BANGOR, Maine — City leaders will keep a close eye on the new Legislature as it attempts to sort out the immediate future of gambling in Maine related to a voter-approved casino in Oxford County as well as Bangor’s own Hollywood Slots.
City councilors met Wednesday in executive session to discuss the possibility of contracting with a lobbyist to represent the city’s interests in Augusta during legislative hearings. No vote was taken and councilors could not talk about what was discussed on Wednesday, but the council is expected to schedule a formal vote at its next meeting on Jan. 10.
Councilor Cary Weston said it’s no secret that Bangor’s plan to build a new arena and convention center complex hinges heavily on the success of Hollywood Slots.
“This is the largest economic development project in the city’s history, and there are a lot of moving pieces,” he said. “I think a key to success is engaging the Legislature.”
City Manager Catherine Conlow said the council plans to meet with members of the Legislature from the Bangor area at the end of January to talk about a host of topics, including gambling.
In November, Maine voters approved a resort casino in Oxford County that would combine slot machines with table games such as blackjack and poker.
Representatives of Black Bear Entertainment, the group of southern and western Maine investors behind the casino, have maintained that the Legislature should respect voters and approve the law as it is written.
Bangor leaders and Hollywood Slots executives, however, hope to persuade lawmakers to allow the city to add table games to its operation without going back out to a statewide referendum.
When the time comes to debate gambling, the oversight committee, Legal and Veterans Affairs, will feature some faces who are familiar with Bangor’s interests. Sen. Nichi Farnham, R-Bangor, who ousted Democrat Joseph Perry to represent District 32, recently was selected as co-chairwoman of the committee, which also will include Sen. Debra Plowman, R-Hampden, and Rep. Doug Damon, R-Bangor.
The Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee has broad latitude to alter the bill that allows for an Oxford County casino, but it cannot alter the bill’s intent. In addition to the table games dilemma, the Legislature is likely to address the tax structure outlined in the Oxford County casino bill, as well as a provision that limits competing future casinos. Any changes would need approval of the full Legislature.
Weston said hiring a lobbyist makes sense for Bangor because the council is made up of residents who, for the most part, have families and full-time jobs. The city has hired a lobbyist in the past, including before 2005, when the state voted to allow Hollywood Slots to open.