Two Native American Tribes have put their plans to lobby for permission to build a casino in Kittery Maine on hold.
The 400-600 million dollar project would have been just across the border from NH, not too far from Portsmouth.
Although the effort is off the table for now, the idea of a casino has sparked heated debate on both sides of the border.
NHPR Correspondent Roger Wood reports.
THE PENOBSCOT AND PASSAMAQUODDY INDIAN TRIBES ANNOUNCED EARLIER THIS WEEK THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASK MAINE LAWMAKERS TO APPROVE THEIR PLANS.
THE TRIBES�S ATTORNEY ADMITTED THE PROPOSED CASINO WAS TOO CONTROVERSIAL AND THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEARS LEGISLATIVE SESSION TOO SHORT.
HAD THE TRIBES GONE AHEAD, THEY WOULD HAVE FACED SUBSTANTIAL OBSTACLES, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THAT GAMBLING IS ILLEGAL IN MAINE.
WHAT�S MORE, GOVERNOR ANGUS KING HAS VOWED TO VETO ANY PLANS TO BUILD A CASINO IN KITTERY.
NONE OF THOSE FACTS FAZE CASINO ADVOCATES LIKE KITTERY TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER DENNIS ESTES, WHO SEES FAR REACHING ECONOMIC VALUE, NOT ONLY FOR MAINE�.BUT ALSO FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE.
(SOT DENNIS ESTES) :13
"I THINK IT HAS A GREAT DEAL TO OFFER IN ECONOMIC IMPACT..JOBS, EMPLOYMENT FOR SERVICE INDUSTRIES, ALL THE WAY PROBABLY WITHIN A FORTY MILE RADIUS OF THIS POINT"
AND ESTES POINTS OUT LAND IS AVAILABLE IN HIS TOWN FOR SUCH AN AMBITIOUS DEVELOPMENT, WEST OF INTERSTATE I95, AND THAT THE TRIBES HAVE INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO BUILD THEIR OWN INTERCHANGE TO TAKE TRAFFIC PRESSURE OFF LOCAL ROADS.
(SOT ESTES) :21
"IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE PROXIMITY OF KITTERY WITH 95 GOING RIGHT THROUGH THE CENTER OF TOWN , WE'RE FIFTY MILES FROM BOSTON, WE'RE 40 MILES FROM PORTLAND. THE LOCATION COMPARED TO BOSTON AND THE CONNECTICUT GAMBLING RESORTS MAKES KITTERY MORE VIABLE FOR THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC."
BUT TRAFFIC WOULD BE THE LEAST OF THE WORRIES ACCORDING TO THE NEW HAMPSHIRE CHIEFS OF POLICE ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS STRONGLY OPPOSED TO SUCH OPERATIONS. PORTSMOUTH POLICE CHIEF BRAD RUSS AGREES.
(SOT RUSS) :26
"MY CONCERN IS THE SOCIAL COSTS TO THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN OTHER STATES WHERE THEY HAVE GAMBLING, AND WHAT YOU SEE ARE ROWS OF PAWN SHOPS. I'VE EVEN SEEN PLACES WHERE YOU SIGN THE TITLE OF YOUR CAR OVER TO A COMPANY TO GET A LOAN TO GO GAMBLE, AND IF YOU DON'T PAY IT OFF WITHIN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS, THEY THEN TAKE POSSESSION OF YOUR CAR."
AND RUSS ADDS THE PROBLEM WOULDN�T BE LIMITED TO KITTERY.
(SOT RUSS) :23
WE WOULD HAVE PEOPLE STAYING IN OUR HOTELS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, AND IF THEY DON'T DO WELL, OR IF THEY HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH GAMBLING ADDICTION, THE SPILLOVER IS GOING TO BE ON OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AMBULANCE SERVICES OR SOCIAL SERVICES."
HOWEVER, PROFESSOR EMERSON TROWBRIDGE, WHO TEACHES A COURSE IN CASINO MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE ARGUES THAT A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION COULD HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS.
(SOT TROWBRIDGE: 24
"IT'S AN EASY SOURCE OF REVENUES FOR STATE TO SEEK. IT SEEMS LIKE A HARMLESS WAY TO MAKE MONEY. THERE'S A LOT OF ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE SOCIAL EFFECTS OF GAMING, AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE A FEW. BUT IF ANYBODY REALLY STUDIED THE ISSUES THOROUGHLY, THE SOCIAL EFFECTS AREN'T ANYWHERE NEAR AS SEVERE AS THEY ARE MADE OUT TO BE."
AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, TROWBRIDGE WONDERED IF ENOUGH PEOPLE WOULD FIND GAMBLING IN SOUTHERN MAINE ATTRACTIVE.
(SOT TROWBRIDGE) :12
"IN SOUTHERN MAINE, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTRACT NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS NORTH OF BOSTON, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LARGE ENOUGH ECONOMIC BASE TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE"
CASINO PROPONENTS HAVE REPORTEDLY ALREADY DRAFTED THE LEGISLATION.
THEY HAVE FORMED A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH WOULD ONE DAY OVERSEE THE OPERATION. FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR NEIL ROLDE OF YORK IS ON THAT NINE-MEMBER PANEL, WHICH WILL CONSIST OF FIVE NATIVE AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVES, AND FOUR NON- NATIVES.
(SOT ROLDE) :32
"MY CONCERN AND THE BASIC REASON THAT I AGREED TO BE A MEMBER WAS THAT IF FELT THAT THIS WAY A PROJECT THAT COULD VERY WELL GO THROUGH, WHETHER IT GOES THROUGH NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. AND I WANTED TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE OF THIS AREA ON THAT BOARD TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE WHAT WAS PROMISED CAME THROUGH , THAT THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT."
SO FAR, CASINO PROPONENTS HAVE RELEASED FEW DETAILS ABOUT THEIR PLANS.
ALTHOUGH NEITHER TRIBE OWNS LAND IN KITTERY, AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THEM HAS INQUIRED ABOUT TOWN ZONING AND LAND USE.
FOR NOW, THE PROJECT SEEMS TO BE ON HOLD.
THIS TIME NEXT YEAR HOWEVER, THE PROPOSAL IS LIKELY TO HAVE ONE FEWER HURDLE�.GOVERNOR ANGUS KING PLANS TO LEAVE OFFICE.
FOR NHPR NEWS THIS IS ROGER WOOD IN KITTERY, MAINE.
