By   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

From the ’70s to the early ’80s, any guitarist or trumpet player with a few well-rehearsed licks could get a gig in and around Atlantic City. Within a few years, the ascendance of synthesized tracks during the mid-1980s made purists fear that living, breathing musicians were an endangered species, at least in the casinos.

Today, as Atlantic City positions itself as an entertainment capital to rival Vegas and New York, the pendulum is swinging back. At the casinos, live music is again in vogue. Especially now, with the summer beach bars at full throttle, great live performance is available most nights of the week.

The bar scene’s thriving too. From Sandy Hook to Cape May, almost every shore town has a bar or club jumping with live jazz, blues, rock and roll, or alternative music (a broad label that encompasses punk, rock, hardcore, metal, the remnants of grunge, and anything loud enough to induce hearing loss by the age of 30).

“I think it goes in cycles, honestly,” says singer Gina Roché, whose Brazilian sound and samba beat have made her band, the Gina Roché Quartet, a popular attraction around town. “I’ve gotten more gigs this summer than I normally do, and the beach bars are everywhere, with rock and roll or pop groups all playing live instead of playing a track. It’s a great thing.”

Roché has been around long enough to recall the rise of live music in the early heyday of casinos, and its fall.

“Back in the ’80s, you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing a fabulous band,” she says. “From morning till night, every casino had different rooms playing live music. That changed drastically for a while. They started to close down all the lounges, and a lot of people stopped working. Now we’re on an upswing.”

“It’s really great for bands right now,” agrees guitarist Fran Vuotto of the band Eddie’s Garage. “There was a time when the bars only wanted DJs and karaoke, but live music is coming around again.”

Singer-songwriter Patty Blee gives credit to Borgata for helping to reignite live music at Atlantic City’s casinos.

“Borgata created a big shift in the way casinos looked at their (entertainment) venues,” Blee says. “The Gypsy Bar became a big showcase for full-size bands. Then everybody decided to compete at that level.”

Blee and her occasional partner, Patty Balbo (as a duo, they’re Patty and Patty) have played just about every casino in town—Showboat, the Hilton, Resorts—and appear regularly at the Forum Lounge at Caesars. With a laid-back mix of covers (Shawn Colvin, Sheryl Crow) as well as original music, the self-described “country-folk-rock” artists prove there’s more to casino music than hip hop, thumping house music, straight-ahead rock or the much-parodied “lounge lizard” soft pop genre.

LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

Working musicians who spoke for this article agree that live music is back. That doesn’t mean that those interested in bill-paying can rule out the occasional day job.

“I’ve worked the front desk at Borgata to keep it all together,” Blee says. “You’ve gotta find ways to do what you love.”

That sentiment is echoed by Danny Eyer, who started working the casinos shortly after Resorts International opened in 1978. The multi-intrumentalist once sold instruments at a Nashville music store, works behind the scenes as a sound engineer, composes jingles, and plays a number of styles. That diversity, he says, keeps him busy almost non-stop.

“As versatile as you are (determines) how easy it is for you to work,” Eyer says. “I’m an old soul guy. I love classic rock, standard jazz things—that’s kind of where I’m at. But if a musician wants to be a full-timer, you do what it takes. If the phone rings and it’s Ed calling from the polka band, or Steve calling with a wedding, you pick up the phone and say, ‘Yes.’ Then you put on the tuxedo and go to the gala ball.”

Opportunities that were once plentiful for larger ensembles have largely gone by the wayside, he adds. “When I first came into the casinos, you could have five, six pieces or more and they wouldn’t blink an eye, whereas now if you have more than three people in most places, forget it.” As a result, Eyer coaxes a big, bluesy sound from a trio, and plays plenty of local venues (the Deck at Trump Marina, the Ocean City Boardwalk, restaurants like Mangia and the Tuckahoe Inn). Along the way, he’s accompanied superstar performers like Johnny Winter at Trump Marina, ZZ Top at Trump Taj Mahal, and B.B. King at the House of Blues. He thinks talented musicians can always find a stage in the Atlantic City area.

“It’s a great place to play,” Eyer says. “If you are any kind of musician, there’s lots of opportunity here.”

REMEMBER WHEN

The resurgence of live music didn’t come soon enough to save some of the shore’s legendary clubs. Take Tony Mart’s, for decades one of the East Coast’s hottest nightclubs. With its landmark blazing neon arrow, the Somers Point trolley stop-turned-rathskeller-turned-swingin’-hot-spot once had six bars, more than 30 bartenders and bouncers, and two stages for live music.

