BANGOR – City officials are considering adding outside legal counsel to their small stable of racino experts.

Earlier this week, city councilors agreed to hire Maine Tomorrow, a Hallowell firm specializing in government relations and lobbying, among other things, at a rate of $150 an hour. The firm will ensure the city’s financial and other interests are protected as state lawmakers review emergency gaming legislation drafted by the Baldacci administration.

On Wednesday, City Solicitor Norman Heitmann provided councilors a list of law firms or lawyers that might meet the city’s legal needs, given the virtual certainty that slot machines are coming to Bangor Raceway. The legal counsel’s role would involve helping the city determine its rights and obligations in regard to the anticipated change in ownership for Bangor Historic Track.

Heitmann said he planned to have a recommendation to consider in the near future, possibly as soon as the end of this week.

The governor’s 39-page bill, now under review by the Legislature’s Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee, would essentially replace legislation approved by voters last year in a Nov. 4 referendum that allowed slots at the state’s two harness racing tracks.

The emergency legislation, released last week, would allow the state to collect millions more in administrative costs beginning in fiscal year 2004, based on a variable percentage determined each year by state financial officers. It also would tighten licensing conditions and increase annual state licensing fees to distribute and operate the slots from $1,000 to $200,000.

As the result of an effort initiated by entrepreneur Shawn Scott and his development firm, Capital Seven LLC, city-owned Bangor Raceway is poised to become a racino, a multimillion dollar entertainment complex that would combine harness racing with year-round entertainment, including up to 1,500 slot machines.

Scott began the process of acquiring Bangor Historic Track, the company that operates the city’s historic half-mile oval at Bass Park, more than a year ago, and completed the purchase last month.

Under pressure from the Maine Harness Racing Commission to meet licensing suitability requirements, Scott last week agreed to sell BHT for an undisclosed price to Penn National Gaming Inc., a Pennsylvania-based company that holds gaming licenses in seven states and Ontario.

The transfer of ownership was expected to occur Wednesday; however, Augusta attorney Stephen Langsdorf, a member of Scott’s legal team, said the ownership change likely wouldn’t be completed until Friday.