PORTLAND, Maine — Three of the state’s biggest ski resorts are joining the effort to defeat a proposed casino in western Maine, saying a casino would detract from the state’s image as a family-friendly place to enjoy the outdoors.
Sunday River, Sugarloaf and Saddleback all announced their opposition to the casino on Wednesday. Sunday River is the only one in Oxford County, where the $150 million casino would be built if state voters give their approval on Nov. 4.
Pat LaMarche, casino campaign spokeswoman, said the ski resorts are opposed to the casino because its higher wages would siphon away ski resort workers. She chided Sunday River for giving money to Casinos No!, which is leading the fight against the casino.
“They’re going to make a financial contribution to keep Mainers from having good jobs,” LaMarche said Wednesday. “Shame on them.”
Dana Bullen, general manager of Sunday River, told workers in a memo that the casino would be incompatible with Maine’s “brand.”
“Maine is known for its rugged outdoor image, uncompromised natural beauty, family-friendly environment and Yankee originality,” he wrote. “There is a stark contrast between these attributes, for which Maine is known, and those associated with casino gambling.”
Warren Cook from Saddleback expressed a similar sentiment. “A gambling casino doesn’t play to our strengths, it preys on our weaknesses,” he said.
Both Sunday River and Sugarloaf USA are owned by Michigan-based Boyne Resorts, and Sunday River plans to contribute to the effort to defeat the casino. While Saddleback opposes the casino, it has no plan to put money into the effort, Cook said.
LaMarche accused the resorts of hypocrisy, saying there was no opposition to earlier attempts to win approval for a casino or slot machines because there was no impact on their workers. “So clearly this is not about Maine ‘branding,”’ LaMarche said.
The Olympia Group, the Las Vegas developer that wants to build the casino, issued a report on Tuesday that offered greater detail on the economic benefit of the Oxford Highlands Resort-Spa-Casino.
Olympia said previously that the average annual salary at the casino resort will be about $36,000. On Tuesday, the report indicated the resort casino would pay 68 percent more than the statewide average for Maine’s hotel and accommodations sector.
“The operation of a resort casino in Oxford County will not only improve employment levels in Oxford County, it will improve overall job quality in the traditionally low-wage, seasonal, and part-time leisure and hospitality sector,” the report said.
The report by Clyde W. Barrow, director of the Center for Policy Analysis at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, found that 1,277 jobs would be created during the construction phase, while the casino would employ 907 people when it was completed.
There would be another 592 jobs created by casino workers’ spending, and the state would receive $69 million in gambling revenue, the report said.
Dennis Bailey from Casinos NO! questioned the validity of the report. He said Barrow’s degree is in politics, not economics. “No reputable economist will argue that a gambling casino is a tool for economic development,” Bailey said.
On 10/9/08 at 7:47 AM,
jwlabrat wrote:
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"owned by Michigan-based Boyne Resorts." Granted they are a family owned business established in the 1940’s, nonetheless, stay out of the decisions of people who are not multi-millionaires. If the people of Maine want more jobs, more state revenue, and are tired of getting taxed to death from all the government handouts, we at some point will have to be business friendly. In this case, they are not even asking for any of those pain in the butt tax breaks we give Walmart, HomeDepot and other large businesses to come here. As a 6th generation Maine native I will still feel the roots of my family and “the Maine way” regardless if the gamblers’ of our society spend here in Maine. I don’t think anyone is complaining in Bangor today from the slots revenue. Is there any family owned businesses that will be put out due to this….? I think probably not.
On 10/9/08 at 8:53 AM,
PoorMan wrote:
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I agree with jwlabrat, we have an out of state company who has made thousands of dollars from Maine people yet they are telling us we shouldn't invest in another out of state company to spend millions in our state. Get real. Casino's NO and the State of Maine Lottery committee are hipocrites. They state its a sin to gamble and the poor people will spend all their money on gambling and not feed their families. Yet I haven't seen Casinos NO go after the State for the lottery tickets on every corner store from Fort Fent to Kittery, makes me wonder if their (Casino NO) funding comes from the State Government. The only difference is the State of Maine recieves every penny of the profit and pays no saleries to the working person, where this casino will have to pay the State in taxes probobly close to 50% taxes on every dollar spent at the casino and produce 900+ saleries. I do agree that greed is part of the equation, only the greedy one is the State Government. So Casino No vote this down like the others and continue to watch the cars drive to the Mohegan Sun and Foxwood plus look in the sky as the planes fly to Las Vegas.
On 10/9/08 at 8:55 AM,
PabMainer wrote:
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These businesses have a right to support or oppose anything they would like to! Pat LaMarche and her "chiding" of Sunday River and then her comment "shame on them" is ridiculous and absolutely unnecessarily hypocritical! I think it is ironic for Pat to be accusing the companies of "hypocrisy" and if established business like this are "against" this proposal then just maybe those of us who visit these places regularly should show our support and side with the ski areas also.
