Wrong Turn NJ’s Road To Implosion
Directionless Casino Expansion Effort Continually Changed Course In Epic Statewide Embarrassment For Jeff Gural & Proponents
Wrong Turn NJ “Grass Roots Effort” Morphed Into Failed Billionaire-Backed Ad Campaign:
Wrong Turn NJ Launched As A “Grass Roots” Campaign To “Raise Awareness Of The Billions Of Dollars That Can Be Recaptured And The Thousands Of Jobs That Can Be Created” If Casino Expansion Passed. “Our Turn NJ, a 501c4 public issue advocacy campaign dedicated to educating New Jerseyans on the benefits of expanding gaming to northern New Jersey, announced its official launch today. The campaign, through a wide range of grass roots public engagement and advertising tactics, will work to raise awareness of the billions of dollars that can be recaptured and the thousands of jobs that can be created by New Jersey if voters approve gaming expansion this November.” (Press Release, “New Advocacy Campaign ‘Our Turn NJ’ Launches,” Our Turn NJ, 8/3/16)
Wrong Turn’s Sole Funders Were Developers And Proposed Casino Owners Jeff Gural And Paul Fireman Pumped $10 Million Into The Campaign Through October. “The two contributed a combined $10 million to Our Turn, which has spent $8.5 million so far, according to its campaign finance disclosure, which was also obtained by POLITICO and is not yet publicly available. The group had spent an additional $1 million on its campaign, but that money has since been refunded, according to the filing … Our Turn spent a combined $6.3 million on media purchases, management and voter data services, according to the filing. The group said about $3.2 million went to television and radio ads, all through public affairs firm Kivvit.” (Ryan Hutchins, “Atlantic City, NY Casino Operators Have Spent $11M Fighting North Jersey Gaming,” Politico New Jersey, 10/12/16)
Wrong Turn NJ Launched With Polls Showing Even Race, Folded After Opposition Took Insurmountable Lead:
June 2016: 48% Of Voters Said They Would Support Amending The State Constitution To Permit Two New Casinos In North Jersey While 48% Opposed Casino Expansion. “New Jersey voters will be faced with a question on November’s ballot that would amend the state constitution to allow for two new casinos to be built in the northern part of the state. These casinos would be the first in the state to be located outside of Atlantic City. The poll finds that registered voters are evenly divided on what they will do – 48% say they would vote for this proposed change and 48% say they would vote against it. Democrats tend to be in favor (53% for and 42% against), while the opposite is true for Republicans (44% for and 51% against) and independents (45% for and 52% against).” (Press Release, “Voters Split on Casino Expansion,” Monmouth University Polling Institute, 6/2/16)
July 2016: 57% Of Voters Opposed The Casino Referendum While Only 35% Supported It While 8% Had No Opinion. “Thirty-five percent of respondents are currently in favor of a proposed amendment which would allow two counties in northern New Jersey to each have one new casino, in addition to those that exist in Atlantic City. The same number support casino expansion more generally when it is not tied to a particular amendment. Fifty-seven percent are opposed to the amendment and 58 percent are opposed more generally. In January 2016, 42 percent said they supported expanding casino gambling to other areas in the state beyond Atlantic City, with 50 percent opposed.” (Press Release, “Voters Against Casino Expansion, Support Transportation Trust Fund Amendment,” Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind Poll, 7/11/16)
September 2016: 58% Of Voters Opposed Casino Expansion With 35% Supporting And 7% Unsure, According To A Rutgers Eagleton Poll. “Voters’ disapproving views extend to casino expansion in the Garden State, as well – no matter how the question is posed. Among those voters asked whether casino gambling should be permitted in other parts of the state or limited to Atlantic City, 40 percent side with the former (down four points), while 50 percent side with the latter (up one point); 3 percent volunteer that they do not want gambling permitted anywhere in the state, and 7 percent are unsure. Among those voters directly asked the casino expansion question that will appear on the November ballot, just 35 percent approve the amendment, while 58 percent disapprove; 7 percent are unsure.” (Press Release, “Ratings For Christie And Direction Of State Fall To New Lows; New Jersey Voters Don’t Want To ‘Gamble’ On Casino Expansion,” Rutgers Eagleton Center For Public Interest Polling, 9/19/16)
