By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Responding to long-standing complaints by residents, the new owners of the Newport Grand Casino Thursday removed the 11-foot high “SLOTS” sign on the side of the building that greeted visitors to the city as they crossed the Claiborne Pell Bridge.
The change came just over a week after the Lincoln-based Twin River Casino closed on its purchase of Newport Grand.
Contractors using a giant crane and a platform truck took several hours to cut bolts holding the last “S” in SLOTS, saying each of the letters stood 11 feet high and weigh about 500 pounds.
“I think everybody was kind of … ehhh, it doesn’t look right,” said Newport Mayor Jeanne Marie Napolitano of the sign. She lives close to the casino, which is on Admiral Kalbfus Road, opposite the exit ramp from the Pell Bridge.
“It is one of the first questions that I asked Mr. (John) Taylor (Twin River CEO). And I realized, he doesn’t have to do anything right now. But I said, ‘please, move that sign’. I said it was demeaning to the neighborhood. So, I’m very pleased that they’re taking the time and their financial resources to change that,” Napolitano said.
“You know, Newport can focus on its future, which is huge,” said Liz Taber, President of the Citizens Concerned About Casino Gambling, which waged a successful fight last year against a referendum that would have permitted expansion to full table games at Newport Grand.
Spokeswoman Patti Doyle said Twin River continues planning to win approval to build a new casino in Tiverton, close to the Massachusetts state line.
