Navigate this page

Byrne Administration: Atlantic City

Atlantic City Timeline

 

1614-1624

  • Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, first director of what eventually became New Netherland and New Amsterdam, explores southern New Jersey coast and Delaware Bay, southern point of “Cape May” later named after him.

1670s

  • Thomas Budd, an English Quaker, arrives on Atlantic County mainland in late 1670’s, acquires Absecon (or Absecom) Island, area comprising present-day Atlantic City and other mainland acreage as settlement of a claim he had against Lord John Berkeley, tone of holders of the royal grant from Duke of York. “Absecon”derived from,”absegami”, Lenni Lenape native American name for “little water”. Budd’s mainland property then valued at forty cents an acre, with the island at four cents an acre.

1783

  • The Leeds family become first recorded permanent European residents on Absecon Island, area comprising present-day Atlantic City.name derived from “absegami”, Lenni Lenape Native American name for island, Jeremiah Leeds builds first permanent structure on island in 1785 at what is now Arctic and Arkansas Avenue.

1820

  • May: Jonathan Pitney, a 22-year-old physician, arrives on horseback in small mainland village of Absecon in presnt-day Galloway Township, Gloucester County.

1833

  • Pitney Road built on mainland from Absecon village to Port Republic bridge to provide Dr. Pitney a direct route to treat patients in Port Republic.

1837

  • Atlantic County created out of Gloucester County as separate county.

1839

  • Jeremiah Leeds’s widow Millicent, a year after her husband’s death, obtains license to operate inn and tavern called Aunt Millie’s Boarding House, located at present-day Baltic and Massachusetts Avenues, first registered business in City.

1844

  • Dr. Jonathan Pitney serves as Delegate of Atlantic County to the State Constitutional Convention in Trenton that adopts New Jersey’s second constitution, the Constitution of 1844.

1852

  • March 19: State Legislature grants charter for Camden & Atlantic Company to build railroad connecting Camden with Atlantic County. First officers of the company include Dr. Jonathan Pitney as a Director, who with his friend General Enoch Doughty, High Sheriff of Gloucester County and a General with the New Jersey Militia, had drafted charter in hopes of spurring devleopment of coastal region.
  • Growing demand for visitors to area leads to construction in Cape May of Mt. Vernon Hotel, intended to be world’s larget hotel serving 3,500 guests. It is destroyed by fire in 1856 while still unfinished, but accommodating 2,100 guests at time of fire.

1853

  • January 15: Name “Atlantic City” adopted by City founders.

1854

  • March 3: Atlantic City incorporated as a municipality
  • May 1: Chalkey S. Leeds, son of Jeremiah Leeds, elected as first mayor of Atlantic City by 18 voters
  • July 4: Camden and Atlantic Railroad opens to the public and first paying passengers from Camden pass through Absecon village on mainland to new city of Atlantic City on Absecon Island

1856

  • US Congress appropriates $35,000 for construction of “Absecom Lighthouse” to reduce shipping losses

1870

  • First official road from mainland at Pleasantville to Absecon Island completed after 17 years of construction with toll of thirty cents
  • June 26: World’s first boardwalk constructed along Atlantic City beachfront to keep sand from being tracked into hotels and railroad cars, name honored railroad conductor Alexander Boardman, who with hotel owner Jacob Keim, conceived idea of constructing a boardwalk

1883

  • “Salt water taffy” reportedly coined as phrase when Atlantic City boardwalk shopowner David Bradley’s supply of taffy is swamped by sea water during a summer storm; while cleaning up on following day, a girl walked into store and asked for a bag of taffy, to which he jokingly replied that he only had “salt water taffy”. Fellow boardwalk candy seller Joseph Fralinger soon added a taffy concession and perfected salt water taffy formula, first using molasses, then chocolate and vanilla, eventually reaching 25 flavors which he boxed and sold as the “Atlantic City Souvenir.” In 1925, the United States Supreme Court held that term “salt water taffy” had been in common use for too long to allow it to be trademarked in a suit against John Edmiston, who had attempted to trademark the term and collect royalties from other taffy makers.

