Amazon Racetrack Project Eyes Sept. 15 Closing, 2028 Completion

MAYS LANDING — Amazon's massive redevelopment of the former Atlantic City Race Course is moving closer to reality, with a Sept. 15 closing now targeted and completion expected in 2028, according to Hamilton Township officials.

Hamilton Township Committeewomen Dr. Thelma Witherspoon and Tracy Thompson discussed the project Thursday during separate interviews with guest host Michael Suleiman on Off The Press on WOND, providing new details about the timeline, jobs and an approximately $10 million community partnership agreement connected to the redevelopment.

“They're going for settlement in September, September the 15th,” Witherspoon said.

She said the township's negotiated PILOT agreement was controversial with some residents but believes the overall deal will prove beneficial to Hamilton.

“It's a win-win for Hamilton Township — 750 jobs, 300 construction jobs,” Witherspoon said. “And we're looking to have that completed in 2028.”

Thompson: Project Will Benefit Entire County

Thompson said she believes the impact of the Amazon development will extend well beyond Hamilton Township.

“I think this Amazon project is going to be so excellent and huge, not just for Hamilton Township, but for the county,” Thompson said.

Thompson said she specifically asked Amazon representatives about employment during discussions over the project because she wanted the number stated publicly.

The answer, she said, was 750 permanent jobs, in addition to approximately 300 construction jobs expected during the two-year construction period.

“This is not just huge for Hamilton Township,” Thompson said. “We're able to also provide jobs and some kind of stability for people throughout Atlantic County.”

The project would transform a large portion of the former Atlantic City Race Course property along the Black Horse Pike into a roughly 1.2 million-square-foot Amazon fulfillment facility.

The racetrack, once a major South Jersey attraction, closed in 2015.

$10 Million Community Partnership Agreement

Beyond the jobs and tax revenue, both committee members emphasized a separate community partnership agreement negotiated as part of the project.

Thompson put the value of the agreement at approximately $10 million and said she had the paperwork in front of her during Thursday's interview.

“That's going to help with community initiatives,” Thompson said. “It's going to help with food security and it's going to help with technical training.”

She said township officials see opportunities to use the agreement to support young people, small businesses, nonprofit organizations and other community needs.

“There's going to be a lot of significant opportunities,” Thompson said.

Thompson also said officials are considering potential recreation initiatives and indicated that some of the agreement could support low-income housing development.

Witherspoon provided additional details during her earlier WOND interview, saying the community benefits include funding toward the purchase of a fire truck and money for local schools, including STEM-related programs.

She said another portion is expected to be made available to eligible tax-exempt organizations through an application process.

Officials Say Amazon Deal Goes Beyond Warehouse

The comments from both officials highlight an aspect of the Amazon redevelopment that Hamilton Township leaders have increasingly emphasized: they see the project as more than simply replacing the old racetrack with a massive distribution facility.

The township approved a long-term payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement, or PILOT, for the project this summer.

Under the agreement, Amazon would make annual payments to the township rather than conventional property-tax payments.

The deal and the scale of the proposed development have generated debate in Hamilton Township, but Thompson said some of the opposition has been driven by incorrect information circulating about the project.

She said residents she speaks with are increasingly interested in the employment opportunities.

“They are excited about Amazon,” Thompson said. “Like I said, it was a lot of misinformation that was put out there.”

Thompson said she and Witherspoon have spent considerable time answering questions and attempting to clear up rumors surrounding the development.

“Basically, we've been putting out the fires,” Thompson said.

Witherspoon Calls Deal a 'Win-Win'

Witherspoon similarly defended the agreement, pointing to the combination of employment, community benefits and new investment in a property that has sat largely dormant for more than a decade.

The Atlantic City Race Course property has been one of Hamilton Township's most prominent redevelopment challenges since racing ended.

Amazon's project would bring a major new use to the site while creating hundreds of jobs during construction and, according to company projections cited by township officials, 750 permanent positions once operational.

“It's a win-win for Hamilton Township,” Witherspoon said.

Sept. 15 Could Be Next Major Milestone

If the current schedule holds, the next major step could come in approximately one month.

Witherspoon said Sept. 15 is being targeted for settlement, followed by construction and an anticipated 2028 completion.

Meanwhile, township officials will be deciding exactly how some of the community benefits associated with the development will be distributed.

Thompson said residents are particularly interested in opportunities for young people, an issue she said repeatedly comes up during her conversations throughout Hamilton Township.

She believes the Amazon agreement provides an opportunity to address some of those needs.

“We're excited about what we can see, what we can do for our youth with this community partnership agreement with Amazon,” Thompson said.

For a property that has sat largely idle since the Atlantic City Race Course closed more than a decade ago, the Sept. 15 target represents another significant step toward what could become one of the largest redevelopment projects in Hamilton Township in years.