Nov. 2 may be a watershed day for the gambling industry in Maine.
That’s when voters around the state will go to the polls to decide the fate of a proposed $184 million resort and casino in Oxford County.
At the same time, Biddeford residents will vote on a referendum that would open the door for a $120 million racino complex to be built in that city. The proposal comes from the owners of Scarborough Downs, which would move its operations to Biddeford, and adds to a plan rejected in the past by Scarborough residents the input of experienced hotel developers Ocean Properties.
We believe voters should support both projects, as the plans bring the promise of jobs and economic activity to areas in need of both.
At the same time, voters should also be wary of claims that the gambling proposals will cure all economic ills. Projections for revenue and job creation are likely high, as the new developments would pull consumer spending from other sources. Average salary claims, too, are slightly misleading, as they include high-paying managerial positions and skim over the abundance of low paying service jobs.
And the host communities for the gambling projects should be prepared to deal with the downside of these developments, most notably increases in wear and tear on infrastructure and demand for services.
This impact would be more acutely felt in quiet Oxford County, which can expect a sharp increase in traffic and police calls should the casino become a reality.
But those problems are outweighed by the potential benefits of a casino, not the least of which is the amount of money that would go directly toward education. According to the terms of the casino deal, 62 percent of the gambling revenue would go to the state, with 42 percent of that going to education.
The proposed casino, with its wood-and-beam building surrounded by dozens of acres of wilderness, also seems to fit aesthetically into the Western Maine area. One can see it as a destination for out-of-state visitors who want to see a show, try their luck at the tables and take in the Maine outdoors – all in one stop.
Biddeford, part of the most heavily populated area of the state, with infrastructure already in place, would likely not notice quite as much the increase in traffic and service demands.
But just how much a racino and hotel complex would benefit the local economy is not clear, as the proposal has only recently come forward. In general, racinos, which feature only slot machines and not table games such as poker and blackjack, are not the draw of a full casino, so it is unlikely that the new Biddeford Downs would draw a significant number of new visitors to Maine. It is likely a lot of the spending there would simply be dollars that would have been spent at other Maine businesses. Nonetheless, the jobs and revenue for the city promised cannot be ignored.
Ocean Properties should veer away from the example set by Bangor’s Hollywood Slots racino, which occupies a drab building void of personality. Instead, they should more closely follow the vision of the Oxford County casino investors and put in Biddeford a racetrack and gambling facility that looks and feels like the area around it. Based on sketches unveiled at a public hearing Monday in Biddeford, the developers are heading in that direction.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