1886

  • Smith E. Johnson elected sheriff of Atlantic County for a three-year term. In order to continue in public office despite prohibition on sheriff succeeding himself, he would serve as undersheriff in between terms as sheriff

1898

  • Steel Pier opens, becomes most widely advertised amusement pier in world. During inaugural season, W. C. Fields performs as a member of a minstrel group. Subsequent entertainers in 20th century included John Philip Sousa, Guy Lombardo, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey, Mae West, Charlie Chaplin, The Three Stooges, Bob Hope, Amos ‘n Andy, Frank Sinatra, Smokey Robinson, The Supremes, Louis Armstrong, Chuck Berry, Dinah Shore, Frankie Avalon, Ricky Nelson, Peggy Lee, Pat Boone, and the Allman Brothers

1903

  • Josiah White III purcases parcel of land near Ohio Avenue and the boardwalk and builds the Marlborough House hotel, later combined in 1906 with the new Moorish-style Blenheim hotel into the Marlborough-Blenheim

1905

  • Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, son of Sheriff Smith E. Johnson, named by his father as undersheriff

1908

  • Nucky Johnson elected sheriff when his father’s term expired, a position he held until ousted by a court order in 1911
  • November 17: Republican Governor John Franklin Fort appoints Edmind Wilson, Sr. (father of noted literary critic Edmund Wilson, Jr.) as Attorney General. Wilson prosecutes several Atlantic County Republican machine leaders for corruption, including longtime Atlantic City boss Louis Kuehnle. Indictments are filed utilizing State law providing for grand juries to be drawn by specially appointed “elisors” in order to avoid influence from Atlantic County Sheriff Nucky Johnson, who was suspected of hand-selecting grand jury lists to pack them with political supporters

1911

  • Louis Kuehnle convicted of corruption related charges and imprisoned. Nucky Johnson succeeds him as head of Republican political organization controlling Atlantic City and Atlantic County governments

1912

  • City Commissioner Harry Bacharach first elected as mayor, would serve over nine years (1916-20, 1930-35), known for flamboyant style as “No. 1 Booster” of Atlantic City

1916

  • Duval Giants, Negro Baseball League team in Jacksonville, Florida relocated to Atlantic City by two African-American politicians, renamed “Bacharach Giants” after Harry Bacharach, the City’s mayor
  • May 10: Mayor William Riddle defeated for re-election by ticket headed by City Commissioner Harry Bacharach, ticket includes C.D. White, owner of Marlborough Blenheim Hotel
  • November: Atlantic County State Senator Walter Evans Edge, founder and publisher of Atlantic City Daily Press (now Press of Atlantic City), elected New Jersey governor, with campaign managed by Nucky Johnson. Johnson reportedly facilitated Edge’s election by reaching out to Democratic Hudson County boss Frank Hague, who disliked Democratic candidate, Otto Whittpenn, and directed Democrats to cross over and vote for Edge in Republican primary

1919

  • January 16: 18th Amendment to the US Constitution ratified to authorize Congress to prohibit production or sale of alcoholic beverages
  • May 16: Walter Edge resigns as governor to become US Senator, a position he would hold for ten years
  • October 28: Volstead Act enacted setting penalties for production or sale of alcoholic beverages as of January 16, 1920

1920

  • January 16: Volstead Act prohibiting making or sale of alcoholic beverages goes into effect. Lack of enforcement by Atlantic County and Atlantic City law enforcement officials aids growtth of region. Between 1926 and 1933, an estimated 40 percent of all illegal alcohol brought into US came ashore in or near Atlantic City. Gang leader Charles “Lucky” Luciano reportedly agrees to provide Nucky Johnson with 10 percent of Luciano’s illegal bootlegging and gambling activities in exchange for Johnson’s protection and exclusive rights to importing iquor into Atlantic City

