R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-5-14

The right, power, and jurisdiction to issue manufacturer’s, wholesaler’s, or retailer’s Class G and Class I licenses are solely in the department of business regulation; provided, that before the department issues any Class I license it shall first receive the approval of the licensing authority of the town or city in which the premises covered by the Class I license are located; and provided, that the number of Class I licenses in the state shall be limited to one to each twenty-five thousand (25,000) of its inhabitants as determined by the latest census taken under the authority of the United States or of this state.