Indian tribe may expand bingo schedule

INDIAN ISLAND – Gaming opportunities may be increased at Penobscot Indian Nation’s Sockalexis Bingo Palace if bingo officials see a significant increase in interest with the arrival of slot machines a few miles away.

Although no decision has been made, General Manager Miles Francis said Friday that staff are doing an in-house feasibility study and will continue to explore the option of increasing the number of bingo events from seven to possibly 12 a year.

“We’re having two games this month, and they seem to be doing well,” Francis said.

Established in 1973, Penobscot High Stakes Bingo is the only high-stakes operation in the country that doesn’t have slot machines, according to tribal members. The arrival of Hollywood Slots at Bangor, that city’s new racino facility, provides an opportunity for those participating in high-stakes bingo at Indian Island to play the slot machines as well.

“I think Hollywood Slots will certainly benefit us,” Francis said. “Every Indian tribe across the country has slot machines with their bingo.”

The tribe wouldn’t have to get any additional approval from the state to hold more games, as they already are licensed for 24 weekends a year, he explained. If the change were made, it wouldn’t happen until 2007.

“There’s nothing concrete yet,” Francis said. “It’s certainly not going to happen this year.”

Hollywood Slots already is being mentioned in some of the marketing for coming events at Penobscot High Stakes Bingo, and Francis expects the Bangor operation will benefit his facility.

One example of the new marketing is the tribe’s coming New Year’s Eve event.

“We’re the only high-stakes bingo game in New England and Canada that’s having a New Year’s Eve high-stakes bingo. It’s a big, big event for us,” Francis said, noting that he intends to mention other activities going on in the area, including Hollywood Slots.

“I think the New Year’s Eve event coming up is going to be a big test on our out-of-state support,” Francis said.

Eighty percent of the bingo business for the tribe comes from out of state and Canada.

While Francis hasn’t contacted Hollywood Slots officials about the possibility of working on marketing together, there is interest from both sides.

“We obviously are interested in talking to various businesses about any kind of a cross-marketing opportunity,” Jon Johnson, general manager of Hollywood Slots at Bangor, said Friday.

Any increase in the number of games at Indian Island would be a benefit to the community, Francis explained.

Each time there is a bingo event, 600 to 700 hotel rooms are rented out in Bangor, in addition to business brought to restaurants and stores, he said.

Of the group who attended last weekend’s Christmas Party Bingo, about 500 were shuttled to shop at the Bangor Mall.

“It really benefits everybody, and if we can increase the number of games, we’re certainly taking a look at that,” Francis said.