State May Study Casino at Meadowlands

Councilman Joseph Irace gave the Oceanport borough council an update on issues affecting at a workshop prior to their regular meeting at last Thursday.

Irace said a state committee has passed a resolution to study the impact of a casino at the Meadowlands, .

Efforts to establish a Casino Gaming Study Commission are being led in the state assembly by speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) and five other Democrats: Ralph R. Caputo, John J. Burzichelli, Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Connie Wagner, and Vincent Prieto.

The commission, as presently outlined in bill AJR11, would evaluate the impact of enacted casino gaming regulatory reforms and explore future prospects for casino gaming in Bergen County, where Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford is located. The state legislature would appoint 13 public members to the commission.

"Hopefully if it gets that far, it'll go to the regulatory oversight committee and they'll come out and take a look at it," said Irace.

Sports Betting Bill Signed by Gov.

Irace also reported that Gov. Christie has signed .

"Now it's in the hands of the state attorney general, who is going to file papers in a district court to overturn the law that gives Nevada the monopoly on gaming," said Irace.

Bills to Allow Sports Betting in New Jersey Introduced in Congress

Two separate bills seeking to legalize sports betting in the state were introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by New Jersey lawmakers Monday, according to an AP report.

Frank Pallone Jr. (D-Long Branch) proposed a bill which would exempt New Jersey from the existing federal ban, and Frank LoBiondo (R-Cape May) introduced a bill which would give all states until 2016 to legalize sports betting.

Sports betting is currently illegal everywhere except Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon.

Councilman to Speak at Open House for Stallion

Irace finished his report by mentioning that he has been asked to speak at an event on Feb. 12 in Cream Ridge for Alex's Pal, a stallion that is going to stand stud in New Jersey for the 2012 racing season.

"The thoroughbred breeders are going to take an active approach to get people to stay and breed their horses in New Jersey, showing the viability of horse racing in the state," Irace said.