ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – Hours before year-end revenue numbers were to be released showing that Atlantic City’s casino revenues continue to decline, New Jersey lawmakers introduced a bill for a statewide referendum for expanding casinos to northern New Jersey.
State Senate President Steve Sweeney introduced a bill late Tuesday night that would authorize a referendum on two new casinos in the northern part of the state.
It does not specify their locations, but the leading candidates are at the Meadowlands sports complex in East Rutherford and in Jersey City.
The bill would send half of the gambling tax revenue to help redevelop Atlantic City. Two percent would be set aside for subsidies for the horse racing industry and local and county governments that house the casinos. The remainder would be divided among tax relief and programs for senior citizens and the disabled statewide. Over time, the percentage sent to Atlantic City would decline as the amount for seniors and the disabled would grow.
If the bill is adopted by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie, the following question would be placed on the November ballot: “Do you approve amending the Constitution to permit casino gambling in two additional counties in this State? At present, casino gambling is allowed only in Atlantic City in Atlantic County. Only one casino in each of the two counties would be permitted. Each casino is to be located in a town that is at least 72 miles from Atlantic City. The amendment would allow certain persons to apply first for a casino license.”
Expanding casinos to northern New Jersey is sure to further hurt an already damaged Atlantic City market. Numbers to be released at 2 p.m. Wednesday by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement are expected to show a ninth straight year of revenue decline for Atlantic City’s casinos. In 2006, when the first casino opened in neighboring Pennsylvania, Atlantic City’s casinos won $5.2 billion; in 2014 that fell to $2.7 billion.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
