Despite the disappointing lack of faith in this community espoused by the Sun Journal, I believe in Lewiston-Auburn (Oct. 22).

Lewiston-Auburn is my home. I love the Twin Cities and I choose to live here. When I was at the University of Maine, it bothered me when people criticized Lewiston and I stood up for my home town.

After finishing medical school and residency, I chose to return here to raise my family. I still hear negatives as I travel the state, and I have had enough. Someone needed to step up and believe in our community, and that someone needed to be me. That’s why I have invested in Lewiston and the Lewiston casino.

A casino needs to make sense for the host community, the region and the state. That’s why we are building ours in a community that voted 2-1 in favor of a downtown revitalizing business. Lewiston-Auburn is among the poorest regions in the state. The stores, restaurants and local businesspeople need an economic engine to help drive the local economy.

Many people have no faith in our community, but I still do. Despite the negative opinions of the naysayers, I think we not only can have a successful casino business in this town, but that we deserve it.

I already voted “no” on Oxford when I chose to invest in Lewiston over Oxford. I hope others  will join me in voting “No on One” again on Election Day.

Ronald E. Chicoine, Lewiston

Editor’s note: The author is a principal investor and partner in Great Falls Recreation and Redevelopment LLC, which has proposed establishing a casino in Bates Mill No. 5. That proposal will be on the statewide ballot in 2011.