Former CRDA Director on Atlantic City Convention Competition

A proposed mega-convention center and entertainment/gaming complex at the Meadowlands poses a direct economic threat to Atlantic City across several key areas, says Jim Kennedy, a former CRDA exec who shares his thoughts at https://x.com/ACEconPolicy .

Meadowlands Convention Center plan slowly coming together. State has come up with funds for preliminary design: 300,000-square-foot convention center plus a 1,000-room hotel nextdoor.

Proposal also calls for a flexible 5,000–6,000-seat arena, along with structured parking.

Atlantic City has a 300,00 square foot convention center with an adjacent 500 room convention center Sheraton hotel.

The AC Convention Center plans to layoff 100 hotel employees and reduce the number of hotel rooms by half. They will be replaced with senior and low-cost housing.

• The Meadowlands sits in NYC metropolitan area. 20 million people. Large trade associations, corporate expos, and mid-week business travelers from North Jersey, New York, and Connecticut would no longer need to make the 2.5-hour trek to the Atlantic City Convention Center.
• Loss of Mid-Week Heads in Beds: Atlantic City’s economy relies heavily on convention and meeting business to fill its hotel rooms and restaurant tables from Monday through Thursday, balancing out the weekend leisure crowds. Siphoning off major trade shows directly depresses non-peak casino and hospitality occupancy.
• Trojan Horse for North Jersey Gaming: The push for a major convention facility at the Meadowlands is closely intertwined with efforts to authorize a North Jersey casino/racino. An integrated resort featuring both high-capacity convention space and a casino floor would break Atlantic City’s constitutional gaming monopoly in New Jersey, pulling substantial retail gaming and entertainment dollars northward.
• New York City Casinos. A Meadowlands complex would compound the pressure, cutting Atlantic City off from its northern feeder markets on both sides of the Hudson River.
• State Investment: A multi-billion-dollar state focus on developing infrastructure, transit, and facilities at the Meadowlands risks diverting state-level funding and marketing resources away from ongoing revitalization and capital improvements needed along the South Jersey shore.

Atlantic City Regional Economic Analysis – Jim Kennedy, MBA, JD

@ACEconPolicy

Jim Kennedy is a regional economic and policy analyst in New Jersey and the former executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Operating online as @ACEconPolicy (Atlantic County Economic Policy), he provides commentary on local taxation, casino PILOT programs, urban development, and regional economic stress.