THE first casino in Bangor has been given the green light after the Maine Gambling Board unanimously approved it on Tuesday. It will make its anticipated debut as the Hollywood Casino Bangor.
“Our official opening date is March 16,” said John Osborne, vice president and general manager of Hollywood Casino Bangor. “We’ve hired about 60 of the 89 people we need and have only a handful of positions left to fill.” Those pleased about the move are taking full advantage of the employment opportunities.
The board’s vote was 4-0, with one member — Harry Stickney — absent. Tuesday’s meeting marked the first official voting action taken by new board member Barbara Dresser, a lawyer who is also a member of the Maine State Harness Racing Commission.
“We also licensed Gaming Products International as a table games distributor, and we’re in the process of licensing all their new gaming employees,” said Patrick Fleming, executive director of the gambling control board. Before Tuesday, no one was licensed to sell poker chips, cards or other table game supplies in Maine.
The board also approved a charity fundraiser using the casino’s new gambling area featuring 14 tables — one roulette wheel, six blackjack tables, one four-card and two three-card poker tables, and four poker tables. The tables will be used principally for Texas Hold’em, but also can be used to play Omaha or either five- or seven-card stud at the customers’ request.
“We’re still talking to a local charity to line up the details, but the way it would be done is the charity’s employees would come here and have cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and play the games using ‘play’ chips we call value chips before we open to the public,” Osborne said.
Opposition is still against the move and thinks that the fight isn’t yet over, said Carroll Conley, executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine.
“We don’t think it makes sense economically, and we have great concerns about the social costs as well,” Conley said. “We will continue to fight any expansion.”
