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Oxford
County Racino Proposed
County
Commissioner Caldwell Jackson of Oxford
would like to see slot machines come to
town. He proposed at the last
selectman’s meeting held on May 1st that
they approve up to 1,500 slot machines
to come into the Oxford County
Fairgrounds.
He appeared before the board to see if
the town would ask its citizens if they
are interested in bringing in the slot
machines – to see if adding gambling to
the racetrack is something that would
prove profitable for the track. Thy
agreed to hold a hearing, but did not
set a date as they need the Oxford
County Agricultural Society to be ready.
Jackson came prepared to state his case
with information regarding bringing in
the racino and how it relates to Penn
National Gaming Inc.’s Hollywood Slots
racino in Bangor. He showed that $609.7
million was spent at the racino’s slot
machines and that both the state and the
town of Bangor profited from it.
Jackson said that these numbers are
based on 475 slot machines, and he is
proposing 1,500 – which mean even more
revenue for everyone. This fact alone
probably had the most impact on the
board, as they were all visibly
impressed by the amount of money that
could be made from such a large number
of slot machines.
He wanted to be clear that bringing slot
machines to the track was not related to
the idea of bringing in the casino that
Maine voters will be approving or
rejecting in November. He says that the
law that created the slot machines in
Hollywood is the same law that would
allow for another racino in Southern
Maine if the voters approve it.
Scarborough and Westbrook have both
already tried for the racino and failed,
and Jackson thinks that Oxford might
stand a real chance at succeeding.
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