Atlantic City is already a popular gambling destination. Now, it could soon become a hotspot for a different kind of recreation; recreational marijuana.
The city’s mayor, Frank Gilliam, has said A.C. could become a marijuana mecca if recreational marijuana is legalized in the Garden State.
On the Atlantic City Expressway, the new billboards are touting June 28 openings for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and the Ocean Resort Casino, two mega-casinos that will replace the Trump Taj Mahal and the Revel.
Meanwhile, on Tennessee Avenue on Wednesday, Hard Rock executives won casino licenses from the Casino Control Commission.
State Sen. Ronald Rice, D-Essex, said he is concerned about the money behind the pro-legalization movement and the promises of an economic windfall for New Jersey following a public hearing at the Second Baptist Church on the impacts recreational marijuana could have on minority communities.
Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam said last week he believes legalization is the “new gold rush” and could be a boon for the resort’s economy. Most of the nine-member City Council have said they want more information about what a state legalization bill would look like before they decide.
This doesn’t sit well with former AC mayoral candidate, Henry Hank Green. At Wed. night’s council meeting, Green queried council about legal, adult-use cannabis in Atlantic City. Sensing a wrong answer could affect voter support, council members like ‘Speedy’ Marsh and Marty Small responded with fairly safe answers. We’ll need to take a deeper look. It’s too early in the process to make a statement.
“Going green” could be taking on a new meaning in two casino towns, both of which are of great interest for Frank Gilliam: Atlantic City and Las Vegas.
Gilliam, Atlantic City’s mayor, has been one of the strongest proponents of legalizing marijuana in New Jersey. He has said doing so would boost local economies and increase tourism, especially along the Boardwalk.