Small Business Owners Urge Legislators to Consider Economic Benefits of IGT Proposal
GoLocalProv Business Team
Small Business Owners Urge Legislators to Consider Economic Benefits of IGT Proposal
This comes as state legislators began hearings Thursday on the proposal to extend the state’s 2003 economic development agreement with IGT.
“The economic development plan to keep IGT and over 1,000 workers here in Rhode Island is vitally important to continuing the progress our state has made building a technology and innovation economy. GTECH, and later IGT, helped fuel and build a foundation for my company and many others,” said Mike Sepe, owner of Cranston-based Electro Standards Labs.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTAs GoLocalProv reported, a study released earlier this year found that IGT’s presence in Rhode Island helped create 1,300 additional jobs in the state and injected $330 million into the state’s general economy.
“Local suppliers and contractors like us are able to grow because of our long-term contracts with big employers. Small businesses and our employees can’t afford any risky games that could result in Rhode Island losing one of its largest private employers,” said Dana Loiselle, an executive with Pawtucket-based Aid Maintenance.
The hearings are expected to start at 5 p.m.
Latest on Twin River & IGT
As GoLocalProv reported on Thursday, Twin River said on Wednesday that they have signed up Camelot Lottery Solutions (Camelot), a United Kingdom-based lottery company as a partner to compete for the Rhode Island contract.
The announcement was made just 24-hours before the first legislative hearing on the lottery contract.
IGT’s spokesperson Bill Fischer scoffed at the announcement and the timing.
“Neither Camelot nor Twin River has the expertise to manage the complex computer systems that support RI's lottery operations. In fact, IGT provides the technology to support Camelot’s lottery operations in the United Kingdom,” said Fisher.