1921

  • September 8: “Inter-City Beauty Contest” held as event during Atlantic City Pageant in effort to extend summer tourist season, with 16-year-old Margaret Gorman winning $1,000 top prize, title changed in following year to designate her as “Miss America”

1929

  • Nucky Johnson hosts Atlantic City meeting of loose organization of other East Coast bootleggers and racketeers forming the “Big Seven”, “the Combine” or “Seven Group”, which apparently leads to convening of subsequent Atlantic City Conference of national organized crime leaders
  • May 13: Nucky Johnson also hosts three-day “Atlantic City Conference”, first known meeting of national organized crime leaders, including Al Capone, Charlie “Lucky” Luciano, Frank Costello, Vito Genovese, Willie Moretti, Abner “Longy” Zwillman, Dutch Schultz and Ben ‘Bugsy” Siegel. Among other things, Conference reportedl;y leads to plan to invest in legitimate liquor businesses and gambling in order to offset loss of profits from anticipated end of Prohibition .During Conference, Capone and Johnson are photographed walking together er on boardwalk
  • October 29: “Black Tuesday” sees stock prices collapse on New York Stock Exchange, continued fall over following weeks leads to Great Depression. municipalities issued scrip in the payment of salaries to their workers and for other purposes. By 1932, Atlantic City municipal government was forced by lack of revenue to issue scrip to pay municipal employees, receivable by City for payment of back taxes

1933

  • December 5: 21st Amendment to US Constitution ratified, repealing 18th Amendment imposing prohibition on production or sale of alcoholic beverages

1935

  • Charles Darrow begins marketing his version of board game known as “Monopoly” featuring street names of Atlantic City in buying and trading property. Darrow sells rights to game in 1935 to Parker Brothers

1937

  • November: Republican lawyer Frank S. “Hap” Farley elected to represent Atlantic County in the New Jersey Assembly

1939

  • May 1: Nucky Johnson indicted for evading taxes on about $125,000 in income from numbers operators during 1935, 1936 and 1937

1940

  • November: Frank Farley elected to New Jersey State Senate

1941

  • July: Nucky Johnson, boss of the Atlantic City/Atlantic County Republican political machine, convicted of income tax evasion after two-week trial and sentenced to ten years in federal prison and fined $20,000. Senator Frank Farley, after a struggle with rival Thomas D. Taggart, Jr., mayor of Atlantic City, succeeds Johnson as the leader of the GOP organization
  • August 11: Nucky Johnson enters Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary to serve sentence

1944

  • January 18: Atlantic County’s Walter Edge, who previously served as governor from January 1917 to January 1919, is inaugurated for a second three-year term as governor

1945

  • Senator Frank Farley elected by fellow senators as Senate President, also becomes president of “21 Club” composed of New Jersey’s county Republican chairmen, providing a base for Farley to exert statewide political influence into the 1970s
  • August 15: Nucky Johnson released from prison on parole, takes pauper’s oath to avoid paying $20,000 fine

1955

  • July 1: Governor Robert B. Meyner became first person to cross Paramus toll plaza, effectively opening to traffic full 165-mile length of Garden State Parkway from Cape May to Paramus

1964

  • July 31: Atlantic City Expressway opens between its western terminus in Camden County and Garden State Parkway in Pleasantville, with construction completed a year ahead of schedule. Opening ceremonies presided over by Senator Frank Farley, leading proponent of project
  • August 21: Democratic National Convention holds opening session in Atlantic City. After becoming president upon assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, President Lyndon Johnson reportedly fails in efforts to persuade Democratic Party officials to reverse earlier decision to hold Convention in Atlantic City and select alternative location. Democratic National Committee had previously agreed to accept City offer of $600,000 to host Convention, along with City commitment to undertake $2 million refurbishing of Convention Hall. On August 24, delegates nominatie Johnson for president and Hubert H. Humphrey for vice president. National media coverage includes extensive reports of City’s deteriorated condition.

