Call photo/Butch Adams

Twin River executive Craig Sculos talks shop Friday not far from some of the new video slot machines installed during the $220 million renovation of the Lincoln gambling facility.

 By JON BAKER

LINCOLN  ---  Craig Sculos, Twin River's vice-president and general manager, offered more than a few grins on Friday afternoon, and he had his reasons.

The casino's final phase of a $220 million renovation, one that began 19 months ago, was opened to the public at noon.
That phase, a 26,250 square foot first-floor "room" inside the west (valet) entrance, includes 891 video slot machines, a 12-seat Keno lounge, six new virtual blackjack units and a new elevator and escalator for easier access to other sections of the now-mammoth building at 100 Twin River Road.
“This is certainly the conclusion to the $220 million investment,” Sculos said while relaxing inside the Blackstone Cigar and Martini Bar. “We are now focusing on our transition from a gaming facility that was under construction to a completed gaming facility with a host of new amenities. That means the focus is now on the guests. All the disruption, finally, is over.”
In September, BLB Investors LLC chief executive officer Len Wolman and dozens of state and town dignitaries arrived to celebrate the opening of the west entrance. It included a two-story atrium-style glass entrance, an impressive 6,000-square-foot terrazzo floor map of Rhode Island and a 2,000-seat event center for concerts, exhibits, conferences and sporting events, as well as a variety of new restaurants and food courts.
“When we opened the west side, it was just a sliver at the front,” Sculos said. “This area we sit in now (by the Blackstone), this was the missing piece, and now it’s finished. It came in right on schedule. That’s testimony to the different parties who worked together — my staff, the Rhode Island Lottery Commission, the three VLT vendors and obviously the construction team. The synchronization between all has been amazing.”
Sculos claimed the newest elevator should ease a patron’s travel from one section to another one hundred-fold.
“What we have now is a more solidified facility,” he added. “That elevator is in a significant area. It allows guests from the north side to get to other venues quickly. It’s positioned almost in the mid-section of the building, and provides immediate access to the restaurants. In fact, on the second floor, it comes out right at Carmine’s.
“The amazing thing is that this has evolved from a small slot house with greyhound racing to a true gaming/dining/ entertainment venue.”
Twin River now is home to 4,752 video slot machines. Only four venues in the United States have more.
The six “virtual” machines will be located next to the cigar and martini bar. In essence, he said, they’re like video slots but with “more of a real blackjack feel,” where five players make decisions on cards. They’re dealt via computer screens in front of you (the dealer) and also down on the table — call that the luck of the draw.
The number of those machines may increase three-fold.
“I know they’re used (at sites) in Delaware, and they’re very popular,” he said.
Sculos also addressed the Nov. 10 special election, one in which voters by a nearly 2-to-1 margin opposed further expansion at Twin River — that is, “24/7” gaming operations” and true table games.
When asked if Twin River officials had discussed such options, Sculos said he didn’t know, stating, “We’re certainly interested in working with the community, be it the Town Council, the town administrator (T. Joseph Almond) or the local residents. It was a non-binding referendum, but our primary focus is only on the opening of this facility.
“I’d say that much of that question has to be answered by the state Lottery Commission,” he added.
“The way we (casino officials) feel about it is to help the state maximize the full resources of the facility. We represent 10 percent of the state budget and 10 percent of the town budget, but we’re only allowed to do what the state Lottery Commission allows. The same goes for the state legislature.”