In the 1960s, Levon and the Hawks (later The Band) played there. And in 1982, the rock-and-roll coming-of-age movie Eddie and the Cruisers was filmed at Tony Mart’s, which closed shortly thereafter.

Gone too are Crilley’s Circle Tavern in Brigantine, which hosted scores of young rock bands until the mid-1990s, and the Bubba Mac Shack, which lasted about seven years in Somers Point (and later, in Ocean City) before owner Herb “Bubba” Birch closed the doors.

Birch knows well the vagaries of the music business. He created the Mid-Atlantic Blues and Music Festival, held at Bernie Robbins Stadium in September 2007, with an eye toward making it an annual event. Unfortunately, the first festival, with a lineup that included New Orleans’ Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Johnny Lee Hooker Jr. and the Legends of Chicago Blues, coincided with an occurrence as rare as the aurora borealis in the lower 48.

“It was the only time the Phillies ever made the playoffs,” says Birch ruefully. “The show was great, everybody loved it, but it just didn’t draw enough.” He now calls music “my favorite hobby,” and, like so many others, prefers to simply play the circuit with his ensemble, the Bubba Mac Blues Band.

“We’re at Trump Marina’s Deck every Monday—a great spot with a serious sound system; we opened for Three Dog Night in front of the Hilton (in July). That was fun too. We play on the boardwalk in Ocean City every week. Everyone knows Bubba.”

COVER ME

Another rabidly popular party band in South Jersey is Don’t Call Me Francis, which plays regularly at the Marina Deck. With its goofy name, manic front man Frank Orsini, lots of brass and a repertoire of crowd-rousing covers (“Let’s Groove Tonight,” “Smooth,” “Brick House”), the nine-piece ensemble, around since 1991, has succeeded by recreating, with absolute fidelity, the best Top 40 dance, funk and rock tunes of the past three decades.

“We rock with the best, we dance with the best, we cha-cha with the best,” says Orsini. “We are a straight-ahead, high-energy, smash-mouth non-stop dance party band, and knock wood, we seem to have captured the essence of Atlantic City. We get an extraordinary turnout.”

Though music snobs sometimes sneer at cover bands, Orsini’s level of musicianship and showmanship is high; former band members have gone on to work with the likes of Gloria Estefan, Jay Z and Chicago.

“Presentation is the whole thing,” says the trumpeter, who grew up listening to Maynard Ferguson and Harry James. “I’ve seen bands with loose arrangements who are not executing well, who are just going through the motions. That’s not the way. When I’m onstage, I don’t sing, I holler. I don’t dance, I stomp. I don’t play, I blow.”

To anyone who discounts cover bands as also-rans, Trump Marina’s director of entertainment Bill Schmal has a reminder: “The Beatles were a cover band before they were the Beatles. They played cover tunes when they were teenagers” and later recorded many songs written and recorded by others (the Isley Brothers’ “Twist and Shout,” Buddy Holly’s “Words of Love,” Carl Perkins’ “Honey Don’t,” and even the ballad “Till There Was You” from The Music Man).

“That’s how you work,” says Schmal. “That’s how you find your legs when you’re figuring out the music business.”

For musicians here, Schmal is an important man to know. He presides over entertainment at the Deck, which may be the most popular place in the city for live cover bands delivering “party, rock, and old-school dance tunes.

“The environment, with its backdrop of million-dollar yachts, is more appropriate to Miami’s South Beach,” Schmal says. “It’s spectacular.”

To the great view, add a friendly party atmosphere that attracts up to 1,000 patrons a night for popular, been-around-forever bands including Francis, Louie Louie, Bubba Mac, John Eddie, the Usual Suspects and LeCompt. Tuesday is Country Night, Wednesday, Island Night. Cover bands all. All in huge demand.

“All the casinos want cover bands,” says Bill Borenstein, regional director of entertainment for the Harrah’s properties. “So do the beach bars. So do the bars in Point Pleasant and Bellmawr. To play, you have to be willing to do covers. Then you try to sneak in one or two originals.”

PLAYING AROUND

Some artists, like vocalist Terri Showers, prefer a more intimate setting, and Dante Hall Theater of the Arts—capacity about 250—fills that bill.

“It’s beautiful,” says Showers. “When I look at those stained glass windows, I get an old-time feeling.”