1969

  • Assemblyman Robert Littell (R-Sussex County) sponsors resolution to legalize casinos in New Jersey in anticipation of Playboy Enterprises opening a casino as an attraction for a major ski area in Sussex county

1970

  • Brendan T. Byrne, as president of Public Utilities Commission and former Essex County Prosecutor, is only State official to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee to endorse casino gambling in hearing on hearings on resolutions to authorize casino referendum

1971

  • New Jersey Senate defeats proposed legislation to authorize referendum to legalize gambling in Atlantic City sponsored by Senator Frank X. McDermott (R-Union), but opposed by Governor William T. Cahill
  • Democrats end reign of Atlantic County Republican organization under Frank Farley, with Dr. Joseph McGahn, mayor of Absecon and an obstetrician, defeating Senator Farley in a campaign focused on corruption following federal investigation of Republican machine in Atlantic City. Attorney Steven Perskie is elected to General Assembly

1972

  • Poll conducted in February of NJ residents by Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University asking “Would you be in favor of Las Vegas style gambling casinos in New Jersey?” reports 48% responding “no”; 44% “yes”; and 8% “don’t know.”

1973

  • Poll conducted in March of NJ residents by Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University asking “Would you be in favor of gambling casinos in New Jersey?” reports 49% responding “yes”; 44% “no”; and 8% “don’t know.”
  • April 24: Brendan T. Byrne tenders resignation as Superior Court judge and enters the Democratic gubernatorial primary
  • June 5: Byrne defeats Ralph DeRose and Ann Klein in the Democratic primary, winning the party’s nomination for Governor. Congressman Charles Sandman defeats incumbent Governor William Cahill for the Republican nomination
  • June 10: Electrical fire destroys The 500 Club on Missouri Avenue, entertainers during Club’s heyday in 1940s and ’50s included Frank Sinatra, Martin and Lewis, Jimmy Durante, Sophie Tucker, Nat “King” Cole, Vic Damone and Zsa Zsa Gabor
  • November 6: Byrne elected Governor of New Jersey, defeating Conressman Sandman by 721,000 votes, the largest plurality in the state’s history

1974

  • January 15: Brendan T. Byrne sworn in as 54th Governor of New Jersey
  • August 9: President Richard Nixon–facing impeachment as a result of the Watergate scandal–resigns from office, and is succeeded by Vice President Gerald R. Ford
  • November 5: NJ voters reject referendum to amend State constitution to allow State-owned casinos throughout NJ. The referendum is defeated in 19 of NJ’s 21 counties, with about 60% of all votes cast against it

1976

  • Senator Joseph McGahn (Democrat-Atlantic) introduces proposed resolution to amend Constitution to allow private companies to operate Atlantic City casinos and dedicate the use of local revenues to help alleviate local property taxes
  • Assemblyman Steven Perskie (Democrat-Atlantic) introduces proposed resolution to authorize State-owned casinos and dedicate revenues from casino taxation to provide assistance to senior citizens and the handicapped
  • May: Assembly votes 52-23 to place casino question on November ballot
  • June: Senate votes 25-10 to place casino question on November ballot
  • Steel Pier closes after declines in visitors and revenue, deterioration of Pier and amusement attractions
  • October: Resorts International purchases Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel on the Boardwalk
  • October: Poll of NJ residents conducted by Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University asking “If you had to decide right now, would you vote for this amendment to the Constitution that would permit casino gambling in Atlantic City, or would you vote against it?” reports 60% responding “for”; 34% “against”; and 6% “don’t know”
  • October 27: President Gerald Ford campaigns in Atlantic City and delivers speech on boardwalk
  • November 2: NJ voters approve referendum by 1.5 million to 1.2 million votes to amend State Constitution to authorize casinos limited to sites in Atlantic City. In presidential election, Governor Jimmy Carter defeats President Gerald Ford by 50.1 to 40.8% margin in national popular vote
  • November 3: Governor Byrne instructs his special counsel and State’s attorney general to formulate a plan to regulate casino development
  • Governor Byrne creates Staff Policy Group on Casino Gambling with objective to design legislation that would revitalize economy of AC and keep casino operations under law enforcement controls

