Published on: October 8, 2025, 09:39h.
Updated on: October 8, 2025, 09:59h.
- Jack Ciattarelli positions himself as pro-business, aiming to benefit Atlantic City
- New Jersey’s Republican gubernatorial candidate emphasizes the need for more incentives to live and visit Atlantic City
Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for governor of New Jersey, asserts that Atlantic City requires more than just casinos for effective revitalization.
While addressing the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce at Seaview this past Tuesday, Ciattarelli remarked that Atlantic City can only prosper if its economic and property landscape extends beyond the casino industry.
“In 1925, Atlantic City’s population was around 55,000. Today, it has shrunk to 37,000,” Ciattarelli stated from the Stockton University-owned golf resort. “It’s not sufficient for visitors to come only for the casinos.”
Ciattarelli has committed to not just serving as New Jersey’s next governor but also as the state’s CEO, embracing a business-centric approach. His campaign includes plans to gradually decrease the state’s business tax by 1% annually for five years, addressing New Jersey’s notorious high corporate tax rates.
Development Plans for Atlantic City
Ciattarelli holds the belief that Atlantic City must become more appealing to entice diverse business opportunities.
Numerous significant projects have been proposed, such as a $3.4 billion redevelopment of the historic Bader Field into a mixed-use “motorsport living, entertainment, and lifestyle hub.” Additional suggestions include an indoor ski slope, a baseball stadium with a capacity of 29,000, an esports venue, and a go-kart track along the Boardwalk near the Claridge Hotel.
In tandem with lower taxes, Ciattarelli has vowed to simplify the governmental permitting and approval processes for potential developers.
Glenn Straub, who previously owned the Revel, now known as Ocean, controversially remarked after selling his casino in 2018 that business owners in New Jersey “must strip bare” due to the state’s unfavorable business climate.
“My policies will be undeniably pro-business. I won’t allow New Jersey to remain ranked among the least favorable states for business,” he asserted.
Ciattarelli enjoys the endorsement of Dennis Levinson, a long-serving Executive of Atlantic County.
Earlier this year, Levinson shared with Casino.org that while he is unsure of Ciattarelli’s stance on dissolving the state’s oversight of Atlantic City and abolishing the casinos’ property PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-tax) program, he hopes such measures will be implemented by the Republican if elected governor.
Election Race Tightens
US Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), the Democratic candidate, has been viewed as the leading contender for the New Jersey gubernatorial election on November 4. However, her odds have diminished in light of recent revelations that she allegedly misrepresented her military rank and was barred from participating in her 1994 Naval Academy graduation due to a cheating scandal.
Sherrill’s campaign asserts that the Trump administration facilitated the exposure of her Official Military Personnel File. Ciattarelli refuted this claim, explaining that the documents were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
This controversy has undoubtedly impacted election analytics. The Real Clear Politics polling average currently shows Sherrill holding a mere 3.3-point lead, which falls within the expected margin of error.
Despite this, online betting markets predict a 78% chance of victory for the Democrat.
In August, Sherrill also spoke before the Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce at Seaview, where she vowed to ease the process for launching and expanding businesses.
“Trenton is failing families and businesses across our state. From waiting months for basic permits to incurring costs just to complete duplicate submissions, our state agencies suffer from a ‘no’ culture instead of embracing ‘yes,’” Sherrill commented.
Sherrill and Ciattarelli will face off in their final debate Wednesday night from 7-8 pm at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.