Stephen Sweeney Offered His Own Plan in a 2014 Op-Ed Article
New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney spoke out against the increasing number of politicians around the state who are offering their suggestions for potential casinos sites outside Atlantic City. In a conversation with reporters, Sweeney twice described the crowd of people offering suggestions a “scrum” of lawmakers.
Though he hinted at the notion, Sweeney did not say whether a ballot initiative in the November election would settle the question of whether Atlantic City’s decades-long statewide monopoly on casino gambling would be ended. In 2014, Stephen Sweeney suggested that the state should have a casino referendum this November. He recently said that he believes 2016 would be a better year for such a vote, because a higher turnout is expected and that should give pro-gambling forces a better chance to win.
No Consensus on Casino Developments
Sweeney sounds like he believes the pro-North Jersey casino group needs time to gain a consensus, or else they could split enthusiasm by calling for a myriad of plans.
He told Philly.com, “I’m in favor of having a more thought-out public conversation. What’s happened so far has done nothing but harm the conversation, in my opinion.”
5 Counties Want Casinos
The various lawmakers have proposed many ideas. Officals from five different counties–includng Sussex, Middlesex, Ocean, Mercer, and Monmouth–have called for casinos to be built in their communities.
Private Companies Wanting Licenses
Also, the owner of the Hard Rock Meadowlands casino called a press conference to suggest his venue would be a good place for one of the North Jersey casinos. Then a rival operator suggested a Newark casino. Then a group supporting a $4 billion Jersey City casino-resort was announced.
All in all, it’s no wonder Sweeney called the rush for a casino plan a “free-for-all”. Such jockeying for position is likely to turn off voters, who are likely to see the various proposals as a greedy scramble for the most lucrative casino developments on the east coast. A North Jersey casino would be within miles of 10 million New Yorkers and the millions of tourists who visit the city each year.
November Referendum Deadline
The deadline for having a ballot initiative is August 3, but the process requires a much shorter time frame. Any such proposal would need a public hearing, and then a 3/5ths majority vote in both the New Jersey Senate and Assembly. Also, the summer legislative session ends on June 30, so the bill likely would need to be passed within the next two weeks. That is not likely to happen, especially since Stephen Sweeney is not in-support of it.
Stephen Sweeney reiterated that point to the gaming media in recent days. He said people were being unrealistic when they thought a new casino initiative could make it through committee in a matter of days.
No Vote without Proper Vetting
Sweeney told North Jersey media sources, “To say we’re going to have a discussion on this now in a week, or two weeks, without really vetting it? Everyone has a right to [introduce] legislation, but this issue is too important to not get it right.”
Stephen Sweeney is the gatekeeper when it comes to legislation in the State Senate. If he is saying the bill has little chance to pass muster this year, he knows what he’s talking about. Any North Jersey casino initiative is going to take place in 2016, it would seem.
Chris Christie’s 2016 Statement
The 2016 date makes sense for another reason: Governor Chris Christie has said he would veto any gaming bill which placed a casino outside of Atlantic City if it came before him in a 5-year time span, between February 2011 and February 2016. Gov. Christie wanted to give Atlantic City five years to get its affairs in order and turn their economic fortunes around, so he imposed his own 5-year moratorium on such discussions.
Those 5 years are almost complete, but Atlantic City finds itself in a far worse position than it was in even in 2011, when the Global Recession was still affecting everything. In 2014, four of Atlantic City’s twelve casinos closed their doors. A fifth casino, the Trump Taj Mahal, was saved at the 11th hour by Carl Icahn, who loaned the business $20 million in order to protect an early $280 million investment.
In the end, everyone agrees that the Atlantic City casino industry is in free fall. What they cannot agree upon is what the best plan to help both Atlantic City and New Jersey would be, and they can’t decide when to implement that plan. Whether 2016 is going to be too late to get ahead of New York State on building a casino near Manhattan is anybody’s guess. The political reality is that 2016 is the year when the issue of a North Jersey casino will be settled.
