New details on casino released

PARIS — The most scrutinized project in the county received a little more scrutiny Tuesday night as a crowd of nearly 200 assembled to get more information from Black Bear Entertainment (BBE) about the proposed casino project in Oxford.

The hearing was mandated by the Department of Environmental Protection as part of its permitting process.

Project Manager Bob Berry, of Main-Land Development Consultants and Architect Brian Davis, of JCJ Architecture presented the most recent project plans to the audience, and fielded most of the technical questions.

Residents of Rabbit Valley Road, which runs along the southern edge of the Black Bear property, asked questions about lighting, traffic, and the height of the proposed structures.

While different aspects of the project have been labeled Phase One, Two, and Three, Davis stressed that everything beyond Phase 1 was subject to change.

"It's a market-driven plan," said Davis. Phase One will include the casino, parking, and environmental controls, such as detention ponds to mitigate the effects of runoff.

Davis said that, if the market did not call for a second hotel to be built, that space might instead go to other gaming-related operations, such as restaurants or other offerings.

The casino is expected to open it's doors in late 2011, with a full build out completed by the end of 2015. The full build out may include a spa, a trail head for snowmobile, skiing, and snowshoe trails, an RV parking lot, a "pitch and putt course," a skating rink, and a tennis court.

Terri Marin raised concerns about the effect of the development on Hogan Pond, as the large majority of the development is situated in the Hogan Pond watershed.

Berry said that much of the runoff will be redirected toward the Little Androscoggin River by way of a detention pond designed to cleanse the water of many pollutants.

"Rivers are far more forgiving than ponds," said Berry. He noted that the project is being submitted to the DEP, and that it would have to meet its requirements.

The runoff that remains in the Hogan Pond watershed will be released at a rate equal to or less than the current water flow, said Berry.

The main entrance to the casino will be located on Route 26, while a smaller service and employee entrance will be located on Rabbit Valley Road.

Berry said that both the parking garage and the planned 100-room hotel will include four stories and stand 44 feet high. He said that the hotel would be likely to have a sloped roof, which would add some height.

For the first time, BBE disseminated a new owner's list, which has been updated to include new owner Tony Palminteri, who is not yet listed on the casino's website.

Palminteri co-owns the gaming consultant company Atlantic Strategies with BBE investor Peter Martin.

According to a company profile generated by Martin, "Atlantic Strategies is a company that deals with public policy and governmental lobbying efforts. We specialize in gaming, food service and tax issues, along with statewide referendum strategy."

During the second quarter of 2010, Martin and Palminteri gave a collective $86,400 to the casino PAC "Maine Taxpayers Taking Charge," which headed up the casino's election campaign, according to MaineWatchdog.com.

That same source quoted BBE spokesperson Randy Seaver as saying in late October that Palminteri and Martin were "no longer involved in any day-to-day operations moving forward to election day."