180,000 has flowed to non-profits across the state. Each of the players is guaranteed $1,000 for their chosen charity. Among the charities that benefited are Crossroads, East Bay Food Pantry, East Greenwich Animal Protection League, Family Literacy Center, Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Rhode Island Community Food Bank, and the Rhode Island Education Foundation.

Players are assigned to one of six tables, with six players at each table. After five rounds of playing, the table winner gets to play another five rounds with winners from the other tables. The grand winner gets $10,000, with lesser amounts going to each of the players based on how they finished.

Michael Sabitoni, president of the RI Building Trades Council, was the big winner, delivering $10,000 for Foster Forward. Placing second and wining $7,500 for Mary House was Sen. Mary Ellen Goodwin, while John Howell, Beacon publisher, placed third with $5,000 going to the Rhode Island Academic Decathlon.

Karen Buckley of Valley Breeze publications won $3,500 for Bishop Thomas Tobin’s “Keep the Heat On” campaign, and Brian Hunter of the Twin River Advisory Board won $2,500 for the Town of Lincoln Holiday Basket Program. Placing sixth in the round for finalists, Rep. Marvin Abney won $1,500 for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

The remaining participants received $1,000 for their chosen charity for a total donation by Twin River Casino of $60,000.

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