twin river casino , previously lincoln greyhound park , is a casino and former race track in lincoln , rhode island .

the facility has over 160,000 square feet ( 15,000 m ² ) of gaming space , with over 4,200 video slot machines and virtual table games , as well as 108 live table games , including a gaming mix of blackjack , roulette , craps , poker and more .

other amenities include an 29,000-square-foot ( 2,700 m ² ) event center , four restaurants , three food courts , several bars , and a racebook .

twin river offers both smoking and non-smoking casinos .

in december 2015 twin river opened its first poker room with 16 live cash games .

( no tournaments ) they offer no limit , limit , and stud games in various amounts .

the poker room is open 24 hours .

twin river casino

twin river casino <EOT> all images of the casino property and twin river brand logo copyright © 2018 .

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thunder from down under | twin river casino | saturday , 28 . october 2017

from the twin river team : thank you for taking the time to review your experience at twin river . our…

“twin river really likes to bring along employees in the twin river way . customer service is really important . ”

that turned out to be the slots parlor’s rival to the north - - twin river casino .

twin river casino’s poker room is a response to gaming machines placed in the plainridge racetrack facility .

" it started here as lincoln downs , became lincoln greyhound park , became lincoln park , became twin river and today officially twin river casino , " sculos said .

voters approved twin river ' s proposal to expand from a slot parlor to a full - fledged casino in november .

the twin river casino is lincoln is set to open the first - ever poker room in rhode island . john taylor , who serves as chairman of the twin river casino , announced this week the poker area would open in august 2016 .

twin river hired 400 new workers and installed 65 tables for the new games .

lincoln , r . i . - - rhode island’s two gambling halls will merge as part of proposed purchase of newport grand by the larger twin river casino , according to the lincoln - based twin river .

lincoln , r . i . - - rhode island ' s two gambling halls will merge as part of proposed purchase of newport grand by the larger twin river casino , according to the lincoln - based twin river .

the application for the school is on the twin river website at twinriver . com .

when we arrived at twin river casino , the parking lot was full , but well lit . most of the cars were . . .

tiverton — the ground isn’t broken or even yet cleared , but twin river is taking its first step toward running a casino in town .

after three years , i finally decided to give twin river another shot . they have awesome live…

the providence marriott downtown is proud to be an official hotel partner of twin river . hit the jackpot for vacation fun in rhode island with our exciting providence marriott downtown twin river vacation package .

craig sculos , the head of operations at twin river , recalled the history of the operation .

lincoln , r . i . — twin river casino broke ground tuesday on a $ 25 - million hotel that ' s expected to open in june 2018 .

dear james c . thanks for taking the time to review your visit to twin river . your feedback will be…

twin river plans to hold two job fairs , both in tiverton , to recruit employees to work on the casino floor and in the hotel , provide security and run guest services .

under current law , twin river management group , which operates both casinos , can give away roughly half that amount .

in 2014 , twin river waged an unsuccessful campaign to persuade voters in colorado to expand gambling in that rocky mountain state , where the company owns arapahoe park and other betting outlets . twin river hoped to add a casino to arapahoe park near denver , where it holds about 40 horse races each summer .

john e . taylor jr . , chairman of twin river worldwide holdings , the casino ' s parent company , said the delay was attributed in part to the company ' s plans to build a new casino in tiverton as that campaign required significant resources .

the chairman said that his casino will continue to look for ways to remain competitive in the evolving and increasingly saturated brick - and - mortar casino industry of new england . in the years to come , the emerging threat to both plainridge and twin river will be the wynn everett casino which is being built in the boston area .

las vegas - style betting games like blackjack and craps made their public debut wednesday at rhode island ' s twin river .

from the twin river team : thank you for taking the time to review your experience at twin river . our slot payouts are very competitive with casinos in connecticut and massachusetts . we offer a premier steakhouse in fred and steve ' s and offer smoking and non - smoking options on the casino floor . thank you again

the burchalls came specifically for the opening . a sometimes - visitor to foxwoods resort and casino in connecticut , burchall said the twin river is enough to draw here to stay in rhode island instead .

twin river announced in december 2013 that it had struck a deal to buy the hard rock hotel & casino in the gulf coast tourist community of biloxi , miss . , for $ 250 million .

leonard entwistle , south attleboro , plays a video slot machine at the new twin river gambling facility . twin river , formerly lincoln park in lincoln , r . i . , opened its new gambling venue friday morning . ( staff photo by mike george )

twin river always seems to be busy no matter what day or time you go . the smoking section can be . . .

environmental site work has begun and twin river was scheduled to present its preliminary design plans to the tiverton planning board tuesday night .

correction : this is the first rhode island casino theft of this kind in recent history . an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that it was the largest theft in twin river ' s history .

twin river is the region ' s only place for hot casino action with 4 , 538 slot machines , simulcasting and live table games . twin river also features a 29 , 000 ft . event center , high - end restaurants , numerous entertainment outlets , including the lighthouse bar and blackstone ' s cigar bar . must be 18 +

scituate , r . i . — when officers caught up with the central falls man who allegedly stole a bag of cash from the twin river casino , he had a simple explanation , state police said .

“were very comfortable where twin river stands financially [ after ] this transaction , ” taylor said . “our financial health is strong . ”

the tiverton casino is slated to have 1 , 000 slot machines and 30 table games , a quarter the size of the casino twin river operates in lincoln . those trained in the february class would be hired to fill slots in lincoln , but it is expected that some personnel trained in lincoln will move to the tiverton casino once it opens , doyle said .

now with live table games ! twin river is a world - class gaming destination located just 9 miles from the providence marriott downtown hotel in lincoln , rhode island . in addition to the largest variety of casino poker , keno , and video slots games in new england . twin river also offers delicious restaurants and headline entertainment by nationally recognized performers .

the planning board must sign off on the casino plans and make amendments to the town’s zoning code and comprehensive town plan before twin river can get the permits it needs to construct roads and begin putting up buildings .

those hired could be the first of the 550 to 600 people twin river expects to have on the payroll when it opens its casino , hotel and entertainment venue on 45 acres at the corner of william s . canning boulevard and stafford road , right over the fall river line .

twin river casino is a world - class gaming , dining and entertainment destination with over 4 , 200 slot machines , 119 table games including poker , simulcasting , comedy club , event center and a host of dining options .

the right to expand gambling was decided in a referendum , which was stipulated by the 2012 gaming law which allowed table games to be added to the gaming location in 2012 . two locations were included in separate referendums : twin river casino and the newport grand casino in the city of newport on aquidnek island .

across the border . the mashpee wampanoag tribe has already broken ground on the first lite casino in taunton , massachusetts — just 45 minutes away from the newport grand casino in rhode island . however , the rhode island - based twin river management group proposes to stay competitive in the growing market by constructing a new hotel - casino in tiverton , rhode island , only 400 feet from the massachusetts border .

the twin river executive said he does not expect to seek a change to varying revenue - sharing arrangements the two gambling venues have with the state .

i haven ' t been to twin river in a long long time . i ' m not big on gambling so i go for the music and…

separately , the mashpee wampanoag are pursuing a casino in taunton through federal regulatory channels .

the installation of the poker room at twin river casino is seen as a countermove to the installation of gaming machines . now , the rhode island casino is going to have a poker room and gaming machines , while the massachusetts racino is only going to have gaming machines . thus is the way the expansion of gambling happens .

twin river always seems to be busy no matter what day or time you go . the smoking section can be overbearing especially if you do not smoke .

in november 2014 , rhode island’s revenue - estimating committee pegged the state ' s potential share of the video - gambling play at both twin river and the smaller newport grand at $ 314 . 9 million this year , and from the live table - game action at twin river at $ 11 . 9 million .

twin river worldwide holdings is putting up posters and advertising locally , recruiting applicants for 50 available seats in the dealer training sessions set to begin feb . 20 .

lincoln , r . i . - alan burchill has his next big date all planned out , and he ' s heading just down the highway to twin river .

dear james c . thanks for taking the time to review your visit to twin river . your feedback will be delivered to the appropriate department and used to improve our service . we are encouraged you found dealers that knew the job and made it fun to play . thanks again and we hope to see you soon . the twin river team

legislation pending in the general assembly would also allow twin river casino and newport grand to give away more " free play " at the properties in hopes of attracting more gamblers . the bill would allow the properties to give away $ 750 , 000 , and offer as free play up to 20 percent of the money each casino captures from slot machines in the prior year .

twin river will acquire its rival by buying the purchase - and - sale agreement on newport grand held by businessmen joseph r . paolino jr . and paul g . roiff .

the deal came about through a series of meetings that began over the december holidays between paolino , roiff and john e . taylor jr . , chairman of twin river worldwide holdings .

the classes , which will be offered at no cost to selected applicants , will last four hours , one day a week for the next six weeks , twin river officials say .

when we arrived at twin river casino , the parking lot was full , but well lit . most of the cars were legally parked , but the parking lots were confusing to navigate due to the dividers placed between the lots . once in the north parking lot , it . . .

construction of the four - story , 135 - room hotel with a pool , fitness center and spa , will take place under the general contractor excell construction corp . , of east greenwich ; a / z corp . of north stonington , connecticut and north kingstown is the construction manager . jcj architecture , which designed the twin river casino and the pending tiverton casino , is the design and architectural firm .

the people of lincoln voted overwhelmingly for the expansion of gambling at their casino . the people of newport voted down the proposition of poker tables . the push for poker games was led by a facebook group , “poker room for twin river” , which had called for their favorite card game for months .

steve j , sorry to disappoint you and your friends on your visit . we appreciate you posting and giving us feedback . we will use it to improve our service . the twin river team

the project was meant to put twin river in line with foxwoods and mohegan sun , also in connecticut , which are big - time draws for rhode island and massachusetts residents who visit gambling facilities .

twin river will look to soften that blow to gambling revenues by combining operations such as purchasing and marketing , should rhode island regulators approve the newport grand merger , which taylor expects will finalize june 30 .

grand victoria casino 250 south grove avenue elgin , il 60120 | 1 - 888 - 508 - 1900 voted " best riverboat casino in the united states " three years in a row , the grand victoria provides a wide variety of las vegas - style casino games . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : gambling / racetrack .

twin river would first have to persuade rhode island lawmakers to remove the legal barrier to construction of a hotel . according to taylor , the town’s general assembly contingent is almost ready to submit that enabling legislation .

