Longtime NJ Senator Bill Gormley stepping down...
Egg Harbor Township Mayor Sonny McCullough will run for the vacant seat.

January 2007

Love him or hate him, Bill Gormley has been a dynamic force on the political scene in the Greater Atlantic City for the last twenty eight years. So Gormley's announcement that he would not run again for his State Senate seat sent major reverberations throughout Atlantic County to start the new year.

Obviously tired of the political battles, Gormley decided that enough was enough, said State Senate president Richard Codey.

And now the battle over Gormley's vacant Senate seat begins, with his colleague Frank Blee probably lining up against Democrat Jim Whelan, in what should be a real knockdown, drag out fight for the valuable piece of political real estate in the state legislature.

Senator William Gormley (top photo) has decided to step down after an over thirty year run in New Jersey politics. Egg Harbor Township Mayor Sonny McCullough has tossed his hat into the ring to succeed Gormley. McCullough is known as a people’s candidate as he is well liked by both Democrats and Republican’s alike.

Gormley was indeed a political chameleon who could adapt and mutate with the ever shifting political winds in New Jersey. He likened himself as the champion of the casino industry, and it is hard to argue against that when you reflect on his record. Gormley was largely responsible for the establishment of CRDA funding, which led to revitalizing the infrastructure of key components of Atlantic City – the Atlantic City Convention Center, Boardwalk Hall, The Walk, and Bernie Robbins Stadium. He often effectively captained bills through the labyrinth of the statehouse in Trenton, sometimes joining forces with the rival party to get what he wanted accomplished.

His temper was legendary and his power, though somewhat diminished of late, was often compared to that of the legendary Hap Farley who once ruled Atlantic City with an iron fist. Gormley feuded with Trump and broke bread with Trump. Gormley feuded with those in his own party while trying to control its future.

Gormley once backed legalized sports betting in Atlantic City, but then opposed it when the open window for it was closed by people in his own party who never allowed it to get out of a legislative committee.

One day you might be a friend; another day you were his foe.

Gormley was often the Democratic party's favorite Republican, but his politcal savvy was never questioned. That's why some might be surprised by his exit though it was rumored for some time. Whether or not he will stay on for his entire term is now being questioned. But even in his exit Gormley is involved in some shock and awe politics, if you will, as he is supporting a move that would lead to the conversion of Boardwalk Hall into a casino/retail/entertainment complex that would feature Trump and Steve Wynn working together. This latest Gormleybacked idea perhaps explains Gormley's chameleon-like nature better than anything. Boardwalk Hall, with its $90 million CRDA-induced renovation, was his baby since it reopened. But when one of his pet projects, the Boardwalk Bullies hockey club failed miserably and left the city, Gormley began to take a different look at the facility. Last month Boardwalk Hall produced a press release which stated that the facility was the No. 1 box office arena of its size in the world. But that is ticket revenue, and the building itself suffers from a $4 million shortfall which is funded by the luxury tax. Operationally, despite its renovations, Boardwalk Hall is still a very expensive building to do events in due to onerous union work rules.

Should Gormley's Wynn- Trump deal go down, a new arena, operated still by the Atlantic City Convention Authority, would be built along Atlantic Avenue, and with that new arena would come more user-friendly building union work rules.

And so it goes with Gormley.

There is some speculation in Atlantic County that when United States DA's Chris Christy's corruption investigation into Atlantic City is finally over, some people close to Gormley could be touched by it, which would be fodder for his political opponents. And there are also many people who believe that Atlantic County has not seen the last of him.

Here's a scenario told to The Insider by a key Atlantic City figure: The corruption probe continues in Atlantic City with more arrests of city leaders, and the situation is so bad that a state takeover occurs, which leads to the appointment of a caretaker for Atlantic City by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. And guess who that caretaker would probably be?...Bill Gormley, of course.

Never say never. James Bond told us that.

Shaken, not stirred. That is Bill Gormley for sure.

The Insider is written by a prominent local business person who chooses to remain anonymous at this time. The opinions and news bites are that of The Insider and do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of this magazine, it's staff, or its publisher.