Atlantic County GOP Goes to War against North Jersey Casino Push

While state legislative Democrats ramp up the chatter to turn northern Jersey into the state's next gambling mecca, Atlantic County Republicans launch a counter-offensive.

Party operatives have begun handing out free bumper stickers bearing the legend "Stop North Jersey Casinos! Nothing Is Inevitable" to everyone who "likes" the party's Facebook page.

They'll also send them to e-mailers to info@acrepublicans.org.

Advocates for the northward shift view likely spots as the Meadowlands and even coastal Jersey City, pointing to the proximity to New York City, abundant mass transit, a teeming population, and increasing affluence in environs such as Hoboken.

But the GOP in Atlantic County contends that those points overlook market saturation that has shrunk gaming in Atlantic City.

"This year Massachusetts voters are going to consider repealing legalized gambling," party Chairman Keith Davis said in a prepared statement, "but New Jersey is going to consider adding more gaming markets? It's pure lunacy and will only hurt the one viable gaming market we have, Atlantic City, killing state jobs and hurting state revenues."

Vice Chair Rosalie Baker characterized the north Jersey push as "empty promises," emphasizing that it would wreck Atlantic City's ability to draw potential buyers for recently shuttered casinos. 

"No promises of future subsidies for Atlantic City based on rosy projections from casinos that don't exist will make up for the jobs that would be lost here," she said.

Davis is challenging Democrats to enter into a bipartisan effort to protect Atlantic City's remaining casinos, rather than initiate an intrastate gaming war.