“we have an immediate need for 30 dealers in lincoln , ” said patti doyle , spokesperson for twin river . “the advertising for the openings will run in the tiverton area only , at least initially . ”

twin river , formerly lincoln park in lincoln , r . i . , opened its new gambling venue friday morning . the new facility has many new slot machines , pictured above . ( staff photo by mike george )

i ' ve never been a big fan of casinos . twin river is about as low as it gets as far as a casino goes but they do have a few decent restaurants and always good quality bands playing at the light house bar . if you can put up with the smoke , the sometimes sketchy patrons and parking a mile a way it ' s not a bad night of music and drinks . btw the drinks are priced pretty reasonably for a casino .

website design , text , games and all other digital content other than the twin river materials are copyright © gan plc . this website utilizes united states patent no . 8 , 821 , 296 dated september 2 , 2014 .

the mississippi casino maintains its hard rock affiliation and received a license for use of the brand name as part of the transaction .

the slots license went to penn national gaming and the plainridge racecourse in nearby plainville . ( since renamed plainridge park casino . )

hollywood casino joliet 777 hollywood boulevard joliet , il 60436 | 888 - 436 - 7737 experience exciting casino action at hollywood casino joliet . featuring over 1 , 100 of the most popular slot and video poker machines , heart - pounding table action . conveniently located restaurants and an on - site hotel and rv park . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : recreation .

in addition to bringing in more state tax revenue , the new casino in tiverton could bring a net increase of 791 new jobs for both the construction and operation of the casino . unlike the newport grand slots parlor , which the tiverton casino would replace , the new casino will have 25 - 35 table games , a full - service restaurant , entertainment , and a hotel — amenities that create more permanent jobs . the casino’s scope and proximity to the massachusetts border , as compared to the newport grand , would provide nearby massachusetts and rhode island residents an incentive to gamble in rhode island instead of traveling to the similarly - sized facility planned for taunton .

got together with some friends for the day , decided to try our luck at twin rivers casino whereas a couple of us had never been there . unfortunately , i did not come home winning but i had a great day out with some special friends .

in response to the community’s concerns , the twin river management group has made it a point to emphasize the benefits of the casino to local residents . as a part of their campaign under the name citizens to create jobs and protect revenue inc . , contractors , handymen , and electricians employed by twin river companies praise the group and their practice of hiring local labor . the group also hosted more than 30 neighborhood meetings and three public workshops in order to hear input from the community about everything from environmental impact to traffic patterns . tiverton residents were even allowed to vote on the casino’s architecture at a town council meeting , and they ultimately approved a design modeled after tiverton’s local library , a point of pride in the community .

this online casino website is hosted in nevada and is a free - to - play website with no real money online gaming supported .

the western massachusetts license went to mgm resorts international and its $ 800 - million plan for a casino on springfield ' s south side .

gov . lincoln chafee and other state leaders attended a ribbon - cutting to mark the official start of expanded gambling at the lincoln casino .

twin river and newport grand are expected to bring in $ 255 million in revenue this year , and pay the state about 60 percent of that slot machine revenue . that translates to about 7 . 5 percent of the state ' s revenue .

it’s also useful to note that many of the jobs the new large - scale casino would create would benefit working class people , the same group that tends to be most harmed by the presence of a casino . the economic impact study for the tiverton project concluded that the casino would offer economic opportunity for tiverton’s poorest residents by providing entry - level and service jobs with an expected annual salary of $ 42 , 000 . although there’s no guarantee that all of the new jobs created in tiverton will go to tiverton residents , twin river has a history of hiring locally , and any measure of local hiring would seriously impact the small population of poor and unemployed tiverton residents .

twin river managers have worked to strengthen the lincoln operation since a consortium of lenders purchased the lincoln venue out of bankruptcy . in 2012 , they successfully lobbied state voters to allow table games such as black jack , craps and roulette at the facility .

in the last year , the massachusetts commission awarded the slots - only license and two of the three casino licenses , in everett and springfield .

in addition , the alleged bribes would help " prevent legislation " allowing the narragansett indian tribe to set up a rival casino in rhode island .

randy noka , a narragansett indian ambassador and councilman , spoke for his tribe , which fought for years to open a casino in the state .

employees loading the atms inside the casino at 12 : 20 p . m . thursday saw boja grab a bag from their cart and run .

“we understand how important the future of newport grand is to the state and when this acquisition opportunity presented itself , believe that we might be best qualified to preserve and possible enhance that revenue and protect valuable jobs , ” twin river said in a statement .

those job fairs will be held months before the facility opens , six to nine months after the planning and zoning process is complete , according to a letter sent to the tiverton town council by john taylor jr . , chair of twin river worldwide holdings .

at present , the casino has 4 , 500 gaming machines and 65 gaming tables . the tables were added quickly after the vote was passed to allow such tables , but no poker area was established . the opening of the poker room in august will complete the expansion of the casino gaming area .

i must honestly say i ' m not into the gambling thing , so i cannot review twin rivers on that realm . but i can say it ' s great to have a casino in such close proximity to providence , since the other two big boys are out in the . . .

after three years , i finally decided to give twin river another shot . they have awesome live blackjack , roulette , poker , and two stories full of various slots . i love the food court which has kfc / taco bell , johnny rockets , and more .

best casino in the ri ma area . this is not up to par with ct casinos , but close to home . you actually win about 1 / 5 1 / 6 of the times you come . i have not won at the new ma casino since they have open . been . . .

thus , twin river casino plans to add 28 gaming tables in all . of those , 16 of the tables will be devoted to poker . those tables are going to be set off in their own room . favorite variants of poker , such as texas hold’em , omaha hold’em , and seven - card stud are likely to be offered . texas hold’em is going to command the majority of the gaming area for poker .

twin rivers casino ( formerly lincoln park ) has definitely changed it ' s payout . when i lived in rhode island in the early 2000 ' s i visited lincoln park regularly and always saw someone winning either a jackpot or a good winning sum . i experienced it myself . i took a . . .

despite the apparent economic benefits of the project , many rhode island residents hold strong convictions about the idea of opening a casino in their community . the “save tiverton” movement began as a grassroots opposition group fighting against the proposed casino , but the movement has largely fallen apart after a reporter from the providence journal inquired about the movement’s anonymous backers — who refused to disclose their identities or affiliations — causing the religious leaders at the forefront of “save tiverton” to break ties with the organization . the “save tiverton” movement continues to share articles and post status updates on its facebook page , and other groups post flyers and hold informational meetings . although it seems unlikely that the movement will provide significant traction against twin river’s nearly $ 500 , 000 campaign to promote the casino , the group , at the bare minimum , provides a platform to community members who have serious fears about the new casino and represents a very real reluctance to approve construction .

in november , rhode island voters will ultimately have to weigh the economic advantages of the tiverton casino against its perceived social drawbacks . the disadvantages of living near casinos are real and should be considered closely . even though few would make the argument that casinos are an absolute good for society , this referendum should be about the specific effects of the tiverton casino , not the desirability of casinos as a whole . considering the economic advantages of the casino , including job creation , tax revenue for the state , and a better chance at competing against the growing gambling industry in massachusetts , the tiverton casino is a safe bet for the state . contrary to what the “save tiverton” group might say , approving the casino project would actually save tiverton and the state of rhode island from losing out on an important economic opportunity .

a 320 - seat all - you - can eat buffet also opened , and the catch a rising star comedy club moved to its new location , near the steakhouse . the twin river event center , a 29 , 000 square foot arena for concerts and other events will open in april .

thanks for visiting . please note that ri law prohibits the casino from offering free alcohol , but we do provide complimentary non - alcoholic beverages with a tr rewards card .

