Currently, all of New Jersey's casinos are located over 115 miles away from Essex County in Atlantic City. However, developers are hoping to bring one to Newark.
Miles Berger, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Berger Organization, tells Essex County Place that "we are proposing that combined with Bears Stadium the site will support a casino hotel", adding that it would be developed "in conjunction with a major casino operator".
The site in question is 422-430 Broad Street in Downtown, a lot located at the corner of Division Street, just across the street from the Newark Broad Street Train Station. Until 2007, the Lincoln Motel and Club Zanzibar were located at the site. Since then, the property has remained vacant, though it has been used for carnivals and other events. Now, since voters will decide in November whether casinos should be legalized outside of Atlantic City, Newark is once again a possible home to a casino.
"The Broad Street Station site is the best site in Northern New Jersey", said Berger, adding that "from a transportation perspective it is 22 minutes to Penn Station (in) New York City".
Both Mayor Ras Baraka and Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Jr. support bringing casino gambling to Newark. In a statement last year, Mayor Baraka said that "casinos are coming to North Jersey and if Newark doesn't get it, another city will and they will net the benefits".
A sign was recently posted by The Berger Organization on the property to encourage residents to vote yes for Northern New Jersey casinos, advertising that it will "create thousands of jobs right here in this site".