Straub to reopen Revel as a casino; growing support for North Jersey casinos

A new poll shows increased local support for New Jersey legislators’ plans to authorize two casinos in the northern part of the state.

On Tuesday, Fairleigh Dickinson University released a new PublicMind poll that showed 50% of state residents polled were opposed to New Jersey amending its constitution to allow casino gambling outside Atlantic City, while 42% were in favor of the plan.

That contrasts with a PublicMind poll conducted seven months ago, in which 56% were opposed and only 37% in favor. PublicMind director Krista Jenkins said the latest poll suggested that the increased acceptance could have to do with the public finally hearing some concrete details on the plan from state legislators.

After months of wrangling, state legislators reached a compromise last week on a plan that would authorize two casinos in two different north Jersey counties. Both casinos would be majority owned by an existing AC casino operator and AC operators would receive a maximum of one-third of the state’s tax revenue from the new casinos. Each new casino would require a minimum of $1b investment.