" i ' d like to thank everyone individually , but we would be here all day , " len wolman , principal of blb investors , llc , which owns twin river . " this is an exciting day . just wait and see the excitement that unfolds here through the rest of the year . "

twin river , named for its location at the confluence of two rivers in the blackstone valley , still is behind foxwoods and mohegan sun in its number of slot machines and in the fact that it lacks a hotel and other amenities , but officials are hoping the expansion will be enough to keep people in rhode island .

" our total workforce when all is said and done will be between 1 , 400 and 1 , 500 people . this conversation about bringing jobs to rhode island is as relevant today as it was then , and it makes us proud to deliver on the promises that we made , " twin river chairman john taylor said .

" i ' m truly disgusted with how things have evolved that allows twin river to have table games . it appears that the only way gaming was going to expand in rhode island was for the narragansett indian tribe to not be involved with the proposal . my tribe proposed a destination resort casino in rhode island just over six years ago that would have provided several thousand needed jobs and a major boost to the economy , only to be vehemently opposed by former governors and other politicos , " a statement said .

bay state lawmakers in 2011 authorized four gambling licenses : three full casino permits and one slots - only permit . the commonwealth also created the massachusetts gaming commission to oversee the licensing process .

over about 18 months , lincoln park ' s slot machine and greyhound racing club went from outdated to twin river , an innovative upgrade , and now has 4 , 752 slot machines , a grand room with high ceilings , a set - down bar area , several restaurants , elaborate cashier booths and a multi - purpose theater .

from the twin river team : glad to see you tried us again and found our change to later hours in non - smoking . this change was based on customer feedback and we appreciate it . plenty of options in non - smoking including a 16 table poker room . thanks again for taking the time to write about your visit .

benedict ' s eggs and more 8 south river street east dundee , il | 847 - 836 - 2222 located along the beautiful fox river bike path you will enjoy breakfast and lunch in this old charming renovated homestead . a must see ! for more information , visit our website . attraction type : biking .

st . charles belle and fox river queen pottawatomie park 2 north ave . st . charles , il | 630 - 584 - 2334 relax on these replica steamboats as they travel along the fox river for a sightseeing tour . admission charge . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : tour .

island park 2 e state st access from water st located on the east side of the route 38 bridge or river lane pedestrian bridge geneva , il 60134 | 630 - 232 - 4542 located in the fox river , island park of the geneva park district features gardens , the fox river trail , a concert pavilion , and a tree house themed playground with a zip line . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : nature area / kids and families .

not a bad casino , just not what we are accustomed to back in the midwest . really very old games with almost no new games . it was fun , with lots of food choices .

even though few would make the argument that casinos are an absolute good for society , this referendum should be about the specific effects of the tiverton casino , not the desirability of casinos as a whole .

fox river trail route 31 & 25 geneva , il 60134 | 630 - 232 - 5980 the fox river trail follows the banks of the fox river for 40 miles in kane county . this popular trail is used for biking , hiking , cross - country skiing , and jogging . stops along the trail include the fabyan forest preserve with its 68 ft dutch windmill , fabyan japanese garden , and fabyan villa museum . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : nature area / recreation .

if i was part owner in twin river casino , i would definitely do something about the loyalty program , and the way management answers reviews , maybe she should try reaching out to some of the upset guest and see what they have to say after they let out all their aggression . you would probably be able to invite them back and give them a free bet or something , and i bet the next review would be better . i visited one time , and thats all it took for me to realize i am better off driving the extra 45 - 60 minutes to foxwoods !

some 70 percent of the hotel occupancy is expected to come from existing players and event guests who will now have the option of staying overnight . the casino has 4 , 200 slot machines and 113 table games .

just bring your own alcohol and mix it in a free soda , like everybody else does . theres no security , or anyone else that will stop you . in fact , a security man told me that they allow you to bring your own alcohol but they require you to have it in a dunkin donuts cup . pretty much , anything goes at twin river . good luck .

sitting in his red ford , with bills strewn across the seats , marvin boja , of 60 chestnut st . told officers he " lost a ton of money " at the casino , said capt . gerald mckinney .

despite the fact that the new casino is not likely to increase the risk of gambling addiction , both the state of rhode island and the twin river group could do more to provide resources for problem gamblers . currently , the legislature allocates about $ 50 , 000 per year to the rhode island hospital for the treatment of problem gambling , while the ri lottery provides funds to support a hotline ; overall , the per capita allocation of public funds for problem gambling is well below the national average . the state legislature should consider creating a distinct service fund for problem gambling to spread awareness and fund community support groups .

i love this casino , but when i went yesterday , for some reason all my reward points were gone ? ? dont understand it . . i tried contacting through game site , and it wont work . . ? ?

the proposed merger comes as the rhode island gambling halls face competition from locations in massachusetts , which in 2011 approved expanded gambling . the first massachusetts gambling hall - - plainridge park casino - - opens this summer in nearby plainville .

i really enjoy the slots at twin river , enjoy it more than foxwoods . great food , excited about new hotel . my only complaint is being exposed to smokers , with all the diseases that smoking causes i cannot believe so many people smoke and blow smoke in your face . the non - smoking area is pathetic . i will continue to go but don ' t appreciate that smoking is allowed .

the community is deeply concerned that a new casino will lead to gambling addiction among the local residents , and this fear is justified . problematic or pathological gamblers are more likely to face a number of negative consequences such as losing jobs , filing for bankruptcy , or committing crimes in order to pay debts and continue gambling . and , unsurprisingly , easily - accessible casinos only exacerbate gambling problems : different studies show that anywhere from 35 - 52 % of the revenue at an average casino comes from problem gamblers . but even though gambling addiction remains a real problem , it is unclear that the addition of a casino will make a measurable impact on addiction in tiverton . with the new casino in taunton already under construction just 24 miles away , the newport grand 13 miles away , and various other casinos in rhode island and connecticut within an hour’s drive , residents of rhode island and massachusetts already have ample opportunity to gamble — all the tiverton project changes is precisely where they will do it .

at least four groups expressed interest in the southeastern massachusetts license , indicating tentative sites in new bedford , fall river , bridgewater and somerset . the commission is in the early stages of reviewing those proposals .

no , casino ' s don ' t have the authority to do that . only if you have a winning lottery ticket that exceeds $ 6oo , and had to go to lottery headquarters , would they be able to do that . good luck .

in addition to the slot machines , twin river already has opened in january fado ' s irish pub , which was built entirely in ireland shipped here , piece by piece . it features lively night - life offerings . steve ' s steakhouse , a 200 - seat high - end steakhouse and sports bar also was unveiled , and carmine ' s , a new york city - based italian restaurant chain will open at the end of the month .

chicago and its surrounding communities are home to a variety of unique attractions : world - class museums , championship golf courses , historic downtown districts , diverse shopping opportunities , horse race and casino gambling , scenic nature areas , family - friendly venues and more .

the greater boston region license , the permit considered the most lucrative , went to wynn for a site in everett . wynn resorts plans a $ 1 . 6 - billion venue on the mystic river waterfront .

farnsworth house 14520 river rd . plano , il 60545 | 630 . 552 . 0052 master architect ludwig mies van der rohe created the ultimate minimalist masterpiece , the farnsworth house , in pastoral plano . the stellar structure of floor - to - ceiling glass seemingly " floats " above the rambling fox river . yes . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : tour , special interest ( architecture ) .

hollywood casino aurora 1 w . new york st . bridge aurora , il 60506 | 630 . 801 . 1234 hollywood casino is the place for you ! they ' ll add dazzle to your days and life to your nights with free admission , pulse - pounding games , incredible restaurants , and great giveaways . with 53 , 000 square feet of spine - tingling casino action , you ' ll never run out of ways to play at hollywood . get that winning feeling with more than 1 , 170 of the hottest slots around . challenge lady luck at hollywood ' s 26 table games , including a live poker room with texas hold ' em games seven days a week . deal yourself in ! for more information , visit our website . attraction type : gambling / racetrack .

fox river trolley museum 365 s . lafox street south elgin , il | 847 - 697 - 4676 the museum operates a variety of antique trolleys , many from lines long vanished , over trackage that once connected carpentersville , elgin , aurora , and yorkville . a visit to the fox river trolley museum can be educational and fun for the entire family . free . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : museum .

that ' s exactly what officials behind the just opened twin rivers , previously lincoln park , are hoping to hear a lot more of now that the building has been revamped to put it on par , hopefully , with bigger - name destination gambling facilities .

mchenry riverwalk district riverside drive & green st . mchenry , il 60050 | 815 - 363 - 2100 mchenry ' s new riverwalk has sparked a renaissance in this river town and connects the city ' s shopping , dining and entertainment areas to the fox river . green st . and riverside drive are both distinctive shopping districts with their own unqiue vibe . sam free . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : special interest .

smaller casino compared to foxwoods . the casino is in the center with a bar in the center of the casino . this is where live bands perform as well . the perimeter of the building is lined with restaurants etc . there is a smoking and non smoking level . i had a handicapped parking sticker and had no issues parking . went on a friday and it wasn ' t too crowded . restrooms were clean , machines were operable and the smoke stench wasn ' t too bad . the waitress does take forever to get back to you with a drink and the drinks are not free . a small ( one shot - house liquor ) is $ 3 . 75 . the machines do not rob you like foxwoods . i will definitely go back in attempts to flip a $ 20 and get out the house !