And no wonder. Showers, whose grandmother, Rozelia Cobb, was choirmaster at Macedonia United Methodist Church in Ocean City, started singing on Sunday mornings in church. She later won several competitions at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem, and has backed up name performers like Patti LaBelle and James Ingram.

Fronting the Terri Showers Blues Band, she will bring her own brand of blues, R&B, funk and jazz to Dante Hall August 9, and thanks the venue for providing a stage for a broad range of acts—from opera to comedy to big band music, as well as many local artists who might not have what she calls “the look” of a casino act.

“Image is very important when it comes to show business, but I think Atlantic City, especially Dante Hall, is kind of breaking the trend of being pencil thin, and being more about the art of singing,” Showers says. “If the norm is thin and absolutely gorgeous, I’m not what they are necessarily looking for. I just do what I do from the heart.”

Her band plays original compositions along with some “pure blues, like ‘Wang Dang Doodle’ and ‘Who’s Making Love’ by Johnny Taylor, some Chaka Khan, some Aretha Franklin—even Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Time After Time.’ I do a nice jazz acoustic version of that.”

Michele Giampaolo, who performs with the Doug Murdock Meistersingers, agrees that Dante Hall is a vital resource for area performers, and a boon for lovers of the performing arts.

“There is such a lot of local talent that’s just tremendous, and it’s really important to find the venues and opportunities to perform. For us, Dante Hall is perfect. We sold out there.”

MAKING IT

Many bands today sell themselves and their music through free social websites like youtube and myspace, but nothing takes the place being onstage to develop an act and build a fan base.

In an age of instant celebrity via TV shows like American Idol, “some people forget that Bruce Springsteen began at local bars in the middle of nowhere,” says Borenstein. “You can be on youtube, but you still have to pay your dues and build a fan base. The one thing (casinos) look for is bands that have a following.”

Some young musicians in town gripe that the casinos do little to get local talent onstage. On occasion, the House of Blues at Showboat enlists unknown talent to open for incoming name bands; the eager prospects—groups from Jersey and elsewhere—are winnowed out by Borenstein and his staff, who receive countless CDs from unknowns.

“We review everything,” Borenstein says. “Everyone will get at least a response that says, ‘Hey, we got it and we will call you.’ But it’s tough. The toughest part is that there’s only a limited amount of (opportunities) for local openers. But we try to accommodate them, and sometimes I will say to my guys, ‘Go out and see (a certain band).’”

If a band gets that gig—the chance to open for a star, that toehold in the business—it also gets an opportunity to play some original material.

“They won’t get paid a lot of money,” warns Borentein. “They get the opportunity to perform in front of a national act in a professional venue.”

And the rest is up to them.

THE CHEESE STANDS ALONE

A jam-packed hang for alternative bands and their followers is Le Grand Fromage (The Big Cheese) in Gordon’s Alley. Three local bands that regularly appear there—Just In Case, CircleDown and JumpShip—are unanimous in their praise of the club’s edgy vibe and unstinting support of young talent.

We asked each of these groups for their opinions, experiences, aspirations—even their marketing strategies.

JUST IN CASE

Describe your music in 15 words or less: Real. High. Energy. Rock and roll.

Where do you play locally? We love playing the Fromage. We also have a very cool gig monthly at Stumpo's in Somers Point. Any venue that supports original local music is good in our book.

How do you find the music scene in Atlantic City? It basically consists of Le Grand Fromage at this point. Other than a few shows at the House Of Blues a few years ago, the scene here is predominantly cover bands.

How do you market your band? The main and obvious answer is myspace. It's the easiest, fastest, and simplest way to promote the band. We also promote local shows heavily by word of mouth.

Is there an audience for your music here? We have loyal fans that have stuck by our side through the whole thing, and see newer fans with every show. So we have a nice audience locally, but we’re eager to venture away for a while to see what else we can achieve.

CIRCLEDOWN

Describe your music in 15 words or less: Blending hardcore, metal and alternative genres into a heavy, groove-driven, melodic sound.

Where do you play locally? The only place we play in AC is the LGF.

How do you find the music scene in Atlantic City? It’s not as good as it could be, considering that Atlantic City caters mostly to the 21-plus crowd. The major demographic for original bands is 16-to-25, but that seems to be changing due to venues like LGF, which caters to local and unsigned acts and has special 18-plus nights.