1977

  • Playboy Clubs International President Victor Lownes testifies at a public hearing that his company was prepared to spend $32 million on a casino project. Lownes further suggests that the “English system” be adopted—casinos would be limited to 16 hours; barred from offering players drinks at tables; prohibited from offering live entertainment; and required to impose tight restrictions on player credit
  • February: Staff Policy Group on Casino Gambling issues initial report, subsequently revises recommendations to extend the hours of casino operations; reduce the number of casinos that had to be ready to open before any casino could begin operations; and modify its opposition to credit and alcohol
  • February 17: Governor Byrne meets with staff to review options on creation of Casino Control Commission, casino taxation, etc.
  • June 2: Governor Byrne signs Casino Control Act in Atlantic City, issues warning in speech at ceremony: “I’ve said it before and I will repeat it to organized crime. Keep your filthy hands off Atlantic City. Keep the hell out of our state!”
  • June 7: Governor Byrne defeats nine opponents, including Representatives Robert Roe and James J. Florio, to win the Democratic nomination for Governor
  • June 11: Governor Byrne names Joseph Lordi, who succeeded Governor Byrne as Essex County Prosecutor, as first chair of Casino Control Commission
  • July: Governor Byrne appoints Robert Martinez, Assistant Attorney General who had headed the Staff Policy Group on Casino Gambling, as the first Director of newly-created Division on Gaming Enforcement in the Department of Law & Public Safety
  • September 24: Former Senator Frank Farley dies at his home in Ventnor City, New York Times obituary describes him as “probably the most powerful legislator in New Jersey history”
  • October 4: Casino Control Commission holds first meeting.
  • October: Governor Byrne issues Executive Order to create a cabinet committee on Atlantic City to coordinate departmental projects and to respond to complaints from City’s elderly and minority communities
  • November 8: Governor Byrne defeats Republican State Senator Raymond H. Bateman by 300,000 votes, winning re-election as Governor of New Jersey. Assemblyman Steven Perskie elected to Senate seat held by fellow Democrat and incumbent Senator Joseph McGahn, after Perskie defeats McGahn for Democratic nomination and also in general election when McGahn runs as an independent in three-way race with Perskie and Republican candidate Frederick Perone. Senator Perskie becomes youngest person to serve in Senate in 114 years. Republican Atlantic County freeholder William Gormley elected to General Assembly
  • November: Resorts International’s attorneys circulate a memo arguing that regulatory agencies were not functioning properly and warned of the impact of their delay

1978

  • February 21: U.S. Supreme Court lets stand an August 1976 ruling allowing the sale of $1.1 billion in offshore oil drilling leases in the Baltimore Canyon Trough off the Jersey Shore
  • May 26: Resorts International opens first casino hotel in Atlantic City on 55-acre boardwalk site of former Chalfonte-Haddon Hall Hotel
  • September 20: President Jimmy Carter visits Atlantic City, delivers remarks at groundbreaking ceremonies for the National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center; at Convention of United Steelworkers of America; and Democratic Party Campaign Luncheon

1979

  • February 8: Governor Byrne signs Executive Order 71 establishing 15-person Pinelands Planning Commission to oversee development while also mandating a construction moratorium in a 576-square-mile core of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, and Ocean counties. The action comes two years after Executive Order 56 created a Pinelands Review Committee and five months after Congress passes National Parks and Recreation Act of 1978, making the Pinelands the country’s first National Reserve, and restricts development pressure generated by Atlantic City growth
  • June 26: Caesars Boardwalk Regency (now Caesars Atlantic City) becomes second casino-hotel to open in Atlantic City after receiving temporary operating license in May following agreement by Caesars controlling shareholders Clifford and Stuart Perlman to forego role in New Jersey operations pending hearings on permanent license. The Perlmans were the subject of controversy over their past business dealings with alleged mob-associated individuals

