Writing for NJbiz.com, New Jersey State Senator Raymond Lesniak again outlined his reasons for wanting the state to expand casino gambling outside of Atlantic City.
Lesniak is one of the state’s main proponents of expanding gambling and is involved with the fight to bring sports betting to the state and was a principal sponsor of bringing online gambling to the state. Now, as Atlantic City struggles in the face of out-of-state competition, he is calling for more casinos in the state.
“Many believe that gaming in North Jersey will cannibalize Atlantic City,” Lesniak wrote. “I disagree, and in fact, strongly believe that gaming in North Jersey will be critical to reposition the region’s economy by recapturing the billions in gaming revenue that currently goes to other states. With two sites in North Jersey, we can stop the stream of buses that are traveling to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which once traveled south to Atlantic City.
“In addition to recapturing lost revenues from bordering states, two North Jersey gaming sites, developed and marketed to the right clientele, will capture new revenue from the 55 million annual visitors to New York City from across the globe,” he said. “Two gaming sites in North Jersey have the potential to generate hundreds of millions in state and local tax revenue and create tens of thousands of desperately needed, good paying jobs.”
Lesniak proposed taxing the new casinos to provide about $100 million a year to re-develop Atlantic City as a full-scale resort not as dependent on casino gaming.
“We are currently taking steps to aid Atlantic City in this very trying time, but Atlantic City needs more funding that can be generated from the expansion of gaming in the north.” He said. “The North Jersey gaming sites must also provide opportunity to Atlantic City employees that have been laid off, and would like to relocate to North Jersey. It will provide a light at the end of the tunnel for Atlantic City and a future for its residents.
“Let me be clear, waiting any longer to allow gaming outside of Atlantic City will further depress the gaming industry in New Jersey and produce additional gaming sites directly across our borders in New York and Pennsylvania, which will make it hard or impossible to secure financing and begin to develop in North Jersey,” Lesniak said. “Once this happens, gaming in North Jersey may not be able to help Atlantic City and we will have lost a significant opportunity to grow the state’s economy and put our people to work.”
