By   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

"Artists run in my family,” says Lauren Ford. “I knew what I wanted to be when I was 5.”
The Bucks County native, now of Brigantine, studied art at Penn State, majored in ceramics at Temple University’s London campus, and graduated in 1983 with a degree in studio art.

Though she kept her hand in over the years, creating mosaics of clay, marble and granite, Ford never pursued art full-time until October 2007. That’s when the Sands Casino, where she worked 18 years as a waitress, went down in a dynamite-fueled blast.

At liberty for the first time in decades, Ford weighed her options: she could change careers and rely on unemployment compensation, which would be available for up to a year; enroll in a casino management class, which virtually assured an upper-level industry job; or enter a self-employment program, which guaranteed nothing except that her benefits would be cut off in six months.

Ford took a leap of faith—in herself, her artistry, and the great American dream of entrepreneurship. Today, as the owner of Custom Mosaic Design, she’s living the vision of her childhood—and loving it.

“I had to be pushed off a cliff to do this,” says Ford, whose elaborate mosaics are now in commercial venues and homes from Atlantic City to Greenwich, Connecticut to Maui. Though she enjoyed her casino job and loved her casino family, “All I want to do now is write a thank-you note to Carl Icahn for selling the Sands, and another one to Pinnacle for blowing it up.”

In many industries, recession has made job security a thing of the past. And when the going gets tough, many of the tough get entrepreneurial.

Not all new businesses are successful, but the odds aren’t as discouraging as most fear. It’s untrue, for instance, that 95 percent of new ventures fail within five years. According to the Small Business Administration, new employer businesses have a 50-50 chance of surviving five years or more.

But to succeed and prosper, would-be entrepreneurs must bring their big dreams to earth and tether them to reality. They must test the marketplace, anticipate the negative, and be willing to work—overtime, double time, all the time if necessary to get a new business on its feet. The risks are very real, but the rewards can be immeasurable.

“I was scared at first, and I considered going the managerial route,” says Ford. “Then my brother said, ‘Start with your obituary. What do you want it to say about the next 20 years of your life?’”

For Art’s Sake

As a displaced worker, Ford was eligible for the government-funded, six-week Self Employment Assistance and Entrepreneurial Training program. There she learned the rudiments of business proprietorship from marketing and networking to financing and bookkeeping to registration and insurance. The information was invaluable, she says: “I’m an artist and I needed to learn the business end of it.”

A detailed business plan helped Ford size up her prospects, her financial resources, and even her own essential toughness. When she had a steady job, she could accept commissions as they came along. But once she hung out her shingle, “I had to become more aggressive, pounding the pavement.”    

Subsequent coaching at Atlantic City’s Small Business Development Center kept her going through the start-up process as well as the inevitable lean times.

Joe Molineaux, director of the center since 2000, is fond of the Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”

“There’s no shortage of small business owners or those trying to start a business,” Molineaux says. “Some of our clients quickly get what they need to move forward, while others continuously return to the center for help and guidance.” For Ford, the SBDC has become a touchstone. Fortunate-ly, the center’s services, advice, coaching and cheerleading are all free.   

As a working artist, “I’m so happy,” says Ford. “I am genuinely who I am.”  

Cleaning Up

Circumstances were also pivotal in Sasha Mitchell’s decision to start a business. In 1997, her husband died, leaving Mitchell to run his construction business (“I ran it into the ground,” she jokes). As the Atlantic County mother struggled to pay the bills, she cleaned houses for quick cash.

“I found myself getting busier and busier,” she says. “The business took on a life of its own, and before I knew it, I had to decide, Do I do this or do something else? That’s when I got a license with the state.”

At first she concentrated on residential cleaning, then took on bigger accounts in new construction. The growth of her business, Dirt Divas, was sometimes almost imperceptible, but with time, her client list grew, and so did her staff. Today, Mitchell has four full-time employees, and hires up to 16 people in the busy summer months.

“You may not see a result all at once, but as you go along and you work, you’re laying the foundation for a real business,” she says. “It took about four years till it all came together for me.”

Since the recession, with construction in a holding pattern, she has begun to focus on commercial accounts. Mitchell has learned to be tenacious and flexible.

“With the downturn in the economy, being self-employed is my security,” she says. “That’s the greatest thing I’ve learned over the years—knowing that whatever security I have is within myself. I’ll always be able to make a living.”

What traits make a successful businessperson? “People who are willing to be a little excessive,” Mitchell says. “People who are willing to work seven days a week, 80 hours if necessary, and get up when they don’t want to. You can’t go into business with the idea that you’ll work six hours a day and it’ll be a lark. It’s not. Part of being an entrepreneur is sacrifice.”

Home Improvement

In 2006, Brian Ernst was the service manager of a General Motors car dealership. Then the owner retired, and he found himself out of work. That’s when Ernst took his talent for home repairs and turned it into a business.

“I had been doing bathrooms and kitchens for friends and family for 20 years,” he says. “I talked to a friend who said, ‘You have most of the equipment, so it won’t cost a lot to get into it—and oh, by the way, I need two bathrooms done.’”

Like Lauren Ford, Ernst learned the rudiments of business at the SEA program. At first, he balked at the idea of a formal business plan. “I thought, what do I need that for? I’m fixing houses. All I need to know is how to take it apart and put it together.” He soon changed his mind, and also changed his business’s direction. Initially, Ernst planned to build his business, Be Home Improvements, around home repairs for the disabled.

“But I realized there wasn’t enough demand for it,” he says. “My business plan helped me to anticipate what could go wrong as well as what will go right.”  

Growing his business has not been quick, nor has it been easy. He joined a networking group that led to referrals, but when the recession hit and business fell off, Ernst worried he might have to look for “a real job” once more. Then he came up with a clever promotion—a “Honey Do Special” that offered customers three hours of work for $99.95 plus materials.

“I said I’ll come out for a hundred bucks and fix whatever you need, and that fired people up,” he says.

For Ernst, the rewards are far more than financial. “You work harder than ever,” he says. “But you make your own schedule, and there’s a real feeling of freedom.”

Door to Door

Former cocktail server Betsy Singer also took the Sands’ demise as a cue to do something completely different. In Singer’s case, after 25 years at the casino, she returned to an old love: the love of animals.

“Years ago I worked for a veterinarian as a tech,” she says. “I’ve raised Persian cats and Rottweilers, I had a horse… I knew I would enjoy working with animals again.”

With excellent credit, she was able to invest $70,000 in a mobile pet grooming business and launched Happy Tails “without a dime” of her own money. After extensive training in business practices as well as the operation of the big van and its equipment, Singer hit the road. Her hunch proved right: from the start, Happy Tails has been a success, enabling her to run her life her way, on a schedule that suits the needs of her family.

Singer has a limited advertising budget, but that’s OK: “The truck is like a billboard. I have a listing in the Yellow Pages, and now I get a lot of referrals from veterinarians as well as customers.” And because she views other groomers not as competitors but colleagues, Singer also trades referrals and spillover business with them.

“You know what?” she says. “We’re all busy. We say, ‘What recession?’” Like the other small business owners profiled here, Singer says the work is “hard, the toughest I’ve ever done,” and makes her job at the Sands seem like “a cream puff.”

The demands of business ownership do not end when the shift is over, and unlike her job in Atlantic City, Singer’s current clients feel free to bite her, slobber on her, pee and poop on her.

But the proprietor of Happy Tails is one happy lady. “I like having the control of being my own boss,” she says. “It’s nice being home at night. I have a business, and it’s amazing.”

Making A Good Thing Better

Casino host Jon Henderson did not have to leave his job at Harrah’s to flex some entrepreneurial muscle. In fact, the connections he’s made at work have only enhanced Henderson’s array of business ventures.

As founder of Atlantic City’s annual Celebration of the Suds beer festival and the AC Tattoo Extravaganza, owner of the Cigar Box in Northfield and president of Unsuited Entertainment, Henderson has taken his own love of a good brew and a good smoke and turned it into pure gold—for himself and for the city. This year’s beerfest drew tens of thousands to the Convention Center for a two-day all-out party with music, food, games and seemingly unlimited ales, lagers and stouts (along with a fleet of designated drivers).

Henderson started the beer fest, in part, to prove it could be done right. 

“I attended a beer fest in Pennsylvania and was shocked how small and poorly run it was,” he says. When he brought a new and improved version to the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, “they didn’t think it was going to fly,” and food vendors were just as reluctant to sign on.

“I told them, ‘I’m not just here to take your money, I’m here to promote your business. If you don’t do well, I don’t do well.’” The festival took off as Henderson predicted, and now he’s developing similar events in cities like Pittsburgh.

Henderson believes in the power of a shared vision, and says one of his strengths is the ability to get people excited about an idea.

“My skill set is enjoying people—I enjoy talking to them, learning about them and conveying my passion for something. Then the momentum builds.”

Though he sometimes pushes to the brink of overload, Henderson has no intention of trimming his schedule, or leaving his casino job.

“I have my moments, and being a business owner is not without its trap doors. I do get worn out. But the possibility of doing something new and making a difference in something—that’s what drives me. Staying with the casino allows me to meet people I can influence outside the casino.”

Among Henderson’s supporters, he says, is Harrah’s Atlantic City President Scott Barber, who likens the young entrepreneur to casino kingpin Sheldon Adelstein. “Harrah’s was instrumental in my being more confident,” Henderson says. “That motivated my desire.”

Similar goals drive most entrepreneurs: the desire for fulfillment, self-actualization, income, freedom. The upside of today’s recession is that it may ignite the entrepreneurial spirit in more Americans, leading to new products, businesses and services.

“Americans are resilient people,” says the SBDC’s Molineaux. “When tested, we’ve always risen to meet the challenges before us. I see that passion every day in the hard work, planning and heart of the entrepreneurs and small business owners we serve and assist.

“The current economic crisis offers opportunity for us all. The entrepreneurial spirit will lead those who are hungry and willing to work hard to a personal level of success and a stronger economic region.”
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The Magic Touch
For years, he’s been pulling rabbits out of hats, but magician Jeff Kuter’s best trick may be as a businessman. A student of the Small Business Development Center, the 27-year-old has taken his passion for prestidigitation and turned it into a moneymaker with a magic-and-party store called TrickZone.

TrickZone first opened at Steel Pier in 2007, moved to a 2,400-square-foot Hamilton Mall store last year, and now has a second location at the Quarter at Tropicana.

Kuter’s strategy is simple and effective: serve kids and grown-ups, tourists and locals with a menu of entertainment from magic shows to juggling and yo-yo lessons, a “spy store,” and full-service party planning right down to the balloon animals and goodie bags.

“We’re looking for another location on the Boardwalk, which will benefit us because it’s always busy in the summer,” says Kuter. “When it rains, people can come to TrickZone in the Tropicana, and at Christmastime, they can come to the mall.”

What makes a successful businessperson? “Be a risk taker, but calculate the risk,” says Kuter. “Make a plan. Set your goals and follow through with every one.”

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Building Blocks For Small Business

After nearly a decade of helping new and existing businesses grow, the Small Business Development Center has seen the regional economic climate and business conditions evolve and change. But the principles and practices of small business success remain constant. Below are some building blocks to help you start and/or grow your business. By Joe Molineaux

1. It all starts with an idea. Every business start-up or growth strategy begins with a basic concept, product or service. Some of the simplest ideas can create a new market for a product or service.

2. Understand what it takes. Without a grasp of what’s necessary to move forward, even great ideas have a tendency to stall. Now’s the time to lay out your business mission, goals and objectives, define your market, and assess your capital requirements.

3. Seek advice. Then seek good advice. Be careful with an idea that’s totally fresh and new, and share it only with trusted people. A team of professionals including attorneys, accountants, funding sources, insurance people and business consultants will help shape your plan of action and get you moving through the process from a position of strength. Knowledge is power!

4. Identify all available resources. Do this before you craft your business plan, and before you seek funding or commit money to your project. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially at this stage. There’s no shortage of quality programs and resources from federal, state, regional, county and municipal entities. In some cases, even the private and non-profit sectors can be of assistance.  

5. Access options and risks. Be realistic. Identify the paths of least resistance and the easiest ways to accomplish your goals. Analyze the risks. Are you truly capable of running your business? How much of your own money can you commit? Where will you get the rest? Do you have the capacity to repay borrowed money? Who will buy your product or service and how can you reach them? It’s been said that there’s no true reward without risk. So weigh your options, and measure the risk.

