Casino Review Oxford, Part II

New Casino in Maine. Economic Development and 400 new jobs. Too bad New Hampshire doesn't have any leadership to do something like this.

So I've arrived up here in Oxford Hills, Maine to a brand new casino located on what seems like acres of farmland. I've been to every casino on the east coast and my immediate impression on arrival in the spacious parking area is that it reminded me of the Akwesasne Mohawk casino in Hogansburg, NY about 60 miles northwest of Burlington, VT.

I scan around the parking area all the license plates are Maine. No New Hampshire but the casino has only been open a matter of days. As I head inside and look at the new construction including an expansion slated to open in October couldn't help but to think of the stupid politicians in New Hampshire and how this state is missing a clear opportunity for economic development and jobs.

Thank you Mr. Lew Feldstein, New Hampshire Chairitible Foundation, N.H. Council of Churches and all you've done for New Hampshire!!!!

It's really nice inside it's got a lodge type of feel to it and though there are clusters of slot machines the noise isn't overwhelming like in other casinos like the Sands Bethworks in Bethlehem, Pa or even the Borgata in AC. They have a limited number of table games: craps, roulette, Ultimate Texas Holdem and several blackjack tables of various denominations. I'd imagine this will change with the expansion.

The two small restraunts are quality but I won't spend much time with food. The bar has about 15-20 seats with flatscreen TVs and video poker is at ever seat. This is where I spent all of my time and I ended up cashing four tickets $12.50 a piece my strategy was quite basic: hold out for flush draws and don't bet anything else except pairs an an uneven board as I remember the trips payout was 3:1.

For a small casino this a really good one. I think the expansion when it happens will give the casino some more depth which in today's gaming environment is needed.

Maine did a good thing by authorizing expanded casino gaming. Its too bad there aren't any leaders in New Hampshire that could do the same thing.

Sad.

Regional Economic Prosperity in NH.

It's ironic that a sense of regional economic prosperity in New Hampshire might have to come from nearby Maine as we are unable to do it for ourselves.

Sad.

This is a UTUBE video about the progress of the Black Bear Casino off 26 in Oxford, Maine which once completed I think will be the closest full scale casino to most of central and northern New Hampshire. I haven't calculated the mileages to Foxwoods, Montreal or the Turning Stone in Verona, New York but I think Oxford, Maine is still closer.

I think the Black Bear will do well it's already near a tourism based economy and it's not so far off the beaten path that it will build a market on it's own. There are anti-casino factions in Portland that are complaining of all the toll paying traffic that is going to come to Portland enroute to the Black Bear. Horrible isn't it all this revenue, taxbase and economic prosperity that will come into southwest Maine.

Take that Mr. Social Capital Lew Feldstein and the New Hampshire Chairitible Foundation!  

It's too bad the policymakers in Concord can't have any sense of vision to find economic prosperity in Hampshire. Instead it will go to Maine.