BANGOR, Maine — It has been almost five years since Donna Alexander last visited what is now Maine’s first full-fledged casino.
“I was in here just once before a few years ago,” said the Alfred resident. “I’m not much for slots. I only played for an hour.”
Even before the official opening day for table games at Hollywood Casino Hotel & Raceway on Friday, Alexander had spent much more than an hour at the facility the day before.
“We came Thursday and aren’t going home until Sunday, but if these keep stacking up, it might be Monday,” Alexander said, pointing to the stack of casino chips in her hand.
Alexander was lured back to the Bangor gambling facility by the presence of table games, chief among them blackjack. And by most accounts, she was more the rule than the exception among those who turned out on Friday.
“What I keep hearing from folks is they’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said John Osborne, vice president and general manager of Hollywood Casino.
“I met one gentleman in town on business,” Osborne added. “He’s from New Hampshire and comes up here on business frequently, but had never been in here before. When he heard about our table games, he found time to check it out and told me, ‘Now I’ve got something to do between meetings.’”
Apparently some people came in before meetings, as the crowd of almost 50 waiting to enter the casino 15 minutes before the 8 a.m. opening attested.
That number quickly swelled to about 80 — 75 percent to 80 percent capacity — at the table games within an hour.
“They filled up quickly. When you’re at 50 percent capacity at 8:20 in the morning, it’s a great start to the weekend,” Osborne said.
Hollywood had been a slots-only gambling venue since its November 2005 opening at the former Miller’s Restaurant farther down Main Street.
“Usually on a Friday night, we’ll have 500-600 people in the casino,” Osborne said. “I think with the games, we’ll lift that overall number by more than the 100 seats we’ve added for table games, so we could be looking at nighttime counts of 800-900 people.”
Full capacity for the table games is exactly 102, which is the number of seats available at the 14 tables featuring roulette (one), blackjack (six), four-card (one) and three-card (two) poker and Texas Hold ’Em (four).
Steve Gibbs and his son came up from Cherry Hill, N.J., this weekend to visit family in Howland and enjoy what an observer suggested could be called a “vice and ice” weekend.
“That’s good! I think we may have to put that on T-shirts and make it an annual thing,” said Gibbs, who stayed at the Hollywood Casino Hotel on Thursday night. “We came up here to go ice fishing and tried to coordinate it with the opening of poker. The ice is down, but we’ll give it a whirl anyway.”
This was Gibbs’ first trip to any casino north of Connecticut, but he said it won’t be his last.
“I’m doing pretty good. I’m up a couple hundred,” Gibbs said.
Friday marked the end of a long wait, not just for customers who weren’t avid slots players but also the newly hired Hollywood employees who finally got a chance to do the real deal.
“I personally put about 120 hours into learning these games,” said Chas Powell, a roulette, blackjack, three-card poker and four-card poker dealer who commutes to work from Ellsworth. “It felt longer and longer as we were waiting for opening day, so it’s nice to finally be able to do this for real.”
Jean Thayer — a longtime Hermon resident whose son Sean is a harness horse driver, trainer and owner — was excited to be working on opening day.
“I’d never done anything like this before,” Thayer said. “I worked for Hollywood Slots as a program director for live [Bangor Raceway harness] racing and then a teller on a seasonal basis.
“They encouraged us employees to try the [table “” not found /]
program and now I’m full-time. I love it.”
Hollywood Casino is open 8 a.m.-3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and 8 a.m.-1 a.m. the rest of the week.
Maybe ill make a trip down there today to see if its at capacity, i doubt it very highly, Hollywood slots exaggerates a little too much
Shuffle up and deal!!!!!!!
It’s hard to beat a man at his own game folks. Thanks for blowing you’re hard earned money so less of mine will go toward taxes.
The pay outs from table games are higher and more frequent than slots as slots are so heavily weighted to the house.
That may be true, however some of these people are going to end up broke. That’s their business until you and I are taking care of their families.
If a person is going to go broke from gambling they will go broke from gambling. If they cannot find a casino they will find a “high stakes” bingo hall. If they cannot find a bingo hall they will find a backroom poker game.
