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[NYguy]

http://jewishvoiceny.com/index.php?o...id=792&lang=en

Referendum to Expand Casino Gambling in North Jersey Seems Hopeless

by Hadassa Kalatizadeh
02 November 2016

The referendum to expand casino gambling in North Jersey is speculated to have a landslide defeat. Last year, New Jersey leaders in both houses of legislature pressed to place a question on November's ballot, asking voters whether to allow two casinos to be built in North Jersey. Currently, the state constitution allows casino gambling only in Atlantic City. Atlantic City was once the casino gambling mecca of the East Coast. Eager for a share of the tax revenue, neighboring states began opening their own gambling halls. Now casino revenues in New Jersey have tumbled by more than half, after climaxing at $5.2 billion in 2006.

As per the NY Times, analysts now consider the Northeast casino market as saturated. Between Washington DC and Maine, today there are about 30 casinos, racetrack slot parlors and tribal gambling operations, and there is more in the making. In the past two years, five casinos in New Jersey have closed amid the competition, costing NJ thousands of jobs.

Supporters of the casino expansion claim that Pennsylvania and New York have stolen billions of dollars in gaming revenue that should have belonged to NJ. They contend that building new casinos would bring back the money and provide hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild Atlantic City and finance other state programs in need. New York real estate tycoon Jeff Gural, who owns two casinos in NYS, is among the proponents for the measure, and for the marketing campaign “Our Turn NJ”.

Mr. Gural claims new casinos in North Jersey would not hurt Atlantic City, but rather tap into Manhattan residents and tourists heading to casinos in Pennsylvania and slot machine racetracks in Queens and Yonkers. Mr. Gural, who operates the Meadowlands Racetrack and hopes to build a full-scale casino there, contributed $5 million to the campaign.

Another notable supporter, who also contributed $5 million to the measure, is Paul Fireman. Mr. Fireman wishes to build a $4.6 billion gambling resort with a 95-story tower on the waterfront at Jersey City’s southern edge, near the 160-acre golf course that he presently operates. Unfortunately for them, the campaign has little chance of being passed and has failed to sway voters amid the state’s financial problems, the George Washington Bridge traffic scandal and ensuing lack of confidence in local politicians.

Opponents of the amendment warn that expanding casino gambling would be “another bad deal for taxpayers”, and launched the ad campaign, “Trenton’s Bad Bet”. Among the noteworthy antagonists, is Malaysian billionaire K. T. Lim who contributed $8 million to the opposition’s campaign. Mr. Lim controls the competing Montreign casino resort being built near Monticello, NY, and Queens’s Resorts World casino at Aqueduct Racetrack.

[chris08876]

IDK why they want to keep shitty Atlantic City alive. Northern Jersey has a much better market. Sure you can say the Casinos in Connecticut will steal some customers, but the fact that its right by NY, will draw many, many people. Both domestically, and internationally. Atlantic City is a sad excuse of a place. It's not a pretty place either. Leave the boardwalk area, and you'll know what I mean. It's like Trenton.

The region needs a Macau. Northern Jersey is it!!!

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by chris08876

IDK why they want to keep shitty Atlantic City alive. Northern Jersey has a much better market. Sure you can say the Casinos in Connecticut will steal some customers, but the fact that its right by NY, will draw many, many people. Both domestically, and internationally. Atlantic City is a sad excuse of a place. It's not a pretty place either. Leave the boardwalk area, and you'll know what I mean. It's like Trenton.

The region needs a Macau. Northern Jersey is it!!!

So, what's going to happen to Atlantic City? If the remaining gambling is cratered because of competition up north, it's the next Camden.

[chris08876]

I think its a risk thats worth taking. Let AC die, further boost North Jersey/NY/Connecticut, and I think the economic benefits will be worth it in the long run. Kinda a scorched Earth approach, but it's over for that area. I'd kinda like to see NY and Philly become the two hubs for gambling. AC is kinda an outlier that is decaying, has been for years, and now it's time to wrap it up.

[nyc_alex]

I voted against the Casino plan, as did my wife. I would love to see a 1000 ft development in Jersey City (even as a JC resident), but not as a casino. I'm not a fan of casinos all over the place. I don't care if my state loses out on revenue, it's a race to the bottom. From an ethical standpoint, I'm not okay with making it easier for others to throw away their money due to their own stupidity. I'd be fine with it if only people making 6 figures and higher went to casinos, but that is most certainly not the case.

[C.]

Originally Posted by nyc_alex

I voted against the Casino plan, as did my wife. I would love to see a 1000 ft development in Jersey City (even as a JC resident), but not as a casino. I'm not a fan of casinos all over the place. I don't care if my state loses out on revenue, it's a race to the bottom. From an ethical standpoint, I'm not okay with making it easier for others to throw away their money due to their own stupidity. I'd be fine with it if only people making 6 figures and higher went to casinos, but that is most certainly not the case.

Voting your conscience.

I too wish there could be a minimum income limit in order to enter a casino. It would not be constitutional, but it would be the right thing to do IMO.

[C.]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

So, what's going to happen to Atlantic City? If the remaining gambling is cratered because of competition up north, it's the next Camden.

AC is dead. dead. dead.

Why drive 3 hours from NYC when PA has a better casino just 1 hour away.

AC will be worse than Camden or Detroit.

