While New Jersey politicians bicker over the timing of a constitutional referendum for adding northerly casinos, Hard Rock International 
unveiled a detailed picture of its plans for its desired Meadowlands casino (a site favored by 73% of voters polled, although the pro-expansion margin is much tighter: 53%). In some respects, it will resemble its Las Vegas progenitor: giant-guitar marquee, center bar, museum-like displays of rock souvenirs. But it will augment those with a New Jersey Music Hall of Fame, ranging from Sinatra to Springsteen. The project continues to gain supporters, including Speaker of the Assembly Vincent Prieto (D).
The revenue stream from Hard Rock Meadowlands is projected to dwarf Atlantic City‘s: $400 million. Some of that will go to fatten purses at Meadowlands Racetrack (mogul Jeff Gural’s real priority), in which Hard Rock holds a 
small stake, and some will go to assist in economic recovery in Atlantic City. Assuming that the $400 million projection is even realistic, it will have to be revised downward if legislators include Sussex County and Hudson County also make it into the enabling legislation.
Besides, proponents of upstate casinos are attempting a tricky bit of triangulation: betting that they can draw a half-billion dollars’ worth of customers from northern Pennsylvania, upstate New York and Resorts World New York without cutting off Atlantic City’s oxygen supply. “Gural has essentially sat down at the regional blackjack table to play three simultaneous hands,” reported the New York Times, noting the racing mogul’s simultaneous pursuit of a Pennsylvania casino license and financial interest in Sands Bethlehem.
Now that he’s got this $1 billion project on his plate, Hard Rock International CEO James Allen (ab0ve) has ruled out any involvement in Atlantic City. That’ll be hard cheese for Glenn Straub. Meanwhile, the promise of as many as 5,000 permanent jobs will have Atlantic City’s displaced casino workforce looking northward.
* Paul Steelman isn’t just designing Resorts World Las Vegas, he’s acting as owner K.T. Lim‘s emissary to the local press. According to 
Lim-via-Steelman, the purpose of Resorts World LV is not to compete with Wynncore or Venelazzo but to create a bigger Las Vegas market (translation: more Chinese visitors). Genting Group has a leisurely timeline to fertilize that field, since it does not plan on opening Resorts World until 2018 — Steelman’s ornate designs are not something to be realized overnight. Also, the latter has rejiggered some of his plans since they were first unveiled two years ago.
The (unlikely) panda habitat has been put on hold, waiting for Phase II, which is of course contingent upon the success of Phase I. The Great Wall of China replica, however, is still on. The question remains whether Chinese punters are going to travel to Las Vegas to see a knockoff of their home country. Macao exploded when a drastically different type of casino product was introduced to the market. Or, to put it another way, Sheldon Adelson didn’t get richer by imitating Stanley Ho.
In a passing jab at CityCenter, Steelman says of contemporary architecture, “They do not give you the impression of a vacation spot 
… These super modern buildings that had a statement were good-looking buildings, were dynamic, but they didn’t feel like they were attacking the three emotions we want to design with.” Steelman’s aim is for a semi-themed property, although all the designs seen so far are heavy on the chinoiserie. Also, despite the multi-billion-dollar price tag on Resorts World, Steelman describes its target audience as “families, young couples, middle-income visitors.” That’s going to be a tricky balancing act to accomplish.