1980

  • February 3: FBI authorities announce that they will present a grand jury with evidence of a political corruption resulting from the “Abscam” investigation, a “sting” operation in which federal agents masquerading as an Arab sheik and his American employees purported to offer bribes to facilitate investments in Atlantic City casinos and real estate, an American titanium mine and East Coast port facilities. The sting operation ultimately implicates seven members of Congress, including New Jersey’s U.S. Senator Harrison Williams and Representative Frank Thompson, Jr., of Trenton. Kenneth MacDonald resigns as vice chairman of New Jersey Gambling Casino Control Board after FBI charges him with accepting a bribe, and on February 11 Governor Byrne calls for abolition of Board, with subsequent legislation creating full-time Casino Control Commission and insulating commissioners from contacts with development interests
  • November: Congressman Frank Thompson, one of six Congressmen implicated in the Abscam sting, is defeated for re-election by Republican Christopher Smith, and resigns his seat in the House of Representatives on December 29, 1980
  • December 9: Golden Nugget, Atlantic City’s sixth casino, is opened by Steven Wynn, who also heads Golden Nugget casino-hotel in Las Vegas. Despite small size and second-lowest number of table games, it ranks fourth in total revenues during first year, out-earning, per capita, bigger casinos like Resorts and Bally’s Park Place. By 1983, it leads all Atlantic City casinos in revenue
  • December 30: Casino Contol Commission grants Bally’s Manufacturing a temporary license for its Park Place casino on site of former Marlborough-Blenheim and Dennis hotels

1981

  • April 3: Motion picture “Atlantic City” premieres in U.S., starring Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon and directed by Louis Malle, depicting gritty neighborhoods of the City at outset of casino era
  • May 1: Senator Harrison Williams convicted on nine counts of bribery and conspiracy to use his office to aid in business ventures as a result of the Abscam scandal. Following a vote by the Senate Committee on Ethics recommending that the Senate expel him because of his “ethically repugnant” conduct, he resigns his Senate seat on March 11, 1982, and subsequently serves two years of a three-year prison sentence
  • Joseph Lordi retires in July after completing his fourth year as the first chairman of the state’s Casino Control Commission
  • November: Caesars World buys out shares held by Clifford and Stuart Perlman for $98.2 million, with Perlmans agreeing to resign from the boards of both the Las Vegas and Atlantic City casino-hotel operations
  • November: Thomas H. Kean elected governor, defeating Democratic nominee James J. Florio

1982

  • January: Thomas H. Kean sworn in as 55th Governor of New Jersey
  • March 11: Senator Harrison Williams resigns his Senate seat following vote by Senate Committee on Ethics recommending that the Senate expel him because of his “ethically repugnant” conduct in Abscam scandal. He subsequently serves two years of a three-year prison sentence
  • Governor Kean appoints Senator Steven Perskie as a Superior Court judge

1984

  • March 13: Mayor Michael Matthews loses a recall election to James Usry by a vote of 7,021 to 4,086, with Usry elected as his replacement as mayor by a 62% majority
  • March 27: Former Mayor Matthews is indicted on federal charges of using his office to extort bribes from businessmen to benefit himself and alleged Philadelphia and South Jersey organized crime figures Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo and Phillip “Crazy Phil” Leonetti. and enters federal prison in December. The former mayor serves 51⁄2 years and works as a golf director at a country club upon his release
  • November 27: Four weeks after it began, trial of former Mayor Matthews is cut short when he pleads guilty to one count of extorting $10,000 from an undercover FBI agent posing as a developer tied to crime boss Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo
  • December 19: The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority is created by legislation signed by Governor Kean and sponsored by Senator Gormley to provide casino tax revenue to facilitate redevelopment through financing of infrastructure, public improvements and housing

1985

  • November: Atlantis Casino Hotel, originally opened as Playboy, files for bankruptcy protection, operates under bankruptcy reorganization for nearly five more years until spring 1989 purchase by Donald Trump for $63 million. Trump closed the casino and operated the property as the hotel-only Trump Regency and Trump World’s Fair until permanently closing facility in October 1999 and demolishing it in 2000

