Taj Mahal Casino's Closing Could Hurt Anti-Casino Groups' Campaigns Against Expansion

The group opposing building two casinos in North Jersey may have been dealt a big blow with the announced closing of another Atlantic City casino less than a month before a referendum on the subject goes out to voters.

The planned Oct. 10 closing of the Trump Taj Mahal casino comes less than a month before voters will go to the polls to decide whether to authorize two new casinos to within arm's reach of New York City.

Related: Bill Allowing Casinos In North Jersey Approved

Proponents of the referendum claim that Atlantic City's eight remaining casinos are already losing millions of dollars to casinos in nearby Pennsylvania and Connecticut. The Taj Mahal's closing would leave Atlantic City with seven casinos. Opponents of the plan say that it is necessary to have as many casinos in Atlantic City as possible, the Associated Press reported.

Related: Coalition Formed To Stop North Jersey Casinos From Being Built

Two groups have come out against the plan.

Trenton's Bad Bet and No North Jersey Casinos Coalition are collections of concerned community leaders, unions, businesses, and residents who oppose the referendum. The groups included Atlantic City-area businesses, leaders, and interests.

Joe Kelly, president of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber, Monday endorsed the group's efforts.

“New Jersey government has a long record of saying one thing and doing another,” said Bill Cortese, executive director of Trenton’s Bad Bet. “Perhaps one of the clearest examples of this is in the area of transportation. Today, thousands of transportation projects are sidelined and communities are at a standstill as our roads and infrastructure continue to go neglected despite Trenton’s promises.”

A recent Mommouth University poll showed that 48 percent of New Jersey residents support and 48 percent oppose the plan.

The referendum would require any North Jersey casino would need to be built by a company that already has a 51 percent share in an Atlantic City casino and invest $1 billion in the project.

Jersey City, the Meadowlands, and Newark are the most likely landing spots for the North Jersey casinos.

Sen. Paul Sarlo represents the Meadowlands told the Associated Press that the Taj Mahal's closing should be a "wake-up call for Atlantic City officials to take advantage of the benefits of casino expansion."

Atlantic City could receive $200 million annually in tax revenues from North Jersey casinos, according to the Associated Press.

Sarlo said the city has the opportunity "and the ability to become a destination report that doesn't rely on casinos alone."

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