September 2016: 68% Of Voters Opposed The Casino Amendment While 27% Support It, According To A Stockton University Poll. “On another question of major interest in New Jersey, voters overwhelmingly oppose a proposal to amend the New Jersey Constitution to allow two new casinos 72 miles from Atlantic City. Sixty-eight percent oppose the amendment, while 27 support casino expansion and 5 percent are not sure or refuse to say. Sixty-three percent in North Jersey oppose the amendment, while 74 percent in the eight southernmost counties oppose it.” (Press Release, “Stockton Poll: Clinton Leads Trump 46%-40%; Casino Expansion Opposed By New Jerseyans,” Stockton University, 9/30/16)
September 2016: Wrong Turn NJ Suspended Its Advertising Campaign 47 Days Before The November Vote. “The group lobbying voters to approve expanding casino gambling to north Jersey announced Thursday it has suddenly suspended its advertising campaign – the latest sign the high-profile referendum may be headed for failure. The move by Our Turn NJ comes 47 days before New Jersey voters will decide a ballot question Nov. 8 asking them whether to allow two casinos to be built in the northern part of the state … Paul Fireman and Jeff Gural, the businessmen who launched the group, said Thursday they ‘believe deeply’ that expansion is a ‘remarkable opportunity that should not be squandered.’” (Brent Johnson, “North Jersey Casino Effort Doomed? Group Backing It Suspends Ad Campaign,” NJ Advance Media, 9/22/16)
• Fireman And Gural: “The Current Political Climate In New Jersey And Voters’ Concerns About The Lack Of Details Relating To The Effort Have Proved Overwhelming.” “Fireman, the former Reebok CEO, has proposed building a casino in Jersey City, and Gural has proposed another at his Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford. ‘The data, however, speaks for itself,’ the developers said in a statement. ‘The current political climate in New Jersey and voters’ concerns about the lack of details relating to the effort have proved overwhelming.’” (Brent Johnson, “North Jersey Casino Effort Doomed? Group Backing It Suspends Ad Campaign,” NJ Advance Media, 9/22/16)
• Fireman And Gural Pulled Out After Internal Polling And A Rutgers Poll Showed A Majority Of Voters Opposed Expansion. “Our Turn NJ cited internal polling data that shows only 19 percent of voters believe the state is headed in the right direction and just 10 percent believe the state will deliver on the promised revenue. The group also cites a Rutgers-Eagleton poll released this week that shows 58 percent of voters disapprove of the referendum, while 35 percent approve.” (Brent Johnson, “North Jersey Casino Effort Doomed? Group Backing It Suspends Ad Campaign,” NJ Advance Media, 9/22/16)
October 2016: 70 Percent Of Voters Opposed Casino Expansion, Up From 58 Percent Opposed In June, According To A Fairleigh Dickinson Poll. “Nearly a quarter (24%) of registered voters say they support expanding casinos to areas in northern New Jersey with the vast majority (70%) opposed. In June, support was stronger, with 35 percent in favor and 58 percent opposed. Objection to the amendment is widespread, even among those who have visited a casino in recent months (64%).” (Press Release, “All Roads Point Away From More N.J. Casinos, Toward Split on Gas Tax Votes,” Fairleigh Dickinson University Public Mind Poll, 10/24/16)
