A New York panel just approved three proposals to build casinos in New York City. Two of the selected companies have casino operations in Atlantic City.
- Bally’s will build resort at Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx.
- Hard Rock partners with NY Mets owner on Metropolitan Park.
- Malaysia-based Genting expands existing Resorts World casino at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens NY. Hundreds of table games could be up and running by March 2026.
Will this affect Atlantic City’s nine casinos? Experts say 3 New York casinos will cut into Atlantic City’s customer base, revenue and profits.
While local politicians warned about North Jersey casinos, all downplayed or misunderstood impact of gaming in the Philadelphia region, along with sports betting and online gaming.
Back in 2016, we spoke with Jeff Gural, owner the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, NJ. At that time, Mr. Gural was looking to build a casino at the Meadowlands in partnership with Hard Rock.
Listen to Gural discuss future of Atlantic City in 2016 interview.
Did Atlantic City diversify enough? The town of 48 blocks had a 40 year head start.
Since currently indicted (child abuse charges) Marty Small has been mayor, the city lost multiple signature events: Atlantic City Airshow, Miss America, Beach Concerts, AC Beer Show, and the AC Seafood Festival.
The BLM riots and business / public school shutdowns of 2020 sealed Atlantic City’s fate.
Does Atlantic City have unique features to compete with New York?
Stockton University researchers claim: “While New York’s properties will soon boast the same dining and entertainment amenities long been available in Atlantic City, they’ll never have the beach and historic Boardwalk.”
We wish that was true.
The Atlantic City Boardwalk is filled with homeless and illegal pot selling and smoking. And no, you can’t enjoy the beach and ocean view from the Boardwalk.
Why do we hide our greatest assets with mountainous dunes?
Even the Hail Mary pass of turning Atlantic City into a cannabis capital, now up in smoke.
Prediction: The weakest of Atlantic City’s nine casinos would close.
Three resort-style properties, just a few hours away, will increase already heavy, competitive pressure.
Coby Frier : Tons of talk about the demise of Atlantic City being brought about by the approvals of 3 new casinos in NYC.
I have news for everyone, competition isn’t going to kill AC, hell we have had competition from PA, De, Md, Ct etc, 3 casinos in NYC will not kill us. I will tell you what will kill us………. US!
We are working on our 4th generation of entitlement. Our hospitality is horrible, our offerings aren’t special, our roads are in shambles, our workforce is demoralized.
We are killing ourselves! We have strife in our government, businesses hating other businesses, marketing organizations that just beat their chests but have no idea how to market, unions holding forward progress and businesses hostage.
We really need to take a strong look at ourselves for “the demise”!
If you have gotten this far, great because here is where it gets good!! We have all the resources to save ourselves and be the thriving city we should have been all along!!
We have beaches, boardwalk, casinos, small family run restaurants, an airport, bus drpot, trains and major highway leading people to us. Hell we have 90% of the countries population within driving distance. All we need to do is look at ourselves and say we f’d up and own it. Then the fixing can start.
Change the roads. Form a true business association, not one self serving( we all know who I mean). Give “ clean up” grants to incentivize property owners to fix up their properties on our main streets. Even do facades to make it look like it is clean( think Rock Ridge in Blazing Saddles) .
Put the police back in power. Stop and frisk. If you aren’t working or you don’t have ID, no loitering anywhere!
The list can go on and on! You can add to it or subtract from it….. but at the end of the day… no one will kill us but us….. on the same note, no one can save us but Us!!
If you care to discuss this in person I will be smoking cigars at the only cigar lounge in Atlantic City, Tennessee Ave Tobacco Company……… or comment away!!!!
I agree with most of this. What we really need is a decent mayor. Nothing will get better until/unless this happens.
The police must be able to do the job as outlined but the attorney general has tied the hands of police. they are not permitted to take the actions outlined. It took the mayor’s Christmas parade to get the lighting of Atlantic Ave fixed.
