TRENTON -- A deal to help save Atlantic City from financial collapse could be in the works.
Or maybe not.
A top Democratic New Jersey lawmaker said Thursday that leaders from both the state Senate and Assembly are scheduled to meet Friday to discuss a compromise plan to rescue the Jersey Shore gambling resort.
Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) said the leaders of both houses -- Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto -- have agreed to attend the meeting. Greenwald would not reveal the location.
"We've got to get a deal done," Greenwald told reporters on the Assembly chamber floor. "Everything's up for negotiation. It really is about getting everybody in a room together for a compromise."
But Sweeney (D-Gloucester) released a confusing statement shortly thereafter saying: "I don't know what Speaker Prieto is talking about."
"There is no meeting planned for tomorrow to discuss any legislation related to Atlantic City," Sweeney said.
Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean (R-Union) said: "I know of no meeting." And Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) said he wasn't invited to a meeting.
So continues one of the most brutal -- and head-spinning -- Statehouse battles in years.
Sweeney and Prieto (D-Hudson) have been pushing opposing proposals on how to help Atlantic City, which may be days from running out of money and possibly seeking bankruptcy.
News about Friday's possible meeting came as the Assembly was set to vote on Prieto's rescue bill, which opposed a plan by Sweeney and Gov. Chris Christie for the state to take over large parts of Atlantic City's government for five years.
But it remains unclear if Prieto will have enough votes to pass his proposal, which would give the city two years to fix its issues before a takeover takes place.
Shortly after news of Greenwald's meeting surfaced, Prieto called the Democratic members of the Assembly into their second private caucus meeting of the day.
There is no known instance in modern New Jersey politics where an Assembly speaker has allowed a vote a bill he's sponsored that ended up failing.
Christie, who has long held significant influence among Republican state lawmakers, held a meeting a Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, with GOP legislators hours before the Assembly session Thursday.
Bramnick would not say if Christie put pressure on the Republicans to vote against Prieto's bill.
But Bramnick praised the idea of a compromise.
"That is a beautiful thing," he said. "I think finally they realized in nine days, Atlantic City is running out of money."
Greenwald said he believes Christie will consider a compromise, but he added a representative from the governor's office won't be at Friday's meeting.
Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex), a Prieto ally, said he would be at that meeting and is hopeful of an agreement.
"I think this is better than what has been done to date," Caputo said. "The egos have to leave the room."
There are also rumors that Prieto's position as speaker could be in jeopardy if his bill fails and Atlantic City goes bankrupt.
But Greenwald said he supports Prieto keeping his job.
"I've never heard of a speaker coming out mid-term," he said. "That's not where our direction is."
Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) said there has been no talk in the Republican caucus of replacing Prieto.
Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.