November 2016: According To Stockton University Poll, Casino Expansion Referendum “Likely To Lose – Badly.” “A new poll backs up what has appeared evident for some time now about next week’s ballot question whether to allow casinos in northern New Jersey: It’s likely to lose – badly. A Stockton University poll released Friday finds the referendum opposed by 71 percent of New Jerseyans, with 24 percent in favor and 5 percent undecided. Other recent polls have shown similar results.” (Wayne Perry, “Poll: Casino Expansion Question Likely To Lose – Badly,” The Associated Press, 11/4/16)
Wrong Turn NJ Backers Then Pushed For Enabling Legislation And Failed To Secure “Gimmick” Of A Resolution:
Gural And Fireman Pushed The State To Pass Enabling Legislation To Establish The Tax Rate and Revenue Allocation. “Fireman and Jeff Gural, a developer who runs the Meadowlands Racetrack and wants to build a Hard Rock casino there – worth a little more than the billion-dollar threshold – say lawmakers are leaving themselves vulnerable by not settling on some of the fundamental details of what would happen if the measure is approved. The two men are funding a pro-casino ad campaign that aims to spend tens of millions of dollars, but they say it may not be enough if there are open questions in voters’ minds. ‘You don’t know where the money’s going to go, you don’t know the tax rate. There are too many unknowns,’ Gural said in a phone interview. ‘And I think that if we could get clarity on that, I think it would almost guarantee passage.’ The Legislature doesn’t actually have to pass the measure now, the two developers said, but should have an agreement in place on the important parts.” (Ryan Hutchins, “Would-Be North Jersey Casino Developers Say Time’s Running Out,” Politico New Jersey, 9/9/16)
• Caputo Said His Goal Was To Pass The Enabling Legislation Prior To The November Vote, Noting “It’s Only Fair That The People Understand What The Impact Is.” “Other Assembly members who spoke Monday referred either to the thousands of jobs projected to be created by adding North Jersey casinos – or the thousands of jobs projected to be lost in the Atlantic City area if the new sites lead to more Atlantic City casino closures. Mazzeo and Brown both asked why the vote was taking place before the tax rate at the new casinos – which could significantly affect the total tax revenues – had been specified. Caputo said after the vote that his goal is to enact the enabling legislation that could permit the new casinos before the vote in November. ‘It’s only fair that the people understand what the impact is,’ Caputo said, adding that the state constitution does not require that the enabling legislation be finalized before the vote.” (John Brennan, “Voters To Decide Ballot Question On North Jersey Casinos In November,” The Bergen Record, 3/14/16)
• Fireman: “They’ve Got To Work Out The Elements Of The Enabling Act. To Not Do That Now Is To Say, ‘I Don’t Want It.” “The would-be developers of two North Jersey casinos say time is running out for state lawmakers to draft legislation laying out the details of their plans for gambling outside of Atlantic City. With a ballot referendum just two months away, and public polling showing a chilly reception for the idea of allowing billion-dollar resorts up north, the two developers say the lack of details about tax rates, location and other regulations threatens to undermine the entire effort and turn voters against the idea. ‘They’ve got to work out the elements of the enabling act,’ Paul Fireman, a venture capitalist who hopes to build a $3 billion casino and resort in Jersey City, said in an interview Thursday. ‘To not do that now is to say, “I don’t want it.”’” (Ryan Hutchins, “Would-Be North Jersey Casino Developers Say Time’s Running Out,” Politico New Jersey, 9/9/16)
• Gural: “You Don’t Know Where The Money’s Going To Go, You Don’t Know The Tax Rate. There Are Too Many Unknowns.” “‘You don’t know where the money’s going to go, you don’t know the tax rate. There are too many unknowns,’ Gural said in a phone interview. ‘And I think that if we could get clarity on that, I think it would almost guarantee passage.’ The Legislature doesn’t actually have to pass the measure now, the two developers said, but should have an agreement in place on the important parts.” (Ryan Hutchins, “Would-Be North Jersey Casino Developers Say Time’s Running Out,” Politico New Jersey, 9/9/16)
