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Fracture between North and South Jersey lawmakers over the future of gambling deepenes

The August 11, 2023, By Rodney Eriksen

The fracture between North and South Jersey lawmakers over the future of gambling deepened a bit more Tuesday with a letter sent to Donald J. Trump.

The letter was written by state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, the Union County Democrat leading the charge to overturn the federal ban on sports betting in all but four states and pushing for Internet gambling in Atlantic City.

"Dear Mr. Trump," Lesniak wrote. "We need a casino owner with vision and gravitas to propose a casino in the Meadowlands with a commitment to invest a percentage of the profits in Atlantic City to transform it into a tourist and entertainment destination.

"The Atlantic City casinos oppose this plan because it would take away business at their New York and Pennsylvania locations," the letter says. "Enclosed is the Lesniak Plan and a business model for Project Meadowlands. Go for it!"

Lesniak's exhortation is in direct opposition to a key piece of Gov. Christie's plan to overhaul Atlantic City: keeping gaming exclusively at the Shore. Trump, who owns three casinos in Atlantic City, had not yet received the letter, mailed Tuesday, but he was adamant about not allowing new competition at the Meadowlands.

"If gambling doesn't stay in Atlantic City, it won't really have much of a chance," Trump said in a phone interview from his New York office. "If they put something in the Meadowlands, it would really have a huge impact on Atlantic City.

"There has been such a huge investment from Wall Street and international investors that if you took the focus off Atlantic City, there will be no more investment in Atlantic City," he said.

When asked about the possibility of a Trump casino at the Meadowlands, the real estate mogul didn't flinch.

"I wouldn't say that something like that would not be successful, but it will be the end of Atlantic City," Trump said. "New Jersey has to focus on Atlantic City. Maybe someday down the road and the economy starts roaring back again, maybe. But certainly not now."

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