Saco council votes to schedule referendum on slot machines

SACO – A new City Council voted 4-3 Wednesday night to schedule a Dec. 30 referendum on whether to permit harness racing and slot machines in the city.

The outcome was a reversal of the council’s stance last month when it voted 6-1 against allowing residents to decide if Scarborough Downs can move its racino project across the city line.

The council’s action means that Saco and Westbrook will each hold a Dec. 30 referendum on the issue, raising the prospect that the two cities may wind up in a bidding war for the project that Scarborough voters rejected Nov. 4.

The Scarborough vote came on the same day voters statewide approved a law allowing slot machines at Maine’s two commercial harness racetracks – Scarborough Downs and Bangor Raceway – if the host community gives its assent before the end of the year.

Two new members were elected to the Saco council after its Nov. 18 vote against a referendum. The new mayor, Mark Johnston, backed the idea of sending the question to the voters.

Hours before the Wednesday night vote, Johnston said Scarborough Downs and its partners provided written assurances of conditions it would adhere to if it were allowed to move its operation to Saco.

The agreement calls for the racino operator to pay for traffic improvements, a sewer line extension to the site on U.S. Route 1, and a program to providing counseling to problem gamblers. In addition, Scarborough Downs agreed to have no more than 1,500 electronic slot machines.

The vote followed 21/2 hours of public comment.

Opponents of the racino said the Dec. 30 referendum date fails to allow sufficient time for people to weigh an issue that would have major consequences for the city.

Backers of the referendum maintained that residents should be the ones to decide if a racino is built.