Staff Writer

 Opponents of the proposed Biddeford Downs say they want unbiased information from city officials before voters go to the polls to decide if a racino should open in the city.

Members of the grassroots organization Citizens Against a Bad Deal also are concerned about the city’s role in promoting the proposal and that it hasn’t been given proper discussion, said Ericka Wainberg, a coordinator of the group.

City officials, however, say they have provided opportunities for residents to ask questions and city money is not being used to promote the project. A public forum Oct. 4 at City Theater drew nearly 200 people from both sides of the issue.

Biddeford voters will decide Nov. 2 if they favor moving Scarborough Downs to Biddeford to create a racino and hotel complex. The $125 million facility would be located on Andrews Road and developed by Scarborough Downs Owner Sharon Terry and development group Ocean Properties LLC.

The proposal was first mentioned in public during the Aug. 17 city council meeting when councilors by a 7-2 margin approved putting the question on the November ballot. The council vote followed an executive session when councilors were told about the proposal and that it would be located on a city-owned parcel on Andrews Road, Mayor Joanne Twomey said.

Wainberg, who lives in Portland and grew up in Biddeford, said about 150 people are involved with Citizens Against a Bad Deal. The group uses Casinos No! as a resource for information, but depends on individual donations for money, she said. The group’s Facebook page had 52 fans on Tuesday morning, while the Yes to Biddeford Downs page had 353 fans. Casinos No! is a statewide group opposed to the expansion of gambling in Maine.

Wainberg said members of the group range from those completely opposed to gambling to people concerned the issue hasn’t received proper discussion. Opponents feel the proposal came about too quickly and behind closed doors, she said.

“You can’t tell me this wasn’t intentional; this was swept in at the 11^th hour,” Wainberg said.

Twomey said the council met in executive session on advice from the city attorney to hear the proposal and discuss the property where it would be located. She said there have been no “back room” deals or promises and the city has signed no agreements with the project developers. 

Twomey said she first heard of the proposal during the summer when she was approached about moving Scarborough Downs to Biddeford. At that time, Scarborough Downs had yet to partner with a development group. Once Ocean Properties was on board, the proposal was given to the council, which had a Sept. 7 deadline to put the referendum on the ballot, she said.

“I had nothing to hide, nothing,” Twomey said. “I don’t do back room deals.”

Wainberg said opponents feel there was a “clear bias” at the Oct. 4 forum and question whether those opposed to the project were given equal opportunity for comment.

“We believe we haven’t had sufficient balanced information,” Wainberg said. “Everything has a downside, let’s have an honest conversation about that.”

Twomey said she does not agree that information provided about the project is one-sided.

“The information is the facts,” she said.

City Manager John Bubier said the forum was held at City Theater in response to requests from residents for an opportunity to ask questions about the proposal. Council chambers at city hall can only hold 50 people and the theater seemed a more appropriate venue to accommodate everyone, he said. Staff working at the theater that evening were paid by the Biddeford Downs group the same way they are by any group that rents the facility staff.

Wainberg said it is “very clear the city and the campaign are acting as one unit.”

Responding to assertions from opponents that the city is spending money to promote the proposal, Bubier said the only city money spent was to hire a moderator for the forum. The total cost for the moderator was less than $3,000.

 Twomey said the city also rented a van to bring several councilors and city staff to Hollywood Slots in Bangor, where they met with employees and city officials. She and Bubier agreed it was an appropriate way to gather more information for Biddeford residents.

“People wanted us to do our homework and that’s what we did,” Twomey said.

Councilor Patricia Boston said she wishes she could retract her vote to put the proposal to voters because she believes information promised about the project has not been delivered. She said she doesn’t feel voters have the information they need to make an informed decision about the project.

“This isn’t something people can try and then retract. People need to be very cautious about the significance of their ballot on Nov. 3,” Boston said.

Boston, along with Councilors Jim Emerson and Clement Fleurent, submitted a resolution to use no public funds for the project. The proposal was on the agenda for the Tuesday council meeting, which took place after the Courier’s publication deadline. If approved, the measure would prohibit the use of tax increment financing or any public funds for the development, land acquisition and construction of the project.

Boston said she, Fleurent and Emerson have asked for another public meeting “to present a more balanced view.” She said Twomey declined to put the meeting on the council agenda, but Twomey said she is not opposed to having another meeting.

Citizens Against a Bad Deal currently is circulating a petition for another meeting on or before Oct. 27. Wainberg said opponents also were planning to attend Tuesday’s council meeting to speak during the public comment section.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.