On 10/9/08 at 9:34 AM,
anne_of_mdi wrote:
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Here once again rears the ugly head of war-hero imposter, resume liar Warren Cook, who was shamefully forced to leave his 6-figure, no-show position at the Jackson Lab after he was caught lying on his resume about being a Vietnam war hero who had been awarded a Navy Cross, a US Olympic Hockey player, AND recipient of an MA from UMass. Warren C. Cook drove his Jackson Lab division into the ground due to his incompetence and tried to make it look like it was the fault of staff, causing 20 good people at the Lab to lose their jobs and careers, and who knows how many others who were staffing the many nonprofit organizations where he was on the board and managed to deceive with his bogus credentials. Apparently Cook has been unable even to make a go of his own little financial consulting business (God help anyone who trusted him with their money), because even though the whole world knows he's a lying, inept scumbag, Saddleback has hired him to be their general manager. They must want him to ruin their business as well. Cook has been involved with CasinosNO! since its inception.
On 10/9/08 at 10:21 AM,
usafbangormaine wrote:
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Hmmm...you wonder why the college graduates are leaving Maine for bigger and better things....it's because Maine doesn't allow bigger and better things! PabMainer, you must enjoy seeing your kids leave the state and become successful in other states, right? Why not be able to keep a relationship with them and give them MORE opportunities to become successful here? You and your support of CasinoNO! is the driving force us to leave. You must be ignorant to the gambling world, my friend. Slots do take the peoples money, no doubt about it! You cannot control the outcome of slots, but table games, such as poker, you can! You dictate your profits and losses ! So why not bring in 1000++ jobs during this economic struggle? You must be middle to-high class because it simply wouldn't effect you. Have you ever gone to college? I have, and just because you don't major in economics doesn't mean you don't take classes or do reports on it! I also love the support from Warren Crook, sorry Cook...To all of you not in support of this Casino, welcome yourselves to the 21st century and realize that we aren't in the 60's, 70's, or 80's, times have changed! The hippie days are over! The thoughtless acts you are making now could affect your grandchildren or children in the future!
On 10/9/08 at 11:29 AM,
superduper wrote:
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usafbangor, you are absolutely right. Of course these young graduates have to leave, there's nothing here for them. Funny thing is, the young people relocating for work are likely relocating to states that allow gambling. Most states do. Go on any Top Ten to Top 100 site that list locations from Best Places to Live, to Best Places to Work, to Top Up and Coming Cities, to Best Small Cities to Raise a Family. Maine is never on them..........ever.
On 10/9/08 at 12:13 PM,
PabMainer wrote:
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Both of my children were raised in Maine, schooled in Maine & are working and raising their own families in Maine! And doing quite well for themselves thank you very much (as well as am my wife and I). Just goes to show when you raise them right and example what it is like to work for a living rather than living on welfare, then they can make decisions themselves and these kids have chosen for themselves right along. We traveled throughout New England and upstate New York a few years ago looking for colleges and both chose Maine Colleges. One traveled to Arizona & Colorodo looking at living options and jobs and again chose Maine. I never stated that I supported CasinosNo, but maybe just might become a vocal supporter for the next few weeks....I just am supportive of established businesses that have made a go of it in this state for years like the ski resorts mentioned. Go figure! Maine the way life should be!
On 10/10/08 at 8:06 AM,
MrNixxon wrote:
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Kinda hard to know how to feel anout this issue. Pat LaMarche on one side and Dennis Bailey on the other. Both trying to tell us how to live. And I doubt a college grad is going to live in Oxford and make $36,000 compared to moving away and making six figures. It will help people who are the working class earn a decent wage.
On 10/10/08 at 8:27 AM,
RocklandPhil wrote:
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"...a friendly place to enjoy the outdoors" What an understatement!! The "outdoors" are free, and just as well, as most Mainers are slowly realizing thats all they can afford. Bring on the casino!!! If it creates jobs, creates business for other surrounding stores, and pays tax, I'm all for it.
On 10/10/08 at 8:33 AM,
RocklandPhil wrote:
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.............oh yeah, and one more thing: All the ski resorts are worried about is a loss of revenue. They say a casino will distract from some image? Bull. What about the image of lifts and cables going up the side of a mountain? That looks worse than a bunch of windmills that those enviro-wackos are opposed to. Support the casino!! Bring jobs and business to the Oxford/Norway area !!!!
On 10/10/08 at 8:54 AM,
superduper wrote:
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Lucky for you people whose kids are here and close by. It's a great thing, but not the norm these days. Most have to leave to find a decent job. How you raised them really doesn't have anything to do with why they are in Maine. There are plenty of kids who were raised with a very good work ethic, so good that they have the drive to go elsewhere and snag the six figure incomes that are available out there, and they are out there. As far as the established ski resorts that have made it in this state, Sugarloaf and Sunday River aren't owned by any affiliate of Maine. And they certainly haven't made a go of it for years, Sugarloaf and Sunday River were bought at the breaking point of financial distress. If they are worried about a loss of revenue it won't be from a casino close by. Check the price of a lift ticket, it's no wonder these places are heavily populated by out of staters. Believe me, it's not the Mainers that keep these mountains going. Most Maine families can't afford to ski at these resorts. Why not bring outside business to Maine and create jobs for not only our young people starting out, but middle aged on up who are lookiing for work. In these tough economic times I can't imagine not bringing whatever jobs we can to this state.
On 6/11/09 at 10:22 PM,
happycamper1 wrote:
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Where was all this support for a casino when the Passamaquoddys wanted to build one? Washington County needs jobs worse than Oxford County. As for the remark about the ski areas looking unsightly, at least they are not set to sprawl all over the state like the good Governor envisions for his pet tax subsidy welfareweenie windscammer buddies. Let the Passamaquoddys have a casino first. They were here first.
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