Rather Than Introduce Enabling Legislation, Caputo Introduced A Resolution To Detail How Potential Revenue Would Be Spent At Casinos. “Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, D-Essex, is set to introduce a resolution Thursday that will detail how revenue from North Jersey casinos would be used if the state’s voters approve gambling outside of Atlantic City in November. Caputo told The Associated Press on Tuesday that a casino at the Meadowlands Racetrack, if approved, might be taxed at 35 to 40 percent while a costlier one in Jersey City could pay 15 to 20 percent.” (Nicholas Huba, “North Jersey Casino Revenue Plan Includes A.C., Lacks Tax Rate,” Press Of Atlantic City, 9/13/16)
• Senator Jim Whelan: “No Idea” How Much Money Atlantic City Would Receive. “Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, said there are still a lot of unanswered questions. ‘Right now we have no idea what the tax rate for the (North Jersey) casinos is going to be,’ Whelan said. ‘If you don’t know what the tax rate is, then you don’t know what Atlantic City’s cut is going to be.’” (Nicholas Huba, “North Jersey Casino Revenue Plan Includes A.C., Lacks Tax Rate,” Press Of Atlantic City, 9/13/16)
• Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo: Casino Referendum Is “Disastrous.” “Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo, D-Atlantic, said the failure to disclose the referendum’s full details and implications have ‘doomed this misguided ballot question.’ ‘This is just further evidence that this disastrous referendum is on life support because residents across the state have concluded this is a bad deal for New Jersey and Atlantic County, which would face the loss of 10,000 more jobs,’ Mazzeo said.” (Nicholas Huba, “North Jersey Casino Revenue Plan Includes A.C., Lacks Tax Rate,” Press Of Atlantic City, 9/13/16)
• Assemblyman Chris Brown: Caputo Resolution A “Gimmick.” “Assemblyman Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, called Caputo’s resolution a gimmick, saying it ‘is simply the same old song with a different verse that still fails to provide a specific tax rate and fails to answer how cannibalizing Atlantic City’s gaming market by causing the loss of another 14,000 jobs and the closure of more casinos will somehow help Atlantic County’s working families and retirees.’” (Nicholas Huba, “North Jersey Casino Revenue Plan Includes A.C., Lacks Tax Rate,” Press Of Atlantic City, 9/13/16)
• Meadowlands Regional Chamber President Jim Kirkos Said The Resolution “Landed With A Thud.” The message here is that New Jerseyan’s who have voted in their representatives no longer have trust in their public policy decisions. We are saddened to accept this fact, as there are many shining examples in the legislature of high-performing public servants … One who has been a stalwart in the gaming dialogue is Ralph Caputo, who recently attempted to single-handedly jump-start the YES campaign by introducing a bill committing the legislature to its intent on a variety of issues collateral to passing the Referendum … Unfortunately, even this courageous and insightful introduction landed with a thud in Trenton. With all of the recent bungling of serious issues, in particular the Transportation Trust Fund debacle, the voters simply do not have the emotional bandwidth to accommodate the legislature with their attention or their support.” (John Brennan, “Backers Of Meadowlands, Jersey City Casinos Suspend Campaign,” The Record, 9/22/16)
Wrong Turn NJ’s Multi-Million Dollar Ad Campaign Replaced With Local Events Before Again Launching Ads:
Jeff Gural Spoke At A Forum Hosted By The Bayonne Chamber Of Commerce Held At His Winners OTB Facility About Casino Expansion. “One of two businessmen leading a group that is fighting to bring casinos to North Jersey is slated to discuss the issue at an open forum in Bayonne on Oct. 19. Jeff Gural, who runs the Meadowlands Racetrack, is expected to deliver remarks in support of the cause at another venue he owns: The Winners off-track betting facility at 400 Route 440 North. The 8:30 a.m. forum, which is being organized by the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce, has been billed by the chamber as an opportunity to ‘hear the facts behind all of the press and publicity.’ Attendees will be able to pose questions to Gural as well as Jason Settlemoir, the general manager of Meadowlands Racetrack and Winners, according to the chamber.” (Jonathan Lin, “North Jersey Casino Backers To Take Questions At Bayonne Forum,” The Jersey Journal, 10/10/16)