1986

  • June 11: Mayor James L. Usry re-elected to his first full four-year term by a margin of 1,329 votes over Republican Assemblywoman Dolores G. Cooper, who had enetered race against Usry against wishes of national and State Republican leaders. Republican Governor Thomas Kean campaigns on Usry’s behalf
  • November: Governor Kean appoints Atlantic City Electric Co. Chairman (and former President and Chief Executive Officer) John Feehan as first Chairman of Casino Reinvestment Development Authority
  • Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation opens original high-stakes bingo hall

1987

  • Steve Wynn sells Golden Nuggett Casino for $440 million to Bally’s Entertainment Corporation, which changes name to Bally’s Grand Casino/Hotel
  • February 25: United States Supreme Court holds by 6-2 decision in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, 480 U. S. 202 (1987), that California statutes regulating bingo games could not be enforced on Indian reservations in absence of federal legislation expressly granting states such authority

1988

  • Mayor Usry elected as delegate to the Republican National Convention, but later strains relations with national and State Republicans by endorsing Reverend Jesse Jackson’s bid for the Democratic nomination that same year

1989

  • May: Atlantis Casino Hotel, the former Playboy now owned by Elsinore Corp., becomes the first casino to close, four years after creditors forced it into bankruptcy
  • June: Senator William Gormley finishes fourth in Republican gubernatorial primary won by Congressman James Courter
  • July 27: Mayor James L. Usry and 13 other political leaders and business executives, including the City Council president and two other Council members and the chair of the Zoning Board, are arrested and charged with influence peddling, corruption and official misconduct following a seven-month State investigation. State Senator Richard Codey (D-Essex), a co-sponsor of the law that legalized gambling in the state, is among legislators calling for the state to step in. Most of those charges are later dropped
  • Steven Perskie resigns as a Superior Court judge to manage gubernatorial campaign of Congressman James Florio. Following Florio election over James Courter, Perskie named chief-of-staff by Governor Florio
  • James Florio elected governor over Republican Congressman James Courter

 

1990

  • January: James J. Florio sworn in as 56th Governor of New Jersey
  • June: Governor James J. Florio gives speech in Atlantic City but avoids direct response to media questions about a potential State takeover of the resort
  • Governor Florio appoints chef-of-staff and former Senator and Judge Steven Perskie as chairman of Casino Control Commission

1991

  • December: Mayor Usry admits taking $6,000 in campaign cash without intending to report it and enters a pretrial-intervention program, which subsequently allows his record to be expunged

1992

  • First phase of Foxwoods Resort Casino opens in Connecticut, increasing competition for Atlantic City casinos

1993

  • November: Christine Todd Whitman elected governor, defeating Democratic incumbent James J. Florio

1994

  • January: Christine Todd Whitman sworn in as 57th Governor of New Jersey
  • March: Casino Control Commission Chairman Steven Perskie resigns as chair to become vice president and general counsel of Players International, an operator of riverboat casinos with no interests in New Jersey

1995

  • South Jersey Transportation Authority and New Jersey Department of Transportation announce plans for four-lane Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector highway and tunnel between Atlantic City Expressway and island municipality of Brigantine and improving access to Atlantic City marina district. After meeting with Steve Wynn, chief executive of Mirage Resorts proposing to build new $2 billion casino complex on city-owned land, Governor Whitman endorses proposed plan for Mirage to contribute $110 million of total $330 million cost, with remainder funded by State and local governments. The project is delayed by legal challenges from residents whose homes were in its path and by lawsuits from two Atlantic City casino operators, Arthur M. Goldberg of Hilton and Donald Trump of Trump Casino Resorts, who contended that tunnel would provide unfair advantage to proposed Wynn project

1997

  • November: Christine Todd Whitman reelected governor, defeating Democratic nominee James McGreevey

