Atlantic City Officials Contest $3 Billion Meadowlands Convention Center Proposal

Atlantic City leaders are contesting a proposed $3 billion convention center at the Meadowlands, arguing the project would divert critical business from the shore. A state-funded scoping assessment claims the development could generate $30.4 billion for North Jersey and attract 2 million visitors annually. Officials in the casino resort town view the plan as direct competition funded by the same taxpayers who support Atlantic City assets.

The Sheraton Hotel at the Atlantic City Convention Center faces closure without additional state funding. In September, Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson wrote to Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) requesting reconsideration of support for the Meadowlands project.

Local Resistance and Sharp Rebuttals

Levinson stated that Atlantic City already confronts challenges from three approved casinos in the New York City area. "We don’t need to spend our own taxpayers’ dollars to create more competition within New Jersey," he said. He questioned building new competition instead of strengthening existing infrastructure and warned against using state resources to undermine Atlantic City’s position.

Meadowlands officials responded during the assessment’s unveiling. Ron Simoncini, spokesman for the Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce, told the Press of Atlantic City that Atlantic City’s decay results from its irrelevance. He added that the town lacks any economic revitalization plan beyond repeated requests for state handouts. The exchange highlights deepening regional tensions over tourism investment.

The State’s Decision Point

The assessment projects 313 events per year, over $3 billion in annual state and local tax revenue, more than 3,700 permanent jobs, and nearly 5,000 construction positions. It assumes 460,000 square feet of convention space, a 5,000-seat flexible venue, a 1,000-room hotel, structured parking, transportation links, and a two-acre outdoor area. The site would replace the former Izod Center, vacant since April 2015.

State officials must determine whether to fund a working group involving the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Sports and Exposition Authority. As reported by Casino.org, the choice will determine which region gains priority in New Jersey’s economic planning. Atlantic City operators face heightened uncertainty if the state advances a direct rival without addressing existing vulnerabilities.