6. Write a plan (or two). If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It’s quite simple. If the idea doesn’t work on paper, how can it work in the real world? That’s not to say a solid business plan guarantees success, but it increases the odds that you’ll be successful. It’s important to write your own plan, or have an active role in its development, because you’ll be the one seeking support and funding, promoting the business, and operating it. Again, be realistic when developing projections for sales and expenses. Think about what could go wrong and develop your plan accordingly; don’t over-promise. An action plan to complement your business plan is always a good idea.

7. Work the plan, and don’t be afraid to rework it. Congratulations! You’ve completed your plan. Now it’s time to work it. If you’re prepared, take a leap of faith. The time has come to commit your resources, register your business, seek and accept capital from funding sources, enter agreements, kick off your marketing campaign and move your business into the real world.  Utilize everything you’ve learned, focus, and stay focused on reaching your goal. Find inspiration in every victory, no matter how small. You’ll run into many things that will derail your plan or challenge you in ways that seem insurmountable—the kinds of things that would cause many people to give up. And many do. However, people who truly plan for the unforeseen can work through these issues. A business plan should be considered a living, breathing document—just like your business. Don’t ever be afraid to rework, enhance, or tweak your business plan and business model. 

8. Play by the rules, but don't be afraid to create some new ones. Adhere at all times to the regulations that apply to your business, including requirements at the municipal, county, state and federal levels. Whether you agree with them or not, these rules are there for a reason, so enlist the professionals on your team to make sure you’re in compliance. Playing by the rules doesn’t mean you should not be creative and stay a few steps ahead of the competition.

9. Repeat steps 1-8 as needed. While these building blocks can help you to create a solid foundation for your small business, you truly make the difference between success and failure. It’s not easy to operate a small business, but if done right it can be one of the most rewarding of all occupations and careers. Keep on growing and developing. Here’s to continued success in your entrepreneurial endeavors.

Joe Molineaux is director of the Small Business Development Center at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, helping residents in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland Counties develop business plans for startup and growing entities. For more information, call 609-347-2174. Hear Joe Molineaux Tuesdays on Small Biz Radio at 4 p.m. on WLFR 91.7 FM.

By Joe Molineaux   Fri, Apr 03, 2009

Nine building blocks to help you start and/or grow your business.  By Joe Molineaux

1.   It all starts with an idea.  Every business start-up or growth strategy begins with a basic concept, product or service. Some of the simplest ideas can create a new market for a product or service.  

2.   Understand what it takes.  Without a grasp of what’s necessary to move forward, even great ideas have a tendency to stall. Now’s the time to lay out your business mission, goals and objectives, define your market, and assess your capital requirements.

3.   Seek advice.  Then seek good advice. Be careful with an idea that’s totally fresh and new, and share it only with trusted people. A team of professionals including attorneys, accountants, funding sources, insurance people and business consultants will help shape your plan of action and get you moving through the process from a position of strength. Knowledge is power!

4.   Identify all available resources.  Do this before you craft your business plan, and before you seek funding or commit money to your project. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially at this stage. There’s no shortage of quality programs and resources from federal, state, regional, county and municipal entities. In some cases, even the private and non-profit sectors can be of assistance.    

5.   Access options and risks.  Be realistic. Identify the paths of least resistance and the easiest ways to accomplish your goals. Analyze the risks. Are you truly capable of running your business? How much of your own money can you commit? Where will you get the rest? Do you have the capacity to repay borrowed money? Who will buy your product or service and how can you reach them? It’s been said that there’s no true reward without risk. So weigh your options, and measure the risk.

6.   Write a plan (or two).  If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It’s quite simple. If the idea doesn’t work on paper, how can it work in the real world? That’s not to say a solid business plan guarantees success, but it increases the odds that you’ll be successful. It’s important to write your own plan, or have an active role in its development, because you’ll be the one seeking support and funding, promoting the business, and operating it. Again, be realistic when developing projections for sales and expenses. Think about what could go wrong and develop your plan accordingly; don’t over-promise. An action plan to complement your business plan is always a good idea.  

7.   Work the plan, and don’t be afraid to rework it.  Congratulations! You’ve completed your plan. Now it’s time to work it. If you’re prepared, take a leap of faith. The time has come to commit your resources, register your business, seek and accept capital from funding sources, enter agreements, kick off your marketing campaign and move your business into the real world.  Utilize everything you’ve learned, focus, and stay focused on reaching your goal. Find inspiration in every victory, no matter how small. You’ll run into many things that will derail your plan or challenge you in ways that seem insurmountable—the kinds of things that would cause many people to give up. And many do. However, people who truly plan for the unforeseen can work through these issues. A business plan should be considered a living, breathing document—just like your business. Don’t ever be afraid to rework, enhance, or tweak your business plan and business model.   

8.   Play by the rules, but don't be afraid to create some new ones.  Adhere at all times to the regulations that apply to your business, including requirements at the municipal, county, state and federal levels. Whether you agree with them or not, these rules are there for a reason, so enlist the professionals on your team to make sure you’re in compliance. Playing by the rules doesn’t mean you should not be creative and stay a few steps ahead of the competition.

9.   Repeat steps 1-8 as needed.  While these building blocks can help you to create a solid foundation for your small business, you truly make the difference between success and failure. It’s not easy to operate a small business, but if done right it can be one of the most rewarding of all occupations and careers. Keep on growing and developing. Here’s to continued success in your entrepreneurial endeavors.

From the cover feature "Taking Care of Business" March 2009

Joe Molineaux is director of the Small Business Development Center at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, helping residents in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland Counties develop business plans for startup and growing entities. For more information, call 609-347-2174. Hear Joe Molineaux Tuesdays on Small Biz Radio at 4 p.m. on WLFR 91.7 FM.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

What is surveillance? When I ask that question, nine out of 10 people pause for a moment and then answer it with another question: “Are those the guys who watch the cameras?”

That response is to be expected. Surveillance has never been known for its transparency, and surveillance managers go to great lengths to make sure people don’t know what they do. Upper management generally endorses this approach, preferring to keep an ace in the hole when it comes to who and what’s being watched.

But security that is not itself monitored can mean a lot of time and money lost.

Rewind

There are no standard qualifications for casino surveillance managers. Our industry has for decades gone with the “next in line” approach. That’s OK as long as the person who gets the job has a record of performance, enthusiasm and leadership.

But not all properties have a talent pool with the skills to manage a surveillance operation. Reasons often vary from lack of training and development to poor succession planning, or simply because of the non-competitive salaries.

For a lot of new jurisdictions, it’s a challenge to find qualified managers to open and set up surveillance. Normally, people are hired from another state or jurisdiction, and often they are not familiar with regulatory or cultural differences.

Back in the ’80s and ’90s, when Indian casinos exploded onto the scene, there was no choice but to hire from established jurisdictions like Nevada. Unfortunately, a number of those properties had no choice but to take “third- and fourth-string quarterbacks” who had no experience in new technologies, or opening in different jurisdictions. The main criterion was casino experience, and a lot of those hired had no leadership or management experience. Unfortunately, some casinos are still paying for their fumbles today.

Pause
 
Surveillance by definition means close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal. I’m not a big fan of the name. It’s a bit “Secret Squirrel” for me. Whoever decided to use it as a term for the casino industry was from the Cold War or Richard Nixon eras.

Just as some people grow into the names they are given at birth, some surveillance employees grow into the surveillance name. Though employees are mainly hired to protect the games, the job title makes some of them think they’re responsible for national security.

Surveillance employees are still given titles like agent or officer. Why? Do they have shoe phones and rocket-firing joysticks? Enough already. They get paid to watch games.

Before I started in surveillance back in the 1980s, I took a three-month training program that covered all aspects of operations: how to play and protect table games, slots, cage, count, casino systems of accounting and internal controls, department procedures and policies, operating the CCTV system and legal/regulatory compliance. After training, I learned pretty quickly that watching the games was only a part of what surveillance does on a day-to-day basis.

Game protection and integrity is the core purpose of our existence, but over the years the role of surveillance has become broader. The reasons are a combination of many things: a litigious world, human resource challenges, the increase of internal theft and fraud, and in some cases, incompetent management. Also, the capability of CCTV and new digital technologies has allowed us to assist our business in a variety of new ways.

Fast Forward

With high-tech threats, organized teams and increasing internal theft, game protection and integrity remain the priority, but new digital technologies are opening opportunities to increase the value of surveillance as an information hub and resource.

The role of surveillance is generally underutilized in today’s casino environment, but this could change dramatically if upper management—realizing the potential of training and technology as a business driver—acts to introduce a new paradigm in surveillance.

To initiate change and increase the value of surveillance to the organization, the first place to start is the name. Table games have evolved into “live games” and slots have evolved into “electronic games.” Surveillance’s expanded role would be more aptly named “enterprise intelligence.”

The Enterprise Intelligence (E.I.) department would be responsible for gathering, analyzing and disseminating data to ensure gaming integrity, legal and regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and profit protection. E.I. would be the hub for casino information through digital analysis of video images and information systems.

In essence, E.I. would expand its traditional role to include supplying business intelligence to revenue-producing departments.

By expanding the role to provide business intelligence, E.I. would become a valuable resource. To achieve this would take an initial investment in new hardware/software technologies and interfaces with existing technology; alongside the capital expenditure, human resources would have to be reviewed in terms of numbers. With the measurable return on investment that surveillance would now enjoy, an increase in compensation for qualified, well-trained analysts (that’s my new name for agents and officers) would be justified.

Pie in the sky? Not really. The technology is there. The bigger challenge is developing and establishing a new set of core competencies for E.I. personnel, and in particular surveillance managers.

Here are the core competencies needed to create the Surveillance Superman of the future.

1) Game Protection

Knowing the games and how to protect them is a dying art. Organized cheating teams continue to develop new technologies and collusion methods to beat casinos, so staying on top of new scams is a priority. In times of economic downturn, it’s even more important.
    Stakeholders should not be concerned that expanding the role of surveillance would dilute the focus on cheating and theft. People charged with monitoring activity in the casino can walk and chew gum at the same time Including more detailed investigation and analysis would result in a greater likelihood of detection.

2) CCTV

Closed-circuit television and video have evolved by leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, the fundamentals of CCTV seem to be neglected by some surveillance managers, trusting their head technician, consultant or integrator to make the right decisions for them.

This approach may be OK in a casino with an existing system, but when it comes to expanding and upgrading or opening a new property, it’s vital to be well versed in current CCTV modes. It’s the largest capital expenditure a surveillance director will ever sign off on. Surveillance Superman should know the ins and outs of the jet he’s flying.

3) Business Drivers

Surveillance Superman should have a basic understanding of all the products offered to casino customers and how time and motion, dealing efficiency, rule changes, table conditions and customer service can affect profit margins.

Armed with this knowledge and a more business-minded approach that includes game performance along with protection and compliance, Surveillance Superman would be in a better position to not only monitor and report risk and threats but to also advise management on opportunities for increasing profits.

4) Data Analysis & Reporting

It’s widely acknowledged that casinos do a good job collecting data, but not such a good job working out what to do with it.

Surveillance collects a ton of data. Often dictated by regulatory mandates, the number of video images created on a daily basis alone is enormous. There’s a large cost and space requirement to store video information. The irony is that less than 1 percent of this information is ever accessed or used. It exists as long as the hard-drive storage capacity will allow, then is rewritten.

The industry standard for retaining casino video is seven days, but in 95 percent of incidents or inquiries that require video, surveillance is advised within five minutes of the event. Surveillance also logs numerous calls and observations daily. A log is kept as a record for future reference and sometimes used to account for time.

Software systems now being developed run real-time analysis of video. Video analytics is not new, but new applications monitor blackjack and baccarat games. In essence, we are talking intelligent cameras that have the capability to analyze video data real-time, 24/7. The potential for surveillance technology to play a major part in casino business intelligence strategies is exciting. This technology would ensure that all video data is being analyzed, and not just 1 percent.

Surveillance Superman would be an information and intelligence gatherer, data-miner, analyst and reporter for their organization. The role of surveillance should be more balanced in terms of collection of data and dissemination of data. Think of surveillance as the Daily Planet—reporters searching for the “scoop” through investigation and intelligence and breaking the story with in-depth report and analysis.

