Bangor Raceway to open New amenities will highlight 122nd harness season

Bangor Raceway’s 122nd season, which opens tonight at 7:30, will feature one more race date than its 121st as well as some added amenities which will create short-term inconveniences and long-term benefits.

“There’s an awful lot of construction activity going on over there,” said Fred Nichols, who’s serving his 12th year as Bangor Raceway’s general manager. “They’re building an entirely new kitchen and all kinds of batting and lattice work is going on, as well as painting. I would say hopefully by the third week of June it should all be done.”

In the meantime, the construction will create a shortage of parking spaces, some minor aesthetic clutter, and some detours on the Bass Park racing grounds. Construction, which will be ongoing through June, will be suspended on the weekends to accommodate the Friday-Saturday-Sunday racing schedule.

This month’s heavy rains will also create difficulties as the grounds are soggy and much softer than raceway officials would like.

“We have a tow truck in the infield that’s parked behind the grandstand. We use it to display the odds board, but we can’t get it out there because the grounds are too wet right now,” Nichols said.

Today is the first of 28 race dates at Bangor this season, which runs through July 24. As has been the case since 1993, there are no weeklong racing blocks. In fact, the only exception to Bangor’s Friday-Sunday scheduling template is the first week in July, when a special Monday night program has been added (6:30 p.m. start time) for the Fourth of July. Sunday post times are 1:30 p.m. and all others are 7:30 p.m. Admission is free.

The total handle, or total betting revenue for the track, increased 121/2 percent last season and Nichols is optimistic it will go up again this year.

“I hope so, although the weather may have an effect on that,” he said.

Nichols is excited about the changes in the works for the raceway, especially the new restaurant, which will add more upscale appeal. It’s scheduled to open in July.

“It’s going to be the equivalent of a Class A restaurant. There will be table service and it will offer a better dining experience,” Nichols explained. “We’re going more upscale and moving from ballpark food to more of an overall dining experience, but if you want a burger or a dog, you’ll still be able to get it.”

Nichols is even more excited about the longer-term prospects and plans for the facility once a new “racino” is built on the grounds.

The new facility will combine the raceway with a slot machine casino and – with state and municipal government approval – an off-track betting parlor. If today’s license hearing before the Maine Racing Commission at the Augusta Civic Center is successful, Nichols estimates they can have the OTB facility up and running in late June.

Currently, Bangor’s lone off-track betting facility (Miller’s OTB) is located at the rear of the site of the former Miller’s Restaurant.

If you haven’t been to Bangor Raceway in at least a couple of years, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised, said Nichols.

“It’ll be a significant difference because we spent a lot on amenities last year like carpeting, interior heating and air conditioning, artwork, and a lot of it is enclosed now,” he said.