Over the next few weeks there is a piece of legislation making its way through Augusta that will affect the future of Lewiston, Auburn and greater Androscoggin community. This monumental piece of legislation is simply referred to as LD 985, or “An Act Regarding Establishing a Slot Machine Facility.”

Why is this piece of legislation so critical to Androscoggin County, and for that matter the whole of central Maine? The answer has been in the making for almost a generation now and it has to do with Lewiston redeveloping its downtown and in turn improving its image to the rest of the state.  The city of Lewiston is now beginning the process of developing a master plan for “river front island,” which encompasses 77 acres of the downtown, including the crown jewel: island point.  The implications of this plan for the future of our community are enormous.  And, right in the heart of the study area is Bates Mill No. 5, the site of a proposed casino and potential event center, which is the subject of LD 985.  If we could know now that the casino project will be approved, then a master plan could be developed in a complete and holistic way.  We know it was just a few years ago that a proposal for island point did not pan out. Whether the next proposal works might have a lot to do with what is on the other side of Main Street at Mill  No. 5.

There have been numerous efforts to come up with a plan for Bates Mill  No.5 since its closing, but, in the end, the City Council voted to tear it down. The building is still standing only because a lien on the building prevented its demolition. Let’s be honest with ourselves for a minute: while it’s an architecturally significant building, its usefulness is severely limited.  The cost to refit it for modern office space or light manufacturing is prohibitive, and the layout is not hospitable for mixed use. 

We have three options, as I see it.  First, let it sit vacant for another generation and let my kids (hopefully they still live in Maine) deal with it.  Second, blow it up and market the empty lot. And finally, let a private developer enter the picture and take the risk away from the city and taxpayers, and make a go of it.  That’s what the local investment group behind the Lewiston casino is willing to do.  The people of Lewiston voted overwhelmingly to approve this measure, and more than 60,000 folks from around the state of Maine signed a petition to get this measure on the ballot.  But it does not need to go to a vote this November.  The legislature has the power to vote it into reality — now.

Why would the legislature vote not to approve LD985?  The legislature is about to give its rubber stamp to the casino in Oxford County, we have a successful casino in Bangor, and after all we do have a statewide lottery operation, harness track racing, bingo etc…  So, gambling is already here, and the only question now is whether there should be a monopoly.  Let the markets decide this issue, rather than the Legislature. In a free-market economy, supply and demand dictate the eventual success or failure of a business.  If the developers believe that their facility will somehow be different from their competitors’, that they can offer a better service, more exciting atmosphere, or, in the case of the Lewiston proposal, be good partners in the downtown business community, then so be it. If they fail, THEY fail, not the people of Lewiston or Maine, but the investors that are risking their finances and time. 

And let’s look at what this could mean for our downtown.  It will take a blighted building and make it appealing yet again, and it will help provide the funds for the necessary for the rebirth of the downtown.  It will, most importantly, show the state that we can control our own destiny, and that we here in Androscoggin County believe that economic development can take many forms, and one type of prospering business will lead to other types of prosperous businesses.  Just as a successful mall has an anchor that attracts customers, a casino and event center could attract visitors that could generate demand for additional hotel rooms, restaurants or shops.  

The Lewiston casino proposal is a catalyst for growth in this area. It would allow the city to fully maximize the benefit of it as it goes about the development of its master plan in the months ahead.  It’s good for all of us to care about the past, but it’s time, especially for the Legislature, to think about the future. The Legislature, lead by the Androscoggin County delegation, needs to approve LD 985 this session.