The emphasis must be on investigation, analysis, speed and reporting. A casino organization would have to establish an enterprise solution for data collection that would allow interfacing between all data entry points and mining capabilities to facilitate the process of providing business intelligence. The Daily Planet could effectively become the casino’s central intelligence agency and hub for information. Like any news organization, it is also important to establish external intelligence sources so your internal customers can stay abreast of what’s happening in the industry.

5) Leadership

The kryptonite for Surveillance Superman is bad leadership. A major shift in the surveillance paradigm will take strong leadership and support not only from the head of the department, but from the casino organization’s CEO or general manager and senior management. We’re talking about change, and change is always challenging in the traditional casino organization environment.

But it’s time for change. It’s time for the mild-mannered surveillance director to come out of the closet and unleash his superpowers.

Willy Allison is president of World Game Protection, producers of the World Game Protection Conference. He can be reached at willy@worldgameprotection.com.

By David Schwartz   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Atlantic City didn’t become America’s playground overnight. It was built up over many decades through the hard work of countless men and women—some unknown, some famous, and some infamous. One of the best-known and most influential was Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, who put his own stamp on the city during what was arguably its most successful era.

Nucky Johnson was born in Smithville in 1883, the son of a farmer who became Atlantic County sheriff and a political power in the then-dominant local Republican Party. Nucky, a member of the ’00 graduating class of Atlantic City High School, was elected to the office of sheriff himself in 1908. 

The position, as Johnson re-interpreted it, involved more than simple law enforcement. In fact, much of Johnson’s success—and his wealth—came because he knew when not to enforce the law. Under his watch, gamblers and prostitutes openly plied their wares—provided, of course, that they returned a fair share of their earnings to Johnson and his associates.

With his financial base secure, Johnson worked his way to the top of the local political pecking order, securing himself a place on the Republican County Committee, where he could maintain firm discipline within his party. Not even the election of Woodrow Wilson, a reform-minded Democratic governor, could derail Johnson’s rise to the top.

In 1914, after Wilson had left the New Jersey governor’s mansion for the White House, Johnson was appointed county treasurer. Officially, he was in charge of the county’s finances, but in fact he entrusted the actual business to underlings.

After weathering reformer Wilson, Johnson enjoyed the boon of a quixotic national drive for progress, Prohibition. In 1923, he made a deal with New York underworld boss Lucky Luciano: in exchange for 10 percent of Luciano’s syndicate, Johnson would guarantee protection for bootlegged liquor that landed in Atlantic City. 

Ten percent of an entire mob’s take was huge, but it was a good deal for Luciano, particularly since Johnson agreed to allow him exclusivity. While Luciano could land cargo at will and be assured that it would arrive at its destination, his competitors were sure of only one thing: if they tried to work in Nucky Johnson’s fiefdom, they’d be mercilessly targeted by the local police.

The cash coming in from Luciano’s enterprises only bolstered Johnson’s political power. At the height of Prohibition, he was making more than a half million a year from vice alone. As Prohibition continued, he became the undisputed king of Atlantic City, a man whose influence stretched to the statehouse and beyond.

In those years, Johnson leased an entire floor of the Ritz Carlton hotel. He held court on the Boardwalk, where he dispensed business advice, political favors and charity (Johnson was known for his generosity). At night, dressed in one of his 100 tailored suits, he’d make the rounds of the city’s nightclubs and gambling spots. 

Johnson even became a fixture in Manhattan’s star-struck nightlife, where he gained a reputation as one of the hardest-partying men who’d ever done the town. He dated showgirls, befriended celebrities, and had front-row seats for the biggest sporting events of the era.

The political boss could enjoy himself so thoroughly after dark because he took care of business during the day. He developed a finely honed political organization that had a single aim: the promotion of Atlantic City as a tourist destination. In order to do that, Johnson had to remain in power, which required both money and votes. He ensured that there was never a shortage of either for him and his associates, and he personally hired public workers in the county, choosing those whose loyalty was guaranteed. 

But the good times couldn’t last forever. Prohibition ended in 1933, and by 1936 the federal government had begun investigating Johnson’s empire. With an army of loyal followers obstructing agents at every turn, the investigation did not go smoothly, but in 1939 a federal grand jury indicted Johnson. The case finally went to trial in 1941. All of Johnson’s power was for naught, as he was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Released after four years, Johnson refused to return to power, content to merely advise the city’s new power brokers. In 1968, in a Northfield nursing home, Johnson died at the age of 85. His death, coming at the nadir of Atlantic City’s reputation as a tourist town, emphasized the end of an era.

By   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Though her title sounds ponderous, don’t be fooled. Virginia Nikolaidis, senior employee programs and employee relations specialist at Trump Taj Mahal, says her job is a daily labor of love.

“It’s a hybrid, multi-functional” position, says Nikolaidis, and the description is apt. She organizes company trips, produces the employee newsletter, and heads up community programs with the United Way, the Sunshine Fund and the Atlantic County Women’s Center. She also plans holiday parties for local schoolchildren and participates in fundraisers for groups like the Shirley Mae Breast Cancer Foundation.

Off the job, Nikolaidis is committed to her church, works as a PTA youth advisor, and is a member of the Friends of Hellenic Studies at Stockton College. “You name it, I’m involved,” she says. “I love to be busy.”

Of everything she does, Nikolaidis may be most proud of her association with the American Red Cross. Through her efforts, Trump Taj Mahal’s 2008 blood drive campaign resulted in the collection of 611 pints of blood—more than any other casino in the city.

“What Virginia does for the blood program at Trump Taj Mahal is invaluable,” says Julius Konschakj of the Red Cross. “The energy and devotion she brings to the blood drives is inspiring and life-saving.”

In recognition, Nikolaidis was named the Red Cross 2008 Chairperson of the Year—the second year she was so honored.

A native of Greece, Nikolaidis came to the United States at 17. Though she spoke no English, she was undeterred by the challenge.

“My family was chasing the American dream,” she says. “I went to night school, and I would sit down with a dictionary and study for six hours at a time. The more people made fun of me, the more determined I got.”

She earned a degree in business administration and accounting. Thirteen years ago, armed with a certificate in human resources management, she started her career at Trump. With characteristic energy, purposefulness and empathy, she was a natural.

“This is more than just a job for me,” she says. “Everything I do here makes my life so fun and enjoyable.”

For her success, Nikolaidis thanks her co-workers, as well as the Trump organization. “Our general manager, Rosalind Krause, has been very, very supportive of all our activities,” she says. “I’m thankful to our management and our blood drive captains for their dedication.”

Though she continues to set a high bar for achievement, Nikolaidis keeps her day-to-day goals modest.

“If I can help at least two people do better in their personal life or work life—one is not enough—then I have done my job.”

By Robert Rossiello   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Controversy had been swirling around Chris Cornell’s new album Scream long before it debuted last month. The lead singer for Soundgarden and Audioslave—as well as a respected solo artist—Cornell has built his reputation as a heavy medal frontman whose high-pitched, lacerating vocals offer easy comparisons to rock greats like Robert Plant and Roger Daultry. When Cornell announced that he was teaming up with R&B producer Timbaland—who has created hits for artists as diverse Missy Elliott and Madonna, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake—many of Cornell’s diehard fans seemed confused, if not outright hostile, about this new direction. What was this grunge icon doing with this slick, hip hop maestro, and what kind of sound would they create?

Scream is the result of this musical collaboration, and an odd album it is. Gone are the rock guitar licks of Cornell’s previous work, replaced here with drum machine beats, funky bass lines and washes of orchestration. Cornell has said that Scream is his most “album-oriented album,” and each track, with the help of some extended digital noodling, flows seamlessly into the next. Conceptually, the album works as a whole, but there are too many ideas going on, too much technical trickery and bits of overblown orchestration to make it a pleasurable listen.

Timbaland, who never does anything half-way, has densely layered each song, adding blips and squeaks or bloating the choruses to the point of obscuring Cornell’s voice. From the dance pulse of “Sweet Revenge” to the noisy ballad of “Never Far Away,” Timbaland either multi-tracks or vocodes Cornell’s voice into an electronic whine, never giving the expansive singer free reign.

The album’s best track is the most minimal. “Ground Zero,” a post 9/11 lament, uses hand claps, box beats and street noises to create a nuanced, melodic sound. It’s the perfect example of what can be achieved with a little restraint.

It’s rewarding to see an artist break out of his comfort zone and take on new challenges. Scream is a noble experiment with mixed results. Here’s hoping that Cornell’s next approach will be more successful.    

By Joe Legato   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

If you’ve ever wanted to see what the movie Top Gun would be like in the future, here’s your chance. Ubisoft brings together warfare aficionados and gamers alike with Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X., an aerial combat game that begins in the year 2012.

You play as David Crenshaw, former fighter pilot and member of the High Altitude Warfare-Experimental (H.A.W.X.) squadron. The squad’s just been cut by the U.S. military, so Crenshaw joins a private militia named Artemis. But when Artemis turns against the U.S., he returns to his true allegiance. Now it’s up to Crenshaw to take flight and stop Artemis in its strike against the States.

H.A.W.X. has many different modes to choose from that make it the latest in aerial combat games. You can fly solo, grab a friend in Co-Op mode, or just battle each other in online play, to name a few. The game also comes with neat features that enhance the flying experience.

One that makes H.A.W.X. playable by both beginners and fighter-pilot pros is the Enhanced Reality System. The ERS allows gamers to do things such as follow the safest trajectory or lose missiles that have been targeted on them.

One of the coolest things about H.A.W.X. is its visual presentation. Designers used actual commercial satellite imagery to create the game environments, so it looks as real as ever, and the aircraft are incredibly detailed. It all seems so real, you might start thinking about joining a private militia yourself. Just keep in mind that in real life, there’s no Enhanced Reality System to help you out.

By   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

So you rationalize your failures, ignore the consequences of your actions, and sit on unfulfilled dreams and goals for years at a time?

Sounds like you could use a good kick in the keester, and professional keester-kicker Larry Winget is here to help.  

The Sgt. Foley of the self-help genre, Winget brooks no excuses when it comes to change. In the first half of this entertaining if rather one-note book, he lays out the 10 ways people sabotage themselves—through laziness, self-indulgence, low expectations, lack of vision, lack of a plan and a few more.

In the kinder, gentler second half, Winget presents a plan for change that excludes coddling and “coaching,” and relies on a commitment to action that does not yield to momentary wishes or ingrained bad habits.

You can get a clue about the tone of this book from the title of others by Winget: You’re Broke Because You Want to Be, and Shut Up, Stop Whining and Get A Life.

There’s something refreshing about this guy’s approach, especially these days, as a generation of poor choices comes home to roost. More than ever, people need to take the reins of their own lives, and Winget’s tough love may be the best remedy.

Though his brash take on the human malaise can get a little irritating, it’s meant to be, like the burr under the saddle that finally gets you off your tail. The upside is pretty plain, too, as illustrated by another Winget best-seller. It’s called Success Is Your Own Fault.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

B everly Hills Chihuahua comes at the perfect time for the embattled American public. As millions are hit hard by the financial crisis, escapist fare like this brings a little respite from everyday problems. And there is no studio better than Disney to serve up this celluloid distraction.

The movie centers on a pampered Chihuahua, Chloe (voiced by the perky Drew Barrymore), whose owner Viv (Jamie Lee Curtis) treats her to daily massages, spa treatments and poolside garden parties. Chloe is the kind of dog who wears a diamond collar and gets carried around in a Louis Vuitton bag. When Viv goes out of town on a business trip, Chloe is left with her irresponsible niece, Rachel (Piper Perabo), who takes the dog on an unexpected trip to Mexico.

Ignored and thoroughly put out, Chloe roams the streets until she is kidnapped by dogfight lords. The adventure really starts when she escapes captivity with the assistance of a German shepherd named Delgado (Andy Garcia).

Rachel, meanwhile, begins a frantic search for the lost pooch with Viv’s landscaper Sam, who has a crush on her, and his own Chihuahua, Papi, who’s secretly in love with Chloe. The journey ends well for everyone (what a surprise!) and the two couples get home just in time for Viv’s return.

As nonsensical as it all sounds, Beverly Hills Chihuahua has several funny and sweet moments, and you can’t dispute the numbers. The kid-friendly comedy was first at the box office for two weeks running, and first in sales after its release on DVD and Blu-Ray, beating  Baz Luhrmann’s epic Australia.

