Maine Waterfront Property – Betting on a Casino?

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Maine Waterfront Property – Betting on a Casino?


There’s an election next Tuesday and among the ballot items we get to vote on here in Maine is the following question:
“Do you want to allow a certain Maine company to have the only casino in Maine, to be located in Oxford County, if part of the revenue is used to fund specific state programs?”
The plan is to locate a $184 million hotel, casino, spa, and conference center somewhere on Rte. 26 in Oxford. The promoters of this idea have estimated that once this place is built it will provide 907 jobs to the local economy at an average salary of $35,000 annually.  It is my understanding that it will provide tax revenues to both the state and the local community.
As you might imagine, this ballot question strikes a nerve. Most folks are in favor of good jobs and economic growth, but question whether the casino industry is a good fit for the Maine “brand”, if you will. Everyone sees that sign when you drive north over the bridge in Kittery – “Maine: the way life should be”.
Maine is a poor state, not in small part because it is sparsely populated and sits geographically at the end of the line. Basically, there’s one way in and one way out. Interestingly, these very reasons for its impoverishment are also, for many, its biggest attraction. Peace and quiet, few neighbors, and vistas of woodlands, lakes, and mountains.
What impact would a casino have in this area of Maine? If you vacation on one of our wonderful lakes or are thinking about owning a lakefront property in Maine, does the idea of a casino nearby attract or repel you?
My guess is that for those who come to this area to enjoy our lakes and ponds, to ski our mountains and hike our trails, to fish and hunt and snowmobile, having a casino nearby is not going to be high on the list of attractions.
For those who live here, however, those who have to make a living and support a family, they may be a little more positively disposed toward a casino, strictly for economic reasons. They simply can’t afford to see it any other way.
Would a casino in Oxford hurt the Maine “brand”? And, if so, at what cost? Would the economic benefits outweigh the liabilities? Would a casino bring the kind of economic development that Maine so desparately needs?
It will be interesting to see how the vote turns out on Tuesday. To read in  more depth on this issue go to this article: http://www.keepmecurrent.com/Community/story.cfm?storyID=59339

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