Lawmakers eye amended version of casino bill

AUGUSTA – Maine voters deciding in November whether to permit casino gambling may have more than one choice on the ballot.

Several members of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee said Wednesday they may propose an amended version of the bill initiated by two Indian tribes that want to develop a $650 million casino and resort in Sanford.

The competing bill would require that a casino resort be targeted to an area of the state in need of economic stimulus.

The possibility that voters will have more than one choice in November came about even as a majority of the committee recommended that lawmakers reject the Maine Tribal Gaming Act, an action that would send the proposal to a statewide referendum.

Rep. Janet Mills, D-Farmington, said she would like the committee to consider whether to send voters an amended version similar to the Pine Tree Development Zone program under consideration in the Legislature. That program would give tax breaks to businesses in an effort to get them to settle in designated regions.

Advocates on both sides of the casino debate were cool to the idea of an amended bill, which would put three choices on the ballot.

Dennis Bailey of Casinos No!, the group lobbying against the casino proposal, said no casino is acceptable.

Erin Lehane, a spokeswoman for casino proponents, said her group does not expect an amended version to be on the ballot but remains confident that voters will approve the tribes’ proposal.