Obviously, Americans need a few mindless laughs, and Chihuahua provides.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

April 3
Chris Cornell, Borgata
3 Will Rock You!, Dante Hall
Los Mejor De Los Noventas, Taj Mahal

April 4
Chris Botti, Tropicana
Bill Burr and Joe Derosa, Trump Marina
Valery Leontiev, Taj Mahal
REO Speedwagon, House of Blues
Eat Bulaga! Live, Boardwalk Hall
The Spinners, Hilton
Bill Cosby, Caesars
G. Love & Special Sauce, Borgata
Moscow Cats Theatre, Stockton Performing
Arts Center

April 5-10
Sheena Easton, Hilton

April 10
Big Head Todd & the Monsters, House of Blues

April 11
Jimmy Fallon, Borgata
Boxing: Brawl in the Hall, Boardwalk Hall
Seal, Borgata

April 17
Ring of Combat XXIV, Tropicana

April 17-18
Dion, Trump Plaza
Smokey Robinson, Taj Mahal

April 18
Bill Burr, Trump Marina
Riccardo Fogli & Friends, Hilton
Cesar Milan: The Dog Whisperer, Resorts
Brad Garrett, Borgata
Bach to Rock w/Geri Rizzo, Dante Hall

April 19-24
Clint Holmes, Hilton

April 21
Russian National Ballet Theatre Cinderella, Stockton Performing Arts Center

April 24
Howard Isaacson, Dante Hall
Ben Folds, House of Blues

April 24-25
Stephen Lynch, Borgata

April 25
Mitch Fatel and Pete Correale, Trump Plaza
Ilya Averbukh’s Ice Show II, Boardwalk Hall
George Benson, Hilton
Global Grooves, Dante Hall
Get the Led Out, Taj Mahal
Chrisette Michele, House of Blues

April 26-May 1
The Duprees, Hilton

April 27
South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble, Stockton Performing Arts Center

Revues

Ongoing
Yesterday—A Tribute to the Beatles, Tropicana
Kozak the Magician, Comedy Stop at Trop

April 13 - June 6
Celebration of the Sixties, Tropicana

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

It seems hard to believe, but No Doubt has been a fixture of the pop charts for more than a dozen years. Though lead singer Gwen Stefani is now a settled-down wife (of rocker Gavin Rossdale) and mum (of sons Kingston and Zuma), she and the California ensemble look and sound as platinum as ever. They’ll return to Borgata May 2 as part of a multi-city tour that will chug across country and through Canada into August.

No Doubt emerged from the Orange County ska scene of the 1990s. Back then, grunge still ruled the world, and Stefani and company labored in obscurity until 1995, when they finally broke through with the uber-hit, “Don’t Speak.” On the strength of that single—which introduced the world to Gwen’s silken sound, plaintive delivery, and Kim Novak good looks—the CD Tragic Kingdom sold 15 million copies, and the band took flight. The tuneful No Doubt catalog also includes “It’s My Life,” “Just A Girl” and “Hey Baby.” At Borgata, fans will surely clamor for some of Stefani’s solo work, including the monster hit “Sweet Escape.”

It’s the first tour in five years for the band, and drummer Adrian Young is raring to go.

“The excitement level for us is extremely high,” Young says. “We are so fresh and ready! I feel like a kid again when rehearsing these songs.”

Stefani admits to some anxiety about being separated from her firstborn.

“I took Kingston with me on the Sweet Escape tour and we had a lot of fun. Now Zuma is going to come with me on the No Doubt tour, but Kingston is going to be hopping back and forth between me and Gavin. I think he’ll find it fun, but it’s going to be hard for me.”

Maternal woes notwithstanding, the 39-year-old singer is as excited as her fellow band members about the tour.

“The whole reason for going on this tour was to have fun, try on all our favorite songs again and to get inspired to make new music,” says Stefani. “It feels good to be all together again.”

By Robert Rossiello   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Pianist and pop singer and Ben Folds comes to the House of Blues April 24 to promote his new album Way to Normal.

Folds has said the album represents “coming back to being himself.” If you believe Rolling Stone, that self is “one of pop’s angriest men” and “an übergeek in a permanent state of high dudgeon.”

Way to Normal showcases Folds’ great tenor and piano virtuosity, which earn him occasional comparisons to Elton John. Folds credits John and Billy Joel as musical influences when he started playing piano at age 9. Folds is also an accomplished drummer and instrumentalist.

Though his take on modern life is often lighthearted, Folds’ lyrics are laced with irony. He has a fierce disdain for the bourgeoisie, suburbia, online psychics and other easy targets.

Previously he led the Ben Folds Five, whose album, Whatever and Ever Amen, went platinum in 1997. Whatever was one of the band’s most successful releases and distinguished Ben Folds Five from other alternative bands of the ’90s. The lyrics were fresh and comically sarcastic, and the band put on very high-energy live shows featuring notables like the Dave Matthews Band and Beck.

Now on his own—he has released six solo albums—Folds still offers extreme piano playing, quirky lyrics and way-out-of-the-mainstream music.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

World-renowned dog behaviorist Cesar Milan, also known as the Dog Whisperer, brings his expertise to Resorts April 18. Milan is best known for his ability to cure canines with extreme behavior issues—everything from simple insecurity to violent aggression.

Born in Mexico, Milan says dogs have always gravitated to him. He came to America to become a dog trainer, and opened the Dog Psychology Center in the mid-’90s. Since 2004 he has starred in his own show, Dog Whisperer, on National Geographic. He is also the co-author of the best-selling books Cesar’s Way, Be the Pack Leader and A Member of the Family.

Milan embraces an expansive pet philosophy. He believes it’s not enough to train dogs; owners must be trained too. He recommends using a short leash, sharing food and water, setting aside time for the family mutt (preferably in the morning), and being persistent in leadership.

Can’t get along with your furry friend? Ask the top dog this month at Resorts.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Promoting the 2008 album Superhero Brother, Philly-based G. Love & Special Sauce bring their funky mix to the Borgata April 4.

The trio’s patented sound—a hybrid of sloppy blues-rock and alternative rap—is evident in the new album, called “unapologetically breezy” by the L.A. Times and “stress-reducing” by Billboard.

The band—Garrett Dutton (aka, G. Love) on guitar, vocals and harmonica, Jeffrey Clemens on drums and Mark Boyce on keyboards—has been around since 1993. It released its self-titled debut in 1994, an effort that almost went gold thanks to the popular tune “Cold Beverage.” The next album, 1995’s Coast to Coast Motel, though not as adored by the masses, was more mature and got a good reception from the critics. Following Motel, however, the group broke up due to financial problems.

The band came back in 1997 with Yeah, It’s That Easy, which hearkened back to its early sound. Fans can expect a sampling of G. Love’s career best this month at Borgata

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

On the heels of his highly anticipated Late Night debut on NBC, Saturday Night Live alum Jimmy Fallon performs at the Borgata April 11.  

Though critics and audiences wondered if the New York City native could fill Conan O’Brien’s shoes, Fallon’s first show was off the charts with guests Justin Timberlake, Robert DeNiro and Van Morrison. And lucky for Fallon, he can call on lots of famous friends to ease him over the hump.   

Famous for his impersonations of Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler and Osama Bin Laden—as well as a hilarious take on the Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb—Fallon honed his comedic skills for six years on Saturday Night Live. In 2002, he released the comedy album The Bathroom Wall, which showcased his knack for musical parody. He has made the transition to the big screen in movies such as Taxi, Fever Pitch and Factory Girl. Returning to his roots as a stand-up comic, Fallon is sure to draw the committed and the curious to his road show at Borgata.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

April 3
Atlantic City Hotel & Lodging Association Dinner Dance 6 p.m., Bally’s Atlantic City • 609-345-8910

April 4
Gilda’s Club South Jersey Ribbon Cutting and Open House, noon, 700 New Road in Linwood
609-926-2699 • www.gildasclubsouthjersey.org.

April 4
17th Annual Spring Craft Show, Cape May Elementary, Cape May • 609-884-9565

April 5
Easter Egg Hunt, 1 p.m., Atlantic City Country Club, Northfield • 609-236-440

April 5
Art Opening & Silent Auction, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m., Atlantic City Art Center, NJ Ave. & Boardwalk• 609- 347-5837

April 11-12  Easter Events in Ocean City
April 11 Easter Celebration Downtown, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
April 11 Woofin’ Paws Pet Fashion Show, Carey Stadium, 6th St. Boardwalk, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
April 11 Egg Hunt, 11th to14th St. Beach, 2:30 p.m.
April 12 Easter Fashion Promenade, Moorlyn Terrace & Boardwalk, 1p.m. -3 p.m, 609-398-4662 • 609-525-9300

April 12
Easter Parade, 12 p.m., Village Greene, Rt. 9, Smithville • 609-652-7777

April 12
Easter Day Promenade, 12 p.m., On the Boardwalk, Seaside Heights

April 17
Talbot’s Fashion Show & Fishbowl Auction , 5 p.m., Atlantic City Country Club • www.abseconlighthouse.org

April 17-19
Cape May Jazz Festival, Various locations, Cape May • 877-726-5299

April 18
24th Annual Doo Dah Parade, noon - 2 p.m., Asbury Avenue, 6th to 12th Sts., Ocean City • 609-525-9300

April 18
British Car Show, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Village Greene, Rt. 9, Smithville • 609-652-7777

April 18
Earth Day Clean Up, Nature Center of Cape May • 609-898-8848

April 18-19
Strictly Corvette 8 a.m. - 9 p.m., Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City • 609-449-2000

April 19
Earth Day Celebration noon - 4 p.m., Bayside Center, 520 Bay Avenue, Ocean City • 609-525-9300

April 24-May 3
Cape May’s Spring Festival, food, wine & craft events at various locations, Cape May
800-275-4278 • www.capemaymac.org

April 24-25
Sensational ’60s Weekend, Wildwoods Convention Center, Wildwood • 888-729-0033

April 24-26
3rd Annual Spring Motorcycle Rally, 10 a.m., Oak and Atlantic Avenues, Wildwood • 609-729-8870

April 25
21st Annual Somers Point Bayfest, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Bay Avenue, Somers Point o www.somerspointbayfest.com

April 25
City Wide Yard Sale, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Tabernacle Grounds, 5th & Wesley, Ocean City • 609-398-4662

April 25 Cape May Spring Craft Show and Tulip & Garden Show
Crafts: Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington
Garden Show: Rotary Park, Lafayette & Decatur St.
609-884-5404 • www.capemaymac.org

April 25-26
Vintage Dance Weekend, Cape May • 609-884-5404 • www.capemaymac.org

April 26
5th Annual New Orleans Jazz Brunch, 11:30 a.m., Garden Pier, Boardwalk & New Jersey Ave. • 609-345-3091

April 26
Earth Day Celebration, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Atlantic County Unilities Authority, 6700 Delilah Road, Egg Harbor Twp. • 609-272-695 • www.acua.com/earthday

April 26
March of Dimes March For Babies Walk, 9 a.m., 5 mile walk begins at Music Pier, Ocean City • 856-874-9050

April 30-May 3
Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series, New Jersey Motorsports Park, 8000 Dividing Creek Rd., Millville • 856-327-8000 • www.njmp.com

By Michael Bruckler   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

April in Atlantic City begins with the Absecon Lighthouse’s Talbot’s Fashion Show & Fishbowl Auction Friday, April 17 at 5 p.m. at the Atlantic City Country Club. The event, which benefits the education programs at Absecon Lighthouse, includes the show, appetizers and a cash bar for only $25. For information, call 609-449-1360 or visit www.abseconlighthouse.org.

The 2009 Cape May Jazz Festival heats up Friday through Sunday, April 17-19 with a citywide tribute to legendary singers Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan. The lineup includes the Odean Pope Quintet, James Cotton Blues Band, Juke Joints Last Stand and many more. Participating venues range from the Boiler Room at Congress Hall to the Ebbitt Room at the Virginia Hotel and the stately Washington Inn. It’s a three-day party concluding Sunday with the traditional New Orleans jam. For information, call 877-7CM-JAZZ or visit www.capemayjazz.org.

