Twin River Casino in Rhode Island grows with $100M expansion

The casino it includes new slot machines, a food hall, a high-stakes poker room, a cigar bar and table games.

When you cross into the new wing of the casino from the existing ground floor main hall, you'll notice the new casino smell.

You may not notice the "feng shui design principles" used to decorate the space as you play the slots, but Bally's Regional Vice President and General Manager Tony Rohrer says they are there, from the waterfall feature to the wooden slat facade of the Emerald Bay Food Hall, which he said represents a birds nest and "additional positivity."

Why did Bally's expand Twin River?

The expansion plans emerged with the January 2020 agreement between then-Twin River and IGT that paved the way for the General Assembly to approve a 20-year contract extension for IGT to be Rhode Island's exclusive gambling technology provider. The partnership provided Twin River, now Bally's, a share of revenue from providing video slot machines in addition to just running casinos.

But beyond that, Bally's executives hope refreshing Twin River will keep it competitive with new casinos and expanded gambling in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The 40,000-square-foot addition Bally's executives gathered in with state leaders to celebrate Tuesday adds 355 slot machines, 57 table games and 27 new "stadium style" games to the casino.

Despite calls from some Twin River employees to get rid of the casino exemption from state laws against smoking in indoor public spaces, the new first floor space at Twin River will allow smoking.

However, The House Finance Committee Tuesday held a hearing on a bill introduced by Rep. Teresa Tanzi, D-South Kingstown, that would ban smoking at Twin River and Bally's casino in Tiverton.

Craig Eaton, senior vice president and head of Rhode Island operations, said the expansion allowed Bally's to upgrade the casino ventilation system and make the upstairs a non-smoking area.

"We offer non-smoking and smoking," Eaton said after the opening event. “When you come to our casino, you don't have to go to a smoking area. You can go to our second floor and we have complete offerings up there. So it is really a choice... We don't want to discriminate against either.”

Since smoking is banned in Massachusetts casinos, allowing it provides a competitive advantage, he said.

Asked whether casino workers, who don't necessarily have a choice to be in a non-smoking area, should be exposed to second-hand smoke, Gov. Dan McKee didn't take a position but said he feels for the workers.

"Hopefully the management and workers can figure out a way to handle that in a way that is healthy," McKee said. "I am not a smoker and I know the downside to smoking so I kind of empathize with the workers."

McKee's Director of Health Dr. Utpala Bandy wrote in support of the bill that would get rid of the casino exemption and ban smoking.

What about iGaming?

This winter, Bally's executives announced that they are asking lawmakers to approve online casino games like blackjack and poker that you could play on your phone or computer at home.

No legislation has emerged at the General Assembly on the subject yet, but Eaton said he is "hearing a bill should be announced pretty soon."

With the legalization of sports betting cutting into Rhode Island sports betting revenue, so-called iGaming "would be a game changer," he said.

By Patrick Anderson