Jobs are Centerpiece of Historic Legislation that Will Usher-In a New Era of Economic Growth for Atlantic City
(Atlantic City, NJ) – The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) joined members of the state legislature, labor leaders, Atlantic City stakeholders and small business owners from around the state in celebrating the new pro-growth, pro-jobs gaming reform measures signed into law today by Governor Chris Christie.
“These bi-partisan reforms will increase the competitiveness of the Atlantic City gaming industry, attract new tourism revenue and investment dollars, foster economic growth and jobs, and save millions of dollars in annual regulatory costs that will instead be used to promote and improve Atlantic City,” said Bob Griffin, President of the CANJ. “The long-term revitalization of Atlantic City begins today, and we are proud to be a partner in that effort.”
The legislative package, including the creation of a new tourism district, overwhelmingly passed both houses of the New Jersey state legislature on January 10th. It was led by Atlantic City-area representatives including Sen. Jim Whelan, Assemblymen Vincent Polistina and John Amodeo, as well as other state leaders including Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assemblyman John Burzichelli.
“Because Atlantic City accounts for one third of all tourism dollars generated in the state of New Jersey, and supports over 2,000 businesses and 100,000 jobs statewide, these improvements will have a far-reaching, positive financial impact into every corner of New Jersey in the years to come,” added Griffin. “The casino resort industry is proud of its proven record of creating jobs and providing critical funding for important government programs, but we know we can do more, and stand ready to begin implementing these reforms immediately.”
Other important business, labor and local leaders acknowledged that today’s bill signing was a historic moment for Atlantic City and New Jersey as a whole.
“The hundreds of millions of dollars annually invested in Atlantic City capital projects afford real opportunity for thousands of construction workers who can count on reliable, year-round work from the casino industry. The economic benefits of these reforms, which can bring more money and greater investment to Atlantic City – translates directly into more jobs for working families,” said Will Pauls, President of the South Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council.
“Hundreds of North Jersey businesses, including mine in Passaic County, count on Atlantic City as a major area with many customers essential to our success. I am excited about the state undertaking this revitalization project to make Atlantic City the great tourist destination it once was. Also, allowing my biggest customer to continue to be competitive in a changing marketplace matters to me, my employees and our bottom-line. This is a great day for business in New Jersey,” said Joe Gulics, owner of Alliance Business Systems based in Little Falls, NJ.
“Tens of thousands of families count on paychecks from the casino industry to make ends meet, and the bi-partisan agreement signed here today demonstrates that our elected officials understand the importance of these jobs, and the impact the Atlantic City tourism industry has across the state. We’re confident that these improvements will bring more jobs and more economic activity to an area that is in great need of putting good people back to work,” said Bill Mullen, President of the New Jersey Building and Construction Trades Council.
“This is some of the best news for my Monmouth County business since the recession hit Atlantic City. While we are one of the fortunate small businesses that has been able to weather the storm, we have been waiting for this legislation to help Atlantic City begin its rebirth as a vibrant tourist destination. It’s clear to me that by making our casino industry more competitive, it will have a positive economic ripple effect on hundreds of small NJ businesses like mine and our suppliers throughout the state. It’s a win-win across the board,” said Ian Goldberg, of Samian Sales, a small business that sells exclusively to casinos, based in Morganville, NJ.
“Our members are excited about the prospect of increased business as a result of these changes,” said Deborah Dowdell, President of the New Jersey Restaurant Association. “More visitors to Atlantic City’s casino resorts mean more hungry tourists that need to be fed at area restaurants, bars and other eateries, which in turn will help protect thousands of jobs at many restaurants big and small.”
CANJ is a not-for-profit organization which represents operators of New Jersey casino resorts. It serves as a collective voice for the industry and concentrates on the betterment of industry employees, government relations, casino-affiliated businesses and the casino industry itself.