144. a. There is hereby imposed an annual tax on gross revenues as defined in section 24 of this act in the amount of 8% of such gross revenues.

b. Commencing with the first annual tax return of a licensee for any calendar year beginning after December 31, 1978, and ending before January 1, 1984 and based upon a determination that in said return or any annual return for a calendar year during that period the gross revenue of a licensee in the calendar year upon which the tax is based exceeds the cumulative investments in this State of said licensee as of that year, such licensee shall make investments in an amount not less than 2% of the gross revenue for said calendar year within a period of five years from the end of said calendar year. Fifty percent of the investments required by this subsection as a result of any of the three annual tax returns commencing with the first annual tax return for any calendar year beginning after December 31, 1978 shall be made in the municipality in which the licensed premises are located, and 50% of such investments shall be made in any other municipality of this State. Twenty-five percent of the investments required by this subsection as a result of any annual tax return subsequent to the third such return in a series of returns the first of which is for a calendar year beginning after December 31, 1978 shall be made in the municipality in which the licensed premises are located, and 75% shall be made in any other municipality of this State.

All investments and cumulative investments made pursuant to this subsection shall be subject to a determination by the division as to the eligibility of such investments. In determining eligibility, the division shall consider the public interest, including the social and economic benefits to be derived from such investments for the people of this State.

c. For the purposes of this section, “investments” means equity investments in land and real property on which improvements are made and in real property improvements. For the purposes of this section, “cumulative investments” means investments in and debt financing of the licensed premises, plus other investments in and debt financing of land and real property on which improvements are made and real property improvements; provided, however, that the investments and debt financing not associated with the licensed premises have been subsequent to July 6, 1976. Real property and real property improvements sold or otherwise disposed of by the licensee shall not be included for the purposes of determining cumulative investments.

d. For the purposes of satisfying the amount of investments in any given year and of determining cumulative investments as of any given year, pursuant to subsection b., contributions of money or realty shall be included if the division determines that such contributions best serve the public interest and either (1) directly relate to the improvement, furtherance, and promotion of the tourist industry in this State through the planning, acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance and operation of recreational, entertainment, and other facilities for the public, including, without limitation, a performing arts center, the beaches and shorefront of this State, and transportation facilities providing or enhancing service in resort areas of this State, or (2) directly relate to the improvement, furtherance, and promotion of the health and wellbeing of the people of this State through the planning, acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of a facility, project or program approved by the division.

e. In the event that the investments required in subsection b. of this section are not made within the time set forth herein, there shall be imposed an investment alternative tax in an amount equivalent to 2% of gross revenue, which tax shall be added to the tax determined under subsection a. of this section and shall be due and payable in accordance with section 148 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-148). For the purposes of determining whether the investment alternative tax shall be paid, the State Treasurer shall certify, under such rules and regulations as he shall promulgate consistent with the provisions of this article, the amount of cumulative investments made by each licensee. In the event of the sale or other disposition of the licensed premises, any investment obligation imposed by subsection b. which is not satisfied shall be immediately deemed due and payable as investment alternative tax, and said amount shall constitute a lien upon the licensed premises until paid, together with interest at the rate specified in the “State Uniform Tax Procedure Law,” Subtitle 9 of Title 54 of the Revised Statutes; provided, however, that the appointment of a conservator under section 31 of P.L.1978, c.7, shall not constitute a sale or other disposition of the licensed premises within the meaning of this subsection, and provided further, that if, in the judgment of the division, a sale or other disposition does not significantly affect the operations of a casino licensee with respect to such premises, the division may permit the investment obligation imposed on such licensee to continue under such conditions as the division may deem appropriate.

f. The division shall promulgate rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this article as to the eligibility of the investments and cumulative investments required by this section.

g. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority shall, simultaneous with the initial exercise of its general powers and responsibilities pursuant to section 39 of P.L.1984, c.218, assume and exercise all powers and responsibilities and make all determinations necessary to the administration of subsections b. through f. of section 144 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-144) theretofore exercised or made by the division, including the resolution of all matters then pending before the division. Subsequent to the initial exercise of its general powers and responsibilities by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the division shall make no further determinations of eligibility under this section except as may be necessary to enable a licensee to satisfy an investment obligation which is due in calendar year 1984, and shall have no further responsibility for planning or redevelopment activity with regard to the use of reinvestment funds generated by either subsections b. through f. of section 144 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C. 5:12-144) or subsection b. of section 3 of P.L.1984, c.218 (C. 5:12-144.1). All determinations made in accordance with this section shall be final and subject only to alteration by a decision of a court.

h. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, any investment required by this section which has not been commenced by a licensee as of the effective date of this 1984 amendatory and supplementary act, other than an investment which is necessary to enable a licensee to satisfy an investment obligation which is due in calendar year 1984, may only be satisfied through the purchase of bonds of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority issued pursuant to sections 14 and 15 of P.L.1984, c.218 (C.5:12-162, 5:12-163), except that the date by which the investment shall be made, and the amount of the investment or investment alternative tax obligation, shall be that set forth in subsections b. and e. of this section.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections b. and c. of this section, any investment obligation which is due in calendar year 1984 which has not been commenced or satisfied by December 31, 1984 may, at the option of the licensee and with the approval of the division, and in lieu of or in addition to making any other investment or contribution authorized by this section, be satisfied subsequent thereto by the purchase, or the agreement to make a purchase, of bonds of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. Any licensee desiring to exercise this option, with the approval of the division, shall transfer and entrust the necessary amount to the State Treasurer, who shall maintain the funds until the initial exercise by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority of its general powers and responsibilities pursuant to section 39 of P.L.1984, c.218. Immediately subsequent to the initial exercise of its general powers and responsibilities by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the State Treasurer shall transfer any such entrusted funds to the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority for the purchase of bonds by the licensee in amounts equivalent to the amount of the funds deposited by the licensee with the State Treasurer. Until he transfers the funds to the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the State Treasurer shall be authorized to invest and reinvest such funds through the Director of the Division of Investment, who shall make such investments in accordance with written directions of the State Treasurer, without regard to any other law relating to investments by the Director of the Division of Investment. Any interest earned on the funds while they are entrusted to the State Treasurer shall accrue to the licensee and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority in the same proportion as if the funds were held and invested by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority pursuant to subsection m. of section 13 of P.L.1984, c.218 (C. 5:12-161).

The proceeds of all bond purchases made pursuant to this subsection shall be used exclusively to finance the rehabilitation, development, or construction of housing facilities in the city of Atlantic City for persons or families of low through middle income in accordance with the provisions of subsection f. of section 3 of P.L.1984, c.218 (C. 5:12-144.1).

i. If a licensee has incurred an investment obligation which requires bonds to be purchased pursuant to the provisions of subsection h. of this section and the licensee purchases bonds of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority issued pursuant to sections 14 and 15 of P.L.1984, c.218 (C.5:12-162, 5:12-163) in satisfaction of that obligation no later than six months after the adoption by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority of rules and regulations pursuant to subsection j. of section 3 of P.L.1984, c.218 (C. 5:12-144.1), the licensee shall be entitled to a reduction of its investment obligation in an amount determined by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, taking into account a current market discount rate from the date of the purchase to the date the purchase would have been required to be made. Any purchase of bonds made pursuant to this subsection shall first be used to satisfy the licensee’s most recently incurred investment obligation. That purchase of bonds shall not constitute a credit against the tax provided for in subsection a. of section 3 of this 1984 amendatory and supplementary act.

L.1977, c.110, s.144; amended 1979, c.198, s.2; 1984, c.218, s.2; 2011, c.19, s.98.