The legislation comes as productions stream into New Jersey following the COVID-19 pandemic, and as players such as Netflix eye the former Fort Monmouth Army base, and NBC Universal uses the former Meadowlands Arena, for its productions.

The state added 20,000 positions back to its workforce last month, making for more than 500,000 recovered since the business closures of March and April 2020.

The new ShopRite is backed by tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks and public financing.

“I think no matter what stripe you wear, the electorate told us that affordability and also efficiency of government is essential, and things we need to be mindful of as state legislators,” Sen. Troy Singleton, D-7th District, said during Nov. 17 panel at the New Jersey League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City.

With the New Jersey League of Municipalities holding one of the first major events during the resort's conference season, state and local officials expressed optimism about the region's outlook.

Meetings of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission have all been held virtually during the Murphy administration because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has complicated efforts to get the business off the ground.

"With the dollars and loan benefits available in the federal infrastructure bill and the analysis of underground conditions we are undertaking, the project is taking big steps toward the start of full construction," said Balpreet Grewal-Virk, co-chair and the New Jersey commissioner for the Gateway Development Commission.

“There were announcements of programs made, but we don’t have transparency to where that money is out on the street yet,” Michele Siekerka, who heads the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, told NJBIZ following a Nov. 16 panel at the annual New Jersey League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City.

The state could get an estimated $6.9 billion for highways and roads, $1.1 billion for bridges, $104 million to boost its electric vehicle infrastructure, and $24.4 million for ferry service, according to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s office.

Proponents argue the move is vital to help the gaming palaces recover from the pandemic. Opponents, though, warn that the bill would hurt residents of what is already one of the state’s poorest communities.

As of Nov. 12, New Jersey’s seven-day average stood at 1,418 cases, after the state posted fewer than 1,200 cases in early October, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The measure would earmark $5 million for use by state-recognized Destination Marketing Organizations to work with New Jersey's overall marketing campaign and $20 million to promote the industry in unspecified ways.