RACING TO CONFUSE

The Brewer City Council this morning is expected to decide whether to put a question on the November ballot asking residents whether they approve of slot machines at harness racing facilities. The councilors have only had only days to decide whether to support the referendum vote. That is one reason why they should reject the request from Capital 7 LLC.

Another is that the Nevada company has long been in negotiation with the city of Bangor to build a racino – a combination horse racing track and casino – at Bass Park, home to an existing harness racing track. Now, while in the midst of negotiations with Bangor officials on the terms of development agreement, the company earlier this week announced it had paid for an option on a tract of land in Brewer. The company, which has scarcely been available to the media, says it now must work with Brewer in case a deal with Bangor can’t be reached.

Brewer councilors should refuse to be party to this game. Capital 7 should complete its negotiations with Bangor, which city officials say are very close to completion. In fact, the framework for an agreement will be presented to the city’s strategic issues committee on Monday. The process in Bangor should not be undercut by Capital 7’s fears that it may not get as good a deal as it wants. Nor should the company sway the process by threatening to go to Brewer where it hopes to negotiate more favorable terms.

Neither city should have been put in this position, but to their credit, officials in both have cooperated with one another, and Brewer officials stress they are not trying to steal a deal from Bangor. If it is good for the region, they say, then it should go in the best location, no matter what side of the river it is on.

Further reason to reject the request for a referendum vote in Brewer is that is raises false expectations there while negating the wishes of Bangor voters who endorsed the racino concept by a vote of 57 percent to 43 percent in June, although their vote did not bind the city to work with Capital 7. The racino concept must also be approved by voters statewide on Nov. 4. Brewer councilors and voters should not now be asked to hurry up and also vote on this issue.