New Jersey misses deadline to put casino expansion before voters
State lawmakers failed to meet the deadline to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
US.- New Jersey lawmakers have missed the constitutional deadline to place a casino expansion proposal on the November ballot. That means no public vote on allowing casinos at the Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park until at least 2027.
Supporters have argued that new casinos in East Rutherford and Oceanport would help keep gambling revenue in New Jersey as New York moves closer to opening casinos in New York City’s outer boroughs. However, lawmakers representing Atlantic City have opposed the proposal, warning it would further weaken the city’s nine existing casinos.
Jeff Gural, owner of the Meadowlands Racetrack, said he was “disappointed and truthfully shocked” that the measure failed to advance in time for this year’s election.
To place the proposal on an election ballot, lawmakers need approval from a supermajority in both legislative chambers, or pass it by a simple majority in two separate sessions.
Dennis Drazin, CEO of Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park, suggested the Legislature’s focus on passing the state budget contributed to the delay, and added that resistance from influential South Jersey lawmakers has also slowed efforts to move the proposal forward.
Political analyst Dan Cassino, who heads the polling institute at Fairleigh Dickinson University, expressed doubt over whether an eventual public vote would approve the proposal as older voters, who typically make up a larger share of turnout, have generally opposed casino expansion. Surveys also indicate the broader New Jersey population has also shown limited support for new casinos.