i have been coming here regularly for the last few years . they have got thousands of $ $ for me and my friends . never again . security officials treated a friend of mine very badly and rudely , and they were all using foul language . and he had just gambled several hundred $ $ there , that is the kicker ! ! anyway , myself and several of my friends will not be going back there . so your loss , you corrupt , mean ri bastards . the place is grim anyway , compared to the ct casinos and the food outlets , such as subway , are nowhere near as good as the real thing . when the boston casino eventually opens , twin river will go bust very fast , for sure ! ! guaranteed .

before they can move forward with the project , state and local residents will have to approve the proposal in a referendum on the november ballot . many residents in rhode island have persistently voiced their concerns about potential negative impacts of a casino in their local communities , including crime , addiction , and general moral corruption . but the economic benefits of the proposed tiverton casino outweigh the potential drawbacks : the new project will give rhode island a competitive edge against the expansion of the industry within massachusetts , create new local jobs , and strengthen the state and local economies .

i haven ' t been to twin river in a long long time . i ' m not big on gambling so i go for the music and the food . the bar at the light house is always busy when there ' s a good band playing but the servers are always attentive and quick . excellent service . drinks are reasonably priced and made well . shaka khan was playing last night so the place was exceptionally busy . parking is a bit of a pia but overall i enjoy this place .

canoe & pedal boat rentals : pottawatomie park 8 north ave . st . charles , il 60174 | 630 - 584 - 1028 enjoy the scenery from the waters of the fox river ! rentals : mid - may through mid - august . all rentals launch from the river view miniature golf complex within pottawatomie park . deposit required . children age 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult admission charge . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : recreation .

checked out this casino again . convenient location . crazy busy last night with crazy parking lots . wish they were better organized . found the craps tables and other table games . had fun . spent a couple hours and only saw someone serving drinks once . lousy service . table attendants . . .

witnesses described boja ' s car , and two state police detectives assigned to the casino ' s gaming unit gave chase , along with lincoln police . the detectives followed the suspect as he fled south on route 146 and into providence , said maj . dennis fleming , the state police detective commander .

des plaines river trail thatcher woods buffalo grove | 847 - 367 - 6640 ride 31 miles from the van patton woods forest preserves , russell , il south to buffalo grove . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : biking .

century corners main st . and 2nd ave . st . charles , il | 630 - 377 - 6161 a group of shops in historic buildings along the fox river . free . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : shopping center .

skydive chicago 3215 east 1969th road ottawa , il 61350 | 815 - 433 - 0000 skydive chicago is located 70 miles southwest of chicago off i - 80 in ottawa , illinois . their private airport is nestled on 230 acres of forested land along the fox river . their fleet of aircraft includes 3 super twin otters , 2 cessna grand caravans , 1 skyvan and on cessna 182 . tandem jumps and solo jumps offered at one of the largest and most modern skydiving centers in the world . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : recreation .

in town with friends and we decided to hit up a casino . after reading the reviews we weren ' t expecting much . but what we found was a straight up casino . not too fancy but certainly not dirty or falling apart . each of us played our games of choice and enjoyed our time there thoroughly . i made friends at the craps table and walked off with a few extra dollars . we all agreed we had a fun night and would recommend it . but if you are looking for " wynn " style gambling and high table limits this isn ' t your place . although they do have a high roller room .

rhode island benefits when gambling dollars stay within state lines . a recent study by the spectrum gaming group , which took into account both the closure of the newport grand and the construction of a new casino in taunton , found that the state of rhode island could gain up to $ 30 . 2 million in tax revenue by 2019 if the tiverton casino opens . in recent history , rhode island gambling has already contributed a substantial amount of taxes to the state : the ri lottery ( which includes video lottery terminals , table games and traditional lottery tickets ) constitutes about 10 % of the revenue for rhode island’s general fund , which is used to finance state expenditures for transportation , natural resource management , and education , among other projects — all activities that don’t reek of moral corruption . the tax revenue from the tiverton casino project would likely be used to cover the payroll of state and local government employees , which would create more jobs and free up existing funds for other projects .

one of the most widespread concerns about the construction of a new casino is that the facility will increase the crime rate in the area . however , the evidence on the link between casinos and crime is mixed , and most of the research on the subject was done more than a decade ago . a notable study by grinols studying more than 170 counties with casinos from 1977 - 1996 found a significant link between the presence of casinos and a higher crime rate ; however , this research may not ring true today . a study by the associated press in 2012 found that crime has fallen in the towns surrounding the foxwoods resort casino and mohegan sun in connecticut .

what can i say it ' s rhode island ' s only casino good gaming always good entertainment but they do have fred and steve ' s steakhouse upstairs which is phenomenal it is a bit pricey but the food is excellent but if you like gaming this is the place to go . . . . good luck . . . . and roll the bones

hollywood casino amphitheatre 19100 south ridgeland avenue ( oak park avenue ) tinley park , il 60477 | 708 - 614 - 1616 beautiful outdoor music theatre open may through september with a capacity of just under 30 , 000 people . concessions and private catering available ; tour buses welcome . admission charge . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : event / sports venue .

harrah ' s joliet casino & hotel 151 n . joliet street joliet , il 60432 | 815 - 740 - 7800 featuring 1 , 100 + slot machines , most video poker in town , 25 table games , and wsop poker room . experience exceptional dining at the reserve steakhouse and luxurious comfort in our hotel . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : recreation .

batavia farmers market n . river st . between wilson & state st . batavia , il 60510 | 630 . 761 . 3528 come enjoy over 17 different vendors offering a variety of fresh vegetables , fruit , eggs , meat , cheese , herbs , flowers , music and more . back this year free yoga and an artisan market . the 19th annual batavia farmers ' market will take place every saturday from 8 am to 12 pm beginning june 7th through october 18th on the newly renovated n . river st . between wilson and state st . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : farmer ' s markets .

donald e . stephens convention center 5555 n . river rd . rosemont , il | 847 - 692 - 2222 840 , 000 feet of exhibition space is host to numerous trade shows , meetings and public events . admission charge . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : event / sports venue .

red oak nature center 2343 s . river st . batavia , il 60510 | 630 . 897 . 1808 nestled on the east bank of the fox river , the red oak nature center is surrounded by 40 acres of lush forest and wildlife habitat – an ideal setting for visitors to learn about the great outdoors through direct interaction with nature . free admission includes : wildlife room , bee room , discovery room , devil ' s cave , observation deck , picnic shelter and six wood - chip hiking trails . open year - round . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : nature area , kids and families .

a filthy casino with an abundance of cigarette smoke , low minimum slot machines , and unimpressive clientele . was definitely a regret wasting a couple hours here . once we finally found a slot machine that accepted our dollar , it broke after 2 - 3 spins . sure , just keep our $ 1 . 08 , you need it more than we do , especially with wynn everett coming soon .

rosemont theatre 5400 river rd . rosemont , il | 847 - 671 - 5100 broadway musicals , popular performers and family entertainment all perform in this state - of - the - art entertainment facility . tickets available through ticketmaster . admission charge . for more information , visit our website . attraction type : theater / performing arts .

this place is not a casino ! ! table games are an afterthought . you can drive all the way down there and find out that the table games don ' t open until some time later in the day . management is nonexistent and totally unprofessional . do yourself a favor and continue on to foxwoods where they ' re open 24 / 7 , and they actually reward you with some decent points at least .

the wynn everett is a $ 1 . 6 billion or $ 1 . 7 billion integrated resort on the banks of the mystic river in the boston suburb of everett . despite a series of controversies involving its opening , steve wynn’s latest gaming development is likely to be a threat to any smaller gaming venues in western massachusetts and rhode island .

vip room second floor , lisa what a wonderful experience i can ' t say enough about the service , quality of the food . was there for kentucky derby had a wonderful day thanks to lisa bartender caretaker just a wonderful person that took care of every need you could ' ve had . didn ' t win any money but still was able to enjoy my time here at twin river . you have something good here second floor vip room . i ' ve been to so many other places were gambling was involved this is definitely one of my better experiences . this review is for lisa just let you know that you do make a big difference . . . . . : : : argentine cowboys boston ma . . . . . . . .


tompkins financial corporation is a small , diversified financial services company based in ithaca , new york .

it is the parent of the tompkins trust company , as well as several other banks , an insurance agency , and a wealth management division .

the bank traces its history to 1836 , when the tompkins county bank was chartered by a special act of the new york state assembly .

after the national bank act of 1864 , it was reorganized into the tompkins county national bank .

in 1891 , the ithaca trust company was formed ; in 1935 , the two banks merged into the tompkins county trust company .

for many years the bank was associated with the locally-prominent treman family ; the last family member to be president , charles e. treman , jr. , served from 1960 to 1978 .

from 1978 to 1989 , the bank was led by raymond van houtte , a late opponent of the glass – steagall act .

under the leadership of james j. byrnes , ceo from 1989 to 2003 , the trust company began to expand .

