LEWISTON — Lewiston city councilors will meet in a closed-door session tonight to consider a proposal to tear down Bates Mill No. 5 and build a casino, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
Bates Mill No. 5
Acting City Administrator Phil Nadeau confirmed the executive session was set up to discuss a proposal for the 8-acre property, which is the portion of the Bates Mill complex on Lincoln Street closest to Main Street. Nadeau would say only that proposals by some individuals interested in the land were to be discussed; he declined to discuss details. The Council's agenda listed an executive session for real estate negotiations.
Another city official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the negotiations would involve an offer from a local businessman that includes the city selling him an option on the land for potential casino development.
A prominent Maine businessman told the Sun Journal today that he had been approached about two months ago by an intermediary for a group of Lewiston-based investors who were interested in building a casino on the site of the former textile mill.
That individual said he declined involvement in the group, not because he was for or against the idea but because he was too busy with other ventures.
Lewiston's former city administrator, Jim Bennett, said Tuesday it would not surprise him if a push for a casino at the mill property was being presented. He said several members of the Council had pitched the idea to him in the past.
Bennett said he disagreed with them over the economic benefits a casino would bring to the city, so they stopped discussing the idea with him.
"I told them I didn't think a casino was all it was cracked up to be for a be-all, end-all for economic development," he said.
It is unclear whether the City Council will vote on the proposal Tuesday night.
Location of Bates Mill No. 5
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Benjamin Franklin Is it
Benjamin Franklin
Is it positive to have the poor hope for hitting it big? Another opportunity for people to think they can get something (like state aid) for nothing.
Like it or not, it is hard work that will be man's greatest reward and satisfaction.
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
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Casino's provide a lot of relatively low-paying jobs, with the top jobs paying less than $35,000 per year. Lewiston officials now have to decide if those are the kind of jobs the city wants. However at least this proposal would put the proposed casino near public transportation, which is absolutely critical for a casino proposal to succeed.
Also Auburn is on the major freight line to Boston and by all rights should have gotten the Amtrak extension instead of Brunswick. There are huge costs involved in developing rail along our rocky coast, which is why the freight line goes inland and all the coastal lines into Brunswick were abandoned.
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a low paying job is better than no job
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http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/126651.html
Bangor Police Deny Casino Group's Crime Logic
(snip)
While statistics do show that the crime rate in Bangor has risen, Bangor Police Chief Ron Gastia denies that the increase is linked to the arrival of Hollywood Slots.
“It’s an untruth,” Gastia said Friday responding to the claims of CasinosNO! “It’s just not true.”
He and other city officials say CasinosNO! did not calculate other major factors into their equation, such as the downward spiraling economy, the city’s three methadone clinics, the high number of registered sex offenders and homeless people in Bangor, and the fact that the city is a service hub.
“The people we’re seeing committing these crimes, we firmly believe, are not the people going to the casino,” Gastia said. “I don’t know how anybody from CasinosNO! can draw that conclusion.”
Bangor police “get very, very few calls” to respond to complaints at Hollywood Slots, he said.
City Manager Edward Barrett agrees with the police chief.
“We have seen very little crime associated with the casino,” he said Wednesday. “We have seen some increases. We think a lot of that is related certainly with the economics, and the longstanding issue of being a service community.
Not that I'm for a casino in Lewiston. I live in Oxford County, I want one here!
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Do it! Do it! Do it! Most excellent idea!
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Until I see someone with a better idea of what to do with downtown Lewiston, I will fully support a casino. Something has to be done. It's as simple as that.
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At this point I'm willing to take risks, yes. My entire life has been spent in Lewiston, and I have only seen our downtown continue to disintegrate and become more and more pathetic. The city itself has shown no sign of economic growth, and we need to do something. Risks need to be taken instead of having to watch those abandoned buildings sit there for the next generation to have to see. Where is YOUR evidence that a run-down small city like Lewiston was hurt by a the presence of a casino?
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Well, we've got the clown that Bangor got rid of to be the city administrator. God help us!
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After what, 20-some years of service?
