Passamaquoddy Tribe still lobbying for casino referendum

Thursday, April 1, 2010  

The Passamaquoddy Tribe remains hopeful after lawmakers in Maine voted to consider several gaming proposals.

Tribal leaders reached a deal with Black Bear Entertainment and Penn National Gaming to put three gaming projects on the November ballot. The referendum would authorize a tribal casino in Washington County, a Black Bear casino in Oxford County and table games at Hollywood Slots Hotel and Raceway, owned by Penn National.

Now there are two more proposals on the table. One would allow the Passamaquoddy Tribe (Pleasant Point | Indian Township) and the Penobscot Nation to operate slot machines on their reservations.

Another proposal would authorize a state-owned casino. Preference would be given to tribes who want to operate it.

“We’ve been at this for 20 years, and they keep telling us, ‘Wait a year, wait a year,’” Passamaquoddy Tribal Rep. Donald Soctomah told Maine Today. “It seems that Washington County is being forgotten, the tribes are being forgotten. This gives us an opportunity.”

Black Bear Entertainment came up with the original ballot question to authorize the Oxford County casino.

Get the Story:
Gaming proposals piling up (Maine Today 4/1)
House seeks deal on statewide gambling (The Bangor Daily News 4/1)