in 1995 the bank created a holding company for itself , tompkins trustco , which was renamed in 2007 to tompkins financial .

in 1996 , the bank opened its first branch outside of tompkins county , with the purchase of a small branch office in odessa , new york .

in 2000 , it acquired the bank of castile in western new york and mahopac national bank in the hudson valley .

while most of the banks tompkins financial has acquired have kept their separate identities , in 2008 it paid $ 30.2 million for sleepy hollow bank and merged its assets into mahopac national bank .

in 2012 , tompkins financial acquired vist bank in suburban philadelphia , paying $ 109.1 million .

the company 's expansion has not been limited to banks : in the mid-2000s , tompkins financial acquired a number of independent insurance agencies , merging them into the newly created tompkins insurance agencies , and in 2006 acquired financial planning firm am&m financial services ( renamed in 2011 to tompkins financial advisors ) .

after the 2008 financial crisis , tompkins financial was lauded for not issuing subprime mortgages or investing in securities backed by them .

tompkins financial also declined to participate in the federal government 's bank bailout in 2008 .

the company has also raised its dividend to shareholders every year since 1987 .

on august 1 , 2013 , tompkins financial announced that byrnes , who had served as board chairman since the company 's creation , would step down in 2014 .

he was succeeded by ithaca college president tom rochon .

in march 2014 , tompkins financial announced that it was rebranding itself by adopting a new logo , and renaming its subsidiary banks to start with " tompkins . "

previously , all its acquired banks had retained their original names , keeping with tompkins 's promise of local control .

in april 2015 , tompkins financial announced plans to build a new headquarters in downtown ithaca , adjacent to its current headquarters on the ithaca commons .

currently nearly 300 corporate and back-office employees are spread throughout the ithaca area ; the seven-story , 110,000 sqft building would bring them all under one roof .

construction began in june 2016 , and the building is expected to be finished in 2018 , at a total cost of $ 26.8 million .

tompkins financial corporation

tompkins financial corporation <EOT> nevertheless , as the corporation grows , it ' s important to maintain the community bank strategy , said stephen romaine , who today serves as the ceo of the tompkins financial corporation .

tompkins financial corporation is a financial holding company , formerly known as tompkins trustco inc . under its umbrella are tompkins trust company , mahopac national bank and the bank of castile , which together operate 45 offices throughout new york . also part of tompkins financial ' s holdings are tompkins investment services , am & m financial services inc . and tompkins insurance agencies inc .

looking out for customers is one part of the mission , but tompkins financial also is beholden to shareholders in the publicly - traded corporation .

tompkins trustco , inc . to acquire am & m financial services , inc . ; deal expands tompkins ' financial planning and wealth management expertise

tompkins trustco , inc . to acquire am & m financial services , inc . ; deal expands tompkins ' financial planning and wealth management expertise | business wire

the leadership of tompkins financial , which posted large gains in 2008 , while other financial institutions were being leveled by the sagging economy . from left , frank fetsko , tompkins financial executive vice president and chief financial officer ; steve romaine , tompkins financial president and chief executive officer ; jim byrnes , chairman of tompkins financial and tompkins trust company ; and greg hartz , tompkins trust company president and chief executive officer , take a moment to reflect on their successes in 2008 . ( photo by rachel philipson )

the corporation also is ready to acquire more institutions - if they fit with the current businesses .

byrnes himself was at the helm of the trust company during much of this growth period , shepherding the bank into the 21st century with the creation of the tompkins financial corporation , a three billion dollar holding company that serves as a corporate parent to three community banks , the trust company , the bank of castile , and mahopac national bank , which together operate 45 banking offices in local markets throughout new york state . alongside these banks , tompkins financial corporation also offers comprehensive wealth management services through tompkins financial advisors and personal and business insurance products through tompkins insurance agencies . êthe tompkins financial corporation has strengthened the companies under its umbrella by giving them more resources and allowing them a broader range of operations , said byrnes .

romaine said tompkins financial is poised for more growth , keeping in line with its focus and mission .

tompkins financial corporation shareholders enjoy greater efficiency and convenience in their transactions thanks to our association with american stock transfer & trust company , llc ( " ast " ) . shares of tmp common stock can be purchased through

aside from the fact the insurance company is run by a corporation that also owns banking and investment services institutions , tompkins insurance is like any other insurance agency .

things are even going so well , tompkins financial was one of 20 banking institutions across the country - many of them also community - banking organizations - to decline to participate in the government ' s bank bailout . tompkins financial was slated to receive $ 15 million under the program , strange for a corporation that made money in 2008 .

" we ' ve had a pretty consistent perspective , " said steve romaine , tompkins financial corporation president and chief executive officer , when asked why the financial holding company was so successful amidst the economic turmoil of 2008 . " i think it ' s because of all the things we did prior to 2008 .

tmp is a financial holding company headquartered in ithaca , ny . they are the parent company for tompkins trust company , the bank of castile , mahopac national bank , tompkins insurance agencies , inc . , and am & m financial services , inc .

the difference comes when you look at the resources available to the insurance company as a result of being owned by tompkins financial .

not that the attractive short - term gainers weren ' t inviting , it ' s just that tompkins financial didn ' t bite .

frank fetsko , tompkins financial executive vice president and chief financial officer , said the success is derived directly from the organizations values - making sure its business is good for shareholders , clients , customers and the community .

when mahopac joined the tompkins financial fold , it didn ' t lose its identity , although the two brands did integrate a bit . klein said his operations are known as mahopac national bank , a tompkins community bank .

byrnes is the main reason that tompkins financial is in the shape it is today , stemming from his time as its president and chief executive officer .

rest assured , we ' ll keep you informed with the latest financial news .

jerry klein is president and chief executive officer of mahopac national bank , one of the two bank chains not in central new york operated by tompkins financial . he said it ' s an advantage for his bank to be part of the larger corporation because of the additional resources it can provide to its customers .

a booklet , " tompkins financial corporation stock purchase plan ( prospectus ) " , carries all the particulars . it is available at urltoken or by contacting shareholder relations by e - mail at shareholder @ urltoken or by phone at ( 607 ) 274 - 7299 or toll - free ( 888 ) 503 - 5753 for a copy .

jim byrnes has seen the changing face of tompkins trust and its parent company , having joined the bank as president in 1989 , with his duties expanding to chairman in 1992 . he has since retired as president , but serves as chairman of both tompkins financial and tompkins trust company . byrnes said the performance was partly due to the company ' s success and partly due to others ' poor performances , but the quality of tompkins financial through the years has led it to greater limelight .

the other significant thing tompkins financial did , in 2007 , was to look at its efficiency and see how it matched up with its motto , " built to last . " romaine said the corporation was prepared to grow and knew it was coming , so it looked at how it could be more efficient , saving money in the process .

any changes within tompkins financial in the future won ' t be classified in the " wild " category , fetsko said , but it may look at other business opportunities .

romaine said the corporation has worked to build a structure that is community oriented , which is why they conducted focus groups to determine what people wanted out of their banking experience .

" tompkins financial is one of those rare financial stocks that has maintained and increased its dividend through the financial crisis , " wrote kiel . " not only that , but it ' s also grown earnings for 36 straight years . let that sink in for a minute before we go on . only one company has done it longer , wal - mart . "

tompkins trust company has made moving your accounts easy and convenient with our switch kit .

tompkins financial might fly under the radar of the bigger banks , but that doesn ' t mean that it hasn ' t attracted attention outside of the central new york region . in fact , the company was recently profiled in an article on the popular financial blog seeking alpha , in which contributor steven kiel sang the praises of the company .

tompkins trustco , inc . operates 35 banking offices in the new york state markets served by the company ' s subsidiary banks - tompkins trust company , the bank of castile , and mahopac national bank . through its community banking subsidiaries , the company provides traditional banking services , and offers money management services through tompkins investment services ( a division of tompkins trust company ) . the company also offers insurance services through its tompkins insurance agencies , inc . subsidiary , an independent agency serving individuals and business clients throughout western and central new york . each tompkins subsidiary operates with a community focus , meeting the needs of the unique communities served .

