Ocean Legislators Want County Considered For Casinos, Too

Ocean County legislators are calling for discussions on a proposed state constitutional amendment to allow casinos outside Atlantic City to include the county, according to a report.

Three state Assembly Democrats from Bergen, Essex, and Hudson counties introduced the proposed constitutional amendment to allow three casinos in their respective counties on Monday, according to NJ.com.

On Tuesday, state Sens. James Holzapfel, whose district represents Brick, Toms River and Manchester among its 10 towns, and Sen. Robert Singer, whose district includes Lakewood and Jackson, called for the amendment to include Ocean County as well. Both are Republicans.

“Many Ocean County residents have lost jobs from the decline of gaming in Atlantic City and the county should certainly be one of the first locations considered for any expanded gaming,” Holzapfel said.

“Before this matter is put on a ballot for a vote or any gaming expansion is limited to one specific location we need to make sure residents across the state are given the opportunity to weigh in and hear how expanded gaming could benefit or impact their community,” Singer said.

Northern New Jersey lawmakers argue that a casino in that part of the state would not take business away from Atlantic City because casinos in Pennsylvania and New York have already done that. But it would be harder to make that argument for Ocean County, parts of which are as little as a 40-minute drive from Atlantic City.

Read more on the issue here.

(Slot machine photo by Jeff Kubina via Creative Commons)