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Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, shown here in a file photo, told supporters on Wednesday that he expected Newark to be home to a casino in the near future.

(File photo)

NEWARK — One by one, elected officials took to the podium at Newark City Hall Wednesday afternoon to state their case for a casino in the state's largest city.

The last of the parade of state, county and city officials was Mayor Ras Baraka, who took the lobbying one step further.

"I'm going to claim it. We're going to vote on this and we're going to get a casino right here in the city of Newark," he said.

The words met with a standing ovation from the 100 or so people gathered at the press conference, all brimming with hope that a gambling venue might bring added momentum to redevelopment efforts that are already underway in the city.

"We stand in agreement because being that Newark has a close proximity to an international airport, this is the perfect location, for not just a casino but for a convention center and for a hotel," said Essex County Freeholders President Britnee N. Timberlake.

"It's going to (stimulate) the local economy. It's going to put people to work."

Baraka speaks at the press conference Wednesday at Newark City Hall.

The city will need support that reaches far beyond Essex County, however, if it hopes to hear the whirr of roulette tables and chimes of slot machines anytime soon.

The first hurdle is the passage of a constitutional amendment introduced by State Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex), which would allow for a referendum on wehther to allow casinos in Essex, Hudson and Bergen counties. State law currently only allows for the operation of casinos in Atlantic City.

The legislature would need to pass the measure with a 60 percent majority by Aug. 3 in order to bring the question to voters in the fall.

In pushing for the measure, local officials cited not just Newark's accessibility via air, car and train, but an available work force and suitable locations that might not exist in more congested locations like Jersey City.

Advocates also argued that the casino might help draw in billions of dollars in gambling revenue that might otherwise be spent at gambling venues in Yonkers, N.Y., Connecticut or the Poconos. They proposed that the new funds could be used to help ease the state's persistent financial woes.

"We need to get going, we need revenues. The state of New Jersey depends on this," said State Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex).

Many opponents to Caputo's constitutional amendment have expressed concerns about new casinos potential effect on the already-struggling Atlantic City, which has already lost four of its prominent gambling venues in recent years, including Revel, which received large tax incentives to finish its construction.

In comments after the press conference, Caputo said support for the measure was building, but that the split largely fell along regional lines between legislators from North and South Jersey.

He floated the idea of creating a "transition fund" that would send a portion of gambling revenues to Atlantic City for an undetermined period after the opening of the venues in Bergen, Hudson or Essex counties, but said a bill would still need to be drafted to flesh out details of the plan.

Newark may also face stiff competition as they attempt to woo casino developers to the city.

Meadowlands Racetrack Operator Jeff Gural joined Hard Rock International at a press conference last week to state their case for a casino at the track as early as next year. Sneaker mogul Paul Fireman has also been touting plans for a mega casino and hotel complex in Jersey City, and other legislators and elected officials in towns as far south as Ocean County have expressed desire for the ability to open their own.

For those with their loyalties in Newark, however, the choice was clear.

"They made a commitment 5 years ago to give Atlantic City a shot, and it hasn't been living up to what it's supposed to be," said DiVincenzo. "We don't want to continue to lose money to Pennsylvania and New York. We've got to make sure we keep the dollars right here."

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described the financing of the former Atlantic City resort casino Revel.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.