LEWISTON – People interesting in working in a Maine casino – should the Nov. 4 referendum pass – are invited to a “Job Opportunity Days” in Lewiston and Sanford, the pro-casino campaign announced Wednesday.

Erin Lehane of Think About It said Wednesday the two events will allow the public to learn about the 4,000-plus jobs at the Sanford casino. Sanford’s job fair will be Oct. 11, Lewiston’s Oct. 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the National Guard Armory.

The opposition campaign, CasinosNO! responded Wednesday by criticizing the job fairs as a “stunt. … They’re not looking for employees. They’re looking for votes,” said Dennis Bailey.

One job fair will be in Sanford because that is where the casino is being proposed. Lehane said they picked Lewiston for the other fair because “we’ve been hearing from a lot of folks walking into the (Lisbon Street) campaign office (saying) they’d drive for these jobs. They’re really excited about the health benefits. They want to know more about these jobs. So we’re bringing in job trainers.”

The bulk of the jobs offered would be hotel workers, accounting, gaming, restaurant, security and marketing. The two Indian tribes that would own the casino are committed to hiring Maine people, Lehane said.

It’s important to give information on jobs before the election, she said, because one big question many are asking is what kind of jobs and what the pay would be.

But Bailey said the two job fairs are thinly veiled attempts to get votes.

“It’s a campaign stunt,” Bailey said, noting the events are being held less than three weeks before the election. “They’re not looking for employees. They’re looking for votes. This isn’t a job fair, it’s a vote fair.”

The only job the referendum would guarantee “is a con job,” Bailey added. “They’ll tell people anything now. But after Election Day, who knows.”

– By Bonnie Washuk