In the eight years since Hollywood Slots in Bangor was approved, a string of gambling projects has been put before voters that could be described as both unrelenting and unnecessary.
On the Nov. 8 statewide ballot alone, there are two questions regarding three gambling projects, in Biddeford, Lewiston and Washington County, respectively. In addition, Penobscot County voters will decide on whether to allow table games at Hollywood Slots, where now only slot machines are allowed. That’s not to mention the Oxford casino, which was approved last November by a slim margin and is now under construction.
Opponents of Question 2, to allow racinos in Biddeford and on Passamaquoddy land in Washington County, and Question 3, to allow a casino in Lewiston, argue approval would dilute the state’s gaming industry, decreasing revenues and weakening the already approved sites in Bangor and Oxford. Among those opponents, in fact, are investors in Hollywood Slots and Oxford casino, who don’t want to see any competition.
But maybe competition is just what Maine’s gaming industry needs.
It’s true that Maine has so far flubbed its introduction into the gaming industry. The prices set for licenses have been far too low, and choosing sites by referendum has been a costly and cumbersome process.
But voters have made it clear that gambling has a future in this state. To see exactly what that future looks like, we have to approve the projects now on the ballot. The Legislature should then put a halt to any additional gambling proposals and see what the market has to say.
Each of the gambling proposals is offering something different. The Oxford site promises a wilderness resort atmosphere where visitors can take in the Maine outdoors while trying their luck at the tables.
Developers in Lewiston, who hope to build a casino in the long-empty Bates No. 5 Mill, say their facility would be the centerpiece of a revived downtown, acting as a draw for surrounding restaurants and shops.
In Biddeford, the new facility would be the nearest to the state’s southern border, and to Maine’s most visited beaches. The site in Washington County would have an advantage in drawing tourists from nearby New Brunswick.
Then comes Hollywood Slots, which has the most to lose from expanded gambling. Since opening in 2005, it has enjoyed a monopoly on gambling in Maine (unless you count Power Ball, Megabucks, scratch-off tickets, etc., which is a whole other story). In response, they have relied on their special status to attract guests and offered only the very basic amenities – a hotel, a buffet, a not-so-impressive series of shows.
That’s why Mainers should vote yes on questions 2 and 3. Hollywood Slots has done very well so far, but the just-the-basics approach will not work in the presence of a handful of gaming options, spread throughout the state and each offering a different atmosphere and experience. Each of the sites will have to live and die on its own merits, with gambling only part of the equation.
The backers of the Biddeford Downs project are promising a $120 million investment, with a “conservative” estimate of generating $30 million annually to the state’s general fund and $5 million to the city. Those numbers seem high given the financial climate, and whether those numbers live up to the economic reality is anybody’s guess.
However, if approved, all of the sites, having already provided construction jobs during buildup, will generate at least some funding to their host communities and the state’s general fund, if they survive. If they don’t, well, we agree with Pete Connell of Ocean Properties, developers of the Biddeford project.
“This is all private enterprise,” Connell said. “There is no risk for a huge reward.”
Ben Bragdon is the managing editor of Current Publishing. He can be reached at bbragdon@keepmecurrent.com or followed on Twitter.
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