What about all the other broken lighting. The streets are still horrible and the homeless are worse than ever despite a homeless czar with a salary of over one hundred thousand dollars.
It is much worse now. When are the residents of AC going to wake up and demand better government?
Probably never because of the population who loves the mayor and want things to stay just the way they are.
New Jersey lawmakers want to build a casino in the North Jersey Meadowlands.
Senator Sarlo said NJ should build “a world-class convention center and casino” there.
Constructing a world-class convention center and casino at the Meadowlands.
State Sen. Pennacchio: “New York is charging ahead with three new casinos while New Jersey sits on its hands and watches our gaming revenue drift across the river. A Meadowlands racino would be an immediate economic engine for our state, yet leaders refuse to act. I’m renewing my call for racinos because New Jersey can’t afford to keep falling behind while our neighbors eat our lunch.”
Hard Rock has a deal in place with Jeff Gural, operator of Meadowlands Racetrack, to build a casino resort there if it becomes legal.
A casino in the Meadowlands would take meeting and convention business away from Atlantic City.
Don Guardian: Atlantic City needs to be competitive as a tourist location. Must be seen as clean and safe.
Michael Suleiman: NYC casinos will hurt Atlantic City’s bottom line. Suleiman wants increase in public safety in Atlantic City too.
I agree Atlantic City needs a chance im in the parking industry in NY and NJ and are willing to work if change are made clean all the lots and do other ways to use them for parking
“Downstate New York casinos have been on the horizon for years,” said Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey. “We recognize this expansion will have a negative impact over time on the Atlantic City market, which makes our mission even clearer. We must accelerate Atlantic City’s transformation into a leading year-round resort destination.
Maybe start by unblocking the ocean view from the boardwalk. The one thing Atlantic City has over the others is the ocean and it is hidden behind much too tall dunes! LOWER THE DUNES.
Atlantic City will never achieve greatness as long as Marty Small is the Mayor. Currently in court over child abuse charges, Small and wife LaQuetta control AC’s $500m budget. AC has dark, potholed streets. Crime. Fewer cops. Homeless. Needle Exchange. Weed shops everywhere. Vacant stores. School system run by LaQuetta Small. AC foolishly blocks their most unique assets, the beach and ocean, with insanely high, un-needed sand dunes.
Pinky, you did more to hold Atlantic City back than anyone. You were against beach bars, open carry of Alcohol OH MY, boardwalk entertainers.
But your most brilliant idea was to license beggars so they could a beg on the boardwalk.
I’m sorry, but your ideas did nothing but hold Atlantic City back 20 years. Now turning over in your grave, with the weed smoking everywhere. RIP.
I agree with Pinky’s Spirit. But, in addition, follow the lead of Vegas. Put a Dome like structure in Convention Hall or on the old Playboy property. Funded by CRDA and some of the state mandated funds we are required to pay. We have to expand beyond the Beach and Boardwalk (four months) and give the visitors something to draw them in the winter. This kind of out of the box thinking would put us well ahead of anything NYC could do. We would have the best of both worlds and the State would have a significant ROI.
Yes The Marty Small trial should be held in Convention Hall and TV rights sold to Netflix with the Jury verdict announced on New Year’s Eve. Proceeds go to his daughter.
Reese you were right all along should’ve listened to you
AC biggest problems:
Marty Small
NJ State Govt
AC Govt
CRDA
Low income housing, unemployable residents
Cronyism
Tourism industry. Casino industry is not an industry, it’s a no skill no value added welfare system.
Construction, Real Estate can only generate benefit when there is value added economy not welfare mentality, socialist, government handout subsidization grab.
LaQuetta Small, ACBOE, AC voters, AC residents, Local 54, Bob McDevitt, Chris Christie, Bill Gormley, Jim Whelan, Jim Usry, Lorenzo Langford, Steve Perskie, Christine Todd Whitman, Jim Florio, Brendan Byrne, Sheila Oliver, Tom Kean…
Then move.