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Gamblers in Limbo due to AC Casino Closure Threat
Pat Cisar from Pittsburgh is supposed to catch a casino bus Wednesday morning to Atlantic City. However, she is wary of the possibility that when she gets there after the 3-hour bus ride, the casinos might be closed. That idea has got Cisar thinking that perhaps it is better to just stay home instead of betting that the casinos will remain open.
Ciasr is one among the thousands of gamblers who flock to Atlantic City to play in the casinos. These people are trying to come to terms with the possibility that the slot machines and the gaming tables that is representative of A.C.'s blood will be closed down this Wednesday because of the budget impasse that New Jersey is facing.
"I have reservations Wednesday morning at Trump Plaza," Cisar said. "I might cancel them because it makes no sense to spend three hours on the bus and find out that we can't gamble by the time we get here."
"I'm ticked off," she added. "This is my vacation. It's terrible."
The casinos have filed an appeal in the Supreme Court to be allowed to stay open during the cutting off of unnecessary government services, a category wherein which it belongs, but was turned down.
The 12 casinos that are in danger of being shut down are jam packed in lieu of the Fourth of July holiday, and some gamblers have expressed the intent of leaving early, some complaining that they would not have come at all if they had knowin in advance of the impending closure.
"I think it's awful. It's a real shame because gambling is one of the main attractions. Without it, people probably won't come here," said Sonia Vitera, a tourist from Miami who is a guest at Caesars Atlantic City.
The Casino Control Commission has ordered the shutdown of the casinos unless Gov. Jon Corzine and the legislature could come up with an official solution to the budget crisis.
"This impasse will have immediate and serious ramifications on employees, guests and the entire New Jersey tourism industry and economy, including the senior citizens of our state who benefit from the millions of tax dollars generated from our industry's casino revenues," Joseph A. Corbo Jr., president of the Casino Association of New Jersey said.
"I can't see how in the world that New Jersey can afford to lose millions and millions of dollars in tax revenue," said Shirley Andrews, a Somerset resident who was playing at the Trump Plaza. "Common sense is not something in great supply in this state. I'm so disgusted by this budget battle that I may move out."