We’ll see.
or backgammon, bridge, nascar , dog fights, mud wrastlin’,,,, WHATEVER !!!!
blahblahblajblha
Go outside, enjoy the beautiful day.
Thanks ! ;)
I enjoy gambling, playing texas hold’em and once in a while, the slots too. I certainly have not gone broke! I win, I lose- but never have I been broke from my gambling. So, back to your statement.. you will never be taking care of me or my family! (Before you judge those who enoy slots and table games, why don’t you do a little investigating and research. Ask around, see how many gamblers in the state have gone broke gambling.. of which you are/will pay for). HA HA. Right.
” When you’re at 50 percent capacity at 8:20 in the morning, it’s a great start to the weekend.” God Help Us All if we think this is a good thing. Here we are one of the poorest states in the nation and our residents are spending their hard earned cash on this. All so that the owner and state can collect 250 million or so off the backs of our citizens. This is just a shame .
Doubt it very highly it was, Hollywood slots over exaggerates, i remember when the first opened the doors at millars old place, they said they were at capacity when doors opened. Odd i was there in the area and saw the news story on Bdn live so i went less than 50 people inside
Really because I think Democrats and the Anti-Casino crowd exaggerates and overblows everything. If anything that takes control away from them they whine and complain. First it was the Racino, then the Waterfront Concert Series, Fireworks, LNG terminals. Until Dennis Bailey and his supporters can come out with alternatives they need to go back and watch PBS and read a book. Bailey is a hypocrite himself he is against Casinos in Maine but owns A Casino Cruiseship himself (Scotia Prince remember that) . His firm Savvy Inc. also has numerous Out of State Casino and Racino companies as clients. So who is the ones playing both sides its the Liberals. When the Liberals in Maine eventually see it being a cash cow with the revenue flying in they will want to expand their Social Programs and Welfare Benefit Programs to everyone trust me.
Hmmmm… I wonder if they have problems recognizing how much money is taken in?
I do not think anyone is being forced to play. I have lived in Vegas and close to Atlantic City at different points in my life and have never seen anyone being forced into a casino, I would expect the same would apply in Maine. Our citizens have the right to enter or not – it is their choice. We cannot legislate morality or good sense.
You are right, dumb is dumb.
Nobody is Dumb. The Democrats in Maine think we can’t be responsible adults that we need Augusta holding our hands. They just don’t get it the people spoke loud and clear with allowing Racinos in 2003 and Casinos in 2010. We want to have the right to spend our money the way we please its ours not theirs.
It’s not a D/R issue. Generalizing like that makes you look uneducated.
Who is the people fighting these Casinos here in Maine it’s Democrats (Dennis Bailey, Baldacci, Angus King, Chris O’ Neill, Ethan Strimling, LL BEAN/the Gorman family).
Remember Casinos No, Mainers Against a Rotten Deal??.
So tell me now who’s side Democrats are on with this issue .
It is definitely not us, because if they were on our side we would have an Indian Casino and Biddeford Downs Casino too.
The Religious Right, which (unfortunately) has a stranglehold on the Republican Party, also opposes gambling.
pitbull, gee those are the only people…what about the 66% of the voters that tanked lewiston and 55% of the voters that killed Biddeford……so the majority of Maine voters are wrong and you are right…….2 casinos in Maine are plenty!!!!
I guess you haven’t been following the news on tv and the legislature lately. Because the Legislature doesn’t agree with you. They just held a hearing earlier this week on having slot and video poker machines in Bingo halls. They also are having work sessions on legalizing online gambling, having more Casinos and Horsetrack Casinos in Maine, along with other forms of Gambling. The Casino bill of Rep. Linda Valentino got modified in a big way because it now puts no limits on the amount of Casinos and their size. It also ends the monopolies Bangor and Oxford has. So to say Maine is going to have 2 casinos your wrong again, you have been hanging around your buddy Dennis Bailey too long. Because something will be voted on very soon. The Legal and Vet Affairs subcommittee voted to recommended that Maine has an extensive Gambling Legislation Law on all forms of gambling be taken up by the legislature as soon as possible.
