Summoning his inner Donald Trump, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop declares in Sunday's Record, that a casino in Jersey City "would be the highest-grossing in North America, bigger than any Las Vegas casino."

Lawmakers in Trenton are hashing out a referendum that would appear on next November's ballot that would allow casino gambling in the state to expand beyond Atlantic City. To help sustain the struggling seaside resort, any new casinos in North Jersey would have to share a portion of its profits with Atlantic City.

No matter what the conditions are, Fulop is convinced casino investment in Jersey City is a no-brainer.

"There's only one place that every major casino operator in the country has come to check out and that's Jersey City," he told The Record. "It's not rocket science. We're closest to Manhattan ... Open public bidding is fine, because from an economic standpoint, a (Jersey City proposal) would be the front-runner."

Fulop added that some preliminary proposals that have been discussed with him approach "$1 billion." A $4.6 billion multi-use project in Jersey City proposed this summer by real estate investor Paul Fireman would include a casino, a convention center, a 95-story hotel, a motor-sports stadium, among other attractions, The Record reports.

But Jersey City won't be alone when it comes to chasing casino money.
Newark is also making a pitch to have a casino built there, and Jim Kirkos, head of the Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce told The Record that the Sports Complex in East Rutherford is the perfect spot for a gambling mecca.

The American Dream, Izod Center, MetLife Center, as well as a potential convention center will ensure a steady stream of customers, he asserts.