BIDDEFORD — On Nov. 2, Biddeford voters will decide whether or not they are willing to allow harness racing and an associated racino to locate within their community. Although there are some hurdles that would still have to be overcome on the state level, passing a referendum on the local level is the first required step before such a facility could be established in Biddeford.

While some have expressed concern about the proposal, others say the potential benefits for harness racing and the local economy far outweigh any negative effects.

“I’m just convinced it’s an overwhelmingly good idea for Biddeford and for Maine harness racing,” said Edward MacColl, the attorney for Scarborough Downs racetrack.

On Aug. 17, Sharon Terry, owner of Scarborough Downs racetrack, and MacColl came to Biddeford to make their pitch before City Council about building a racetrack and racino in Biddeford.

Mayor Joanne Twomey, who had opposed efforts to expand gambling while she was a state representative, said she felt she should bring the proposal before Biddeford residents because of the potential of bringing 900 permanent jobs ”“ with an average pay rate of $34,000 per year, according to MacColl ”“ to the area, as well as the potential of adding several million dollars annually in city revenue that would help pay for the renovation of Biddeford High School.

In a 7-2 vote, the council approved putting the referendum question on the ballot.

In a telephone interview with MacColl last week, he said he is working on further analysis and hopes by mid-September to have more specifics as to the types of jobs and associated salaries per job.

 Prior to the election, MacColl said, public information sessions would be held to answer some of the community member’s questions and discuss their concerns. He said he hopes to announce where the proposed facility would be built before November.

Those in the horse racing industry who are proponents of the racino said gaming is needed to support the harness racing industry.

Don Marean, a lobbyist for the harness racing industry and a horse breeder himself, said gambling is only a secondary result of racing, and horse racing was in existence long before Maine legalized gambling on horse races in the 1930s.

“Horse racing is not about gambling, it’s about agriculture. ”¦ That’s where people miss the point,” said Marean.

Many farms and thousands of acres of open space are preserved in Maine because of harness racing, he said.

“This industry is very important to the State of Maine,” said Marean.

An economic impact study of the equine industry in the state conducted by Planning Decisions in 2007, stated that 10 percent of the state’s 35,000 horses are race horses.

The report also stated that the equine industry as a whole contributes more than $350 million to Maine’s economy, with harness racing making up $100 million of that amount.

In addition, approximately 2,500 jobs are connected with horse racing, either directly or indirectly, said Marean. These include horse breeders, veterinarians, those who grow feed and hay, trainers, drivers, grooms, race track personnel, and many others.

Currently, the only racino in Maine is in Bangor where Hollywood Slots Hotel & Racetrack is located. Several city officials there said the negative effects often associated with the gambling industry haven’t come to pass and that the racino has brought in millions of dollars to the city.

“I can’t say anything but positive things about Hollywood Slots,” said Bangor Police Chief Robert Gastia. “We don’t have any more of a drug problem than we ever had before. We don’t have any more of a prostitution problem then we ever had. I’m telling you it’s not happening.”

He said the facility monitors their patrons very closely. Gastia added that no new police officers were added to the force because of Hollywood Slots.

“Hollywood Slots has not done any damage to the city as far as I can see from a law enforcement stance,” said Gastia.

Debbie Cyr, the finance director for the City of Bangor, said the gaming facility contributes several million dollars annually in city revenue. She said there are three revenue streams generated by Hollywood Slots including property taxes, 1 percent of the 39 percent tax on the company’s net revenue charged by the state and 3 percent of the facility’s net revenue, which the city negotiated in their development agreement with Penn National Gaming, Inc., the corporation that owns Hollywood Slots.

Less property taxes, Hollywood Slots generated $2.4 million for the city last year, said Cyr.

Some, however, both locally and outside of the city, are concerned about the potential negative effects of building a racino and racetrack in Biddeford.

Councilors Jim Emerson and Clement Fleurent were the only council members to vote against the referendum. Emerson said he voted against it, because there hadn’t been enough public discussion about the issue to find out whether people in Biddeford were interested in the proposal.

Other concerns, said Emerson, are about the potential negative effects a racetrack and racino facility would have on development efforts for the city’s downtown and mill district in which the city has already invested significant time and money assisting with those efforts.

“How many times do we have to say no to these things,” asked Dennis Bailey of Casinos No! whose organization opposes expanding gambling in the state. He noted that Biddeford residents already voted down a proposed casino within their city’s borders in 2002. In addition, Saco and Westbrook voted down building a racino within their borders in 2003, and Scarborough voted against a racino twice, in 2003 and 2008.

Bailey claimed many of the promises for a locale where gaming facilities are established don’t come true. He said the slot machines at racinos don’t bring in new revenue to a community, but instead take money out of the local economy, the number of jobs often falls short of those promised, and, he said, he believes that crime has increased in Bangor.

“It is not an industry that is in anyway the future of Maine,” said Bailey.

If Biddeford voters approve a racetrack and racino in November, changes to state law would be needed regarding location and when such a facility could be built and opened. In addition, if the referendum on building a casino and resort in Oxford is passed by voters in November, there may more hurdles that proponents of a Biddeford racino would face.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.