NPR: Mohegan Tribe stirs competition with casino expansion

More bad news for Rhode Island gambling venues: Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun casino has announced a major retail expansion at its flagship property in Uncasville, Conn. The new retail destination will have 200,000 square feet of entertainment, shopping and dining. The new facility will be located next to the Winter Garage. Construction is slated to begin later and the space is scheduled to open in early 2015.

This is a problem for Rhode Island because it creates yet more competition for Rhode Island’s stripped down gambling venues at Twin River in Lincoln and Newport Grand. Neither of those venues have hotel rooms, shopping malls, golf courses or other features associated with destination resorts, although Twin River now has table games.