Oxford Casino Wraps Up First Week With Excited Maine Residents

The Oxford Casino has been a source of controversy since the idea of a new casino in Maine was conceived by lawmakers. This weekend, the legislators that passed the law allowing the new casino were rejoicing over the attendance from the first week of the new gaming facility.

Officials from Oxford Casino were busy roaming the gaming floor Sunday afternoon, excited about the possibilities that the new casino can bring to Oxford. The officials believe this week was just a small indication of how large the turnout can be in an area that has been starving for casino gambling.

"It wasn't exactly like walking into the Taj Mahal," said Maine resident Brittany Burns. "But it was something that us Mainers can call home. I thought the people were friendly, and obviously the machines were spinning at full capacity, so that can only help the city moving forward."

The town expects to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue from the new casino. Opponents had debated whether the tax revenue would be enough of a substitute for the additional crime the casino could bring, but pro-gaming lawmakers foiled that argument by pointing to the dozens of casinos that have opened in the Northeast in recent years. Crime has not increased by a substantial margin in either Pennsylvania or Maryland, two states that have expanded gambling at a rapid rate over the past few years. Pennsylvania has become the gaming capital of the East Coast, surpassing New Jersey in terms of overall gaming revenue late last year.

Maine was slower in bringing casinos to their state, but has made up for lost time over the past year. The Oxford Casino is not only expected to increase revenue for the state, it is also being counted on to help the local economy by bringing customers into other local businesses in the surrounding neighborhoods.

"This is a win-win for everyone involved," said Barry Goldberg, who was in town Friday visiting friends in Oxford. "We have a few casinos in Michigan and they have really helped the community. Casinos attract a large amount of people, that is a fact, and those people not only spend money at the casino, but also at restaurants, shops, and other businesses around the casino. I expect that same thing will happen here."

June 10, 2012
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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