Plans to Push for NJ Casinos Suspended

The media campaign backing the plan to put casinos in New Jersey has been suspended, according to reports.

The group behind the ‘Our Turn NJ’ campaign, backed by former Reebok chairman Paul Fireman and Meadowlands Racetrack chairman Jeff Gural, had released five video ads over the past month in a bid to put casinos closer to New York City. Both have proposed their own respective casino projects in north Jersey.

However, despite having received support from Garden State lawmakers, as well as Gov. Chris Christie, voters remain hesitant. Consequently, Fireman and Gural issued the following statement this week:

“We believe deeply that gaming expansion to Northern New Jersey is a remarkable opportunity that should not be squandered. We have committed $4 billion in private investment to this state to create world class resort destinations with gaming. The benefits include 43,000 new jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in recaptured revenue — a rare opportunity for New Jersey. In addition, as New York debates allowing gaming in New York City, it is critical that we beat them to market or risk losing this opportunity permanently.”

“The data, however, speaks for itself. The current political climate in New Jersey and voters’ concerns about the lack of details relating to the effort have proved overwhelming. Even knowing that an out-of-country gaming company that sends New Jerseyans’ gaming dollars to Malaysia is funding opposition ads does not have an impact. As such, with great reluctance we have decided to suspend the paid media component of the statewide campaign.”