Hooray for Hollywood Special guests get a sneak preview of Bangor slots racino

BANGOR – Though Gov. John Baldacci did not attend because of another commitment, “Marilyn Monroe” and “James Dean” were on hand at the private party thrown Wednesday by Hollywood Slots at Bangor to thank some of the movers and shakers who played a role in bringing slot machines to the city.

Among those invited to check out Penn National Gaming Inc.’s newest gambling property in advance of Friday’s public opening were state and local officials, representatives from the state’s harness racing, horse breeding and state fair organizations, members of the local business community and more.

“They’ve done a good job here,” said George Pooler, who used to manage the off-track betting parlor that operated on the lower level of what once was Miller’s Restaurant and who has closely followed the progress leading to this week’s grand opening festivities.

“This looks as good as any casino I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to quite a few,” Pooler said.

Baldacci did not attend because he was scheduled to speak at the Maine State Chamber of Commerce annual dinner in South Portland, but a sampling of those who accepted the invitations were uniformly impressed by the glitz and excitement.

“I’m just looking around and enjoying this,” Peter D’Errico, a Bangor city councilor, said before having his photograph taken with a celebrity lookalike hired to portray Monroe.

The celebrity impersonators, who remained in character throughout the event, were some of the Tinsel Town touches featured during the gala event, one of the most posh parties the city has seen in some time, with a champagne fountain upstairs in [Burt] Lancaster Lane and a chocolate fountain downstairs in Frank’s [Sinatra’s] Hideaway, where a buffet with several chafing dishes had been set up.

As guests played the slots, sipped champagne and other drinks and mingled, uniformed Hollywood Slots employees circulated with trays of high-end hors d’oeuvres, including canapes made with lobster, salmon and roasted red pepper mousse.

The electronic tones and music that signal a jackpot win occasionally interrupted the cocktail chatter.

The 475 slot machines in the interim facility come in denominations ranging from 2 cents to $5, with a maximum jackpot of $20,000 for the $5 machines. Because the facility is a coinless operation, players insert dollar bills or paper tickets obtained through winnings into the machines.

Besides serving as a sneak preview of the facility, Wednesday’s affair also was a fundraiser with all after-tax proceeds to be divvied up among half a dozen local charities, including the area homeless shelter, a program serving victims of domestic abuse, and United Cerebral Palsy of Maine, which has been a Penn charity for at least a year.

“It’s incredibly important to be part of the community,” said Kevin DeSanctis, Penn’s president and chief operating officer and among several corporate brass who flew to Bangor for the event.

Though Maine’s foray into slots has been controversial to the point where foes tried to repeal the 2003 vote authorizing the machines, corporate spokesman Eric Schippers said Penn National has been well-received here.

“This community has been so supportive,” he said.

Among those who stopped by was Jean Deighan, a Bangor financial adviser who recently stepped down from the Maine Gambling Control Board after a year of service, a critical year because it resulted in a set of stringent rules to govern slots and involved several licensing-related background checks, including a close look at Penn National.

“This company was held to the highest scrutiny and passed with flying colors,” Deighan said.

Penn National Gaming Inc., Hollywood Slots’ parent company, acquired the former restaurant earlier this year to serve as a temporary facility. This week, the city authorized a deal with Penn that will allow the company to build its permanent facility on the south side of Main Street where the Holiday Inn and Main Street Inn now stand. Those buildings will be torn down and replaced with a gaming complex expected to be in the 100,000-square-foot range.

Kenneth Buckley, a resident and retired newsman, is among those who thinks the slots facilities will bring more business to the area.

“I can see a lot of spin-off [development] from this,” he said, adding that nearby Brewer also stands to gain.

Getting the facility ready in time for Wednesday’s event involved the entire staff of around 120 workers. Some of the last few days were occupied with outside landscaping and other changes. With less than two hours to “show time,” staff scurried around Wednesday taking care of last-minute preparations, including getting food and fresh flowers ready.

After closing today for final preparations and tweaks, Hollywood Slots will reopen at 10 a.m. Friday with a grand opening celebration that will include, among other things, a red carpet, search lights after dark and more appearances by Monroe and Dean.