Staff Writer 

Every third Monday for the past six years, representatives from small towns throughout York County gather in Waterboro for what “12-Town Group” Chairman and Alfred Selectman John Sylvester calls “an informational session.”

“The issue it started about was the reapportionment of the board of directors for SAD 57, which represents six of the towns,” he said. “It didn’t take long before somebody said there were other towns out there with concerns and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get together. Sometimes we have an agenda, sometimes we don’t.”

One item on the “12-Town Group” agenda last week was to listen to a presentation by Scarborough Downs owner Sharon Terry, her attorney Ed Macoll – who both could not be reached prior to the Leader deadline – and former State Rep. Don Marean. Marean, a Hollis resident, said he arranged the meeting to help Scarborough Downs explore the option of abandoning their racetrack in Scarborough and building a new facility – a racino – elsewhere. 

“They were putting out feelers to see if they get any interest,” Sanford Town Council Vice Chairman Maura Herlihy said. “There were some good questions.”

Marean said including slot machines in a new racino would be key to its success, and a primary reason Scarborough Downs is considering the move. As was reported in the Leader in October and November, Scarborough residents defeated a proposed “Scarborough Village” racino – a $1 billion project including senior housing, industrial and retail space development and an estimated $8 million tax benefit to the town – in a 5,565 to 5,804 vote Nov. 4. A recount of the vote requested by Scarborough Downs attorneys in December changed the final margin of defeat to 240 votes.

“It’s a shame [Scarborough Downs] would move,” former Scarborough Town Councilor Sue Foley-Ferguson said. “They’ve been good neighbors, but it doesn’t make me sad they’re looking somewhere else for slots.”

Foley-Ferguson, a former member of “Save Our Scarborough” – a group that partnered with Casinos No! in opposition to the “Scarborough Village” project last year – said she would continue to oppose a racino in Scarborough even if it meant saying goodbye to taxes generated by the Scarborough Down facility. 

 “It might be a loss of historic value but not tax income,” Foley-Ferguson said. “Eventually that property will be developed and bring in taxes.”

Should Scarborough Downs find a new home, Marean said they would most likely disband their Scarborough racetrack. Scarborough Assessor Susan Russo said the 485-acre parcel where Scarborough Downs is currently located was valued at more than $6.5 million and the racetrack itself at more than $3 million – providing approximately $117,800 tax dollars to the town. 

Marean said a racino facility is more about preserving agriculture than promoting gambling. He said establishing a racino similar to Hollywood Slots in Bangor could help local horse breeders continue to do business, provide a new tax base, create up to 4,800 jobs and attract other businesses to a town. 

Gambling is, after all, he said, already rampant throughout the state.

 “You can go to any town in Maine and find a gas station that sells Megabucks tickets, they’re everywhere,” he said. “This isn’t something new.”

One potential hurdle for a building a new racetrack would be accessibility, Herlihy said. Unlike Scarborough, Sanford and many other York County towns represented in the “12-Town Group” are not close to a major highway.

“Our decisions affect traffic through Wells and Kennebunk,” she said. “It’s an extremely contentious issue for towns that are involved.”

Marean said he has already received calls from town officials interested in seeing Scarborough Downs become a part of their town, but declined to identify interested municipalities. 

Sylvester said the “12-Town Group” is expected to continue with regular meetings.