Casino news from http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/
A group that wants to develop a resort casino in Oxford County plans to publicly launch a petition drive today to put the idea before voters next year.
A press release from Evergreen Mountain Enterprises said today's press conference will explain details of the proposal and its benefits for the state and explain the effort's strategy. Seth Carey, founder of the corporation advocating a casino in the Rumford area, could not be reached for comment.
The Rumford-based organization's Web site touts the advantages of a casino, saying it would provide employment and business opportunities. The site also lists a range of state programs that would benefit from a portion of the casino proceeds.
Opponents of casino gambling in Maine said the idea is ill-conceived and stands little chance of succeeding.
Carey's effort will have to collect more than 50,000 signatures by next April in order to force a referendum on permitting a casino in Oxford County.
Several other gambling proposals have been defeated in recent years, though the state's voters did approve a facility with slot machines in Bangor. Lawmakers passed a bill last year to legalize slot machines at a harness-racing track in Washington County, but the governor vetoed it. A bill calling for a statewide vote on a Washington County racino also was vetoed by the governor.
Other petition drives are under way - one seeking to compel a referendum on a racetrack casino in Washington County and another to vote on outlawing slot machines statewide, both of which could be on the ballot in 2007.
In the only other statewide casino referendum, Maine voted 2-1 against allowing a resort casino to be built in Sanford in 2003. The overwhelming defeat was consistent in every county in the state, including Oxford County.
The corporation promoting the casino there is trying to draw a distinction between its efforts and others.
"The purpose of the resort and casino is to not only provide employment and economic opportunities, but to reinvest a large portion of its profits into the future of Maine," the group's Web site says.
The effort appears to be counting on building support by earmarking some of the profits from the casino for popular state programs. The referendum calls for spending 39 percent of profits on projects that include paying off college student loans, building new roads, exploring alternative fuels, paying for medicine for the elderly and funding land and water conservation efforts.
David A. Duguay, chairman of the Oxford County commissioners, said he doubts the effort will succeed.
"There's a lot of unknowns right now. Down the road, who knows, but I think the people ought to be surveyed in the area to begin with to see if it's something they do want," Duguay said. "My sense is there are people on both sides of the fence. From what I'm hearing, most of them are on the side of the fence where they don't think it's a good idea."
Duguay also questioned whether Carey, who is 31, is the man to make it happen.
"I think somebody with more resources and more information would have to be involved before it got off the ground," Duguay said.
The Evergreen Mountain Enterprises Web site does not include any information on Carey's professional background.
Dennis Bailey, spokesman for Casinos No!, the primary opponent of the Sanford casino proposal, also doubted that a local person without experience in the industry would be successful.
"The last outfit that tried this spent $10 million and was rejected by voters 2-1, including in Oxford County," Bailey said.
"I don't think a casino is really going to be in the end what people want. I don't think they're so desperate they'll take anything," he said.
Evergreen Mountain's press conference is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Rumford Town Hall auditorium.
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