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[Insert juvenile political statement here]
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Rinoblast - tron's just upset because he backed the wrong horse, or more accurately predicted the wrong outcome as always...hahahahahaha
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Well this is really good for Lewiston I wonder which idiot on the council thought this idea through !!! How many GOOD livibg wage jobs will come out of this were are the people coming from to support it ?? Has anyone looked at what is going on 90% of Lewiston is BELOW the provierty level YEAH L/A its happening here !!
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If you don't want to work for the wages being offered, then don't. It's the free market, and I'm sure there will be plenty of people who think otherwise. It's not like this Casino will drive people out of other jobs by closing businesses and then force them in to Casino jobs.
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[Insert juvenile political statement here]
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Yeah give the land to the YMCA, grrrreat idea. Casinos yes!
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You'd be better served having the casino out by the Ramada for turnpike access anyway. Downtown can't handle the congestion as it is.
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It can't handle it now, but the idea is that the casino would bring money to flip downtown as we know it upside down (something that is desperately needed).
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Possibly the worst idea I have ever heard in my life!! Lewiston does not need a business that preys on people with gambling as well as other kinds of addictions. Try visiting New Orleans where people who are obviously poor are feeding their credit cards into slot machines hoping to make a killing. It's pathetic, actually. A casino would also attract drugs, prostitution, organized crime, etc., etc. The Lewiston City Councilors should be ashamed of themselves for even entertaining such an idea and should be voted out of office if they vote in favor of this. It would be a disaster to have this in the heart of downtown Lewiston-Auburn.
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Your ignorance to the whole situation is reflected multiple times in your negative rambling above... I won't tear it apart line by line... i'll just summarize by saying your completely wrong in every aspect of thought.
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well we already got the hookers and drug addicts so its not like anyone can say it will bring them in. I think It would be a great opportunity and something for adults to do around here.
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This could be an economic boom for the twin cities. A look at Lead & Deadwood in South Dakota would be an excellent example of how such a project could resurrect the area. Casinos don't have to be a scum attraction; they can be beneficial to an area if well run. Certainly there are many towns in Nevada that profit from them and the two examples listed above in So. Dakota are certainly successful ones. Give this thing a chance and you may be happy you did. The first thing to do is make sure you have a top flight development team ass you just get one chance at making a good impression and reputation. The next thing on the agenda is a top quality motel across the street at the old Libby/Cowan mill location.
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yes a casino is a great idea lewiston needs growth and fast great for lewiston 100 percent for casino about time
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Make an investment in the future. Give the land to the YMCA. They have the funds to make something special with that property that WILL benefit the public.
-- "I'm here for the beer and nuts. Only I've not found the beer here, but there are plenty of nuts!"
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You all might want to get on a bus and go visit some of these other states who thought casinos would be a great idea. They aren't all they are cracked up to be....they dont bring in high paying jobs and they attract alot of other undesirable things you don't want in your back yard. I support the development of a 'resort' in Oxford County, but not if it includes a Casino. Whats wrong with promoting and developing the things that Maine is famous for? The outdoors.....a golf course, hiking trails, cross country skiing, snowmobiling etc...
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Day late and a dollar short. This is something this council should have 'entertained' a couple of years ago. Now, unless the new council agrees, all this will do is tie up the land in court. Don't forget there's going to be a referendum to build a casino in Oxford County next year, and this would have to go to referendum in order to be built. Maine would have to vote on a Casino TWICE within a short time span. It is going to take years for the next council to extricate itself from decisions made by this lame duck one at the last possible minute. Unbelievable.
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I can hear Casinos No!'s annoying ads now, about how devastating to society a casino in Lewiston would be, and that voters should not allow it. *sigh* Sadly, they may again win another referendum battle about it with their scare tactics. But at least we have Hollywood Slots in Bangor, the Governor's hometown, and a plethora of Maine lottery tickets on which to spend our own entertainment dollars! Please note the hypocracy. And hey, we can even go out of state and spend them at other state's casinos!
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That must mean that Nadeau did not get the job and Barrett did since he is from racino country!
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Give me a break! Here we go again with a council that is full of pipe dreams Good Luck
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Whaaaaaaatttttt!!!!! I have been jokingly suggesting this for years! Please somebody make this work!
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At last someone is trying to do positive with Lewiston.Glad to see old useless things laid to die.
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