BANGOR – The barn doors won’t be locked and the horses won’t be gone thanks to a new renovation plan for Bass Park.

Penn National Gaming Inc., planned to tear down the existing paddock and racing offices, construct a building housing both units, raze four of the six barns, and eventually phase out all barns to make Bangor Raceway a “ship-in” facility.

The plan also called for grading the existing access roads and surrounding Buck Street half of the facility to build new, safer roads and parking.

After owners, trainers, and members of the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association raised objections about the plans to phase out all barns – saying an absence of barn space there and the surrounding area would force most to either move their operations south or give them up entirely – Penn decided a redraw might be in order.

“We met with the MHHA and for whatever reason, we were under the impression they were OK with the plan, but as time passed, horsemen complained and the MHHA aired their concerns,” said Jon Johnson, Penn National’s general manager for Bangor operations (Hollywood Slots at Bangor and Bangor Raceway/Off-Track Betting).

Their voices were heard.

“I think they were comparing us to New York and New Jersey, where they have lots of training facilities. Up here we have none,” said Mike Hitchcock, the MHHA’s director and trainer-owner of 20 horses.

The new plan, formally presented to the Bangor City Council’s business and economic development committee Wednesday, calls for a redesigned paddock/racing office building, the demolition of five barns, and building two barns that can each stable 100 horses.

The revised plan’s estimated cost increases by $1.2-1.4 million. That’s where the Bangor City Council comes in.

“The current plan calls for us asking the city to go halves on the costs of replacing two barns with us,” Johnson said.

City councilors Frank Farrington, Gerry Palmer and Susan Hawes attended the presentation and were receptive to the proposal, recommending it go before the full council.

It was welcome news to longtime harness racing proponents like Hitchcock and MHHA vice-president Timothy Powers, who also is also a Pittsfield veterinarian. The MHHA board of directors will take a vote on the plan “in the near future.”

The plan also calls for annual rental fees for anyone stabling horses at the new barns.

“We haven’t worked out all the details. They’d have to pay rent, year-round, but we would work out some kind of credit for days when horses are racing,” Johnson explained. “The rental would increase over a three-year period, the idea being that we want them to get financially able to absorb a higher rental charge.”

Construction begins this fall with the demolition of barns, the paddock, and racing office. The paddock/office building should be finished next year. The first new barn would follow in 2009, the second in 2010, and a new maintenance building/warehouse in 2001 – all alongside the track’s far turn and near the back entrance on Buck Street. The paddock/office will be located next to the grandstand.

Hitchcock, a vocal opponent of Penn’s ship-in plan, was very happy with the revisions.

“If we didn’t have the barns here, we’d have to move south. I’m from Caribou, but I moved down here because of the slots and the promises they made on how they’d help horsemen,” said the Hampden resident. “Penn’s very good to work with. We talked and they listened.”

McHale to the chief

Bangor’s George McHale was unanimously approved as Governor John Baldacci’s nominee to serve a second three-year term as Maine State Harness Racing Commission chairman.

The Maine Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry voted 8-0 to approve McHale and commission nominees Sidney “Todd” Bradley of Easton and Portland’s Mary Anne Martell.

Committee approvals must still be approved my a simple majority vote in the Maine Senate. Bradley would replace Presque Isle’s Norman Trask and Martell would take over for South Portland’s Ann Jordan.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 or at aneff@bangordailynews.net