WESTBROOK (AP) – A majority of Westbrook city councilors said Wednesday they support sending a proposal for a race track with slot machines to referendum.

Saco voted 6-1 Tuesday night to turn down such a proposal. But four out of seven Westbrook city councilors say they favor it. Three others are undecided.

But because two of those in favor won’t be present at Monday’s public hearing and vote, the issue could go either way.

Scarborough Downs officials are setting their sights on Westbrook.

They’ve been shopping for a community to host a race track and slot machine operation, or racino, since Nov. 4, when Scarborough voters rejected slot machines in their town.

Maine voters approved racinos on Nov. 4, but the law requires local approval in a separate vote.

Taking advantage of a provision in the law that allows slot machines within five miles of Scarborough Downs, officials have approached a number of municipalities in hopes of winning local approval before the law’s Dec. 31 deadline.

Councilors Bruce Chuluda and Suzanne Joyce said they are in favor of the referendum, but if Scarborough Downs is unable to identify a proposed site for the project, they would vote against it.

“They have to have something more specific,” said Chuluda.

Chuluda said he has many concerns about the proposal, especially the timing near the holidays.

Councilor Brendan Rielly said he found the Scarborough Downs proposal interesting.

“When people are talking this amount of money, it could do a tremendous amount of good,” he said.

Some councilors say they think Scarborough Downs may have a better chance in Westbrook, where voters favored the statewide racino referendum more heavily than in surrounding communities. Several said residents who had contacted them were split 50-50 for and against a local referendum.

Scarborough Downs has not identified where they are looking for land.

The anti-casino group Casinos No! has not decided whether to get involved in the Westbrook referendum, said spokesman Dennis Bailey. He called the Scarborough Downs proposal “a hovercraft trying to find a place to land.”

AP-ES-11-20-03 0825EST



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