LINCOLN, R.I. (AP) – Lincoln Park’s expansion scheduled to open Friday will make it one of the country’s largest gambling centers, with slot machines, new restaurants and a 2,000-seat arena.

When the $220 million renovation is complete, there will be 4,752 slot machines at the newly named Twin River, more than in all but three casinos in the country – Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut and Bally’s Atlantic City.

State lawmakers will be watching Twin River closely because millions of dollars of state revenue are at stake.

The machines there and at Newport Grand will bring in an estimated $255 million this year. The two facilities pay the state roughly 60 percent of their revenue from the slots, which translates to about 7.5 percent of the state’s revenues.

But the construction at Lincoln Park, which began in April, caused a steep decline in visitors and revenue from slot machines.

With the renovation nearing completion – the first floor will be under construction through the fall – state and track officials hope to see revenue rebound, said Gerald Aubin, who oversees the Rhode Island Lottery.

“It’s an incredible project that I thought, nine months ago, was impossible,” Aubin said. “If it doesn’t compete head to head with Mohegan and Foxwoods, then shame on us. I think it will.”

Twin River still will lack some major draws of the big casinos, including a hotel and table games such as blackjack and roulette.

But officials hope the expansion will draw gamblers who live closer to Lincoln than Connecticut. Most patrons currently come from within 15 miles, but they hope to get people from as far as 60 miles away, which includes the Worcester and Boston markets, general manager Craig Sculos said.

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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.projo.com/

AP-ES-03-18-07 1358EDT