1998

  • January: Christine Todd Whitman sworn in to second term as Governor of New Jersey
  • November: Groundbreaking held for controversial $330 million Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector. Construction commenced after settlement of litigation challenging project, including Donald Trump agreeing to drop lawsuits in return for State adding a ramp to the tunnel project, creating direct access between existing Trump Marina casino resort and the proposed Borgata project of Steve Wynn

2001

  • January: Christine Todd Whitman resigns as Governor to accept nomination by President George W. Bush as Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration
  • January: Donald T. DiFrancesco as Senate President sworn in as Acting Governor
  • July 31: Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector opens for traffic after 32 months of construction following ceremony presided over by Governor Donald DiFrancesco
  • November: James McGreevey elected governor, defeating Republican nominee Bret Schundler
  • November 14: Mayor James Whelan concedes 900-vote defeat in November 6 mayoral election to Lorenzo Langford and states that he will drop earlier plan for court challenge to results in court

2002

  • January: James McGreevey sworn in as 58th Governor of New Jersey

2003

  • July 3: The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa opens, with its success spurring existing casino-hotels to renovate and expand. Developers announce plans for building four new major casino resorts in the City worth a combined $10 billion. South Jersey Transportation Authority also opens ramps from the Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector to the new casino-hotel

2004

  • November: James McGreevey resigns as Governor
  • November: Richard Codey as Senate President sworn in as Acting Governor, Title later changed to “Governor” by act of the New Jersey legislator

2005

  • July: Casino Commission reports that Atlantic City casino win set all-time monthly record of $504.8 million for July
  • August: Miss America Organization officials announce relocation of Pageant to Las Vegas after 85 years in Atlantic City
  • November: Jon S. Corzine elected governor, defeating Republican nominee Doug Forrester

2006

  • January: Jon S. Corzine sworn in as 60th Governor of New Jersey

2007

  • February 15: Senator William Gormley resigns seat after announcing in prior month that he would not seek reelection
  • November 6: Former Atlantic City Democratic Mayor James Whelan elected to New Jersey Senate, defeating Republican incumbent James J. McCullough, mayor of Egg Harbor Township who had been appointed to remaining term of Senator Gormley

2009

  • November: Chris Christie elected governor, defeating incumbent Democratic nominee Jon Corzine

2010

  • January: Chris Christie sworn in as 61st Governor of New Jersey
  • February 3: Governor Christie issues Executive Order 11 creating the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory Commission to “provide recommendations to comprehensively address the unprecedented financial and structural challenges confronting New Jersey’s gaming, professional sports and entertainment industries.”
  • February: Pinnacle Entertainment announces cancellation of construction plans for new casino resort and intention to sell land acquired for the project
  • July 12: Casino Commission reports that Atlantic City casino revenue declined for 22nd consecutive month In June, down 11.1% for month compared to June 2009 and down 8% for 2010 compared to 2009, earning $1.77 billion through first six months of 2010
  • July 21: Governor Christie releases recommendations of his New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory Commission, including proposal to create Atlantic City tourism district with State oversight and stronger crime prevention and preparation of a Master Plan focused on developing new gaming and non-gaming attractions
  • August 10: Casino Association of New Jersey releases Contribution of the Casino Hotel Industry to New Jersey’s Economy, study it commissioned prepared by Center for Urban Policy Research at Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University reporting that casino industry in 2008 supported approximately 101,500 New Jersey jobs, about 2.0 percent of total 5.2 million New Jersey jobs, that generated $4.2 billion in payroll income and $6.5 billion annually in Gross Domestic Product. Casino industry taxes and fees in 2008 were reported to be approximately $664.3 million in state tax revenues/fees and $238.9 million in local tax revenues—a total of $903.2 million

Sources

New York Times archives; Encyclopedia of New Jersey; Wikipedia; Atlantic City Library; Library of Congress; New Jersey Division of Archives and Records Management; New Jersey Legislative Manual; Casino Reinvestment Development Authority; New Jersey Casino Control Commission; Atlantic City Casino Connection