Casino Gambling at the Meadowlands – Good Idea

Last night on the Late Show, I discussed how AC’s new marketing campaign is working out.

You would think by the number of hits the Visitor Bureau’s website was reported to have gotten that Atlantic City was in the midst of a renaissance.

Not so fast.

While it’s true that there were over 300 thousand new visitors to the website, I mused that of that number, how many of those visitors would turn into tourists?

And once they do, does that mean they return?

And even with all that, another report suggests that the take at Atlantic City' newest casino, Revel, is lower than expected.

Well, now comes this report that one state lawmaker is seeking to allow casino style gambling at the Meadowlands.

Ohhh, faaa!!!

As though a bright light had gone off in someone’s head.

We’ve been yelling about that for years.

But you know as well as I do it will never happen.

Not under the watch of Governor Christie, nor under the watch of his presumptive Democrat challenger and current State Senator Steve Sweeney.

According to this:

An Assembly committee will meet next week to discuss casino gaming at the Meadowlands, though they’re not planning to consider any legislation.

Assemblyman Ruben Ramos (R-Hudson), chairman of the Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee, announced this morning that the meeting is scheduled for noon on July 19 at the Hambletonian Room at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford.

“We need to at least discuss the potential for casino-style gaming in North Jersey and its potential to create jobs and economic growth and position New Jersey’s gaming industry to better compete against other states,” said Ramos. “Ignoring the fact the out-of-state competition exists is foolhardy.”

North Jersey lawmakers of both parties – including Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) advocate extending gambling to the Meadowlands, but Gov. Chris Christie and South Jersey lawmakers believe limiting it to Atlantic City is central to their plans to revitalize the shore town.

Although Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex) has introduced a measure (ACR53) that would ask voters to amend the constitution to allow gaming in Bergen County, any attempt is unlikely to get far in the upper house, where Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) holds sway and wants to keep it in Atlantic City.

So while this may all be a pipe dream…hasn’t the time come to wake up to the fact that Atlantic City should not hold the monopoly on casino gambling in the state, and that the Meadowlands would be the logical choice for casinos, similar to the ones in Connecticut, Yonkers, Aqueduct, and the Poconos?