Casino application released by state

OXFORD — A proposed casino in Oxford County took another step forward on Friday, when the state's Gambling Control Board approved an application form for Black Bear Entertainment (BBE) to complete.

BBE will now be able to begin the lengthy application process. Peter Martin, legislative liaison for BBE, says that the company would like to turn it around quickly.

"It's about 75 or 80 pages," he said. "We'd like to do it as soon as we possibly can."

Martin said that it was difficult to project a timeline, because unexpected hurdles, such as a recent disagreement over the interpretation of a miles provision in the statute, have the capacity to slow things down.

The application, when submitted, will contain the name of the proposed casino operator, a piece of information that has yet to be announced to the public.

In the past, BBE representatives have indicated that the company was in negotiations with multiple candidates. Now, Martin says that the announcement will likely be made during a public ceremony on Pigeon Hill in Oxford, the casino's proposed site.

Martin said that the approved application contained no apparent surprises for the company.

"Essentially it was a cut and paste," said Martin. "They have an application for a slot machine operator in Maine; 95 percent of that application is completely transferable."

New language had to be established for table games, the presence of which define the difference between a slot machine facility and a casino.

Once an application is submitted, Martin says that it could take state officials anywhere from three to six months to make a determination on it. The process has been estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, a cost that will be borne by the applicant.

"It depends on how many people have to have background checks done, and how available are the staff," said Martin. "If the detective has to go out of the state to interview folks, that takes more time. We're going to try to get everybody in place here in Maine to make the process go quicker."

At the end of the process, the board will decide whether to give BBE the green light.

"Hopefully, we get a license," said Martin.

The board also approved a new director, Patrick Fleming, who previously served as Maine's state police chief. Fleming was nominated by Public Safety Commissioner John Morris and was approved unanimously. The position opened after the retirement of Robert Welch.

In addition, the board announced the appointment of Richard Crabtree as a new board member.

The casino has recently come under fire from a group of nearby property owners and the Androscoggin River Alliance. The group has filed an appeal to the casino's development permit from the Department of Environmental Protection.