Proponents of a casino bill that died in a squeaker vote in the Maine Senate last week have hopes of bringing the bill back to life.
Last week representatives of the state’s harness racing industry descended on Augusta, the state capitol to urge that the bill be revived. It would create a bidding process for a casino resort in York County or Cumberland County.
They urged lawmakers to help racing “survive as an industry.”
Under the process being proposed residents of the host city would need to approve of the proposed casino. Another version would require a statewide referendum.
Governor Paul LePage opposes adding to the existing casinos in the state and has indicated that he might veto such a bill. If the bill is revived it will also revive the hopes of the state’s Indian tribes, who have been bitter in their denunciations of lawmakers and voters for not allowing a tribal casino in the state.
The most recent attempt to authorize a casino in Maine came on the heels of the WhiteSand Gaming report issued last fall that said the gaming market would support a small casino in the southern part of the state.
The beneficiaries of the bill would be the harness racing industry as well as veterans programs.
Opponents say a third casino would simply cannibalize the existing casinos in Oxford and Bangor.
June 23 the Maine House approved of a casino bill, 83-62, only to see the Senate vote it down, 20-15.