How do you market your band? Through social networking sites and word of mouth. Using sites like myspace and Facebook gives bands the opportunity to let the world hear their music rather than relying on labels or investors to market them. The competition is higher, because of the sheer volume of musicians the listener has access to. That weeds out fly-by-night and overall bad bands as a whole, but at the same time forces others to innovate or “tighten” their sound so they stand out. Which in the end only benefits the listener with new sounds/styles and prevents a potentially stagnant marketplace.

Is there an audience for your music here? We have a fan base here (more so online), but we’re in an area that caters to cover bands so the likelihood of being passed up for them is quite high.

JUMPSHIP

Describe your music in 15 words or less: An older-sounding punk rock sound, influenced by great punk rock and hardcore bands from the mid 1970s to 1989.

Where do you play locally? Le Grand Fromage is really the only consistent club supporting local original music

How do you find the music scene in Atlantic City? The local music scene is currently in a slump, though some new bands are emerging. If it wasn’t for Le Grand Fromage, it might be dead.

How do you market your band? We market Jumpship through myspace, Championship Records and the Local Commotion radio show.

Is there an audience for your music here? We have a very supportive following and remain grateful that Le Grand Fromage supports not only Jumpship but all original music.

SING, SING, SING

When you sing in the shower, do you sound just like Mariah Carey? When you warble on the way to work, could you be mistaken for Jon Bon Jovi? You’re no pro, but hey, you sound pretty good. Why not wow a live audience by singing karaoke?

Planet Rose, at the Quarter at Tropicana, is the place to go, seven nights a week, all year long, to test your pipes in a real nightclub setting.

The atmosphere is a bit over-the-top, admits founder David Pena: “There’s the hot pink neon bar, zebra-striped furniture, red walls—the idea is to make customers feel it’s not a bar but a surreal lounge. It brings out the animal qualities, makes people feel a little sexy.”

And uninhibited. It takes a brave (or very confident, or slightly inebriated) soul to stand in for Aretha or Elvis on the greatest pop hits of all time. But a night at Planet Rose is guaranteed good fun, which makes the place a big draw for birthday parties and bachelorette outings.

On Mondays through Labor Day, anyone can sing karaoke for free, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., on the Boardwalk. Most popular are “the anthems,” Pena says—“Livin On A Prayer,” “Welcome to the Jungle”—and singalongs like “Sweet Caroline.’”

Part of the fun of karaoke (“empty orchestra” in Japanese), is the possibility of discovering a genuine talent.

“You never know when somebody’s going to grab the mic and be really good,” says Pena (who also gave us Boogie Nights at Resorts). “When it happens, it’s a thrill.”

CLASSICAL GAS

On Thursday, September 18, the Bay Atlantic Symphony will celebrate its 25th year with an extraordinary blend of classical music and airborne choreography at Borgata’s Music Box Theater.

The symphony, with up to 80 gifted classical musicians from South Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and beyond, will play a repertoire of classical music’s “greatest hits.” They will be accompanied by Cirque de la Symphonie, an acrobatic Russian dance troupe that specializes in exquisite high-flying aerial moves like the colorful “ribbon dance.”

It’s not the Bay Atlantic’s local debut. Conductor Jed Gaylin recalls a spectacular concert in July 2003, when the symphony performed Tchaikovsky’s stirring 1812 Overture at Kennedy Plaza, synchronized with offshore fireworks.

“That kind of took Atlantic City by storm,” he says. The maestro promises an evening of “very recognizable, beloved works” at Borgata, including Ravel’s Bolero and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, and selections from Bizet, Katchachurian and others.

“The people at Borgata have been wonderful, facilitating and creative,” he says. “This is a partnership we deeply hope and expect will continue,” bringing many more nights of glorious music to Atlantic City. For information, visit www.bayatlanticsymphony.org or www.theborgata.com.

BELIEVE IN ‘YESTERDAY’

To the last detail, everything’s right: left-handed Hofner bass, Rickenbacker rhythm guitar, Ludwig drums, and four men with shaggy hair, drainpipe trousers and Cuban heels. As for the music—“Twist and Shout,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “Help!”—well, it’s faithful down to the last guitar riff and drum flourish.

If you never saw the Beatles (who quit touring two years after becoming a worldwide phenomenon), the tribute show Yesterday is as close as you’ll get to the real thing.

