New Jersey Senators Introduce Amendment To Bring Casinos To Meadowlands, Monmouth Racetracks
The amendment would have to be brought to voters, and the rationale would be to keep tax dollars in-state and not flow out to New York
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A pair of New Jersey state senators see New York’s plans to possibly build a casino in Manhattan, and they are raising them a pair of racetracks.
State Sens. Paul Sarlo and Vin Gopal introduced a constitutional amendment this week that would bring to voters the question of whether to allow Meadowlands Racetrack — eight miles from midtown Manhattan — and Monmouth Park Racetrack to offer casinos.
“This plants a flag to send a message to New York State that if they open a casino in Manhattan, that New Jersey is ready to respond to the competition,” Sarlo said in a statement to Politico Pro. “New Jersey isn’t going to let gambling dollars in northern New Jersey leave our state for a casino in Manhattan.”
Since the dawn of legalized gambling in New Jersey, Atlantic City has been the only place where casino gaming is permitted.
This rosy proposal doesn’t come without a few thorns.
The more things change
For starters, a similar proposal was previously brought to voters in 2016, and they were not having it, with 77% of the public voting against.
Of course, much has changed in the ensuing nine years, specifically PASPA being overturned — making gambling more mainstream — as well as the New York casino proposals.
The New York State Gaming Commission is in the process of issuing up to three downstate casino licenses. Two are widely expected to go to the existing racinos at Yonkers (Empire City by MGM Resorts) and Aqueduct in Queens (Resorts World NYC). While both are not geographically far from New Jersey, they are certainly far away spiritually. In short: Nobody from New Jersey is schlepping out to Queens to play roulette.
But the remaining potential license could go to one of four Manhattan bids:
- The Avenir, on the West Side of midtown;
- Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Caesars Entertainment, which is looking to transform Times Square with a casino;
- The Soloviev Group partnering with Mohegan to build near the United Nations Plaza on the Upper East Side;
- A joint venture between Wynn Resorts and real estate developer Related Companies, which seek to incorporate a gaming complex into the Hudson Yards development on the West Side.
All four potential casinos in Manhattan would attract residents from north and central Jersey. Hence Sarlo and Gopal’s proposal, which might gain more traction than the 2016 shot.
Jeff Gural, the owner of the Meadowlands, told Casino Reports last month he’s seen polling numbers that show a majority of New Jersey residents would vote for a casino there.