Gural Spoke At mDest, The Meadowlands’ Annual Tourism And Hospitality Conference, Where Industry Insiders Discussed Support For Casino Expansion. “The Meadowlands Liberty Convention & Visitors Bureau and Meadowlands Regional Chamber hosted the Meadowlands’ annual tourism & hospitality conference, mDest, today to gather business leaders and state legislatures who are advocating to expand casino gaming to Northern New Jersey. The casino gaming question will appear as a referendum vote on the electoral ballot on November 8 – New Jersey residents will have the opportunity to vote ‘Yes’ for expanding gaming in New Jersey or ‘No’ to stop it … Jeff Gural, who owns and operates the Meadowlands Racetrack, asserted that he does believe a casino will eventually be built at his location even if it does not go through with this referendum – perhaps in 5 or 6 years, he predicts. But he said he would no longer support giving tax aid to Atlantic City as the current proposal does. Gural is partnered with Hard Rock International on his plan.” (“MDest: Casino Conversation Continues Ahead Of Referendum,” Meadowlands USA, 10/14/16)
Wrong Turn Paid Kivvit $263,161.49 For Media Services And Round World Consulting For Mail Services On October 17, 2016. (Our Turn NJ ELEC Filing, “48 Hour Notice,” New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, 10/28/16)
Wrong Turn NJ’s Paid Media Message Shifted From Helping Seniors And Disabled To Creating Jobs:
Wrong Turn NJ’s First Ad Said Lost Gaming Revenue “Robbed” Seniors And The Disabled Of Revenue For Programs Like Meals On Wheels And The Property Tax Freeze. (Advertisement, “It’s Our Turn New Jersey,” Our Turn NJ, 8/17/16)
• Wrong Turn NJ Ran An Ad Titled “It’s Our Turn For Our Seniors” Saying The State Lost $1.8 Billion In Funding For Programs To Help Seniors Like Meals On Wheels. (Advertisement, “It’s Our Turn for Our Seniors,” Our Turn NJ, 8/22/16)
• Wrong Turn NJ Ran An Ad Titled “It’s Our Turn New Jersey To Support Our Seniors” Arguing The State Lost Billions To Help Fund The Property Tax Freeze And Meals On Wheels. (Advertisement, “It’s Our Turn New Jersey to Support Our Seniors,” Our Turn NJ, 9/8/16)
• Wrong Turn NJ Produced A One-Minute Video Titled “What Gaming Expansion Means To Our Seniors” About The Need For Meals On Wheels And Property Tax Freeze. (Advertisement, “What Gaming Expansion Means To Our Seniors,” Our Turn NJ, 9/10/16)
Before Stopping Its Ad Campaign, Wrong Turn NJ Produced A One-Minute Video Saying Casino Expansion Would Create 11,000 Union Construction Jobs, 9,000 Union Operations Jobs, 23,000 Local Jobs And Support The NJ Economy, Switching From The Pro-Senior Message. (Advertisement, “It’s Our Turn New Jersey to Support Our Economy and Take Back Our Jobs,” Our Turn NJ, 9/15/16)
• Wrong Turn Ran An Ad Titled “Our Jobs” That Argued Casino Expansion Could Create 43,000 Jobs And NJ Was Losing Jobs To Other States. (Advertisement, “Our Jobs,” Our Turn NJ, 9/19/16)
Gural: “There’s Just Nothing We Can Do. The Pollsters Told Us That We Couldn’t Win, No Matter What Argument We Made.” “The abrupt decision by two wealthy casino advocates to abandon a $35 million campaign backing a Nov. 8 referendum to extend gambling to northern New Jersey signaled that even the ballot proposal’s strongest supporters expect it to be defeated. Real-estate magnate Jeff Gural, who wants to build a $1 billion casino at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, said recent polling showed the measure would fail. ‘There’s just nothing we can do,’ Mr. Gural said Friday. ‘The pollsters told us that we couldn’t win, no matter what argument we made.’” (Kate King, “N.J. Casino Measure’s Wealthy Backers Expect It to Lose,” The Wall Street Journal, 9/23/16)
