Rhode Island

LINCOLN AND TIVERTON, R.I. — Bally’s Corp. (NYSE: BALY) has agreed to sell two of its casino resorts in Rhode Island to an affiliate of Gaming & Leisure Properties Inc. (NASDAQ: GLPI) for $1 billion. The properties in question are Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort in Lincoln and Bally’s Tiverton Casino & Resort in Tiverton. A timeline for the closing of the sale-leaseback deal was not disclosed. Under the terms of the agreement, Rhode Island-based Bally’s will continue to operate the gaming operations and will pay a $9 million transaction fee at closing. GLP Capital, the acquiring entity of the Pennsylvania-based REIT, has agreed to pre-fund a deposit of up to $200 million that will be credited or repaid either at closing or on Dec. 31, 2023, whichever comes first. Ballly’s Twin River Lincoln features 136 hotel rooms and suites and a total of 162,000 square feet of gaming space, including 4,100 slot machines, 125 table games and a sportsbook. In addition, the resort houses four restaurants, three food courts, nine bars, three live entertainment venues, two VIP lounges and a retail store. Bally’s Tiverton comprises an 83-room hotel and 33,600 square feet of gaming space with 1,000 slot …

NEWPORT, R.I. — Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE: PEB) has acquired Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina, a 10-acre waterside resort located on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, for $174 million. The 257-room hotel is located on Goat Island in Newport and features unobstructed views of Newport Harbor and the Newport Bridge.  The hotel grounds include a historic lighthouse; 3,000-square-foot spa; coffee shop; 3,200-square-foot waterside pavilion; resort-style swimming pool with cabanas; indoor pool; fitness center; seasonal ice-skating rink; 80,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space; and several waterside restaurants, including Showfish Newport and The Pineapple Club. The property also features a 22-slip full-service marina, which was not included in the sale, but will be available for PEB to purchase in 2027.   The new ownership is evaluating a number of capital expenditures at the resort, which could include full renovations to guest rooms; upgrades to the lobby; updated landscaping; refurbishment of the property’s restaurants and bars; the addition of a new market; relocating and updating the spa; and updates to the hotel’s grand ballroom, south lawn and outdoor pavilion spaces.  “Gurney’s Newport is the only resort-style property in Newport, drawing strong demand from New York, Boston and Providence,” says …