Founded by producers Barbara McKeown and Don Bellezzo (who also plays John Lennon), Yesterday is the largest Beatles tribute show in the world, with two club shows (here and in Lake Tahoe) and one road show.

Now in its second year at the Quarter, the show reproduces not just the Beatles’ music, but the Cavern Club, where four Liverpool lads got their first taste of fame.

Bobby Potter (Ringo) is gratified by the response to the show and the diversity of the audience, which ranges from old-timers to baby boomers to children and teens. “Even the 10, 11, 12-year-olds sitting there know every word to every song,” he says. “The music is timeless.”

For cast members, capturing the music, mannerisms and Liverpudlian accents of the band is a must. Bellezzo spent hours watching films and concert footage to pick up Lennon’s bow-legged stance and onstage spirit. Adam Aroeste, with Paul McCartney’s big eyes and baby face, does a remarkably credible version of “Yesterday,” and as George Harrison, Jon Perry rivals the original for lightning guitar licks, especially on tunes like Carl Perkins’ “Everybody Wants to Be My Baby.”

Potter, a drummer since age 5, found he was a “backbeat drummer” like Ringo, but changed some things—“buttering the hi-hat, playing back and forth across the cymbals instead of hitting them straight on”—to mimic Ringo’s style. A small thing, but indicative of how true Yesterday is to the Beatles’ performance. The show covers the early years, from the Ed Sullivan Show to concerts at the Washington Coliseum and Shea Stadium.

And as John Lennon once observed, “A splendid time is guaranteed for all.”