Wrong Turn NJ’s Gural Promised A 55% Tax Rate, Walked It Back To 30 To 35%:
Gural Initially Said He Would Pay A 55% Tax Rate, Noting He Was “Prepared To Pay The Pennsylvania Tax.” “Meadowlands Racing Chairman Jeff Gural says the casino would pay a 55 percent tax rate on winnings. Atlantic City’s casinos pay 8 percent. ‘I think people will be very pleasantly surprised at the project we will unveil, because I’m prepared to pay the Pennsylvania tax rate, which is seven times higher than the rate in Atlantic City,’ Gural said Tuesday.” (Wayne Parry, “Hard Rock, Meadowlands Propose Long-Awaited Plan For Casino At Northern New Jersey Racetrack,” The Associated Press, 5/26/15)
Gural Reduced The Tax Rate He Would Pay To 30%-35% From 55%. “Gural said last week he would be able to pay a 30-percent to 35-percent tax rate on gambling revenue if his property is one of two casinos up and running in North Jersey.” (Ryan Hutchins, “Assembly Democrat Proposes Tax Rates For North Jersey Casinos,” Politico New Jersey, 9/13/16)
Assemblyman Caputo Said He Would Support A 35%-40% Tax Rate For Operators That Spent The $1 Billion Minimum To Build Their Casino And 15%-20% For Casinos That Cost Several Billion. “Assemblyman Ralph Caputo said Tuesday he believes North Jersey casinos, if approved by voters in November, should pay different tax rates based on how much money is invested in each property … For casinos that cost several billion dollars to construct – likely a full-fledged resort with hundreds of hotel rooms, several restaurant and other amenities – operators could pay a tax rate around 15 percent to 20 percent … Caputo said less-expensive properties could afford to pay higher tax rates. For any casino project that costs around $1 billion to build – the minimum investment threshold under the proposed constitutional amendment – operators should pay around a 35-percent to 40-percent tax rate, Caputo said.” (Ryan Hutchins, “Assembly Democrat Proposes Tax Rates For North Jersey Casinos,” Politico New Jersey, 9/13/16)
• Just Weeks Prior, Caputo Had Stated The Rate Could Be “40 Percent To 60 Percent.” “[L]awmakers seem far apart on the casino tax issue. Caputo suggested in the spring that new casinos could support a 40 percent to 60 percent tax rate, compared to the roughly 8 percent paid in Atlantic City.” (Ryan Hutchins, “Would-Be North Jersey Casino Developers Say Time’s Running Out,” Politico New Jersey, 9/9/16)
Wrong Turn NJ Disintegrated Into Push For Racetrack Slots, Which Also Went Nowhere:
Assemblyman Ralph Caputo Said He Would Amend Two Bills To Allow Slot Machines At Racetracks. “Voters are expected to reject a plan to expand casinos to North Jersey next month, but one lawmaker is hoping to get slot machines into the racetracks, preferably without having to ask for the public’s permission, The Associated Press reported yesterday. Assemblyman Ralph Caputo says he will amend two bills he introduced this year to authorize video lottery terminals — or slot machines — at state racetracks, including the Meadowlands in East Rutherford. His two bills that have sat untouched since he introduced them would require voters to approve the change through a ballot question. Since polls show voters aren’t on board with expanding casino gambling, he believes voters would shoot down his bills. Instead he will amend them to remove the requirement for a referendum.” (“Poll: Should Slot Machines Be Permitted At N.J. Racetracks?” The Jersey Journal, 10/18/16)
• Video Lottery Terminals Would Be Permitted At State Racetracks, Including Gural’s Meadowlands Racetrack. “Assemblyman Ralph Caputo says he will amend two bills he introduced this year to authorize video lottery terminals – or slot machines – at state racetracks, including the Meadowlands in East Rutherford.” (“Poll: Should Slot Machines Be Permitted At N.J. Racetracks?” The Jersey Journal, 10/18/16)
