Gaming News

NJ Supreme Court denies Tropicana appeal

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey -- As reported by the Press of Atlantic City: "Ruling unanimously, the New Jersey Supreme Court upheld the state Casino Control Commission's decision last December to strip Tropicana Entertainment LLC and its corporate affiliates of their license and put the troubled gaming hall up for sale.

"The ruling removes the last legal impediment holding up the sale. A state-appointed conservator who has been overseeing the casino since Tropicana lost its license is planning a bankruptcy auction in coming weeks.

"Linda M. Kassekert, chair of the casino commission, said efforts to sell Tropicana will resume immediately. She noted that the court ruling came one day after the commission approved the hiring of additional legal advisers to help the conservator take the casino into U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

"...Tropicana Entertainment clung to the hope that New Jersey's courts would block the sale and reinstate its license. However, a state appeals panel unanimously ruled against the company in July, followed by the Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday to finish the yearlong legal saga.

"Among other things, Tropicana Entertainment claimed it was unfairly denied a license because of alleged political interference by Senate President Richard Codey, D-Essex. Codey wrote a letter last year urging the Casino Control Commission to allow a casino labor union, which opposed Tropicana, to participate in the licensing hearing.

"But the commission ignored Codey's letter and insisted it had no influence on its decision to deny the license. The Supreme Court appeared to agree, not even mentioning Codey's letter in its ruling..."

copyrighted material written for and appeared exclusively in The Press of Atlantic City

< Gaming News