Ocean City’s 24th Annual Doo Dah Parade marking the end of tax season starts at noon on Saturday, April 18. The event winds from Asbury Avenue at Sixth Street to the Boardwalk Music Pier. Go enjoy this comedy parade, complete with more than 500 Basset hounds. For more information, call 609-525-9300.

On Saturday, April 25, it’s the 21st Annual Somers Point Bayfest on Bay Avenue. With more than 14 blocks of crafters, food vendors, children activities, live musical bands and more, Bayfest is the largest single-day festival in South Jersey. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. For information, visit www.somerspointbayfest.com.

The Cape May Spring Festival is Friday through Sunday, April 24-May 3. It’s a full week of tours and events against the backdrop of Victorian Cape May. Enjoy Vintage Dance Weekend, trolley rides, an antique and collectibles show and murder mystery dinners. For information, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, ext. 185, or visit www.capemaymac.org.

If you haven’t experienced New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, now’s the time with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, Thursday through Sunday, April 30-May 3. The showcase features prototype and production-based cars including top-class Daytona cars from Chip Ganassi, Penske and 2008 winner Michael Shank Racing. For information, call 856-327-8000 or visit www.njmp.com.

Boardwalk Hall brings an international flavor to Atlantic City with a bevy of performances and entertainment options. It all starts with Eat Bulaga! Saturday, April 4 at 7 p.m. The popular Filipino variety show has launched many of the Philippines’ biggest stars. 

Ilya Averbukh’s Ice Show II, a fantastically popular Russian reality series, returns Saturday, April 25 at 7 p.m. with s a fresh cast of world-class skaters and Russian celebrities. Tickets are available at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office or through Ticketmaster at 800-736-1420 or www.ticketmaster.com.

Last but never least, Strictly Corvette rolls into the Convention Center Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19. See 56 years of classy Corvettes from 1953 to 2009. For information, visit www.accenter.com.

By Dave Bontempo   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Michael LaFroscia parlayed gaming into an ideal professional life. The former 16-year Atlantic City professional observes the industry from many facets: gambler, break-in dealer, supervisor and entrepreneur.

The Woodbridge native, who lived in Mays Landing during his Atlantic City tenure, has often bet on the next trend. LaFroscia owns Casino Career Institute near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a school designed to teach dealers the finer points of the industry. This is the third complete season for CCI, which enjoys steady enrollment by being positioned ahead of a political curve.

Florida is expected to allow blackjack at racetracks and tribal gaming facilities, leveling the racing and gaming playing field in Broward and Dade counties. The state will realize an abundance of new tax revenue, prompting a spike for savvy dealers. In LaFroscia’s 60-hour course, which runs about eight weeks, dealers can learn the pace, nuance and requirements of a demanding job. The facility is, according to LaFroscia, Florida’s only licensed casino gaming school. He has trademarked the name and has a leg up on the anticipated demand for qualified dealers.

LaFroscia learned blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and other games at CCI at Atlantic Cape Community College before dealing them to the public.

“In some ways, Florida is similar to Atlantic City,” he says. “The camaraderie among the dealers is the same. Anytime you’re a new dealer, the other new people you work with form your own little crew. You grow up together, you graduate together and you have your own little alumni group. You always remember who your early buddies are.”

LaFroscia’s early buddies became a valuable resource. He was a dealer, then a supervisor at the Golden Nugget from 1988 to 1995 before going to Resorts as a dealer. That’s where he forged the relationships that vaulted his career. LaFroscia found a vast supply of expertise for the asking.

“I was looking for a mentor, and Resorts was loaded with them,” he says. “You watch the supervisors, how they handle customers, how they speak, how they handle themselves. You take in all of their decision-making and see what goes into that process. They were good at sharing information and were strong in their knowledge of the games. I would quiz them right there on the game, trying to learn everything possible.

“Some dealers didn’t want to get to know the supervisor; they were happy to get their paycheck and that’s fine. I had tons of questions, and these guys were great. Years later, I told them that if not for them, I wouldn’t have gotten this far.”

Ironically, LaFroscia initially attended CCI here to become a better gambler. Understanding the dealer’s viewpoint, he reasoned, would enhance his instincts as a player. LaFroscia was right, but in an unexpected way. The school brought him a long career on the other side of the gaming table.

“Although I don’t think casino work is for everybody, everybody should do it, at least for a while,” he says. “It has a fun side, a rough side, a good side and a bad. Look where it can take you. It’s been ideal for me.”

LaFroscia chased the weather five years ago. He earned a dream job running a daily junket from South Florida to the Bahamas. For the Atlantic City veteran, former Coast Guard worker and holder of an associate business degree, this was a no-brainer—sun, fun and money.

“They were going to pay me to be on the beach in the Bahamas five days a week,” he says. “Just get the customers there and back. How ideal was that? Well, it didn’t last long.”

The job ended, but LaFroscia held onto his South Florida escape from Eastern winters. He dealt poker at Dania Jai-Alai and Seminole Hard Rock before launching his own school. He emphasizes lessons acquired here, especially an intangible one.

“The more professional you look, the more respect you get,” LaFroscia says. “Players are superstitious. If they have a good dealer, they can lose everything and still be OK. When they have a bad dealer, they think they lost because the bad dealer screwed them.

“When you’re a front-line employee and you’re the first person many people see, remember that customers may play even before checking in. At some point, the relationships could become personal. You may end up knowing the brother, the wife, the kid, the whole family. You need to make those people feel comfortable playing around you.”

LaFroscia’s engaging manner makes that look easy.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

A new day dawns. You’ve resolved for the umpteenth time to cut out the Big Macs, cut back the mindless TV, update your Quickbooks, and feed the dog on time. You’re going to lose 10 pounds, learn to play the five-string banjo and write the great American novel. Today is the first day of the rest of your life! You betcha!

There’s only one problem with such resolutions, which usually start on a Monday morning and rarely make it to Tuesday afternoon. It’s that habit almost always trumps resolve, and the road most traveled is usually the path of least resistance. Soon you revert to form, and spend each night dozing in your Barcalounger, a half-eaten burger in your hand, with reruns of American Idol flickering on the tube.  

If you want to change your life but can’t seem to make change last, consider a “commitment contract.” The idea came from a Yale University economics professor named Dean Karlan who contracted with a buddy to lose almost 40 pounds each. To do it, the friends put a high price on failure: whoever did not achieve his goal would forfeit half his annual salary. The men were serious, and each achieved his goal weight in the time allotted.

To stay fit, they renegotiated the contract, and when Karlan’s pal gained weight, he was obligated to fork over $15,000!

“Had I refused to accept it,” observed Professor Karlan, “no future contracts would ever work.”

Karlan went on to found stickK.com, an online “commitment store” that enables people to set their goals in a public forum, set the stakes and the deadline, choose a “referee” (the person who will monitor their progress) and finally, choose who will get the cash if they fail to meet their goals.

In an interesting and perverse twist, Karlan and stick.com co-founder Ian Ayres suggest that participants choose a cause or entity they do not support, for even more motivation. For example, a person who opposes gun ownership could pledge his money to the NRA, or someone burned in the Wall Street meltdown could throw some dough at the Bernie Madoff Defense Fund.

As the website states, “Wouldn’t it just kill you to hand over your hard-earned money to someone you can’t stand?”

The theory at work here is that incentives, especially financial incentives, can help people stay on track in cases where willpower alone has failed. The Journal of the American Medical Association agrees that the prospect of losing money (or gaining it) is a significant incentive for dieters, especially when the money was not rewarded until the end of a set period, “because people just don’t like to lose money.”

Though weight loss is far and away the most common objective, with more than 40 percent of stickK-ers signing up to shed pounds, goals range from learning to play poker to not spending from a savings account to learning more about political candidates.

So, what’s on your goal list? Want to run a 5K, learn to square dance, stop using profanity or spend more time with the kids? Put a contract on yourself—on stickK.com, with a pal, or with an office group. To really succeed, sometimes you have to put your money where your mouth is.

By   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

"I’m old school,” says Lou Vazquez. “Nobody leaves my house hungry.”

Vazquez is a man of his word. As proprietor of Shea’s Café in Galloway, he believes in heaping helpings of hearty, basic, simply scrumptious food, all prepared by his wife, Wendy Hewitt, and often served by their daughters, Ashli and Lailonni.

Hewitt is the closest thing to Paula Deen this side of the Mason Dixon Line. Her bountiful breakfasts include French Toast Bananas Foster and Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes, both served with delectable, freshly whipped cream; Eggs Benedict Surf & Turf, with crabmeat and shrimp atop filet mignon on an English muffin with scallions, homemade Hollandaise sauce and seasoned home fries; Tuscan Eggs Benedict, with sautéed mushrooms and spinach, red peppers and black olives, and Hollandiase; and a sensational spinach and feta omelette made with freshly sautéed spinach.

In each case, single servings are enough to feed a small army; unless you split your dish with a companion, be prepared to take some home.

“For me, it’s not home cooking unless it’s over the top,” says Lou. “If it’s only a pancake, it’s over the top. I’ve got the freshest food around, and 98 percent of everything we make is homemade.” The remaining 2 percent, he says, “is whatever we can’t grow and can’t raise.”

For lunch, the good stuff keeps coming. Hewitt’s towering corned beef Reuben comes with hot maple dill mustard and a side of fabulous pasta salad in a piquant dressing. The Shrimp Sesame Salad is a mix of fresh romaine, tomatoes and green onions tossed with grilled shrimp in a sesame vinaigrette topped with crunchy Chinese noodles.

Burgers include the Black & Blue (blackened beef topped with bacon and crumbled blue cheese) and Jim’s Favorite (with jack cheese, roasted peppers and horseradish sauce). The quiches are out of this world, and the soups are tasty and filling. Regulars recommend the Fall River New England clam chowder.

Brooklyn-born Lou and Galloway girl Wendy met as casino food and beverage workers at Resorts, and spent more than two decades in the industry. After running a homemade water ice concession off the back of a surf buggy, the couple decided to open a restaurant.

“We were empty nesters for the first time,” says Wendy, “and I thought, ‘Oh gosh, what do I do now?’ This is our new baby.”

Though she lacks formal culinary training, Wendy has a knack for and love of food that is uncanny. At the casinos, she says, “I always worked out front, but my head and heart were in the back.” The chefs at Tropicana were important to her culinary education, she says; adds her admiring husband, “She’s the artist; I’m the brush.”

As notable as the food at Shea’s is the warm welcome.  

“Service is the big thing with me, coming from the casinos,” says Lou. “Service doesn’t start when you sit down, it starts when you open the door. We consider ourselves humbled and flattered that people come to eat with us.”

For home-style cooking in an unfailingly friendly atmosphere, there’s no place like Shea’s.

By Dave Bontempo   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

This month, prep races for the $2 million Kentucky Derby, the Atlantic City Race Course live meet and the actual May 2 Run for the Roses comprise a nice string of events.

The lineup begins with the Santa Anita, Wood Memorial and Illinois Derby races April 4. The Blue Grass, Arkansas and Holy Bull Stakes originate April 11, with all events being televised by the casinos or Atlantic City Race Course. Top finishers in these battles will get ready for the Derby, while Atlantic City launches its live meet.

The Hamilton Township oval operates April 16-17, 23-24, April 30 and May 1 starting at 3:30 p.m. It’s a three-week package of Thursday-Friday cards bridging late afternoon and early evening. On May 2, the 135th Kentucky Derby unfolds from Churchill Downs in front of about 160,000 fans. The event, televised throughout the country, will approach $100 million of betting interest.

Atlantic City Race Course, which televises the Derby, maintains a link to its storied past by running live races on its fabled turf course, which produced several national champions over the years.

“We’re tremendously excited,” says ACRC President Maureen Gallagher Bugdon. “We pushed back our Friday cards to that time in response to patron demand. They’re saying they want a later post. Last year, as soon as the schools got out, we were mobbed—usually by the second race.”

Atlantic City did not obtain the 20-day meet it sought, because it could not receive money from the Purse Supplement Fund paid by casinos to New Jersey tracks. The six-day meet is a reality, for now.

“We had close to 7,000 people on closing day last year,” Bugdon says. “We know we’re doing something right. Our goal now would be to grow this a little bit at a time and slowly expand the racing dates.”