After Losing The Casino Battle, Gural Changed His Business Model To Focus On Adding Slot Machines At Racetracks. “Gural is not strictly in the casino business. He owns racetracks: two in New Jersey and one “racino” in New York, where slot machines accompany track betting. He also owns more than 100 horses. He said that 90 percent of his business is done off-track. “Over time, horse racing lost its luster,” Gural said. “Casinos opened, lotteries, TV became 200 channels, internet, you name it…so 90 percent of…our product is done either at another racetrack or by someone sitting at home on their phone or a computer.” As a result, Gural is focusing on building smaller facilities combined with some elements of a casino model, such as slot machines. He is also hoping that the lack of support for gaming in New York City would open the door to casinos in North Jersey. “I don’t think gaming will ever come to New York City,” he said. “The hotel people don’t want it; the restaurant people don’t want it.”” (Rory Pasquariello, “North Jersey gambling referendum losing support Backers look ahead,” Hudson Reporter, 10/26/16)
Wrong Turn NJ And Supporters Desperately And Publicly Worried About Embarrassing Outcome:
Caputo: “If We Get Clocked, We’re Not Coming Back,” “Ralph Caputo, a Democratic state Assemblyman from northern New Jersey, was more blunt. ‘If we get clocked, we’re not coming back,’ he said. If the referendum is defeated in the Nov. 8 election, it cannot appear on a statewide ballot for another two years.” (Wayne Parry, “NJ Casino Expansion Backers Prep For Worst, Try To Limit Damage,” The Associated Press, 10/14/16)
Gural: “Sure, I Am Worried. I’d Rather The Poll Came Out The Other Way.” “However, the results of the Fairleigh Dickinson poll were dramatically different than polls done by other organizations. A Monmouth University poll released in early June showed that voters were split on casino expansion, with 48 per cent for and 48 per cent against. ‘Sure, I am worried,’ Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural said. ‘I’d rather the poll came out the other way. But I think that was a flawed poll. Other polls have shown very different results and this particular poll just asked the question whether or not people wanted casinos in North Jersey. It didn’t give any other details. We also haven’t made any effort yet to get our message out and I think when we do that will help.’” (Bill Finley, “A Long Way From A Jackpot,” Harness Racing Update, 7/22/16)
Gural: “My Biggest Concern Right Now Is We’re Going To Lose By A Lot, And Then It’s Going To Be Harder For The Politicians To Come Back At It.” ““They came up with a brilliant campaign not criticizing the idea of having a casino in the Meadowlands, just criticizing the idea that if you give money to the politicians that…somehow it won’t get spent.” “My biggest concern right now is we’re going to lose by a lot, and then it’s going to be harder for the politicians to come back at it,” Gural said. “So that means I might have to wait six years until the casinos open in New York City. I’m not happy about it, but if I have to, I will. I just have to live six more years, so I’ll be happy about that, too.” (Rory Pasquariello, “North Jersey gambling referendum losing support Backers look ahead,” Hudson Reporter, 10/26/16)
State Senator Ray Lesniak: “It’s Over. There’s No Chance It Will Win.” “For those looking for a good bet on election night results, the smart money in New Jersey says a referendum on whether to expand casino gambling in the state is headed for defeat. “It’s over,” said Raymond J. Lesniak, a Democratic state senator who has long favored such an expansion. “There’s no chance it will win.” At least this time around.” (Charles V. Bagli, “Campaign to Bring Casino Gambling to North Jersey Appears Doomed,” The New York Times, 10/28/16)
Press Of Atlantic City: “But The Poll Numbers Suggest A Vigorous Final Drive For A Crushing Defeat Of North Jersey Casinos Could Bring That Surrender Sooner Than Expected.” “No doubt it has, and it’s surely prudent to maintain aggressive opposition until proponents truly give up. But the poll numbers suggest a vigorous final drive for a crushing defeat of North Jersey casinos could bring that surrender sooner than expected. That should motivate South Jersey voters especially, since it would dodge a disaster and bring the much-wanted market stability needed to start redeveloping Atlantic City in earnest.” (Editorial, “Casino expansion foes should aim higher, for crushing, lasting defeat of proposal,” The Press of Atlantic City, 10/27/16)
