BLB made the winning offer of $553 million in May 2004, but withdrew from the deal just two months later due to concerns about potential competition from the Narragansett casino. A bidding war for Wembley ensued between MGM Mirage and BLB Investors (a partnership of the Waterford Group, Kerzner International, and Starwood Capital). In the wake of the accusations, Governor Donald Carcieri demanded that the track be sold to new owners before negotiations could continue on the proposed expansion.
In 2003, Lincoln Park and two executives were indicted on federal charges related to an alleged scheme in 20 to pay up to $4 million to the law firm of Rhode Island House Speaker John Harwood to gain support for an expansion of the track's slot parlor, and to block a rival casino proposed by the Narragansett Indian Tribe.