Test Your Derby Smarts

While local fans enjoy racing up close, simulcast players can focus on significant Derby prep races. The Blue Grass, Wood Memorial and Florida Derby races have produced more Kentucky Derby winners than any other prep, while the Arkansas Derby and Santa Anita races have also delivered champs.
    Bettors can place the insight gleaned from the prep races into an ever-expanding knowledge pool. Here are some wagering tips and little-known Derby facts.

• The best odds on a Derby horse exist now. Don’t wait for the prep races to make a futures bet on a long shot. One nice nationally televised performance will diminish his odds. That’s especially true of a horse like The Pampelmousse, who won impressively in the Grade III Sham Stakes in February. If this horse triumphs in the Santa Anita Stakes, he will become a short-priced Kentucky Derby choice.

• Secretariat remains the Babe Ruth of racing. His 1973 record of 1:59 2-5 for the 1 1/4 mile event still stands. He’s the only horse to ever run every quarter faster than the preceding one: 25 1-5, 24, 23 4-5, 23 2-5 and 23 seconds in succession. He didn’t even lead that race, which produced a record, until the final turn. Secretariat’s 1973 time would beat most modern winners by 10 lengths.

• Pace still makes the race. The winner usually sits in a comfortable stalking spot behind some horses who vie in a speed duel. If there are few speed types, however, the front-runner may hold on. Only five horses, the last being War Emblem in 2002, have led wire-to-wire.

• Check earlier races on Derby Day from Churchill Downs. Does the track favor speed or closers? Has it rained the previous day? If so, the track may be drying out and becoming gradually heavy, favoring closers.

• Although the favorite rarely wins, Big Brown prevailed last year. And bettors weren’t victimized. The trifecta returned $3,445.60 and the $2 superfecta paid a whopping $58,737.80, all with a short-paying horse on top. If you like a horse, even the favorite, put him over four ($12), five ($20) or six horses ($30) in $1 trifecta or superfecta key entries.

• If you like a long shot, don’t forget to play win and place wagers as well.

• Stump your friends. Which two post positions have never produced a Derby winner? 17 and 19. Many Derby races were limited to 14 positions until recent years. The No. 1 and No. 5 posts lead the way with 12 Derby wins, but that has become less significant in the age of 20-horse fields. The rail, in fact, hasn’t produced a Derby winner since Ferdinand in 1986. And he came from last place to do it.

• Three fillies have won the Derby: Genuine Risk, Regret and Winning Colors, the last in 1988.

• The 1970s produced three Triple Crown winners. Secretariat, Seattle Slew and Affirmed are the last horses to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes. There’s a 31-year drought for the Triple Crown. Bigger fields have accented the difficulty of winning three premier races in six weeks.

• The winning Kentucky Derby horse will usually have a Beyer figure of at least 100 in the Daily Racing Form. This number measures a horse’s performance against the track record and conditions (fast, good, sloppy, etc.) on a given day.

• Biggest long shot to win: Donerail, at 92-1 in 1913. Second-biggest: Giacomo in 2005. The horse was named for the son of rock star Sting. Favorites don’t usually dominate because the event happens so early in the 3-year-old season that horses are still developing. Besides, none have gone the 1 1/4 mile distance. So every animal enters new territory.

Brawl In The Hall

Former Tropicana salon owner Diane Fischer, a longtime boxing promoter, keeps plugging along. The Vineland resident has put together a nine-bout card that resembles old-time boxing April 11 in Boardwalk Hall.

Junior middleweights Derek Ennis of Philadelphia (17-2-1) and Ismael Arvin of Baltimore (15-1-4) battle in the main event, while Atlantic City rising star Qa’id Muhammad (4-0) highlights a locally based undercard.

This resembles an era prior to television and casino site fees, when promoters showcased area fighters, keeping costs down and local interest up. This card, priced $20-$55, starts at 7:30 p.m. and is an excellent value.

Fischer, who has promoted cards of local and national interest, still finds arenas to place fights that make financial sense.

By Frank Legato   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

After 15 years as a deputy attorney general, Josh Lichtblau took over as acting director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement in January 2008, replacing Yvonne Maher, who had run the division—the investigative and enforcement arm of the state’s regulatory system—since the retirement of Thomas Auriemma the previous year. He was sworn in as the new permanent director March 12, 2008, and dove immediately into uncharted waters.

Lichtblau has been in charge of maintaining the integrity of the Atlantic City casino industry during the unprecedented economic slump. He spoke with Casino Connection Editor Frank Legato last month about how the division can make it easier for the industry to recover.

Casino Connection: The agency has dealt with many monumental issues over the past 30 years. What do you see as the most significant issues facing you today?

Lichtblau: Without a doubt, it’s the economic issues—the turmoil in the capital markets; how that’s affected casinos around the world. New Jersey is really not unique in that regard. Las Vegas is experiencing tremendous difficulties as well. I think that has been and will continue to be the hot spot for our agency. 

How has the recession affected your agency in particular?

The recession, and the economic difficulties we just mentioned, affect us in two distinct ways. One, we really need to look carefully at what the casinos are doing in terms of their restructuring, and the transactions they have to do to remain vibrant as going concerns. The other part of it is that the budget is obviously very tight in the state, and we have really been stressed in terms of our manpower. We’ve had to do more with less, as have other state agencies, and we’re able to do it. It really just requires us to look at our processes on an almost daily basis and try to be more efficient.

You run one of the most extensive slot labs in the industry—how has the lab been affected by the economic downturn?

The lab, perhaps more than any other group, has had to look at the way it does business, to be more efficient. Now, more than ever, we’re relying on technology to get the slot review and approval process down to what really is becoming a top tier in the industry. We’ve gotten our averages down to where we’re about 48 days to review and approve new slot machines. We’re very proud of that. Even though we have fewer people in the lab, we are able to turn around the review process quicker than we had previously.

Have you made any changes to increase the efficiency of your operation?

Yes. One example from our slot lab: We’ve used more online, web-based procedures, so the manufacturers and casinos can get, virtually in real time, the approval letters—rather than having to phone, and to wait for a letter to come by fax or by mail. Over time, we’re going to roll out new features so they can really track where a product is in the approval process. Also, down the road, we’re going to be moving toward tracking slot moves. Rather than having letters go back and forth about slot machines being taken down and moved around the floor, requests and approvals will all be done online. It will save time, limit the number of people involved, and generally, move toward greater efficiency.

Has your staff been able to keep up with all the new slot technology coming down the pike?

Fortunately, we have. And, I think that’s an ongoing challenge. And one of the benefits of getting the slot manufacturers to understand what we do and what we’re trying to do in terms of greater efficiency is that they can help educate us—if there is new technology, they can walk us through something we don’t understand. But fortunately, we have an excellent staff. They are very keen on learning new things, and innovation, and really staying up on the industry. As you know, that’s vital.

Do you participate in meetings with the Casino Control Commission and casino executives on ways to streamline the regulatory process so it's less costly to both sides?

We do, and that’s an ongoing process. For one thing, we all know what the shape of the economy is, and that the casinos are having economic difficulties all over the world. So, we do try to work with them, to keep our costs down. That’s part of the process of these meetings with casino operators—to figure out what regulations are outmoded, what laws can be changed. A result of that was the recent set of amendments to the Casino Control Act that just came out of the state Senate and Assembly.

What role do you foresee for the DGE in getting this industry back on its feet?

I think the best thing we can do to help the industry is to continue doing what we have done—to ensure it is manned by people of the highest integrity, and that the games are operated with the highest integrity. And, that if there are any financial problems, we bring them to light once we know about them, and that there is a transparent process from the regulatory side. All of that has made New Jersey the model for gaming around the world—and the regulatory model as well. We need to continue doing that, and I believe we can, even with the resources being somewhat limited, as they are in the current climate. That will be the best thing we can do to help the Atlantic City gaming market.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

"He supports it because the community in Sullivan County supports it. He takes his cues from the local community."
—Spokesman for New York Senator Charles Schumer, who favors an “off-reservation” casino in the Catskills to be built by the Stockbridge-Munsee (whose reservation is in Wisconsin)

"Hey, how would you like a 5 percent cut in your city wage tax? Uh, you already got one, thanks to slots players across Pennsylvania. "
—Editorial in the Philadelphia Daily News reminding slot casino opponents in Philadelphia that they have already benefited from the nascent slot industry with a little-heralded tax cut

"Bankruptcies are expensive, time-consuming and debilitating for your properties and employees, so we don’t intend to go in that direction. "
— Nicholas Ribis, CEO of Resorts International, pledging to avoid the bankruptcy route and strike a deal with Column Financial Inc. to avoid a foreclosure on the Resorts Atlantic City casino hotel

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Australia’s Crown Ltd. is no longer planning to buy Cannery Casino Resorts, at least not now. But the Australian gaming giant will make a substantial equity investment in the Las Vegas-based casino operator, and has retained the option to buy the company later.

The agreement followed a contentious two weeks in which Cannery threatened to sue Crown for trying to back out of its December 2007 agreement. Cannery owns three Las Vegas casinos and the Meadows racino in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The $1.75 billion sale hit a snag when Gretel Packer, Crown Chairman James Packer’s sister, and three unnamed investors petitioned the gaming board to withdraw from the bid to purchase the racino, citing privacy issues due to Pennsylvania’s public disclosure laws. The original agreement was conditioned on the purchase of all four Cannery casino properties.

The solution reached last month means Crown will pay Cannery $50 million in cash to terminate the former acquisition agreement, and make a $320 million non-voting investment in Cannery Casino Resorts, with an option to acquire the operator should the regulatory issues be worked out.

Cannery officials were pleased with the outcome. “Today’s announcement puts CCR in an enviable position in the gaming industry, with a strong balance sheet, ample liquidity, exciting new properties in Nevada and Pennsylvania, great growth opportunities and more certainty for our employees,” said Bill Paulos, who will remain co-CEO of Cannery along with Bill Wortman. “CCR will continue its tradition of excellence in serving local customers in Nevada and Pennsylvania with the highest-value
gaming experience.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Mired in an effort to resolve thorny financial issues that could result in bankruptcy, Station Casinos received an offer from rival Boyd Gaming last month that would let Boyd acquire certain assets of the company.

Boyd offered $950 million for six of the 18 Station Casino properties: Green Valley Ranch, Aliante Station, Texas Station, the Wild Wild West and the two Fiesta properties in Las Vegas and Henderson. In a letter to Station Chairman and CEO Frank Fertitta III, Boyd Chairman Bill Boyd and CEO Keith Smith said they are willing to consider purchasing other assets of Station Casinos, as well. Boyd plans to use funds from a $2 billion revolving credit line it had arranged for the now-delayed Echelon project on the Las Vegas Strip.

Station Casinos rejected the measure, saying it’s not for sale at this time. The company recently missed payments of $14.6 million and $15.2 million, and on February 3, submitted a second bankruptcy plan to its bondholders, who rejected an initial plan late last year.

Boyd later reiterated its interest in the properties, but failed to say whether it would purchase some of Station’s debt in order to give it standing in bankruptcy court. The company contends its purchase offer gives bondholders greater value than Station’s revamped bankruptcy plan. That plan asks creditors to forgive much of the company’s debt and allow Fertitta and his brother Lorenzo to continue to run the company.

Secured lenders such as banks would recover most of what they are owed by Station in a bankruptcy. Bondholders, and secondary unsecured lenders, would likely only get a few cents on the dollar, and be a roadblock to any bankruptcy approval. Station has until mid-April to come to an agreement with its creditors.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

As if MGM Mirage didn’t have enough problems, Dubai World, its partner in the CityCenter development, filed suit against MGM last month alleging that statements made in a March 17 SEC filing constitute a breach of contract.

Infinity World Development Corp., a Dubai World subsidiary that invested in the development, filed suit in Delaware Chancery Court against MGM for allegedly questioning the viability of the $8.8 billion CityCenter in the SEC filing.

According to Dubai World, the statements “constitute a breach of the CityCenter joint venture agreement and puts the CityCenter development at risk.”

Dubai World says that since MGM Mirage can’t guarantee it will meet future payments, it had no choice but to file the action. The company said it is “protecting its investment and the future of CityCenter. The current path of the project is unsustainable given our partner’s financial troubles.”

MGM Mirage sold half the development in 2007 to the investment arm of the Dubai government. Sources say the arrangement has always been rocky, and may have led to the abrupt departure of MGM Mirage Chairman Terry Lanni several months ago.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

A clever ad campaign resulted in a media blitz for the grand opening of Indiana Live!, the $200 million casino at Indiana Downs racetrack near Shelbyville.

