Atlantic City Casinos Ordered To Close
Casinos in Atlantic City were ordered to close shop on Wednesday, the latest casualty of a state government shutdown after the Legislature failed to adopt a budget by its July 1 deadline.
The Casino Control Commission ordered gaming in Atlantic City to stop at 8 a.m. Wednesday — the day after the July Fourth holiday — if New Jersey fails to enact a budget by then.
Atlantic City’s 12 casinos, which require state monitoring, have waged a court battle to remain open, and an appeals court was weighing the matter Sunday. There was no word on when a ruling would be made, courts spokeswoman Winnie Comfort said.
If the shutdown takes place, the state would lose an estimated $2 million in tax revenue each day they stayed closed. Republican Assemblyman Francis Blee, whose district includes the casinos, said it was important for them to remain open.
“We will have tens of thousands of individuals, real people, that are going to be hurt by this,” he said. “There will be bread-winners who are not bringing home a paycheck.”
Gov. Jon S. Corzine shut down nonessential government services Saturday after the Legislature failed to adopt a budget by its July 1 deadline, leaving the state without the means to spend money. Budget talks became heated this year as Corzine, a Democrat, proposed increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent to help overcome a $4.5 billion budget deficit.
About 45,000 state employees were furloughed Saturday. Corzine’s order allows him to keep 36,000 state employees working without pay. Services such as state police, prisons, mental hospitals and child welfare were to keep operating.
The matter is scheduled to be discussed at the Senate Monday.