Casino Backers Say They Have 99,000 Signatures

SCARBOROUGH (NEWS CENTER) -- Investors who want to build a casino say they have more than enough signatures to put the question on next November's ballot.

When they announced their plans to build a casino in the town of Oxford three weeks ago, the investors said they were hoping to gather 80,000 signatures by February.

They say they have already gathered 90,000, well more than 55,000 needed to put the question to voters.

In a small office building in Scarborough members of the investment group Black Bear Entertainment, have stacks of petitions signed by people from all across maine.

Even these backers of the casino plan were surprised at how quickly they were able to gather the signatures.

"We got almost 100,000 signatures in 20 days, that's unprecedented. We think its a record within the state of Maine. It just goes to show that the issue is still an issue people want to talk about", said Peter Martin, spokesman for the investor group.

The investors say their project will bring much needed jobs to Western Maine, about 1,000 over 3-years...and infusion of cash to the state, about $50 million a year.

Dennis Bailey of the group Casinos No! says it's the same promises we've heard before and Maine people have consistently voted no on casinos.

"We've had the debate. There's no new issue or wrinkle here to expose or to talk about", he said.