[Crawford]

Originally Posted by nyc_alex

I voted against the Casino plan, as did my wife. I would love to see a 1000 ft development in Jersey City (even as a JC resident), but not as a casino. I'm not a fan of casinos all over the place. I don't care if my state loses out on revenue, it's a race to the bottom.

That's fine, but then don't complain about rising taxes, budget shortfalls, or slow job growth.

AC is dead and NY, CT and PA are all adding casinos at a furious pace, so blocking casinos in North Jersey is essentially approving the loss of billions in state revenue and tens of thousands of jobs to neighboring states.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by CIA

AC is dead. dead. dead.

Why drive 3 hours from NYC when PA has a better casino just 1 hour away.

AC will be worse than Camden or Detroit.

Borgata and Trop are still fun and good bachelor party choices for those in the area if you don't want to jet off to Vegas or fly somewhere. I've had good times. The rest of the casinos....not so much.

[C.]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Borgata and Trop are still fun and good bachelor party choices for those in the area if you don't want to jet off to Vegas or fly somewhere. I've had good times. The rest of the casinos....not so much.

Still - it's only a matter of time before better casinos open up that are closer than 3 hours.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by CIA

Still - it's only a matter of time before better casinos open up that are closer than 3 hours.

Not with a beach, though Borgata does not have one on premises. I think Borgata will remain profitable. Trop has a harder time despite having a beach if everything around it deteriorates into a slum...off-boardwalk, it's largely there already.

[C.]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Not with a beach, though Borgata does not have one on premises. I think Borgata will remain profitable. Trop has a harder time despite having a beach if everything around it deteriorates into a slum...off-boardwalk, it's largely there already.

Is a beach in New Jersey really a selling point for a casino? That can't be important to the masses.

[chris08876]

I wish this would get redesigned and the whole notion of gambling is not because of this tower, but due to the concept that the NYC area, and its proxies, is a much, much better economic engine for something like this to work in. Regardless of the design, a Casino will thrive here. And... can take advantage of the 60 million + tourists that come to the region, and growing. From all over the world and across the U.S.. There's also enough coked up wall street folk who I'm sure would love to gamble. Hell, they do it for a living.

[nyc_alex]

Originally Posted by Crawford

AC is dead and NY, CT and PA are all adding casinos at a furious pace, so blocking casinos in North Jersey is essentially approving the loss of billions in state revenue and tens of thousands of jobs to neighboring states.

Sounds like a prisoner's dilemma.

Originally Posted by CIA

Is a beach in New Jersey really a selling point for a casino? That can't be important to the masses.

Plenty of people go to AC and the wife/kids just go to the beach. That's definitely a selling point. Probably not a vital casino demographic though.

Originally Posted by chris08876

There's also enough coked up wall street folk who I'm sure would love to gamble. Hell, they do it for a living.

The wall street folk I know are actually quite boring. Could just be me.

[chris08876]

We'll find out if gambling is approved in Northern Jersey today.

[chris08876]

N.J. voters overwhelmingly reject North Jersey casino proposal

New Jersey voters Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to expand casino gambling to the northern part of the state, meaning Atlantic City will retain its four-decade monopoly on gaming.

The ballot question appears on pace to fail by more than 1.5 million votes, according to projections by the Associated Press — which would make it the largest margin of defeat for any referendum the state has ever seen.

It would shatter the mark set in 1987 when a plan to build a professional baseball stadium at the Meadowlands fell by nearly 500,000 votes.

With 93 precincts reporting early Wednesday morning, the casino question was failing nearly 78 percent to 22 percent.

The referendum, which asked voters to amend the state constitution to allow two casinos to be built at least 72 miles north of Atlantic City, was one of the more unusual ones in New Jersey history.

It sparked fierce arguments across the state, drew a record amount of spending among interest groups for and against the idea, and the group supporting the plan — Our Turn NJ — ended its advertising campaign more than a month before Election Day when polling looked dismal.

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http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf...osal_by_a.html

[C.]

This is dead and burred. If we do get towers, I bet they're only 40 floors or so.

[UTEPman]

Originally Posted by CIA

Voting your conscience.

I too wish there could be a minimum income limit in order to enter a casino. It would not be constitutional, but it would be the right thing to do IMO.

What a ridiculous thing to say. People should spend their money any way they like. Placing restrictions on people based on your own moral guise is an awfully high-handed way to approach life....

[C.]

What about folks with an addiction? I can't go to a pharmacy and legally pick up some prescription-strength painkillers regardless of how much cash I have in my pocket. This is done for fear of abuse.

I do support casinos, but I can see why some are apprehensive about letting them in for fear the compulsive gambler will bet the house and lose it all.

[UTEPman]

Originally Posted by CIA

What about folks with an addiction? I can't go to a pharmacy and legally pick up some prescription-strength painkillers regardless of how much cash I have in my pocket. This is done for fear of abuse.

I do support casinos, but I can see why some are apprehensive about letting them in for fear the compulsive gambler will bet the house and lose it all.

Most everyone has an addiction to something. It can be anything like food, sugar, sex, etc. Some are culturally acceptable, some aren't. At the end of the day, however, people should be able to spend their money as they see fit. We should look at ourselves as sovereign entities, free to experience life our own way, so long as it does not directly impact the lives of others (society) in a negative way. Otherwise, we're just a bunch of fools attempting to control people's behavior based on our own subjective views of the world.

But this is off topic so that's all I'll say in the matter