The campaign featured a Barack Obama look-alike visiting the new permanent casino and hawking “change you can believe in.”

White House lawyers pulled the plug on the promotion, which included TV and billboard advertising, but the witty strategy drew nationwide attention to the 233,000-square-foot casino, on Interstate 74 about 15 miles southeast of Indianapolis.

“The Obama ad was a real winner that cut through the fog of everything that was out there,” said Dennis Gomes, CEO of gaming operations for the Cordish Company, which developed the casino along with Indiana Downs LLC. “When the White House asked us to remove it, we complied, but then it got played on dozens of news stations, and we got millions in free publicity.”

A temporary gaming pavilion opened on the site last summer, adjacent to a 200-acre track with live horse racing and simulcasting. The permanent facility has 2,000 slot machines and electronic blackjack, roulette and three-card poker, a deluxe poker room and multiple dining, entertainment and nightclub options. It will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“It was a spectacular opening,” Gomes said. “Within two hours, we had a line wrapped around the building and could only allow people in when other people left. It reminded me of the opening of Resorts Atlantic City in 1978.”

Gomes anticipates long-term success. “This is a tremendous location in a great market,” he said. “We’re only 15 minutes from downtown Indianapolis, and have only one competitor. Before the permanent casino opened we operated out of a big tent, and even then, we were in the top half of all the casinos in the state in gaming revenue. Now, the sky is the limit.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Starting June 11, AirTran Airways will become the newest commercial air carrier linking Atlantic City and the South Jersey region to Atlanta, Georgia and the wider world. The airline will provide affordable non-stop daily service between the two cities this summer.

The onset of new service through AirTran coincides with increased service via Spirit Airlines. Spirit will begin flights between Atlantic City and Boston starting May 1.  

Both boosts in commercial air service to ACY bode well for the shore resort, says Bart Mueller, executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

“It’s a big win for visitors to Atlantic City, and for South Jersey residents who have been forced to fly into Philadelphia to do business in our region,” Mueller said. “We, along with our partners and stakeholders in Atlantic City, view AirTran’s new service as the tipping point for Atlantic City, which has been eager for the expansion of scheduled service and access to new markets.”

“We can’t be a world-class destination if the world can’t get to us,” says Assemblyman John Burzichelli, chairman of the state’s Tourism and Gaming Commission and an ardent proponent of increased commercial air traffic to Atlantic City International. “AirTran’s new service clears the final hurdle for Atlantic City to realize its potential as a sought-after leisure and convention destination.”

Total passenger traffic at the airport averages about 1.2 million and is projected to increase by double digits over the next several years. A number of enhancement projects are on line to accommodate increased demand, including a $23 million federal inspection station for international service, a $30 million airport rescue and firefighting station, and a $10 million airfield/apron expansion. Recently, the airport completed a $26 million parking garage as well as $10 million in airport terminal lobby improvements.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

What happens in Atlantic City should stay in Atlantic City. That’s the conclusion of a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll conducted to see if New Jerseyans want expanded gaming in the Garden State.

The survey found that 70 percent were against the spread of casino gaming outside Atlantic City, where it was legalized in the mid-1970s. Opposition to more widespread gaming is shared by men and women, people of all ages, and liberals as well as conservatives.

But one industry in the state has been champing at the bit for more diverse gaming options. For years, the state’s horse racing industry has lobbied for video lottery terminals at the tracks to increase purses and keep the tracks competitive with those in adjoining states. That proposal has been fought by casino operators who say it would create an unacceptable level of competition in close proximity to the shore resort.

“Atlantic City is already contending with new competition and the recession,” said Joe Corbo of the Casino Association of New Jersey. “Adding competition in our own state would make Atlantic City’s challenges even worse.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

In the case of Donald Trump versus his former company’s bondholders, a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge last month sided with the Donald. The real estate magnate was not present at the proceedings in a Camden courtroom, but his daughter Ivanka was front and center.

Judge Judith H. Wizmur ruled that Trump Entertainment Resorts should not have to underwrite the bondholders’ legal fees while the company attempts to restructure its massive debt.

The Trumps resigned from the company’s board in February, after bondholders rebuffed Donald Trump’s offer to buy the company and take it private. Four days later, on February 17, Trump Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after it could not agree on a restructuring plan for $1.25 billion of notes held by the bondholders.

Ivanka Trump did not tip her hand about her father’s future plans for Atlantic City, but said the family has “a great commitment” to both the company, which owns three casinos here, and the seashore resort where the family name remains so prominent. Though Donald Trump is no longer chairman of Trump Entertainment Resorts, his name is still part and parcel of the Atlantic City casino empire, and will remain so for the immediate future.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

A new location for Gilda’s Club South Jersey will be heralded with a ribbon-cutting and open house Saturday, April 4 at noon. The new clubhouse, dedicated to people with cancer, their families, and cancer survivors is located at 700 New Road in Linwood and includes yoga, arts, activities for children and two support group rooms.

On Saturday, May 9, more than 250 breast cancer survivors will kick off the Shirley Mae Run and Gilda’s Club Walk with a survivors’ parade on the oceanfront steps of Trump Taj Mahal on the Boardwalk.

Since 2000, the Shirley Mae Breast Cancer Assistance, named for survivor Shirley Mae Goldberg, has offered medical, financial and psychological assistance to people with breast cancer.

More than 2,000 event participants will participate in this year’s Shirley Mae 5K Run, two-mile Gilda’s Club Walk, and Kids’ One Mile Run, all of which start and finish at the Taj. For more information, visit www.shirleymaefund.org. Free self-parking is available for event attendees and participants until 11:30 a.m. at the Taj Mahal and Showboat garages.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Howard Bacharach, executive director of the Atlantic City Hotel & Lodging Association, will be honored with the Spirit of Hospitality Award at the annual Atlantic City Host Awards, to be held Wednesday, May 13 in the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall.

Each year, the award is given to someone who has made a significant long-term contribution to the region's hospitality and travel industry. Past winners include Greater Atlantic City Chamber President Joseph Kelly and former State Senator William Gormley.

Bacharach has served as the ACHLA executive director since 2003. During that time, he's been instrumental in bringing the organization to prominence in the Atlantic County region. He also sustains the ACHLA Scholarship Foundation, coordinates various special events and fundraising activities and works to increase membership.

For tickets to the Host Awards, call Jacqueline Carole at 609-449-7174 or e-mail jcarole@accva.com.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

Governor Jon S. Corzine wants to bring the 30-state consortium lottery Powerball to the state, which could make New Jersey the first place where gamblers can play both Powerball and Mega Millions.

The appeal is obvious for gamblers as well as the state. Powerball jackpots regularly soar above the $200 million mark, and in 2006, a lucky group of Nebraska meatpackers split a $365 million bonanza. For New Jersey’s financially strapped government, sales could add $40 million to the bottom line in the first year.

But despite the economy—which might be seen to encourage lottery ticket sales—lotteries overall were down about 1 percent here during the first half of the current fiscal year, which started last July.

Even so, Corzine thinks Powerball is a gamble worth taking. He wants the game on line in the Garden State by October 1.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Mar 26, 2009

A group of lenders and investors that includes billionaire financier Carl Icahn has become the leading bidder for Atlantic City’s Tropicana Casino and Resort in an upcoming bankruptcy auction.

Icahn is the former owner of Atlantic City’s now-defunct Sands Casino Hotel and one of several secured lenders who hold a $1.4 billion mortgage on the property. Icahn and other major investors, including Greenwich, Connecticut, hedge fund Silver Point Finance, plan to exchange debt for equity in a bid on the casino.

The coalition of lenders will act as the “stalking horse,” or opening bidder, when the case goes to bankruptcy court in Delaware. If no one makes a higher bid, the stalking horse takes the property.

The Tropicana has been operating under a state-appointed conservator since December 2007, when commissioners stripped former owner Tropicana Entertainment of its casino license.     

In March, a steering committee for the investor group filed a petition with New Jersey’s Casino Control Commission, confirming its intention to bid on the Boardwalk casino resort, which is adjoined by the state’s largest hotel. An offering price should be disclosed this month.

But roadblocks could still present themselves. According to Gil Brooks, an attorney for the group, “Negotiations are pretty far down the pike. Something could happen and it could blow up, but the intention is to move forward with this.”
      At least one promising deal has already fallen through. Baltimore-based Cordish Company had offered $700 million in cash and stock for the Tropicana, or $575 million in an all-cash deal. But that plan was broadsided by the deepening recession and seesawing valuations of the property. Earlier offers by other would-be buyers ranged as high as $950 million, and the Tropicana was originally valued at about $1 billion.

The secured lenders are considering two ownership structures if they buy the casino, with one scenario that includes the ousted former owner. According to documents submitted to the commission, the lenders would either control the property themselves or turn it over to a newly created subsidiary of Tropicana Entertainment, which is restructuring itself in Chapter 11 bankruptcy to emerge as a new company with new management and ownership.

As the convoluted process drags on, the Atlantic City casino will “continue to operate in a smooth and uninterrupted manner,” says Tropicana President Mark Giannantonio.

Meanwhile, the casino and hotel are on firm financial footing, with enough cash
on hand to fund operations during the transition.

By Casino Connection Staff  

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and the Water Club won multiple gold, silver and bronze statuettes at the 2008 Adrian Awards for advertising and public relations campaigns, including five awards for publicizing the opening of the Water Club. The Water Club also won a medal as one of the best property openings of 2008.

The Adrian Awards are bestowed by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International to recognize excellence in advertising, public relations and web marketing in the hospitality, travel and tourism industries. Winners were selected from a field of 1,300 entries around the world. The awards were given at a gala ceremony in New York City in January, with 1,000 industry and agency professionals in attendance.

More plaudits may be in store for the Water Club. Its restaurant Izakaya, A Modern Japanese Pub is up for a James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant. Deemed “the Oscars of the food world” by Time magazine, the Beard awards are the country’s most coveted honor for chefs and food and beverage professionals.

By Casino Connection Staff  

Atlantic City casino employees, barred for decades from holding elected office, can now throw their hats in the political ring. Legislation approved 60-18 by the state Senate in November and passed by Assembly last month was signed into law on March 21 by Governor Jon S. Corzine. The new law will let casino workers run for City Council as well as contribute to political campaigns.         Casino employees have a true stake in the community. The latest U.S. Census says the resort community now has more casino employees than residents; of approximately 38,000 casino workers, 8,000 make their homes here. The current mayor of Atlantic City, Lorenzo Langford, is a former casino worker who was compelled to resign before he was sworn into City Council in 1992.

The prohibition stemmed from concerns that casino workers in government would exert undue influence and bring an industry bias to the halls of power. The new law prohibits current City Council members from seeking casino work while they hold office, and also continues to prevent casino workers from running for mayor, as well as assemblyman, senator and governor.     

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Jim Whelan, says he thinks casino workers should be able to occupy the mayor’s office. Whelan was the city’s mayor for more than a decade, from 1990 to 2001. Whelan says he considers this law the first step toward allowing full political participation.

Beyond the bans on political office, city planning board and zoning board members cannot work at the casinos, nor can elected state officials and some state employees work in a gaming hall. In addition, casinos may not contribute to local, county and state political campaigns.

Though the restrictions were enacted to keep city government clean, they have done little to stave off the taint of corruption since the first casino opened in 1978. Over the past 30 years, three mayors have been indicted and many council members have gone to jail in connection with corruption scandals, most recently when a full third of City Council was convicted of accepting bribes.

As Whelan noted last year, “The casino industry is the most regulated, investigated industry. It’s not the casino worker that has had ethical issues and issues of corruption associated with them; it’s the Atlantic City government.”

Added state Senator Jeff Van Drew, who co-sponsored the new legislation with Whelan, “We need to increase the talent pool of individuals who want to run and want to serve in Atlantic City. The ban was discriminatory and disenfranchised people from, literally, the right to be involved” in governing their own community.

In Pennsylvania, casino employees can run for public office but have to resign their jobs after assuming office, according to the state Gaming Control Board. Elected officials in Pennsylvania are not allowed to work for casinos for one year after they leave office.

In Nevada, casino workers and executives are fully enfranchised: able to run for any office and to contribute to and work for political campaigns.

