New Jersey, Massachusetts Voters Reject Casino Expansion
Voters in New Jersey and Massachusetts on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected ballot measures that would have expanded casino gambling.
In New Jersey, a ballot question permitting two new casinos in northern New Jersey was rejected by a 78-22 per cent margin. Though the referendum did not specify where the casinos would be located, the measure was pushed by Meadowlands racetrack owner and real estate developer Jeff Gural and had the support of the operators of Monmouth Park. A statement from Gural and co-supporter Paul Fireman, CEO of Reebok, said they were “disappointed but not surprised” by the outcome.
It was the most lopsided defeated for any statewide referendum in New Jersey history, according to NJ.com.
Massachusetts voters by a 69-31 margin rejected developer Eugene McCain's push for a second slot machine parlor in the state, to be located in Revere, near Suffolk Downs. Suffolk Downs did not support the initiative. Current Massachusetts law permits three casinos and one slots parlor in the state.
Rhode Island voters narrowly approved a measure, subject to local approval, permitting transfer of an existing casino from Newport to Tiverton located 400 feet from the Massachusetts state line.
Question 1, authorizing second slots parlor in Massachusetts, fails
Voters on Tuesday rejected developer Eugene McCain's push for a second slots parlor in Massachusetts, according to the Associated Press.
Question 1 would have allowed the set-up of the second Bay State slots facility. Sixty-one percent of voters said "no," while 39 percent backed the measure.
Under current law, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission is allowed to license up to three resort casinos and a single slot parlor.
Penn National Gaming operates a slots facility, Plainridge Park Casino, in Plainville, near the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border. The facility opened in June 2015.
At least two casinos are on the horizon: MGM is building a casino in Springfield, set to open in 2018, while Wynn Resorts is constructing a casino in Everett, just north of Boston.
But McCain, the developer, wanted to build a 1,250-machine slots parlor in Revere, despite voters saying "no" in a non-binding referendum in October.
He and proponents of Question 1 said it would bring jobs and millions in revenue to local communities. But opponents pointed to Plainridge "underperforming" in providing revenue as additional gambling facilities are on the way.
In 2014, Massachusetts voters rejected a ballot initiative calling for the repeal of the state's expanded gambling laws, 60 percent to 40 percent.
New Jersey voters overwhelmingly reject casino referendum
On the ballot, the yes-or-no question read: "Do you approve amending the Constitution to permit casino gambling in two additional counties in this ...
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61% of Massachusetts voters reject expanded gambling measure
Money raised by supporters of the casino question totaled $3.2 million, ... National Gaming, which operates the Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville.
New Jersey Voters Reject Expanded Gambling
New Jersey voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure to expand casino gambling into the northern part of the state that could have eroded ...
Tiverton Casino Question Passes Local Ballot
But Citizens Concerned about Casino Gambling, which has been battling against gambling in Newport for 35 years, held off the barrage of mailers ...
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