For tickets, go to the Tropicana box office or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Most people today travel by air as casually as they once rode the downtown trolley. But a century after the Wright Brothers took flight in one of the first fixed-wing flying machines, aviation retains the power to thrill, enthrall and captivate. There may be no better proof than the Atlantic City Airshow, which draws 400,000 visitors each August to see daring aerial exploits by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Marine Super Stallions, Army Golden Knights parachutists, Navy Super Hornets, Coast Guard search-and-rescue squadrons and many others, along with scores of civilian stunt pilots in restored, vintage and even hand-made aircraft. Now in its sixth year, the airshow known as “Thunder Over the Boardwalk” is not to be missed—and you couldn’t miss it if you tried. Come Wednesday, August 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the skies above Atlantic City will be filled with fighter jets, bombadiers, helicopters and biplanes. The Horizon Blue Cross blimp will sail through the clouds, a lumbering counterpart to Air Force Stratotankers, Strike Eagles and F-16 Flying Falcons. “Thunder Over the Boardwalk” is “the signature event of the summer,” says Jeffrey Vasser, executive director of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, and people can get a good view of the action from Ocean City to Brigantine and beyond. The best view of all is probably from 5,000 feet up, says retired Navy Commander Dan McClung, who flies the one-of-a-kind “scratch-built” Talon Eagle. “The sheer fact that so many people come out to see you flying, you can’t help but be inspired,” says McClung, founder with Buck Roetman of Red Eagle Air Sports in Arley, Alabama. McClung and Roetman specialize in breath-stopping aerial maneuvers like multiple loops and snap rolls, and trademark moves like the squirrel cage, the tuck-under break and one called “Topcoat This.” Their mid-air antics defy not just gravity but human endurance. In an inverted flat spin, McClung says, “I circle Buck at seven g’s all the way down.” G-forces, he explains, can either force the blood from your head or try to eject you from the aircraft. Nine g’s can make a 100-pound woman feel like she weighs 900 pounds. Sixteen g’s of force applied to the human body for 60 seconds is potentially fatal. Flying at that intensity and speed is a blast, says McClung. It’s also his passion. “This is closer to a disease than a job,” he says. “Once you’ve got the aviation bug, you can’t get rid of it.” Marty Sheehan would certainly agree. The Delta Airlines pilot attended his first airshow in 1976, started flying small planes at 15, and later flew fighter and reconnaissance jets for the Marines. Today he flies rebuilt Russian and Chinese military trainers with New Jersey’s Red Star Pilots formation team out of Hackettstown. The Red Star team includes four to six civilian pilots. Some are former military. Others are from professions like real estate. There is even a cranberry farmer. Together, in tight formations just 500 feet above ground, they perform diamond formations, echelon (diagonal) formations and other jaw-dropping synchronized stunts. Then Sheehan does his solo show, executing the thrilling inverted hammerhead stall, in which the plane soars “straight up, runs out of speed, then pivots on a dime” to plunge earthward, pulling out of the dive at the last possible moment for maximum thrills. “It’s a lot of fun,” says Sheehan. “To fly in the ‘air show box,’ the three-dimensional box over the water that we perform in, is really awesome, and the view of Atlantic City and the waterfront is spectacular.” As a pilot, Sheehan is also an appreciative spectator. “We only travel 150 to 180 miles per hour, not too fast,” he says. “The Thunderbirds go around 700 miles per hour. You don’t get a chance to see something moving that fast that close to the ground very often. It’s pretty impressive. And it makes an enormous amount of noise.” The whole extravaganza is brought to you by the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, the Greater Atlantic City Chamber, the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard, David Schultz Airshows of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Bureau. “You couldn’t ask for a better venue,” says Schultz, who labors year-round on the one-day event, in which pilots take off from up to nine airports in increments of as close as 40 seconds. “We try to keep the public guessing where the demonstration will start off. We’ve had B-2 Stealth bombers make a sneak attack over Boardwalk Hall. They never have an idea where the next one will come from.” Air traffic controllers known as air bosses survey the scene from the top of Trump Plaza, to “maintain visual separation and makes sure anything the public sees is totally seamless,” Schultz says. “We want to have ‘aviation overload’ every year.” While the beach and Boardwalk are great vantage points, so is the water. Hundreds of pleasure craft come to get a matchless view of the action. But boaters better not get “in the box,” warns Schultz. “If you bust the box, I have to stop the show, and we will embarrass you.” That said, Schultz adds, “We’ve never once had to do it.” Elisa Monroe, director of member events for the Convention & Visitors Authority, credits the success of the show to the organizations, sponsors, and volunteers committed to making it better each year. “I’ve received so many wonderful calls from past attendees who tell me they’ve made the Atlantic City Airshow an annual tradition,” she says. “That makes all the work worth it!” 2008 Atlantic City Airshow Schedule (Schedule is tenative and subject to change) a10:00 a.m. Horizon Blue Cross Blimp of New Jersey Flybys 10:30 a.m. US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team Flag Jump w/National Anthem 10:38 a.m. US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team Mass Exit Show 10:48 a.m. USAF-ANG 177th FW F-16 Fighting Falcon Flyby (4-ship) 10:50 a.m. USAF-ANG 108th ARW KC-135 Stratotanker Flyby 10:52 a.m. USAF-AFRC 514th AMW KC-10A Extender Flyby 10:53 a.m. USAF-AFRC 514th AMW C-17A Globemaster III Flyby 10:55 a.m. New Jersey Air National Guard Composite Flyby (KC-135 & F-16s) 10:57 a.m. Greg Poe FAGEN MX-2 & Tim Weber GEICO Extra 300 2-ship Aerobatics 11:10 a.m. FAA William J Hughes Technical Center Convair 580 Flyby 11:12 a.m. FAA William J Hughes Technical Center Bombardier Flyby 11:13 a.m. FAA William J Hughes Technical Center Convair 580 Flyby 11:15 a.m. FAA William J Hughes Technical Center Bombardier Flyby 11:17 a.m. Ed Hamill USAF Reserve Bi-Plane Aerobatics 11:30 a.m. US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey Flybys 11:33 a.m. US Coast Guard HH-65 & HH-60 Search & Rescue Demonstrations 11:47 a.m. USAF-AMC 436th AMW C-5B Galaxy Flyby 11:50 a.m. Matt Chapman Embry Riddle CAP580 Aerobatics 12:02 p.m. NJ State Police S-76A+ and Bell 206 Demonstration 12:07 p.m. Jim Beasley Jr. P-51 Mustang Demonstration 12:17 p.m. USAF F-15E Strike Eagle Demonstration 12:30 p.m. USAF F-16CJ Viper Demonstration 12:44 p.m. USAF Heritage Flight (F-15E, F-16CJ, P-51) 12:55 p.m. US Navy MH-53E Super Stallion Flyby 12:57 p.m. US Marine Corps CH-46E SeaKnight Flyby 1:00 p.m. Tim Weber GEICO Extra 300 Aerobatics 1:14 p.m. USAF-ANG 193rd SOW EC-130J Commando Solo Flyby 1:17 p.m. Northeast Raiders Formation Team (YAK 52/CJ-6) 1:30 p.m. US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet Demonstration 1:43 p.m. US Navy Legacy Flight (F/A-18F & F4U Corsair) 1:52 p.m. Greg Poe FAGEN MX-2 2:05 p.m. US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team Full Show 2:30 p.m. Red Eagle Airsports 2:50 p.m. USAF Thunderbirds 4:00 p.m. Gates Close, Airshow Ends

By   Fri, Sep 19, 2008

By David Schwartz   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

The Knife & Fork Inn is one of the oldest restaurants in town, and as befits an Atlantic City institution, it’s not without its share of controversy.

