OXFORD – Representatives of the Olympia Group are in town this week to shop for a site for the proposed $150 million Oxford County resort casino.

Realtor Tom Kennison of Kennison Real Estate in Oxford said Monday that he will show representatives of the Las Vegas-based group three or four sites within “close proximity” to Route 26 later this week.

Because he signed a confidentiality agreement with Olympia Group, Kennison said he couldn’t disclose where the sites are or other details.

Kennison did say that the Olympia Group CEO and two or three of the firm’s real estate development personnel will tour the sites, which vary in acreage. The property owners will not be on site but will be available by phone if needed during the site visit, he said.

Town Manager Michael Chammings said he is hearing from hundreds of people who are supporting the project, should casino backers decide to site it in Oxford. “I know they don’t have a location yet,” Chammings said Monday.

Chammings said Olympia Group representatives were in the Town Hall on Monday reviewing planning regulations and ordinances.

Selectmen voted unanimously last week to pass a resolution to support a casino and resort if the project passes a statewide referendum on Nov. 4. The town’s economic advisory committee also supports the plan.

Pat LaMarche, a casino campaign spokeswoman, said last week that the location would be within 35 to 55 miles of Portland. She also said the site would be announced this week, but Monday said that was only a possibility.

Rumford, along with one other undisclosed town, is also being considered for the project, casino and town officials have said.

LaMarche also said a press conference would be held in Lewiston at 11 a.m. Wednesday to unveil results of an economic impact study funded by casino proponents.

Casino representatives are also expected to make a presentation in Paris on Thursday. That event will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Four Seasons Function Center in South Paris. The event is free and open to the public.

Regional Editor Scott Thistle and Staff Writer M. Dirk Langeveld contributed to this report.


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