New Jersey Governor Chris Christie proposed creation of a new state authority to take control of safety, traffic, development and marketing for Atlantic City’s casino hotel district. It should boost the gaming industry, but it could take much longer to reverse Atlantic City’s national reputation as a dirty and crime-plagued gambling haven, observers say.
“We applaud the governor’s efforts to boost tourism and visitation to all of the area’s attractions, including our casinos. We will be watching closely as the state Legislature addresses Christie’s proposals in the weeks and months ahead. We anticipate a bright future for the region” stated Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr., who is president and chief executive officer of the American Gaming Association, the national lobbying group for the casino industry. Although Fahrenkopf gave a positive view, the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, a national group that is opposed to gambling, criticized Christie’s partnership with the casinos: “The role of government is to protect its citizens from scam artists and con men, and the biggest scam artist and con man in the country is the gambling industry”, said Guy Clark, chairman of the coalition. He believes that the state should do a better job in policing and cleaning up the casino district: “Atlantic City had a reputation of being one of the biggest, most glitzy gambling areas in this country, I think most people who have visited have noticed the slums surrounding the casinos. It’s pretty depressing” told Clark in an interview.
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