5:12-173.1 Findings, declarations relative to redevelopment in Atlantic City.

1. The Legislature finds that the single most significant factor contributing to the cost of constructing, maintaining, operating and supporting highways, roads and infrastructure, in Atlantic City, and particularly in the "corridor" region of the city, is the heavy volume of motor vehicular traffic occasioned by the attraction of casino gambling in Atlantic City. This traffic is encouraged by the provision of free parking by casino operations, by the relative underdevelopment of public transportation services, and by the shortage of hotel accommodations in the city. While the Legislature has taken various measures, most notably the "South Jersey Transportation Authority Act," P.L.1991, c.252 (C.27:25A-1 et al.), to provide and improve public transportation services in the South Jersey region as an alternative to the use of motor vehicles, the heavy capital costs associated with reconstruction of the corridor region's infrastructure require a continuous source of public funding. The Legislature declares, therefore, that it is in the public interest to require a standard minimum charge for casino parking within Atlantic City, and to impose fees on amounts received from those charges, with the proceeds of those fees to be used by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority for projects which are related to improving the highways, roads, infrastructure, traffic regulation and public safety of the city, or which are otherwise necessary or useful to the economic development and redevelopment of the city in this regard. It is also in the public interest to establish a special temporary fund for the use of existing moneys of the authority for the provision of financial assistance to casino licensees to construct, reconstruct or rehabilitate hotel rooms in Atlantic City.

The Legislature declares that it is the public purpose of this amendatory act, P.L.1996, c.118 (C.5:12-173.3a et al.), that financial assistance to casino licensees to construct, reconstruct or rehabilitate hotel rooms in Atlantic City shall be determined after excluding costs reasonably related to space used for the conduct of casino gaming. It was, and continues to be, the public purpose of P.L.1993, c.159 (C.5:12-173.1 et seq.) that financial assistance may be provided to a project which includes, incorporates, facilitates or supports space used for the conduct of casino gaming in a casino hotel facility, but only for costs reasonably related to hotel rooms and their appurtenant facilities in the project.

The Legislature declares that it is the public purpose of this amendatory and supplementary act, P.L.2003, c.116 (C.5:12-148.1 et al.), that the proceeds of the increase in the fee imposed on the minimum charge for casino hotel parking within Atlantic City be deposited into the Casino Revenue Fund in State fiscal years 2004 through 2006, in order to assist the Casino Revenue Fund, and thereafter for use for the purposes specified.

L.1993,c.159,s.1; amended 1996, c.118, s.1; 2003, c.116, s.8.