Wrong Turn NJ’s Gural Bemoaned “Lousy Campaign” & Went On The Attack Calling Trenton Electeds “Stupid”:
Gural: “The Way I See It We’re Going To Lose. We Should Have Never Lost. We Had A Lousy Campaign.” “At Winners in Bayonne, Meadowlands Racetrack owner Jeff Gural predicted losing on Nov. 8. ‘The way I see it we’re going to lose. We should have never lost. We had a lousy campaign,’ Gural said. Twenty days before the vote, a blunt message from Gural to the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce. Gural says expanding casinos to northern New Jersey and to racetracks would save the state’s horse racing industry and its 14,000 jobs.” (Michael Hill, “Casino Expansion Advocates Fear Future of Horse Racing in NJ,” NJTV News, 10/19/16)
Gural: “And These People Listen To These Stupid Politicians That They Have Down There Who Say, ‘Oh! It’s Going To Destroy Atlantic City!’ It’s Going To Save Atlantic City.” “Gural says public opinion polling makes it seem all but certain that voters will reject expanding casinos to the north and the projected millions of revenue dollars going to rescue Atlantic City. ‘This legislation was designed to save Atlantic City but they’re so stupid that they didn’t figure that out and they’re so greedy. And these people listen to these stupid politicians that they have down there who say, ‘“Oh! It’s going to destroy Atlantic City!” It’s going to save Atlantic City.’” (Michael Hill, “Casino Expansion Advocates Fear Future of Horse Racing in NJ,” NJTV News, 10/19/16)
Gural: “This Legislation Was Designed To Save Atlantic City, But They’re So Stupid That They Didn’t Figure That Out. And They’re So Greedy. And The People Listen To These Stupid Politicians That They Have Down There.” “‘This legislation was designed to save Atlantic City, but they’re so stupid that they didn’t figure that out. And they’re so greedy. And the people listen to these stupid politicians that they have down there.’ ‘They draft a bill where 40 percent of the revenue that would pay in taxes would go to Atlantic City. We would estimate that at a bare minimum of $ 500 million worth of taxes,’ Gural added.” (Jeannette Josue, “Racetrack Owner: AC Casino Owners Are ‘Greedy Pigs’ Ripping Off The State,” Hudson County View, 10/19/16)
Gural: Atlantic City Casino Operators Are “Greedy Pigs.” “North Jersey casino advocate Jeff Gural referred to Atlantic City casino owners as ‘greedy pigs’ while explaining why citizens should support the referendum to expand gaming and casinos, also calling Trenton legislators ‘stupid politicians.’ ‘These eight greedy pigs in Atlantic City combined is only giving us $200 million in state gaming tax revenues,’ Gural said during a breakfast presentation to the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce at Winners, an off-track betting facility that he owns and operates (he also owns the Meadowlands Racetrack).” (Jeannette Josue, “Racetrack Owner: AC Casino Owners Are ‘Greedy Pigs’ Ripping Off The State,” Hudson County View, 10/19/16)
Gural: “Certainly, Bridgegate Didn’t Help Us When People Hear This Message, ‘Don’t Trust Trenton.’ And Not One Politician Defended Themselves.” “‘It was a perfect storm for us,’ said Mr. Gural, who owns two casinos in New York State and is an owner of the land beneath the Sands casino in Bethlehem, Pa. ‘Certainly, Bridgegate didn’t help us when people hear this message, ‘Don’t trust Trenton.’ And not one politician defended themselves.’” (Charles V. Bagli, “Campaign To Bring Casino Gambling To North Jersey Appears Doomed,” The New York Times, 10/28/16)
# # #
About Trenton’s Bad Bet:
Trenton’s Bad Bet is a diverse collection of concerned New Jersey community leaders, unions, businesses and residents that will work to oppose the New Jersey Casino Referendum that seeks to expand gaming into North Jersey.
Committee Contact:
Trenton’s Bad Bet
(201) 870-0548
[email protected]
www.TrentonsBadBet.org