Much has been written recently about the fortunes of Atlantic City, and most of the stories have been negative. One might think we should pack up our tourism industry and call it a day, but nothing could be further from the truth. The economic struggles we face affect the travel industry worldwide. While there’s no doubt the economy will continue to have an impact on travel, Atlantic City is well positioned to meet this challenge.

It’s true we face new competition from Pennsylvania and elsewhere, but competition isn’t a new phenomenon. It’s a natural byproduct of success, and it’s a fact of life. There is always going to be competition, and we, as a destination, have to continue to evolve our product to meet it head-on.  

While the relative success of Pennsyl-vania slot parlors has been cited as a factor in Atlantic City’s present struggle, it should not come as a surprise. The public will always be interested in exploring the newest product on the market. Such was the case when Connecticut’s casinos opened, which also led to predictions of doom and gloom for Atlantic City. We’re still here.

Today’s Atlantic City is more diversified than ever. We’ve seen an influx of new restaurants with world-class restaurateurs such as Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck and Stephen Starr. We have fantastic shopping with the growth of the Pier Shops and the Walk. We have top-name entertainment like Madonna, Celine Dion, Keith Urban and the Rolling Stones. There’s no place in the Northeast where you can see such a strong array of entertainment on any given night as Atlantic City. We are a world-class entertainment destination, not just a gaming destination.     

While newspapers focus on stalled development, they fail to acknowledge more than $1.5 billion in new investment completed in the past year alone, including the Chelsea hotel; the Water Club at Borgata; the Chairman’s Tower at Trump Taj Mahal; the Waterfront Tower; new restaurants and other non-gaming amenities at Harrah’s, including the Pool; the Courtyard by Marriott; Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars; and upgrades at Tropicana. That’s more development in four square miles than you’ll find in most destinations, and it should not be ignored.

Atlantic City has 11 great casinos, each with its own personality and audience. With or without new development, we still have more than enough to entice visitors and remain a desirable destination. 

Making it easier to get to Atlantic City is one way we’ll grow. The new ACES train from New York will be very positive. We’re excited to welcome daily non-stop air service from Boston to Atlantic City on Spirit Airlines. This service, effective May 1, will allow people to enjoy direct flights to Atlantic City. And a capital investment of more than $270 million in highway and airport improvements will help us secure other commercial carriers.

The Atlantic City Convention Center generates significant business. Our group markets continue to perform above the nation’s average. In 2008, cumulative attendance at Convention Center events brought in 387,000 people, a slight 2.8 percent decline over 2007. Other destinations nationwide are showing business declines between 11 percent and 20 percent, with some down by as much as 30 percent.

Room night production for future bookings here grew 8 percent in 2009. And over the past three years, all meetings, conventions and trade shows handled by the ACCVA grew by over 100 percent. The pace through 2012 is up between 5 percent and 10 percent each year.

The ACCVA heavily markets Atlantic City as a great destination for groups, meetings and conventions, and we continue to seek new special events. One example is our first-ever Restaurant Week. Of the more than 70 participating restaurants, 50 found it so successful they extended it.

Atlantic City has survived and prospered in good times and bad. Are there challenges ahead? There are indeed. They are the same challenges faced by every travel destination during a struggling global economy, and we have to meet them head-on. Are these challenges insurmountable? Absolutely not. We all need to work harder than ever before to achieve success and we will continue to do so. The best is yet to come for Atlantic City. You can bet on it.

The recession has affected everyone. Even those fortunate enough to have jobs and health benefits know someone—a family member, a friend—who has lost a job or been otherwise hit by the economic downturn.  

The casino industry’s valued customers have also been affected by the recession. As a result, many have reduced the number of trips and when they do come, are spending less. Hopefully, this cycle will soon be broken, but even when it is, there’s one constant that’s of utmost importance: customer service.

Those of you on the front lines may quite naturally commiserate with customers about the topic of the day: the economy. Such bonding seems admirable, like striking up a polite conversation while checking in a guest, recalling the name of a repeat customer, or remembering a customer’s favorite drink. Talking about the economy seems to be a good icebreaker, right?  

Not really. Our customers come here to escape. They don’t want to be reminded of declining 401(k) balances or investment portfolios. If we engage them in discussion about the economy—or even worse, our personal circumstances—we’re reminding them of the very things they’re trying to forget. Even if they raise the issue, while you cannot be rude and ignore the comment, skillfully and quickly acknowledge the remark, then change the subject in a way that encourages them to enjoy, indulge and forget things for a while. If you do, maybe they’ll return the next time they need an escape, which is good for them and for us.

Customer service is even more important in the face of growing regional competition. We must continue serving our customers on a higher level in order to distinguish ourselves from Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Connecticut. Part of our strength as an industry is having more sophisticated and varied offerings than can be found in the convenience form of gaming that is evolving around us. With that sophistication comes greater expectations. If we deliver on those expectations, we’ll continue to set ourselves apart.

The goal is to turn customers into “raving fans” of our business, if you will. In business-speak, raving fans are customers who are so enthusiastic about a company that they become walking, talking billboards advertising and raving about products and services. Turning new and returning customers into raving fans will naturally create an upward spiral of growth, as these very customers happily share their great experiences at our casino hotels with countless others seeking a special getaway.

Our customers come here seeking enjoyable leisure time and a temporary escape from day-to-day concerns. Our core job is to give the customers what they seek. As WalMart founder Sam Walton once said, “There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.”   

To avoid that, let’s consistently provide upbeat, positive, friendly and accommodating experiences for each visitor. That way, our customers will vote with their feet by returning to our destination time and time again.

If it wasn’t apparent that the unions suddenly flocking the gaming industry are more interested in power for themselves than benefits for their members, last month’s announcement of the Gaming Workers Council should put that to rest.  

The United Auto Workers (UAW), Transport Workers Union (TWU) Gaming Division, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and AFL-CIO got together under this banner because they’ve had little success achieving contracts for their members. While the UAW and TWU have signed up several casinos in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and Connecticut, not one contract has been signed. The unions have charged dues and delivered nothing.

They claim the casinos are not negotiating in good faith, but the truth is they don’t want to sign contracts because they have little leverage with just a few casinos signed up. The big hammer comes when almost all the casinos are signed and they can threaten a massive strike.         

We’ve seen what happened in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. In Atlantic City, Bally’s casino workers went on strike in 1982. Within days, the strike had collapsed when workers decided they couldn’t go without pay. In Las Vegas in the 1990s, the New Frontier strike went on for years, forced the casino owner to sell the property, and did nothing for the employees.

Clearly, the Gaming Workers Council is a thinly disguised effort to pool the unions’ limited successes to force casinos to sign contracts.

So good, you say! The casino owners need someone to force their hands.

OK, then why did this organization fail to invite the most successful gaming unions in the country to join their clique? You’d think if you wanted to really force the casinos’ hand, you’d include the largest unions active in gaming today, UNITE HERE Local 54 in Atlantic City and the Culinary in Las Vegas. UNITE HERE has a long history of working with—and against—the casino owners, so it would make sense to invite them aboard. Then you’d really have a powerful organization that could make the casinos sit up and take notice.

But the dirty secret of the Gaming Workers Council is that it wants to bust UNITE HERE and replace it with more strident, less experienced unions. The SEIU wants to represent the same workers who are loyal to UNITE HERE, and a recent intra-union struggle between the UNITE and HERE factions of that union gave it a window of opportunity.

Ordinarily, I’d dismiss this group as a poorly designed effort to fool smart people. But in this economy, we can’t take anything for granted. Even if it fools just a few people, this alliance poses a threat to all casino workers, not just the ones who work on the casino floor.

Times are indeed difficult and potential union members need to understand this is exactly the wrong time to consider signing with a union. First, no union can guarantee your job. When business declines, layoffs occur. And if business declines because a union adds expenses and pressure to an already-distressed business, even more jobs will be lost.

Casinos have nothing to spare right now. They’re desperately trying to retain good employees, but won’t hesitate to cut those who make it more difficult for them to operate.

And unions are desperate themselves. The UAW is about to implode along with the U.S. auto industry. (Can you make the connection between the two?) Unions overall have seen a long decline in membership because they have long failed to serve their members.

So don’t be fooled by this new council. It’s just another way to separate you from your wages and decrease the power you have over your own job and your future.

By   Fri, Sep 19, 2008

By Frank Legato   Thu, Jun 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 12, 2008

By Roger Gros   Tue, Mar 11, 2008

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Frank Legato   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Roger Gros   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Frank Legato   Thu, Mar 01, 2007

By Roger Gros   Sun, Jul 25, 2010

By   Mon, May 17, 2010

On May 15, Tony Boloney’s will mark its first year with the inaugural Pizza Slaughter Fest. Wing Bowl champ Jon “Super Squibb” will try to eat his way through the entire pizza menu. Pass the Pepto Bismol, folks; that’s about 30 slices (and up to 10,000 calories).

“If Squibb thinks he can take down every slice of our pizza before anyone else, I have some big guys in the neighborhood who will meet him head-on,” jokes co-owner Mike Hauke.

Hungry members of the public can also vie for the Golden Boloney crown and belt, sampling the six-cheese Monopoly pizza; the Casino Carnivore, with 10 layers of meat and mozzarella; the Veggie Dune, with a grove of marinated vegetables; and the SH**-faced Chicken, with beer-battered bird, Guinness honey BBQ sauce, mozz and cheddar.

This family-friendly event will also feature live local bands. Sign up at the store and online at www.tonyboloneys.com.

http://casinoconnectionac.com/issue/may-2010/article/great-pizza-no-boloney

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Jan 29, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   Sat, Jan 23, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   Thu, Jan 21, 2010

Late last month the founder  of Beal Bank, who is also known as a high-stakes poker player, made a surprise move by joining billionaire Carl Icahn in a new bid for Trump Entertainment. Beal hopes to convert his multimillion-dollar loan into equity in the company.

“Trump jumped ship at the last minute,” Icahn attorney Edward Weisfelner said in court, “and left Mr. Beal standing at the altar.”

see entire article here:  http://casinoconnectionac.com/issue/january-2010/article/games-the-same-but-players-have-changed

By NBC 40 WMGM   Wed, Dec 02, 2009

http://casinoconnectionac.com/issue/november-2009/article/ac-outlets-the-walk-your-holiday-headquarters

 

By NBC 40 WMGM   Wed, Sep 30, 2009

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Sep 22, 2009

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND

Atlantic City bids goodbye to a favorite adopted son, the late Arturo Gatti, September 19 at Bally’s. A professional card has been established, with fights being sandwiched around highlight presentations, speeches and tributes to the most prolific fighter in Atlantic City history.

Gatti, based first in Montreal and then in Jersey City, became the only sure thing in a town known for gambling. Twice a year, he’d fill up Boardwalk Hall against any opponent, and his loyal fan base substantially spiked the drop in nearby casinos. Gatti was responsible for nine consecutive sellouts here, including the second and third bout of his famed trilogy against Micky Ward, and a matchup with Floyd Mayweather that established a non-heavyweight record for gross sales receipts in Atlantic City.

Gatti’s appearance was the brainchild of Bally’s then-President Ken Condon.

“We should have a special day for Arturo,” Condon said while Gatti was still alive. “I’d be the first to put that together.”

The tribute is appropriate. While earning about $20 million for himself, Gatti performed some other memorable deeds. He stayed with one promoter, Main Events, for his entire 16-year career. That’s now unheard of. He waged several Fights of the Year in boxing and created high paydays for Ward, Ivan Robinson, Mayweather, the gaming industry and HBO.

Gatti died under mysterious circumstances July 11 in Brazil (authorities first believed he was murdered by his wife, then changed the determination to suicide, which the boxing community does not believe).

He is sorely missed, not only for the exciting boxing, but for his effervescent, approachable personality. Gatti could laugh at himself, display respect for his opponent and make good copy for the media. He reminded those around him why they loved boxing.

Casino Connection salutes the athlete who symbolized the boxing-gaming marriage and carried a presence we may never see again.

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Sep 22, 2009

By NBC 40 WMGM   Mon, Sep 21, 2009

Here is a link to the written article "Colony's Atlantic City Headache" on casinoconnectionac.com.

 

By NBC 40 WMGM   Sat, Sep 12, 2009

Don Marrandino named president of Harrah's Eastern Division Tides Story