Bangor, Maine Celebrates Hollywood Slots' First Birthday

Banger Maine's only active casino, Hollywood Slots, celebrated its one year birthday on November 4, 2006 and the effects of a year of Maine having a gambling parlor have only been positive, according to many.

Hollywood Slots has had a successful start, said Jon Johnson, general manager of the facility which is owned by Pennsylvania Company, Penn National Gaming. The slots parlor employs more than 130 people and it is keeping money in Maine that otherwise might go to out-of-state casinos, according to Johnson.

When the casino was borne a year ago many showed concern that crime would rise in Bangor as a result, however, that has been proven to be a fallacy.

Deputy Police Chief of Bangor, Maine, Peter Arno has reported that his station has received less than 100 calls to the slots parlor since it opened and of the 80 or so calls, most were because of fender benders in the parking lot or to detain a few drunks for disorderly conduct.

"From our perspective, we would say that Hollywood Slots has had little impact on crime," Arno said.

A group called 'No Slots in ME!' has attempted to collect signatures to outlaw the approved slots, but it appears to be far short of the 50,000 signatures it needs to be get their concerns onto a ballot.

The majority opinion appears to desire the opposite of what the No slots in ME! group desires, and that is an expansion of gambling in Maine. There are tentative plans for expansion, however, state officials are waiting longer to see the true effects of Hollywood Slots on Bangor.

November 6, 2006
Posted By Larry Rutherford
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com    Previous Page | Internet Gambling | Top Online Casinos | Submit News!