Signatures being gathered for Passamaquoddy Tribe gaming plan

Wednesday, November 3, 2010  

Voters in Maine appear to have approved a commercial casino that was on Tuesday's ballot and the Passamaquoddy Tribe is hoping to cash in on the pro-gaming sentiment.

The tribe is working with the owner of the Scarborough Downs track to convert the facility into a casino. Signatures are being gathered to put the issue on next year's ballot.

"The thing I like about this is that it's tribal--I don't think there was ever reparations to what was done 150 years ago when we decided to move in on the land that was somebody else's," Brian Dee, who is being paid to gather signatures, told Maine Public Broadcasting Network. "But I think it's great that fate would have it that there's a way that they might get something from having been dominated by a complete other culture for 200 years to the effect of their culture almost being disseminated."

According to unofficial results, Question 1 on this year's ballot was leading by a few thousands votes. The referendum authorizes a casino somewhere in Oxford County.

Get the Story:
Petition Drive Underway for Washington County Casino (MPBN 11/2)
Oxford casino question locked in close vote (The Bangor Daily News 11/3)
Proposal for Oxford County casino leading – by a nose (The Portland Press Herald 11/3)