Delaware casinos reopened June 1. So did those in Connecticut. And Las Vegas threw open its doors on June 4, ending months of quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic.
After much hedging by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Atlantic City may finally be able to pencil in a date. The slots may rock and the dice roll by July 4 weekend, with the usual restrictions, of course.
“It’s probably still too early to give you a very specific answer, but there’s a lot of work going into that right now,” Murphy said during a radio interview. He said he’s spent a lot of time in discussions with casino owners and operators as well as workers, but still has his doubts.
“The casinos sort of have the attributes that are hardest to deal with,” Murphy said. “They’re indoors, no ventilation. You’re sedentary, you’re in close proximity. Having said that, they’re big footprints and we think there are successful steps that can be taken to address the challenges.”
Murphy continues to lift near-lockdown conditions put in place in mid-March. The state is currently in Stage 1 of a multi-stage opening process, with Stage 2 coming soon, including non-essential retail and outdoor dining. Murphy last week extended the lockdown until July 7 without mentioning the casinos or his previous July 4 opening date.
The number of coronavirus deaths, cases and hospitalizations are declining. On May 31, the state Department of Health reported 837 new positive cases of infection across the state and 64 new deaths, according to the Burlington County Times.
“We focus these decisions on the data,” Murphy said. “You can’t be swayed by emotion on something like this. As tragic and personal as these lives lost are, you’ve got to keep your eye on exactly what the science is telling us.”
Meanwhile, a pair of casino-related bills designed to relieve financial woes in the city has moved out of the Assembly Budget Committee. The Senate versions were referred to the State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee. But no hearings have been scheduled.
Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, a bill sponsor, said the legislation will help create a fiscal path forward for an industry decimated by the pandemic, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
“A path that will help propel us through recovery and one that particularly aims to see Atlantic City get back on track,” Greenwald said in a statement June 1. “More importantly, these measures will help bring stability for the thousands of casino and gaming employees in this region who face an uncertain future.”
One bill calls for temporary changes to some casino-related taxes and fees while amending the existing law concerning promotional gaming credits and their deduction from gross revenues. The second bill offers interest-free loans to casinos that have made their required payments in lieu of taxes to Atlantic City during the pandemic.
“We have to take these initial steps and develop a plan, not a bailout, to restart our local economy as quickly as possible,” State Senator Chris Brown said last month when the bills were introduced.
Steve Callender, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey and senior vice president of eastern regional operations for Tropicana Atlantic City’s parent company, Eldorado Resorts, said the initiatives were critical to ensuring the casino industry and its thousands of employees move forward.