Once again you are totally wrong……the non profit bill is split in the committee and has no chance of passing in the legislature and has not even been written…DOA!….They may pass the ability to buy lottery tickets on line BIG DEAL….Valentino’s bill still not written requires any casino that is proposed must not be located any closer then 100 miles from another casino (current law) and must go to statewide referendum (current law), it only sets a standard that future casinos must follow and finally the governor has sworn to veto any legislation that does not require a full casino not to go to staewide referendum. BTW why did you change your name.
Wrong again. The subcommittee in Legal and Vet Affairs voted also to basically start from scratch. They will add some of the ideas of Valentino’s bill but basically it will be a totally completely different bill. The bill basically will have no limits on size of a Casino allowing larger Vegas Style Casinos with no limits on slots, table games etc.. It also will have eliminate monopolies allowing competition, and no limits on how many more Casinos be legal. The bill will require to make a minimum investment to cities & towns that wants Casinos, also pay a small non refundable fee to the state to have a Casino. Also it will allow other Gambling types , it most likely will include the Slot & Video Poker Machines at the Bingo Halls.
So to say the bill is DOA you are incorrect they already voted to start the process of this bill. The subcomittee’s vote was unanimous. Democrats want more Casinos because now they see it as a way to pay for expanding Welfare.
You were wrong last Novemebr and you will be wrong again. I said the Non profit bill is DOA when it hits the full legislature….no way they are going to allow slot machines at a potential of 300 locations across Maine. VLA is split down the middle on this. The Valentino Bill as proposed will call for fees and establish fees in the future, but it also keeps the 100 mile and statewide referendumn provision. I am at the legislature every day, I know all of the lobbyiests on both sides of this issue as well s every legislator on VLA and most legislators in Augusta…the Maine legislature will not pass any casino expansion and if for some reason lighting strikes and they do, the governor will veto……you can take that to the bank.
If you can’t force people to have good sense, then I suppose it behooves you to take advantage of their lack of it, doesn’t it?
This is not a matter of anyone being taken advantage of. If one cannot afford something, then they should not spend their money on it. This thought does not only apply to casinos….the same can be said for vacations, motorcycles, snowmobiles, anything that does not fit into the budget. If a person cannot financially afford to spend money gambling (or whatever their ‘pleasure’ vice may be), then do not participate in the activity. If we continue to provide a ready excuse for bad behavior (connecting the thought of casinos taking advantage of some of us), then how can we possibly expect behavioral changes to be achieved? Would not you agree, that as adults, at some point we do need to take responsibility for our actions; and stop placing the blame for the outcome of our bad decisions on somebody or something else?
I was there just last Friday and fed $10 into the slots (lost it all but made it last 2.5 hrs). The entire time I was there not one single person held a gun to my head forcing me to play.
The same is when you go to the theatre to see a movie you saw advertised. You don’t know for sure if you will like the outcome, but you throw down some paper for some entertainment and popcorn and candy and soda. Actually, it might be a lot cheaper to just go to the casino. :)
Nobody is forcing us to play. We go to Casinos because we love the entertainment it brings. Now that we have Casinos here in Maine we get to keep the money and jobs here. If these folks didn’t get the jobs from the Casinos these folks would still be collecting Unemployment and Welfare. Liberals and the Anti-Casino crowd in Maine always love to complain about Casinos and any business wanting to move in but they have presented no real plans for jobs themselves. It’s time for these folks to get a grip with reality and realize Maine needs to join the rest of the country and getting into the 21st century accepting change. If we are ever going to end the Welfare State in Maine , the Liberals need to let the people be themselves and take care of themselves.
WTF?? Why do you feel compelled to demonize and label democrats as the bad guy?? Change?? There are plenty of libertarians and republicans up north waiting for the paper mill jobs to come back. No national park for us!! This is our way of life etc.. as it goes away.Maine is the oldest state in the union and we have to face facts that with our aging population comes challenges. I for one am not going to kick the poor and elderly to the curb while LeRage cuts taxes for the wealthy. The lottery is the biggest TAX ON THE POOR WE HAVE AND i DON’T SEE EITHER SIDE LOSING ALOT OF SLEEP OVER THAT. The sad part is these idiots are voting for republicans that they have nothing in common with. Just this pathetic fantasy they don’t want taxes on their winnings!! What a joke
Most of them aint local and they have disposable income ,so what
True, it’s kind of a hidden tax on stupid people. Which would be fine by me but if they can’t afford to throw away money guess who’s eventually going to pay (Via assistance programs and increased theft) for their stupidity? Yep, the folks who’ve always made better choices in life. Nothing new there.
