Bangor increases turnout Renovations seen as key to good start

Harness racing at Bangor Raceway is going into its fourth week of the season, and with increased attendance and plans to expand the number of race days, it shows no signs of slowing down.

“Through our first six days, which is almost a quarter of the year, we’re up about 20 percent from last year,” said Fred Nichols, general manager of Bangor Raceway.

Nichols attributes the increase in attendance to renovations of the grandstand and statewide media coverage of the racino referendums.

“[The renovations] have brought people out. … It’s the first time it’s ever had heat or air-conditioning, and now it’s fully carpeted,” said Nichols.

Last year, through a city referendum, Bangor Raceway became the only harness track in the state to be granted permission to install slot machines. Penn National, the company that owns Bangor Raceway, is currently in the planning process of applying for a gaming license.

Nichols believes that even though the racino is still in the planning stages, it is attracting people to the track.

“I think there’s heightened interest in racing due to all the publicity it’s seen over the last 12 months,” he said.

Currently, the track conducts races Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. However, starting the first week of July the track will also run races on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

The races attract people of all ages, from children to seniors, and of varying horse-betting experience, from beginners to old pros.

Christian Jilek of Brewer visited the track for his first time last weekend and had good things to say about the new experience.

“I bet one and lost it, but it was fun nonetheless,” said Jilek.

Attendance may be up 20 percent but, according to Nichols, the raceway has seen only minor growth in terms of betting, which suggests that people attend more for the atmosphere than for the gaming aspect.

Eric Bell of Bangor admits that the races are more about enjoying the atmosphere than trying to win money.

“Nice days out, it’s good to enjoy the weather… the people are great,” said Bell.

Bad weather, the Achilles’ heel of harness racing, has always been a problem for Bangor Raceway in terms of crowd turnout. In the past, poor weather has dropped attendance into the low hundreds, but with the new grandstand interior, this is less of a problem.

“Weather doesn’t affect turnout like it used to, because now people go inside and watch [on TV] where it’s comfortable,” said Nichols.

However, at the same time, Nichols points out that bad weather on race days is never a good thing.

“[Bad weather] never helps. People like to get right up there at the fence at the finish line,” he said.

Besides the expansion of race days to Wednesdays and Saturdays, the track also has special events planned for the summer months.

On July 4, the track will have a special 6:30 p.m. post time and spectators can stay and watch the city fireworks afterward; on July 11 the Anah Temple Shrine Parade will march around the track; and July 25, the last day of racing, the track will play host to the Paul Bunyan Pace. This race will be comprised of the fastest horses of the season, including some out-of-state horses.

“If a track record is going to be broken, this is the race it will happen in,” said Nichols.