Plans that could eventually permit the establishment of a casino at the Meadowlands sports complex in East Rutherford are under way.

Recently proposed legislation would amend the state constitution to allow for the establishment of a casino at that location in northern New Jersey. The legislation would also determine the appropriate division of revenues generated by the casino.

At the present time the only casinos that are permitted in New Jersey are in Atlantic City hotels with a minimum of 500 rooms.

The new legislation consists of two bills. The first bill is a mandate for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) to solicit bids and award one or more contracts for the building and operation of a casino at the Meadowlands.

The second bill proposes a constitutional amendment that would permit the Legislature to enact laws allowing for casino operation at the Meadowlands complex.

Supporters of the proposed constitutional amendment hope to present that option to voters in the form of a referendum. The referendum would ask the electorate to approve the constitutional amendment.

“We need to find a long-term source of revenue to fix our gaming industry in New Jersey,” said state Sen. Jennifer Beck (RMonmouth and Mercer), who is sponsoring the legislation. “We saw the competition coming and New Jersey did not respond.”

People are no longer taking the trip to gamble in Atlantic City because of new gaming competition in other places, Beck said.

Once Pennsylvania legalized casino gambling in the state, stand-alone casinos and racinos, a combination of horseracing and casino games, sprung up from Pittsburgh to Bethlehem.

The horse racing industry in New Jersey has supported the establishment of racinos and a new casino, but the operators of the Atlantic City hotels-casinos have generally opposed that move.

The legislation Beck recently announced would allocate some of the state’s revenue from the proposed Meadowlands casino for horse racing and the Atlantic City gaming industry.

The legislation allocates 15 percent of state revenue derived from the first three years of the new casino’s operation to be used for improvements to the boardwalk and beaches in Atlantic City. After the first three years, that 15 percent would be put toward other Atlantic City projects.

Twelve percent of state revenue derived from the new casino at the Meadowlands would be used to increase the amount of money awarded to the winners of horse races at the Meadowlands and at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, both of which are operated by the NJSEA.

Three percent of state revenue derived from the new casino would go toward horse breeding.

The remainder of the state revenue derived from the new casino would be used to help fund education.

“This will be a new source of revenue that can also support our schools,” Beck said.

The division of state revenue is defined by the first of the two bills. That bill would immediately take effect but it would be dependent upon voter approval of the second piece of legislation, the constitutional amendment to permit the casino at the Meadowlands.

The legislation has been referred to the Senate’s State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee.