|
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
Tribe to pitch racino proposal
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||||||
 |
Also on this page: Today's Question | |||||
AUGUSTA — A new harness racing track with slot machines would be built Down East under a plan that the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Washington County lawmakers are developing. The proposal, expected to be finalized next week, could reopen the debate over tribal gaming, a debate that Maine voters silenced in 2003 by soundly rejecting a $650 million casino in Sanford. "We don't believe the people of Maine are opposed to Indian gaming. We believe the people of Maine are opposed to a mega-casino in southern Maine," said Frederick J. Moore III, Passamaquoddy tribal representative. The tribe wants the Legislature and Gov. John Baldacci to allow the operation of a so-called racino with as many as 1,500 slot machines in Washington County. Moore said the legislation would require the tribe to divide slot revenues under a system similar to the one that will be used at Bangor Raceway, the only track in Maine that can have slots. The raceway plans to add slots next year. Moore said the Passamaquoddy Tribe would get the operator's portion of the revenue. The tribe would share the money with the Penobscot Nation and Maine's other two tribes. The rest of the revenue would go to the state, racing purses, various college scholarships and other funds set up under current law. The only change that supporters want to make in distributing the revenue would divert some of it to Washington County, especially for economic development projects. "This is the kind of bill that not only benefits the tribes, but their neighbors in the county," said Rep. Anne Perry, D-Calais. The tribe does not have a site for the racino project, but supporters mentioned such communities as Calais. The racino proposal is gaining support among Down East lawmakers, members of the harness racing community and Maine's other tribes. "It could work well for a lot of people," said Bill Hathaway of the Maine Harness Horseman's Association, which is helping the tribe with its proposal. Tim Love, economic development adviser for the Penobscot Nation, said the nation supports the plan but is pushing a second slots proposal. That bill would let federally recognized tribes operate as many as 1,500 machines at high-stakes bingo halls. But even with the support of some interest groups and local lawmakers, winning support from the Legislature and governor will be a challenge. Lawmakers said Tuesday that the Senate and House will probably be skittish about expanding gambling in the state. Baldacci said in a written statement that he does not support the idea of a Washington County racino. "Beyond the Bangor racino, we don't support the expansion of gambling in Maine," he said. But some support does exist for giving the tribes the same opportunity that the struggling harness racing industry now has. "There is one word that comes to mind in these discussions: fairness," Moore said. Lawmakers from Washington County and the tribe plan to present the issue as one of equality, and make opponents explain why horsemen and women can have slots while Native Americans can't. The legislation for the racino is modeled closely on what the state allows at Bangor Raceway. Supporters plan to argue that voters in November 2003 approved the idea of racinos in the state, not just slots at Bangor Raceway. Opponents, however, said that on the day in 2003 when racinos were approved, voters rejected the tribes' proposal for the Sanford casino. Dennis Bailey of Casinos No!, an anti-gambling group, said that vote clearly showed Mainers do not want new gambling facilities in the state. So if lawmakers want to expand gambling, they should at the very least hold another referendum on the issue. Bailey said the harness racing track in the Washington County proposal is only a "Trojan horse" to persuade people to support the slot machines. Supporters of the proposal said the track would likely have racing in late fall and early spring, when other tracks in Maine are closed. The additional days of racing could help prop up the sagging harness racing industry and create an influx of horses into Washington County that could boost the number of jobs in farming. The plan will face further questions, including whether people will travel to a racino in rural Washington County and how an additional racetrack would affect Maine's fairs and existing harness tracks. But for Sen. Kevin Raye, R-Perry, the idea is a new hope for a region that continues to struggle. He supports the idea and plans to pitch it to his colleagues as an economic development boost where one is needed the most. "We have to do something to change the dynamic," he said. Staff Writer Mark Peters can be contacted at 623-1031 or at:
|
||||||
Each day, we ask MaineToday.com readers for their reactions to events in the news: