Atlantic City Boardwalk
Following Governor Chris Christie’s review of gambling in New Jersey, Democrat leaders are meeting to discuss Christie’s proposals. In July, Governor Christie suggested that the casino industry in Atlantic City was in urgent need of an overhaul. Christie’s plans for gambling in the New Jersey are based on a review completed by Jon Hanson, former chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. The review proposes that the management duties of Atlantic City’s casino industry should be handed over to the New Jersey government and also suggests that the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey could potentially be privatised.
Now, Democrat state leaders are today discussing Christie’s proposals, as well as their own ideas on the future of gambling in New Jersey. NJ.com, a New Jersey news website, has observed that while Democrat leaders at the gaming summit may share the same overarching political views, leaders to the north and south of the state are divided when it comes to gambling. In the north, legislators are keen to introduce gambling in other areas of the state and have also expressed a strong interest in saving the Meadowlands Racetrack from closure. To the south, some Democrat leaders are hoping to ensure gambling stays within Atlantic City. However, it’s believed the majority of legislators involved in the summit are hopeful that jobs at government owned racetracks in New Jersey, such as the Meadows, can be saved. The summit is the first of three arranged by Democrat leaders to discuss gambling in New Jersey and will finish this afternoon. Republican Senator Joseph Kyrillos, who isn’t attending the event, has criticised the talks, proposing that he is “not sure how constructive it is”.