It is there choice to spend their money any way they see fit.
so ain’t dying their hair blue,,, eatin’ cat food & driving the *wrong way on I95*,,,,,
it’s still stupid,stupid.
Gee I thought “conservatives” were for smaller government. It looks like you want to regulate from cradle to grave what a person can and cannot do.
Remember, only the IRS can tell you what you have to do with your money. Give it to them. And a lot of the Anti-Casino crowds think nothing of their stupidity at giving the government money that is theirs. That they earned. I guess, it’s the law. Where is the law btw?
You forgot about the health care law. Apparently the government (more than just the IRS) can tell you what you must do with its — err, I meant your — money.
And, you are in a position to tell other people what to do with their time and money … I doubt that!
Its what they want to do! you can stay home and watch grass grow, the way maine should not be
It’s not their fault. People need to learn how to live within their means. You can’t blame the gun, it’s the man that pulls the trigger..
When the County and State give them a much bigger gun, they sure can blame them.
You can blame the gun if you can blame the nuke that vaporized a city.
I wonder how much the good corporate citizens at Hollywood Casino paid BDN for this ad.
I bet alot, since i made a trip there, and they were probably 35 in slots, 10 in table games
not much probaly, they already own the bdn building
Huh?
They own the bangor daily news building can you spell cash flow problems
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I have heard that more than once but no one has ever provided the proof.
Well I don’t expect any one to be able to post that proof either although it should be available at city hall public records whatever but I don’t care enough to go there )))
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They are buying either a parking lot or a restaurant just down the street.
cool cha ching
And if you did, you would find that HS does NOT own the BDN building.
according to City hall, Bangor daily news building is owned by Hollywood slots, but never mind your always right
I don’t know where you got your information from, but according to the Assessor’s Office, HS does not own the building. Nor according to the Penobscot County Registry of Deeds.
Funny your the only one to dispute that i will assume you have the proof or connections ?
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The proof you are asking for is verified in two places. City Hall in the Assessor’s Office and Penobscot County Registry of Deeds.
Rumours rumours )) I guess
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You can’t have access to the City records until Monday. However, Penobscot County Registry of Deeds is available online. Check there and you will see who the owner of the building really is. It is quite simple actually.
No its true they own it, Hollywood slots wants to buy everything
Woo hoo Poker!! Now they need a Pai Gow table!! I will go check them out but not for the first couple of weeks. I will wait until the newness wears off.
A fool and their money are soon parted
most of em’ from Mass, R.I., NJ, NY, NB,NH, Que, Athens, Bangor Homeless Shlutler ( dry & wet) Sunbury Retirement Living “hood”
it take ALL kinds to be a LOSER !!!!!
LMBO :>}
What a bunch of idiots those players are. I went to hollywood slots and they charged me
$3.50 for a beer. I have been to dozens of casinos in vegas, been to foxwoods and to atlantic city and have never before paid for a drink while gambling! I won”t go to hollywood slots again; a place that OPENLY treats it’s customers like idiots.
Maine law states that Casinos and Horsetrack Casinos can’t give free drinks etc.. So if you want to blame someone blame Baldacci and Democrats for changing the Racino law after voters put it in, in 2003 . By putting that rule in as part of changing the law.
I don’t see Republicans trying to change it…
That may be but the original Racino law was changed by Baldy and the Democrat Legislature. It’s nothing like it was when we voted for it in 2003, It also has hurt the chances of Scarborough Downs and the Indian Tribes from getting theirs and they were the first people who have asked for to have one in the first place. It also in my opinion hurt the Bangor arena too because of the limit on the amout of slots in a Casino. The more slots and table games means more revenue and could have meant for a larger arena than the one being built now. I supported an 8,500 to 9,000 seat arena with luxury boxes , ice etc.. Not the smaller facility that will only attract high school basketball tournaments and smaller concerts like they have now.
