(The Associated Press circulated the following article on February 20.)
NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey’s gambling mecca will soon be more easily accessible by rail — just not if you live in New Jersey.
The 2 1/2-hour Express train service from New York to Atlantic City, scheduled to begin in late 2007 or early 2008, has no other stops planned in the Garden State.
Details are being finalized for the new service, dubbed “ACES” for Atlantic City Express Service. But in the current scenario, the trains would run nonstop on the Northeast Corridor tracks from New York to just north of Philadelphia, then head east and continue nonstop to Atlantic City.
“Our initial thoughts are to go directly from Penn Station with no stops to Atlantic City,” said Michael Walsh, regional vice president for development at Harrah’s Atlantic City. “As things develop, we may stop at other places.”
Auggie Cipollini, senior vice president and chief administrative officer of the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, said it still is possible there will be a stop in New Jersey.
“We’re still open to it,” Cipollini said. “It’s something we’re going to have to partner with NJ Transit to see whether or not that’s feasible.”
The casinos are calling the shots because they are footing the bill for the new train service. A joint venture involving the Borgata, Caesars Atlantic City Hotel Casino and Harrah’s Atlantic City is purchasing eight double-level cars for approximately $15 million, and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority will lease four locomotives for another $4.5 million.
The casinos make no bones about the fact they are looking beyond New Jersey to penetrate the New York City market, specifically 20- and 30-somethings with disposable income who may have balked in the past at the idea of riding a bus to Atlantic City.
Cipollini referred to research that has shown that while population in New York’s five boroughs is increasing, the number of car registrations is decreasing.
“We’re using this train as an acquisition tool to expose folks in New York City to Atlantic City,” Walsh said. “We know there’s a lot of individuals who don’t have cars or don’t want to rent cars, and this will provide a more convenient way for them to visit Atlantic City.”
Under the current proposal, the service would operate on the weekends, with two departures planned from New York on Friday and one from Atlantic City. Four trains would leave from each destination on Saturday, and three would depart Atlantic City on Sunday.
Adding trains to the crowded Northeast Corridor should not lead to more delays, because they won’t run during the week between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., the peak weekday hours for tunnel traffic, NJ Transit spokesman Dan Stessel said. The evening rush hour is not as congested, he added.
“We have the capacity and ability to provide this service on the casinos’ behalf without it impacting service to our existing customers,” Stessel said.