" what we heard was they wanted local people they could trust , with a greater breadth of services for their financial needs , " he said . " so , we built a company that does banking , and can handle insurance and financial planning . "

the backing of tompkins financial corporation has also helped the company stay abreast of important changes in technology and attract a higher pool of talented employees . staying innovative is important for community banks , which don ' t have the level of resources that are available to larger financial institutions , said greg hartz . a few years ago the trust company launched a remote deposit service , which allows companies to scan checks and transmit deposits without coming into the bank . the service has proved popular , said hartz , and it ' s an example of the sort of technology the trust company has to implement if it wants to stay competitive .

tompkins financial ' s banks focus on being community institutions , a much different beast than the major banks - the ones that are struggling . that focus , with the services provided by the insurance and investment arms of the company , is a good marriage for its customers .

russell k . achzet , president and ceo of am & m ; stated , " we are extremely enthusiastic about our alliance with tompkins . tompkins is a quality organization with extensive product and services capabilities that will result in opportunities to better serve our present clients . "

the company’s homepage has a link to a statement by ceo steve romaine that includes the following , “unlike the banks and wall street firms that are requiring government bailouts or filing for bankruptcy , tompkins financial has not engaged in subprime mortgage lending nor have we invested in securities backed by subprime mortgages . tompkins financial does not hold any shares of fannie mae , freddie mac , bear stearns , merrill lynch , lehman brothers , aig , or washington mutual stock . ” sounds like mr . romaine should be on the short list for ceo of a bigger bank or maybe treasury secretary .

greg hartz , tompkins trust company president and chief executive officer , is flanked by marketing communication officer sue lason , left , and vice president of sales and marketing ursula russ in front of the bank vault at the financial institution ' s main branch office . ( photo by rachel philipson )

adding insurance services to the other financial entities - banks and investment services - may not seem like a typical move , but it ' s becoming more common .

van houtte , a well - dressed man with whitish hair and a pleasant smile , recalled his first loan at tompkins came out of his own pocket .

i decided to dig a little deeper into one of the banks that opted out on the theory that any bank turning down the government funds must be pretty confident in their prospects . tompkins financial ( tmp ) was the first ‘thanks , but no thanks’ announcement i saw , so decided to peel back a few layers of the onion .

) - - nov . 21 , 2005 - - tompkins trustco , inc . ( amex : tmp ) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire am & m ; financial services , inc . ( am & m ; ) . am & m ; is a premier fee - based financial planning firm serving clients in the western new york area for over 25 years . headquartered in pittsford , new york , am & m ; provides financial products and services to clients through three operating companies : ( 1 ) am & m ; planners , inc . , which provides fee based financial planning and wealth management services for corporate executives , small business owners , and high net worth individuals ; ( 2 ) ensemble financial services , inc . , and independent broker / dealer and leading outsourcing company for financial planners an investment advisors ; and ( 3 ) ensemble risk solutions , inc . , which creates customized risk management plans using life , disability and long - term care insurance products . am & m ; is a privately held company with eight current shareholders , who are all actively employed by the company . as of september 30 , 2005 , am & m ; had approximately 800 clients and $ 350 million in assets under management .

tompkins financial even added banks - sleepy hollow bancorp . - in 2008 , adding it to the mahopac national bank chain in the hudson valley region of the state . because of its work on making things more efficient , romaine said they were able to close the acquisition one day and open back up the next as a fully - integrated branch .

commenting on the transaction , james j . byrnes , chairman and ceo of tompkins trustco , inc . , stated , " this acquisition provides a unique opportunity to expand our financial planning and investment services capabilities . am & m ; will be a great complement to our tompkins investment services division by adding additional product capabilities and financial planning expertise . the location of the am & m ; offices is also attractive and will enhance our presence in monroe county , where our bank of castile subsidiary currently has one office in the town of chili and recently broke ground for a new office in the town of greece . we are particularly impressed with the identical commitment both companies have to exceptional client service . "

boyce stressed that the insurance branch is not owned by the banking branch , rather that both are under the financial holding company ' s purview , but noted the connection is a natural one .

one thing that exudes from all of the tompkins financial players is a sense of pride in having a good model of business , one that allowed it to not only keep from struggling along with others , but flourish in a difficult economic climate . they all noted that while the banking industry is certainly facing troubles , not all corporations are having problems , especially community banks .

that ' s according to david boyce , president and chief executive officer of tompkins insurance agencies inc . , who said the trend has been growing over the last five years .

the ithaca trust and tompkins county national banks merged in 1935 to form the tompkins trust company . ( treman , king & co . finally closed in 1939 , done in by the depression . ) charles e . treman had one son , charles e . jr . , who worked for ithaca trust for many years and eventually became president of tompkins trust in 1960 . robert h . had two sons : robert e . , who married ( and divorced ) irene castle , the film star , and allan h . , who became a prominent attorney .

under the terms of the agreement , tompkins will acquire all of the outstanding shares of am & m ; capital stock for an amount paid in cash and tompkins common stock . the transaction is structured with a portion of the purchase price payable at closing , with additional contingent amounts payable , depending on the operating results of am & m ; , during the four years after closing . mr . byrnes commented , " the transaction will provide enhanced capabilities to the tompkins organization , but initially , will not significantly impact our overall operations . we expect that the transaction will be accretive in 2006 . "

avoiding the calamity in the housing market was in keeping with the trust company ' s community banking strategy , said jim byrnes , who served as the president and ceo of tompkins trust from 1989 to 2003 .

" a tompkins trust company customer can enjoy the personal , local touch you would expect from a community bank with local decision making focused in the central new york market , " greg hartz , tompkins trust company president and chief executive officer , said . " what we ' ve done by adding the depth and breadth ( of the insurance and investment services ) is give our customers access to a much broader range of services .

" if you were looking to get into financial services today , it would be too late because of the start - up costs , " he added . " having gotten out ahead of it , we were able to grow when others were having difficulty . "

" the holding corporation gives us more range to do business with our customers , " said byrnes . " twenty - five years ago , you would have had to go somewhere else for insurance and investment , but now we offer those services . it also gives us the flexibility to do acquisitions , which we have continued to do . all our loans are in the home areas of the local banks , and because we have the three banks , we have a bigger region to do business in . "

making wise financial judgments in the midst of the subprime mortgage mess was difficult , said hartz , but it ' s paid off in the long run for the bank , which has avoided the losses of larger institutions that took a gamble on the subprime housing market .

the list of banks that said ‘thanks , but no thanks’ to the treasury should be a decent start to a shopping list for anyone interested in sound , smaller , regional banks . the other banks that announced they would not be participating in tarp on friday are : kearny financial ( krny ) , first financial bankshares ( ffin ) , commerce bancshares ( cbsh ) and charles schwab ( schw ) . according to the ap , there are 110 banks participating in tarp . that leaves a lot of companies who decided not to play . i’ll leave researching those names to others for now .

the idea behind the campaign was simple : in the wake of the financial meltdown , said huffington , americans had lost faith in the big banks on wall street , and so huffington encouraged her readers to withdraw their money from institutions like citibank and bank of america and deposit it in local community banks .

what didn ' t make the front page was how tompkins financial was quietly steeling itself against the economic disaster , on its way to another successful year . in fact , despite a 2 percent drop in fourth - quarter profits ( from the fourth quarter of 2007 ) , the company reported an overall increase in profits for 2008 totaling $ 29 . 8 million . the company ' s stock shares rose by 49 percent in 2008 while major u . s . stocks were collapsing by 33 percent and the dow jones industrial average was hit for its worst plummet in 77 years .

am & m ; will become a subsidiary of tompkins trustco , inc . and will be operated under the direction of its current management team . am & m ; has 42 employees and is currently led by 6 principals , who have approximately 132 years of combined financial services experience . the firm has expertise in executive compensation and benefits , retirement planning , estate planning , investment management , tax planning and preparation , and life insurance analysis . it is currently anticipated that the acquisition , which is subject to regulatory approval and other customary conditions to closing , will be completed in the first quarter of 2006 .

the tremans largely stayed out of political office , but they waded into finance after becoming established in utilities . l . l . became the president of the tompkins county national bank in 1873 , and leonard was president of the ithaca savings bank during the last year of his life .

" every time you see mahopac national bank , you do see tompkins , along with the oak leaves and acorn , " he said . " our brand is mahopac national bank , but i believe people see us as having the strength and stability of a much larger organization behind us .

in 1861 the bank was financially strong enough to loan the state of new york $ 25 , 000 during a downturn , and the bank showed similar strength during the great depression , when , in the midst of a nationwide wave of bank closures , tompkins trust closed for a single day before being pronounced sound and reopening . the success of the bank stems from a willingness to engage in prudent financial decisions that value long - term benefits over short - term gains , said greg hartz , the bank ' s current chief executive officer , and it ' s earned the bank a reputation for being a sturdy and dependable institution . ê

" change is constant , " said hartz . " people ' s financial lives are so much more complex than they used to be , and there will be new needs and new demands . our goal is to continue to focus on identifying what our customers need , so that we can make good decisions for the future of the company . "

tompkins was advised in the transaction by keefe , bruyette & woods , inc . ; harris beach , pllc ; and freed maxick & battaglia , pc . am & m ; was advised by adair law firm , llp , mengel , metzger barr & co . , llp and rotenberg & co . , llp .

" if enough people who have money in the bigger banks move it into smaller , more local , more traditional community banks , " wrote huffington , " then collectively we , the people , will have taken a big step toward re - rigging the financial system so it becomes again the productive , stable engine for growth it ' s meant to be . "

in an era when community banks across the nation have suffered from a wave of consolidations and closures , the tompkins county trust company , which this year is celebrating its 175th anniversary , is the sort of bank that would make george bailey proud . chartered by a special act of the new york state assembly in 1836 - êthe same year that davy crockett died at the alamo - êthe trust company has shown a remarkable resilience over the years in weathering financial storms . it was a trend that was established early on with the bank ' s first president , hermon camp , who relieved the concerns of worried depositors by personally guaranteeing the bank ' s holdings during the economic panic of 1837 .