Mike…….. Thank you for your time at the penny slots.
They have to charge for alcohol because the casino does not have the on-site hotel room ratio to meet a minimum requirements before a liquor board/council licensing board can authorize it. Each state is different but like Nevada where there are slot machines in 7 elevens and gas stations, they aren’t serving free beer in those places either.
ACTUALLY Maine Law does not allow for free alcohol.
very true, being a previous bar owner, state law states you can not give booze away. however it does not say how much you need to charge. they could sell it for a nickel if they like
You spent all that money to travel to foxwoods and atlantic city for a free beer? And you look at others who did not spend all that money to travel like they made stupid choices. When in doubt, look at yourself. :)
Totally agree on the charging of their drinks…anywhere else they serve you your drinks and it is FREE.
By law, Hollywood Casino may not serve complimentary alcoholic beverages.
This should be the tribes of Maine owning and running this casino.
No it should be anyone that has the means to get one up and running.
True, but was thinking back to the multiple attempts that the tribe made to do this.
Obviously they were lacking something.
Yea, lacking support. Seems a little discriminatory to me. I am against the casino’s altogether, but what is a real reason the tribes can not have one? Only reason I see, is the state, nor the towns would get some of the money.
No one is going to make you go
I had not planned ongoing.
Everytime a statewide vote to allow a Tribal Casino has been held it has been defeated.
And it would be interesting to know why so?
Well since the good citizens of Maine have seen fit to approve two casinos that are not owned by tribes I could hazard a guess but I think you already know the answer.
there have been 3 tribal casinos defated and 3 non tribal casinos defeated, the tribes hardly corner that market.
The same goes for the homos’ go home to sf vote, it loses but they’re still stupid enuff to keep on spendin barney franks money & try to blackmail john q public into thinkin that gay is ok….NOT !!!!!
barf bag anyone ?
poormainah2012 it seems that you have some issues.
Yes, nondiscriminatory voters.
I have always voted against casinos, racinos, whatever they are called. they are so sleazy. Why do the Native Americans want to run a casino? there are so many beautiful things about the Native culture. why soil it with casinos?
They should go ahead and start a casino on their own land without State consent because they don’t need it.
I think you’re incorrect. I believe I’ve read that Maine tribes don’t enjoy that same status re: gaming/casinos as enjoyed by tribes (e.g., the Pequots in CT) due to a legal issue related to the Maine Indian Land Claims situation some years ago (1970’s & 1980’s?).
Anyone who knows more about it than I do, please correct me if I’m wrong.
someone in the post says “you cannot legislate morality” and I agree, however it is done depending on who it is, “selective morality”. maines indian tribes have been presenting gaming options for 25 years and have been denied every time by either people not from their tribal nations or the good ol legislature and if the legislature approves the bald governor would veto. to me the fact that this place exists is not the crime. the crime is that all these dollars leave the state and provide no reciprical return to the community. The tribes have proposed models that actually bring bussing programs for out of state packages that not only include gambling but promote tourism with most dollars new and staying here. two casinos and no indian ones because maine has litigated and legislated against them. how about getting over they are tribes but as usual the first peoples are the last to get anything. senator plowman and damon must be dancing today. I meant state senator plowman as us senator is never gonna happen. another place built on deceit and corruption.
I have no problem with the tribes having a casino. But isn’t the “Indian Land Settlement” agreement one of the issues?
Yes, it is! Whoever wrote the settlement or gave the advice to the tribes, gave up their right to open that casino without going through the process of the referendum. The tribes in Maine received one-hundred-eighty-eight-million in that land claims settlement, but agreed to give up rights that tribes in other states have. (That was back in the 80’s and I am not positive about the figure. But, in every title search during that time, the title was clear pending the outcome of the land claim case against the state of Maine.)
I dont have addiction, ty, i just was making a point, and i hate to say it i went and they were ten people at table games, duh
I played for fun at the casino the last 2 nights, got my clock cleaned by the women players both nights…
Oh-CLOCK cleaned…I read that wrong the first time. I was about to leave work and head on down!!!
