Sunday River, Saddleback, Sugarloaf oppose Maine Casino

[deadheadskier]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=214867&ac=PHnws


I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm not into Casino's.......but I don't see that having a Casino in Oxford country will damage the Maine ski brand.

thoughts?

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Casinos are great for the economy...Casinos are popping up all over PA...The old Bethlehem Steel site is turning into a huge casino with shops, restaurants and hotels..hundreds of new jobs will be created and currently hundreds of construction workers are getting mad steezy overtime..

 

[drjeff]

As a NON gambler who lives roughly 30 miles from the 2 biggies in CT, I will say that personally I think they're great. From an entertainment perspective, having top name acts coming to them year round, having ALOT of good restaurant choices in one place, and having the boost to the economy that they bring into the area has IMHO been a plus. Sure, traffic issues arise. Sure, some folks will inevitably have gambling addiction issues. But the majority of folks seem to fnd them a positive neighbor in my area.

It doesn't suprise me at all that states other New England States are considering casinos. There was a study last year that if memory serves me correctly, the folks at Foxwoods were behind about the regional drawing power having 2 LARGE casinos in such a close proximity has. The finding were something like over 60% of ALL NH residents had been atleast once to either Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun in the previous 12 months! Personally as a CT resident, I LIKE the fact that residents of other states are helping inject a great deal of $$ into my states general tax fund each and every month It just makes sense to me that those other states might want to consider keeping some of that tax revenue "at home" and then also likely reaping the economic benefit of extra tourism that just about every casino brings to an area.

 

[snoseek]

So Sanford didn't work out so Oxford is the next stop? Why don't they pick a major tourist destination like Portland area instead of these lower-income rural areas?

Lot's of Conneticut people on this board-I'd be curious to hear your experiences if any with casinos down there. I don't mind them so much so long as the drinks are free.


edit-drjeff beat my post. that's one overall positive experience.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'm sure one of Sunday River's biggest concerns is not only competition for their seasonal work force, but traffic. It's already a bitch going up 26 North through all the little towns and 35 isn't that much better of an option as you're stuck having to take 302. If you add 30-45 minutes to the drive from Boston due to traffic, Sunday River will lose skiers.

 

[WJenness]

So Sanford didn't work out so Oxford is the next stop? Why don't they pick a major tourist destination like Portland area instead of these lower-income rural areas?

The land is cheaper and they are more likely to be able to twist the arms of the local governments to do what they want.

There's a higher profit margin when you can come in and be one of the biggest enterprises / employers in the area (even if it is low income jobs) and use that to leverage local legislation in your favor.

In New England casinos are a rare enough commodity that people will come to them no matter where you put them.

Also, putting a casino in the middle of nowhere locks your customers in. If someone came to the "Oxford Casino" they're going to catch a show at the Oxford Casino, going to eat dinner at the Oxford Casino. Somewhere like Portland, they're more likely to go spend their money elsewhere, particularly if they're losing at the tables.

-w

 

[Greg]

Lot's of Conneticut people on this board-I'd be curious to hear your experiences if any with casinos down there. I don't mind them so much so long as the drinks are free.

The casinos are a blast. We went a lot more soon after college. Now once every couple years or so. We saw Billy Joel a few months back at Mohegan Sun and we got there early and played a bit. I'm a roulette man mostly, but I'll play some blackjack from time to time. The trick is to go with X number of dollars fully expecting to lose it all as an "entertainment fee.". If you come home with anything, you're ahead. And yeah, fill up on drinks while there.

 

[Glenn]

Another non gambler...just doesn't float my boat. I'd rather drop money on beer when at a casino: That always has a nice payback.

They've done a lot for the local economy down in that area; mainly jobs. The casinos employee a huge ammount of people. Not to mention the constant expanding they do and construction jobs that creates.

Downside? The way the state handles the money. This was billed as a way to lower taxes and all of CT residents would see our taxes or even property taxes go down. Hasn't happened because Hartford spends like a bunch of drunken sailors. But I suppose that's another thread entirely. :-o

 

[snoseek]

The casinos are a blast. We went a lot more soon after college. Now once every couple years or so. We saw Billy Joel a few months back at Mohegan Sun and we got there early and played a bit. I'm a roulette man mostly, but I'll play some blackjack from time to time. The trick is to go with X number of dollars fully expecting to lose it all as an "entertainment fee.". If you come home with anything, you're ahead. And yeah, fill up on drinks while there.

We have a casino town about 20 miles up into the mtns from here. I go there every so couple of months as a night out. The rule of thumb is drink fast and gamble slow.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I stay away from casinos because I love to gamble..I used to flip quarters for money with this old guy at the bar..fun fun fun

 

[Edd]

Don't gamble but I think the resorts are out of line. Jobs near the mountains can be hard to come by.

 

[bvibert]

The CT casinos don't really directly impact my life one way or the other so I don't really care. It is kind of cool that they give this state some notoriety for something...

 

[bvibert]

So how many big casinos can New England economically accommodate?

Good question, I was just wondering that myself.

 

[deadheadskier]

So how many big casinos can New England economically accommodate?

37

 

[WJenness]

37

Strange, my calculations came up with 36. How'd you fit the last one in?

-w

 

[deadheadskier]

Strange, my calculations came up with 36. How'd you fit the last one in?

-w

economic casino studies recommend always rounding up. 36.51 is the true number, but nobody would want .51 of a Casino

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

So how many big casinos can New England economically accommodate?

Alot more..Atlantic City is hurting for certain..with all the PA casinos and the Foxwoods and Mohegan sun

 

[wa-loaf]

So Sanford didn't work out so Oxford is the next stop? Why don't they pick a major tourist destination like Portland area instead of these lower-income rural areas?

There is a stock car track in Oxford. That's a pretty big attraction in Maine and NH.

37

Wow, you know your stuff.

 

[deadheadskier]

There is a stock car track in Oxford. That's a pretty big attraction in Maine and NH.

Oxford Plains Speedway....site of one of the finest Grateful Dead performances of the 80's 7-2/3-88 :grin:

sadly, I was too young at the time to attend, but my brother made it. The town pretty much unanimously voted to not allow the band back despite the millions of dollars in economic impact the event generated for the area :lol:

.....us deadheads, always being mis-understood :lol:

 

[Johnskiismore]

Oxford Plains Speedway....site of one of the finest Grateful Dead performances of the 80's 7-2/3-88 :grin:

sadly, I was too young at the time to attend, but my brother made it. The town pretty much unanimously voted to not allow the band back despite the millions of dollars in economic impact the event generated for the area :lol:

.....us deadheads, always being mis-understood :lol:

I went to the first show, a memorable experience!