" jim had the foresight , back in the mid - 1990s , to form the corporate holding company , which , at the time , only held tompkins county trust company , as it was called then , " romaine said . " it was the beginning of its flexibility and the thought of what could be brought to other acquisitions .

it may come as a surprise for tompkins county residents to learn that a publicly - traded company in their midst is second only to wal - mart in the growth of its dividend over the last thirty years , but the statistic is true , confirmed jim byrnes . there are two main factors that have contributed to this success , he explained .

van houtte is one of the most outspoken opponents of the glass - steagall act , a depression - era law that separates investment banking from commercial banking , and a similar ' ' mini glass - steagall ' ' in new york . he believes the laws eventually will be repealed and envisions banks offering a wider range of financial services in the next five years , like a one - stop shopping network .

" we realized we needed to be well standardized , " he said . " people know that if they walk into one of our ( tompkins trust ) branches around here , they will get the same service in the same setting . but what if they walk into one of our branches ( one of the castile or mahopac branches ) hours away from here ?

at tompkins county trust co . , a community bank in a college town where van houtte started out as a director in the mid 1960s , the small - town granderfatherly image emerges . there , the bank president of 15 years meets with the local boy scouts of america and the chamber of commerce , two of the many community groups in which he ' s been involved .

the bank ' s commitment to the local community isn ' t just limited to employment , but includes a vibrant social and philanthropic mission . employees are encouraged to volunteer and get in local causes , and trust company officers can be found on the boards of organizations throughout tompkins county . the support of organizations like the united way and the kitchen theater is the trust company ' s way of giving back to the local community , said russ .

in the latest 18 th century the tremans were cutting down trees to clear land on what was then the frontier of the new republic . five generations later and only 10 miles south in ithaca , in the early 20 th century one of them married a silent film star . the earliest generation made its money selling off land and grinding grain in trumansburg . the last generation in ithaca to bear the name “treman” included the president of tompkins county trust company .

" people sometimes ask me what a community bank is , and i tell them , if you ' re running into your customers in the line at the grocery store , you ' ve got a community bank , " said romaine . " the community banking industry is separate from the big megabanks . for the most part , we rarely cross paths . i have to be accountable for every choice that we make in the community every single day , and that might not necessarily be true of the larger financial institutions . "

charles e . was the first treman to get involved in politics , if only as a political appointee . as state superintendent of public works in 1910 and 1911 , he oversaw the completion of the new york barge canal . sisler suggested he had been reluctant to assume the office . the reason is ironic , given his family history : he was ill with what may have been typhoid fever at the time of his appointment . after his brief time in albany he returned to ithaca to become president of the tompkins county national bank . he died in 1930 .

a major employer in tompkins county , the trust company is also unique in having its administrative offices - êwhat ' s known as the " back office " - êlocated in the same community as the retail side of the bank , said ursula russ , vice president of sales and marketing . in an era of banking consolidations , it ' s been customary for banks to outsource their administrative services elsewhere , but the trust company has resisted this trend and kept them in town . the result is that the trust company employs more people than any other bank in the area .

the first statistic that jumped out was the earnings comparison with the year ago quarter . earnings for quarter ended sep ’08 were 0 . 81 per diluted share , up from 0 . 70 per diluted share last year . tmp actually grew year - over - year earnings in one of the most difficult financial environments in history . i don’t have statistics , but the ‘banks with growing earnings’ club must have a pretty short membership list . caps screener returned 108 banks with positive earnings growth over the past three years , but there isn’t a screen option for 1 - year earnings growth . i checked a few of the banks and many would not have passed a 1 - year earnings screen .

robert h . and then charles e . , although the sons of the younger elias , largely assumed control of all the family enterprises because their uncle eben had no children . robert , for example , assumed the presidency of the tompkins county national bank , in 1900 upon the death of his great - uncle l . l . he was not merely handed this job , however . upon graduating cornell he had started as a salesman in the family hardware business and , according to sisler , had greatly extended its wholesale business , eventually becoming a partner . following in his great - uncle leonard ' s footsteps , be became a director of the ithaca savings bank , and then joined the board of the ithaca trust company .

" on a comparative basis , i think it ' s safe to say we would rank in the top quartile among peers , " said hartz , who has been with the trust company for eight years , four of them as ceo . " there have been numerous recessions since the bank ' s founding , and tompkins trust has survived them all . we have a reputation for being a very strong bank , very financially sound . in fact , we ' ve been profitable right through the recession , with near record earnings even this year . our culture is very team - oriented , very collaborative , and very customer - focused , and the combination of those factors has enabled us to maintain our independence and longevity over the years . "

huffington ' s call didn ' t fall on deaf ears . the idea of the friendly local bank , where customers are valued and business is conducted on a face - to - face basis , carries a lot of appeal in the american imagination . it was memorably portrayed in the frank capra ' s classic film " it ' s a wonderful life , " in which community banker george bailey helps the people of bedford falls avoid the predatory practices of the greedy mr . potter . if anything can explain the disillusionment of americans living through the worst economic downturn since the great depression , it ' s that the mr . potters of the world seem to have gained the upper hand . the subprime mortgage crisis , in which corporate lenders , hungry for short - term profits , issued faulty loans to applicants with a high risk of default , offered a dire example of what can happen when financial institutions go astray . in such a climate , it ' s not surprising that many americans would be looking to move their money to more community - friendly institutions .

new york ( ap ) _ ask raymond a . van houtte what his childhood ambitions were and it ' s unlikely that running a couple of arms companies , practicing law , accounting , teaching or banking would have appeared on his list .

yet van houtte , who set out to become an engineer and now heads a small bank in upstate new york and one of the nation ' s most powerful banking trade groups , has done all of them with varying degrees of success .

' ' i don ' t think of myself as ambitious . i ' m just interested in many things , ' ' said van houtte , the son of a detroit grocer . ' ' if you ever get the idea you ' d like to try something different , do it . ' '

even now the 63 - year - old van houtte continues to try on different hats , so to speak .

as current president of the new york state bankers association , which represents many of the nation ' s biggest commercial banks , he hobnobs with the likes of former federal reserve chairman paul a . volcker and other prominent bankers and has lobbied vigorously in washington , d . c . and albany for broader banking powers .

if it were up to van houtte , banks would be permitted to sell insurance or underwrite corporate securities but those involved in risky businesses wouldn ' t be eligible for deposit insurance .

van houtte knows many of his customers on a first - name basis , and he ' s been known to accommodate depositers in need of emergency cash long after closing hours , something unheard of in a big city .

' ' i had a young woman who asked me if she could borrow $ 20 to buy a dress and get a job at cornell ( university ) . i said , ' a bank doesn ' t loan you $ 20 , ' so i gave her the $ 20 myself , ' ' he said in a recent interview . ' ' she bought the dress , came back and showed it to me . ' '

the woman got the job and repaid the loan $ 5 every two weeks - ' ' with 6 percent interest , ' ' he said , betraying his stait - laced banker ' s streak .

' ' i never realized i would be a banker . these are things i ' m able to do that make me feel so good , ' ' van houtte said . ' ' lawyers ( for instance ) don ' t make things happen . they sometimes prevent things from happening . ' '

his career as a lawyer spanned about 10 years and followed his stint as a certified public accountant , which overlapped his teaching and accounting job at the now - defunct eastern military academy in cold spring harbor , n . y . , shortly after world war ii . running two arms companies , poly - choke co . in hartford , conn . , and ithaca gun co . in ithaca , n . y . , came somewhere in between .

as a young lawyer he specialized in mergers and acquisitions , but he said he also arranged a few overseas adoptions of babies abandoned during world war ii .

the pay back then for accounting or law wasn ' t great , van houtte said , and with a wife and three children to support , including an infant daughter struggling with a birth defect , he found himself living from paycheck to paycheck .

his job at poly - choke , which specialized in customized gun barrels and whose customers included gen . dwight d . eisenhower , ' ' finally gave us enough money so we could afford a two - bedroom apartment instead of one . ' ' that job eventually led to ithaca gun , where he served as president from 1966 to 1968 .

these days , van houtte and his wife , margaret , live a comfortable life in ithaca , dividing their time between the bank and community activities . van houtte ' s biggest personal satisfaction , he says , is in helping families , businesses and community groups get off the ground financially .

one of his successes , he said , was arranging for a new home to be built for the ladies union benevolent society , a century - old organization in ithaca that provides retirement housing for indigent women .

' ' i really have a wonderful life as a banker , ' ' he said . ' ' you feel good because you ' ve helped people . ' '

next year , van houtte plans to retire and is looking forward to doing a lot more traveling , fishing , gardening and shell collecting . ' ' i have a lot of things i ' d like to do . ' '

this press release may include forward - looking statements with respect to revenue sources , growth , market risk , and corporate objectives . the company assumes no duty , and specifically disclaims any obligation , to update forward - looking statements , and cautions that these statements are subject to numerous assumptions , risk , and uncertainties , all of which could change over time . actual results could differ materially from forward - looking statements .

