Lawmakers Propose Casinos at Meadowlands & Monmouth Park

By | May 16, 2025

Should-there-be-a-casino-at-Meadowlands-Racetrack-Monmouth-Park-Voters-might-have-a-sayA renewed effort is underway in New Jersey to authorize casinos outside Atlantic City, with lawmakers introducing a bill that could put the question directly to voters. State Senators Paul Sarlo and Vin Gopal have proposed a constitutional amendment that would permit the operation of casinos at Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford and Monmouth Park in Oceanport.

Their legislative proposal would trigger a statewide ballot question, asking residents whether these two racetracks should be allowed to host casino gambling. The bill comes as neighboring New York continues to advance plans for a casino in Manhattan—a move that New Jersey lawmakers see as a competitive threat.

“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.

The proposal doesn’t specify when such a referendum would be held. However, Jeffrey Gural, the owner of Meadowlands Racetrack, suggested that 2026 may be the right time—after a new governor is elected and after New York’s casino location decisions are finalized. Gural, who led the 2016 campaign to bring a casino to North Jersey, said that initiative failed partly due to its broad wording.

“It was designed to fail,” Gural explained in a past interview, noting the earlier referendum could have allowed a casino anywhere in North Jersey, which caused local opposition. He added, “I think people don’t want a casino in their neighborhood,” especially in regions closer to Atlantic City.

Gural Favors North Jersey Alone, Monmouth Park Faces Regional Resistance

Gural expressed reservations about tying Monmouth Park into the proposal. He believes that including both locations may reduce the chances of voter approval, particularly from South Jersey residents who may see Monmouth Park as encroaching on Atlantic City’s gaming market.

“I think people in southern New Jersey look at Monmouth [Park] as competition because it’s not that far from Atlantic City. But the Meadowlands would really be competing with the casinos in New York,” Gural said on May 15.

To reach the ballot, the constitutional amendment must either be approved by a three-fifths majority in both the state Senate and Assembly in one legislative session or pass by a simple majority in two consecutive years.

Casino Expansion Raises Concerns for Atlantic City Operators

The idea of introducing casinos at the racetracks has stirred concerns among stakeholdersin Atlantic City. Mark Giannantonio, president of Resorts Casino Hotel and the head of the Casino Association of New Jersey, previously warned that another casino in New York City could pose a “threat” to the existing nine casinos in Atlantic City.

At a gaming industry conference last year, Caesars Entertainment CEO Tom Reeg and Bally’s Chairman Soohyung Kim echoed similar concerns, suggesting that New York City could divert potential customers from Atlantic City. Both Caesars and Bally’s operate properties in the city.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. also acknowledged the risks, stating, “We know that there’s a threat looming with New York.”

Dennis Drazin, CEO of Darby Development, which manages Monmouth Park, emphasized that the current goal is to initiate discussion rather than push the amendment through immediately. He also floated ideas such as limiting the racetrack casinos to slot machines and sharing revenue with Atlantic City to mitigate the potential impact.

“We thought the time was now to start a discussion — not to immediately pass a bill, but to start a discussion,” Drazin said.

Outlook for New Jersey’s Gambling Future

New Jersey previously rejected a similar proposal in 2016 by a large margin, but the state has since embraced other forms of gambling. Sports betting was legalized in 2018 and has since flourished. In 2024 alone, $12.7 billion was wagered, with $12.2 billion of that taking place online or via mobile apps.

Gural questioned the logic of sending local gamblers across state lines when New Jersey could meet the demand internally: “Why would anybody think it’s a good idea to force people to go to New York to gamble, when they could go to the Meadowlands and avoid traffic over the [George Washington] Bridge, along with tolls?”

Meanwhile, New York continues moving forward. High-profile proposals include potential casino developments in Coney Island, Times Square, and Hudson Yards, along with a $8 billion project near Citi Field in Queens from New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, which recently gained support from the New York City Council.

As regional competition heats up, New Jersey lawmakers appear determined to give voters another say in the direction of the state’s gaming industry.

Source:

Should there be a casino at Meadowlands Racetrack? Monmouth Park? Voters might have a say, northjersey.com, May 15, 2025.

The post Lawmakers Propose Casinos at Meadowlands & Monmouth Park first appeared on RealMoneyAction.com.

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