That’s the funniest comment I’ve read in months. LOL
you just made my day – one of the funniest comebacks I’ve seen!
Hmmm… your thoughts could be right too… Might be some “Down and Out” broke and need a place to stay!!
A++ for the comeback
I guess people in Maine should just stay home and drink coffee brandy?!? At least they are getting out and having a good time with their money. Entertainment is what it is about, not going there to win enough money to retire on.
The funniest things from the Anti-Casino preachers is they truly believe that people go there on false dreams when in reality, people are going to have a good time- win or lose! Anti-Casino preachers remind me of the elders in A Christmas Story… “You’ll put your eye out!!”
And in other news, Foxwoods is nearly bankcrupt, because of this and other things, they have been living stupid for too long down there,10,000 employees and 100 thousand dollar a year kisses in the mail for every person on the reservation) we can use the money more than them, keep it local !
OXFORD coming soon will be cool, better paying slots I hear and more tables. Keep it Maine. Let the Taxpayers, (few voters are taxpayers in Bangor) in Bangor pay for their own Arena. I want to win money!!!!
good luck :0 keep playing we love ya
Happy times are here again, happy time are here again! What a great refrain and it is so true for Bangor. No more troubles, life is great. A full Casino? WOW! The city must be rolling in the dough; and when the new basketball arena opens accross the street? My God, everyone will have a job, the bums will not have to sleep on the streets, there will be no drugs, our daughters will be getting married before having babies, our childrean will not have to leave the city to find work. Yes, Happy times, they are here again!
what are childrean
I sincerely hope you’re being sarcastic. A casino will bring even more crime and put more people on food stamps and welfare.
Rachel can you actually document and show a cause and affect relationship between HC and any crime increase in Bangor?
She can barely make it to work @ Tim Hortons on time LOL.
Read the Bangor daily, two crimes happened because of Hollywood slots oops my bad casiono
lol… good stuff dkenzie. :D
So “they” said about the Racino and absolutely NONE OF THAT came to pass … just sayin’!!
The criminals are out on the streets of Bangor, not inside the casino.
Wow! A casino! With actual tables now!
Want to bet if the”poor” and “disenfranchised”
hit for a good amount, they would have an ID
out before you could ask them for one.
You don’t need to pay taxes on wins at the table games
Hmm. If they have “bonus” bets and they exceed
a certain amount and you hit, everywhere else taxes
you. Is Bangor different?
If anyone knows any info on the blackjack tables please post…how many decks used, dealt face up or face down, ratio of payout, surrender? , etc, etc
I wonder how much those patrons got paid by hollywood slots for a photo.
What photo?
Maybe in the making through a “Backroom” Access…
Just got back from 8hrs of 1/2 no limit. Besides a little confusion early it was pretty smoothly run. Service was good and all the table were packed. Free coffee or soda at the tables.
Sweet I was wondering what the poker table limits were going to be. Hope they have a 2/4 and some poker tourneys.
isn’t it all money they received from Washington,you know SSI,SSDI,workmens comp,unemployment.etc
sucker call at Hollywood.
Casinos are designed to take people’s money from them, without their knowing, in a way and in my opinion, it’s called theft. They harbor on peoples hopes, and don’t care about anything other than profit, and realize that people can be manipulated, that’s called extortion.
So, stay home in your cozy little cocoon, and the welfare state will take care of you.
That way you won’t have to interact with all those potential republicans.
You are sincerely pathetic,
Not every one who disagrees with you is a pathetic little welfare recepient who disagrees with your politics, nor do I have to no longer interact with republicans……you, sir,…….are the one with the identity problem, not me.
so, people dont “know” they just stuck a 20 in the machine? give them a little credit.
People know they put a $20 into the machine, they just don’t know when to stop putting $20’s into the machine. Gambling addiction is VERY real and Bangor is going to see soon just how many problems table games especially create. Casinos create more problems than they solve, but hey, that’s just the overwhelming statistical data from independent studies.