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friday afternoon was the deadline for banks to apply to the treasury’s tarp program and urltoken was full of announcements from banks that were or were not participating .

on 22 oct , the company reported earnings for the quarter ended on 30 sep . i didn’t find a conference call announcement or transcript so assume they don’t hold earnings calls .

net charge - offs are growing , but are well below industry comparables . loan loss reserves are just over one percent of total loans . that’s a little lower percentage than most other banks , but tmp’s loan losses are also running well below other banks’ . the loan loss provision increased by $ 3 million over the first nine months of the year and is nearly 140 % of nonperforming loans .

the market cap is a little under $ 500 million . at friday’s closing price of $ 46 . 06 , the company is trading at a price to tangible book value of 2 . 61 and 14 . 44 times estimated 2009 earnings . both numbers are at the high end of valuation for banks . based on the good loan performance , growing earnings and sound balance sheet , the company deserves to trade at a premium to its peers . the 52 - week trading range is $ 34 . 66 - $ 59 . 30 .

the dividend yield is 2 . 90 % , much lower than many competitors . with a 42 % payout ratio and solid earnings , that dividend appears safe .

tmp proves that there are some strong banks out there . loan losses are well below industry averages . year - over - year earnings growth is particularly impressive . the stock trades at a premium to most banks , even other sound banks . that premium appears warranted . if i wanted to buy this stock , i’d be patient and hope for a pull back of 10 - 15 % from here , although it may not come down that far .

here ' s the way i see it : rates went down to 1 % in the great greenspan cut of 2002 . banks were accustomed to receiving 8 % on their money , but they couldn ' t get that from prime borrowers . they came up with ways of charging higher interest rates to unqualified borrowers and then selling the debt to others for cash which they then lent out to still more unqualified borrowers . risky , but rewarding . banks that did this took market share and grew .

meanwhile , smaller regional banks - like the one i bank at - said " no , fooey on this . we ' ll take our 3 % from the few prime borrowers out there and sit on our hands . " these banks are the right banks to have your money in , because they ' re not going under .

but they ' re sure as heck not candidates for investment , because their competitors - who took huge risks , reaped commensurate profits , and now are being bailed out of the consequences of the risks they took - have taken all their market share and have been able to grow - employees , branches , accounts - in ways that the conservative banks have not .

what do you think ? i think i wouldn ' t go near these banks , whose sound policies have left them doubly shafted .

i ran a 1 - year comparison between tmp , bac , c , and wfc . fwiw , tmp has done slightly better than wfc and has clobbered bac and c .

i think choosing not to participate in tarp is a good indicator that management thinks a bank is in good shape or believes they can access capital on better terms if they need it . in their press release , tmp stated they felt private capital would be a better deal for their shareholders than tarp .

i agree that a good bank should be able to do well with tarp money and wouldn ' t rule out investing in a bank just because they participated in tarp . in fact , i own shares of wfc .

your comment did give me an idea . i’ve set up a new fool player to track the banks that took tarp money . it’ll be interesting to see how they perform compared to the overall market and the banking indices .

interesting . i will be keeping an eye on that . maybe you should throw xlf in there as a comparison basis .

leaked : apple ' s next smart device ( warning , it may shock you ) the secret is out . . . experts are predicting 458 million of these types of devices will be sold per year . 1 hyper - growth company stands to rake in maximum profit - and it ' s not apple . show me apple ' s new smart gizmo !

abner treman , the patriarch of a clan that would dominate the commercial life of ithaca for a good part of the 19 th and 20 th centuries , was a captain in the continental army during the war for independence . he received a full 600 - acre lot in 1791 when lots in the central new york military tract were assigned to veterans . treman ' s lot was crossed by two creeks , and his land ( three - quarters of a mile wide and two miles long ) on the west side of cayuga lake included the break in slope where the streams dove off the plateau between the lakes and cascaded down hill : a good place for a water - driven mill .

according to carol u . sisler ' s biography of the treman family in her enterprising families ( 1986 ) , treman his brother and nephew out to central new york to clear some of the land of trees before he followed in 1793 with his wife mary mclallen treman , their three children , and his 19 year old brother - in - law john mclallen . he set up a sawmill and then a grist mill on frontenac ( later trumansburg ) creek , and his brother - in - law set up an inn and tavern .

abner and mary had eight more children in trumansburg . the fifth son , ashbel ( b . 1796 ) , moved to mecklenburg , further up the taughannock creek drainage , and set up his own mill . he had three sons : leonard ( b . 1819 ) , lafayette ( b . 1821 ) , and elias ( b . 1821 ) . one by one , they moved down to ithaca . in 1844 leonard and l . l . ( as lafayette was called ) founded a hardware business that would eventually in 1857 become treman , king & co , a veritable home depot of its day ( if a home depot had a foundry in the store ) .

but the tremans were hardly content to run a store , however prosperous . they are included in sisler ' s book because they threw themselves into in effect modernizing ithaca . although they did not tend to be the initators of public infrastructure projects , they were repeated early investors of the capital that they earned as proprietors of a business that was supplying the materials used to build a rapidly growing city . treman , king & company filled the entire east side of the block along south cayuga between state and green streets .

as sisler notes , the tremans became rich because they moved to ithaca , which continued to grow through the 19 th century , while the surrounding rural communities did not . the village that their family founded and is named for them had population of 1 , 500 or 1 , 600 around the time of the civil war , and is approximately that size today .

the tremans also made a number of marriages that , whatever their basis in affection , were shrewd in terms of their creation of alliances in the business community . for example , l . l . treman married eliza ann mack , the daughter of ebenezer mack , the original publisher of the ithaca daily journal and a democratic state senator .

l . l . and leonard were among the organizers of first the ithaca gas light company and then the ithaca water works . leonard became president of the water works in 1864 and the gas light company in 1870 . l . l . became president of both the water works and the light company in 1888 upon his brother ' s death from a spinal disease . he remained in charge of them until his own death in 1900 .

it was during their ownership of the water works , according to sisler , that the tremans acquired land along enfield , six mile , and buttermilk creeks . the latter two were dammed in order to serve as water supplies . robert h . treman donated all of them were donated to the state or the city in the 1920s .

l . l . ' s only son , ebenezer mack ' eben ' treman , became deeply involved in all of his father ' s businesses . he lost his first wife and infant son in childbirth , and although he remarried years later , he had no more children . he lived in his father ' s large greek revival house on south geneva street . it stands there still , two doors down from sweet melissa ' s ice cream stand . leonard and elias lived further down geneva on the far side of buffalo .

david dekok ' s polemical book the epidemic focuses on the 1903 typhoid outbreak , which sickened over 1 , 300 people ( 10 percent of the population ) and killed 82 , mostly young people . readers looking to dekok ' s book for information about the causes of the typhoid epidemic will find much blame assigned to the tremans . his argument , however , is disorderly and sometimes downright odd .

for example , he notes that eben treman never had children with his second wife , was devoted to the arts , and had a close friendship with william t . morris , who purchased the water works from the tremans shortly after l . l . ' s death . from this he concludes that both treman and morris were closeted homosexuals and that this somehow contributed to their failing to care for the public welfare .

although morris does not seem to have been unduly burdened by scruples and seems indeed to deserve blame , dekok is reduced to scolding the tremans for not sufficiently mourning the dead after the 1903 epidemic .

while eben died without issue in 1916 , elias had two sons : robert h . ( b . 1858 ) and charles e . ( b . 1868 ) . none of the tremans had had much to do with the founding and early growth of cornell university . eben had attended for a year before withdrawing to go into business . elias ' s sons were the first to attend and graduate ( in 1878 and 1889 , respectively ) , and they would have much to do with the university throughout their lives , including sitting on the board of trustees .

as the tremans had moved westward to the frontier in 1792 , so in the early 20 th century the family began to follow the social frontier outward from the center of the city they had helped build . whereas leonard , l . l . , and elias had all lived on geneva street , within walking distance of their cayuga street business , their children moved up onto east hill , building palatial arts & crafts homes next to the university campus . robert h . treman ' s home at 640 stewart avenue was designed by william h . miller , as was that of his brother - in - law mynderse van cleef at 660 stewart . charles e . treman had the firm of vivian & cobb design his home , which later burned after it had passed out of the family ' s hands .

in 1939 charles e . jr . baffled ithaca society by building a house in cayuga heights and moving “to the country . ” “who will visit you out there ? ” sisler reports his peers asking . but like his forebears he was just following the frontier , and like his forebears he seemed to know what everyone else was going to need or do before they knew it themselves . he had one daughter , who married joseph williams , an oklahoma businessman , and moved to tulsa . after his death in 2004 , no one named treman lived in ithaca anymore .

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clear skies . low 63f . winds sw at 5 to 10 mph . .

as wall street was crumbling around itself this year , the news was dominated by headlines of major banking institutions failing and asking for bailouts .

" everyone has a pretty short - term perspective , and we made efforts in prior years to prepare for a difficult economy , " he added . " that served us well in 2008 . "

" we also wanted to make sure we were efficient for our shareholders , " romaine said . " the last advantage that our planning brought us was we were able to look at other companies that hadn ' t followed the strategy we followed , and had decided it was time to sell .

" we can do it better , and can now invest in the support services that make our product better , " he added .