Three N.J. lawmakers move to delay casino closings
State lawmakers in the Atlantic City area want the New Jersey Casino Control Commission to delay the planned closings of two casinos.
Sen. Jim Whelan and Assemblymen Vince Mazzeo and Chris Brown say the Aug. 31 shutdown of the Showboat casino and the Sept. 16 closing of Trump Plaza don’t allow enough time for potential buyers to examine the properties and arrange financing for a purchase.
The lawmakers also want the commission to keep the owners from imposing deed restrictions that would prevent the properties from being used as casinos in the future, Whelan said.
‘”We’re hopeful that the regulators will look at this and say, ‘You own these properties, they’re zoned for casino, they’re in the tourist district, they’re in the casino zone. It’s not appropriate for you as private entity to determine what the land use is in Atlantic City,'” said Whelan, D-Atlantic. “That’s the purview of the public sector.”
While this might not be the right time for casino development, the lawmakers said that could change and having more vacant properties along the boardwalk would be a nightmare for Atlantic City.
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