The New Bangor Auditorium is being paid for by Hollywood Slots and not the taxpayer at all. Some forget that the people of Bangor voted this to happen and it did. If you don’t like it, who cares because you are in the minority. Economic growth is happening in Bangor and that can’t be said for too many places in the country right now.
You seem to like to bet.. I Bet you Bushfan that the Slots Revenue doesn’t pay for the Bonds used to build the new arena. I bet you Bushfan that the TaxPayer ends up paying for half of it… The arena will cost 5.5 millon per year between loan repayment and operating cost, the city get’s maybe 3.2 mill a year from hollywood Casino.. are you a betting man.
we shall see ,btw a lot of older people voted for this and they pay, not the kids, either way it had to happen, you cant rebuild a timex.
The guy that was paid to book events for the old Bangor Auditorium got fired for allegedly doing his side business during the hours he was supposed to be drumming up events.
no judgements either way. just a quick story about whats happened to me in casinos. luv texas holdem and have played a lot at home with friends and done pretty well. what i’ve learned is that real poker players in those casinos wait for folks like me to show up.
Holy cow! Batten down the hatches, keep your kids away from Main St. The Mob, pimps, and prostitutes, along with drug dealers will be hanging out by the front door. At least this is what Dennis Bailey promised us years ago. Hasn’t happened yet. Unless you attribute Bangor’s affinity for bath salts to the casino. I think not. I go there 3-4 times a year for the buffet, and a 20. through the machines. About what I would spend at the movies. Makes for a good Friday evening once and a while.
you pay good money for the buffet? YECH! id rather take my chances at that sketchy chinese buffet up on stillwater.
The new crowd for cards are a little different. I was there, The clientele for cards are strange and sitting next to someone who hasn’t bathed in years is weird. and there is many like that.. I am being checked for lice as I speak, If you look I think the prositutes are already there The MOB of course are the men in black on the floor by the card tables.. So Bailey was right after all. I quit I’m not going back.
I trust that the state will be checking each and every person showing up at Hollywood Casino to ascertain as to whether or not they are receiving public assistance of any sort, state or federal. While the casino is certainly welcome to and should be encouraged to be a viable business, we should make sure that those driving by the Casino on their way to work in Bangor in the morning aren’t going to work to pay taxes that wind up as entitlements spent on gambling.
A Casino popping up is just a city’s little way of saying, “Hey, I’m on the decline.”
I wonder ,,,if Gov. LePage had anything to do with it , would you Lib dogs STILL think these gin joints & girlie shows houses could be the wave of this fine states future….. you “Hippie”crites ?
No need to get ur panties in a bunch ! :'<(
Congrats Penn National and Hollywood Casino on your $Grand$ opening. Very nice indeed to see many people realizing that you don’t have to spend a ton of money and travel to other states when you can save money and enjoy right here. Let the games begin and the ones who choose to not partake, enjoy your other gambles in life. This is one great entertainment facility. What do we need Portland, Boston, Foxwoods, Vegas for? Keep the dollar at home. When you travel, you spend a lot more. Common Cents… :)
Gambling at the Hollywood Casino is no different than going into any convenience store from Kittery to Fort Kent and buying State of Maine sanctioned Lottery tickets. Or, for that matter, giving yor kids $20.00 to throw away at the Blue Hill Fair at the game tents. Gambling is gambling, it’s a personal choice and should stay that way.
Remind me to stay away from Bangor. Having lived in a couple of other areas where casinos abound, I have nothing good to say about them.
Leaving aside the moral and ethical dimensions of gaming, and considering only the practical consequences, the greater Bangor area can now look forward to an increase in crime of all kinds. I hope the various city councils, boards of selectmen, and police agencies in the area are looking ahead to the budgetary demands which gaming will impose on their communities.
Anyone doubting the inevitability of these consequences should spend time living in a town, or a state, dominated by gaming.
Bangor has succumbed to the attractions of short term profit, without looking to the long term consequences.
In the immortal words of Tim Samples , ” we love the tourists , god bless them . When you come to Maine please leave your money before you leave ” !
Why no craps? That game has the best odds for the players.
Ding, ding, ding, ding I can hear that sound all the way from here….