The iconic building has been standing guard over the intersections of Atlantic, Pacific, and Albany avenues for nearly a century. In many ways, it’s the beginning of Atlantic City. After all, Pacific Avenue starts in front of it, and most of the city’s tourist attractions lie beyond it, heading uptown. Today, since it’s surrounded almost completely by parking lots and vacant land, it’s even more conspicuous.

The narrow, four-story, Flemish-influenced building opened as a men’s club in 1912. Its members enjoyed good food and fine liqueurs, as did members of similar clubs in most cities around the United States.

In 1920, they met the onset of Prohibition with jeers. While others continued to drink on the sly, sipping from hip flasks, the club’s members insisted on serving alcohol openly. A federal strike force attacked this hotbed of lawlessness by raiding the club and demolishing its bar.

The club never really recovered from the raid and, in 1927, sold the building to Milton and Evelyn Latz, who converted it into a restaurant. As a restaurant, the Knife & Fork continued the exclusive ways of the club, and quickly established itself as a necessary stop for all gourmets visiting Atlantic City. The menu featured primarily seafood, although jumbo lamb chops were also popular. The building’s architecture was as exemplary as its food. With its dining spaces spread out over several small rooms on multiple levels, the Knife & Fork seemed far more intimate than other restaurants its size.

After Milton’s death in 1948, his sons Mack and Jim took over the restaurant. Despite the eatery’s continued popularity, the brothers could not get along, and eventually (in 1986) Mack took sole possession of the family business, with Jim remaining in control of the adjoining parking lot. Ironically, as the rest of Atlantic City crumbled in the 1960s and 1970s, the Knife & Fork got better. A New York Times review printed on the very day that the disastrous 1964 Democratic National Convention began said the inn stood out “like a good deed in a naughty world.” In a city where a top steak house featured pulsating red lamps on each table to hail waitresses, the Knife & Fork was the epitome of class.

As the city continued to deteriorate, however, the Knife & Fork shone only by comparison. In 1970, a reporter chronicling the city’s centennial took a dim view of the Boardwalk’s offerings: the hotels were decaying, many of them were being renovated into apartments, and there was little to do besides play bingo and eat salt water taffy. Hoping to escape the hot dogs and frozen custard stands, he headed down to the Knife & Fork, where for a moment he felt transported back to Atlantic City’s golden age. Then a waitress tied a plastic bib around his neck.

Casino gaming’s arrival in 1978 first helped the Knife & Fork. Since many casinos didn’t have restaurants to rival the Latz’s, they sent their best players there and picked up the tab. That year, the inn was immortalized in Louis Malle’s film Atlantic City (Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon ate lunch there in one atmospheric scene.)

The early 1980s were a boom time, with everyone from Bob Hope to notorious mobster Nicky Scarfo as frequent guests. But then, as casinos upgraded their own offerings, the flood of customers slowed. In December 1996, Mack Latz closed the Knife & Fork, saying he was old and was tired of running it.

The building sat vacant until early 1999, when Latz’s son Andrew secured a lease. In April of that year he re-launched the inn. The reopening was one of the most highly anticipated events in Atlantic City restaurant history, and the rave reviews picked up where they’d left off.

It seemed to be a storybook ending—family business stays in the family—until September 2003, when Mack stopped negotiating to sell the inn to Andrew and instead offered it to the Dougherty family, who own longtime rival Dock’s Oyster House.

After a protracted legal battle, Frank Dougherty officially purchased the Knife & Fork in early 2005, and embarked on a renovation and restoration plan that many say has restored the landmark to its original luster.

Seafood and chops are still at the center of the menu, and prices have more than kept pace with inflation. But for those looking for an authentic taste of Atlantic City before the casino era, dinner at the Knife & Fork might be a winning bet.

But even the restoration has not halted the controversy surrounding the restaurant. Earlier this year, the Bashaw-Barr company announced that the Knife & Fork would be moved—along with the neighboring “monument”—to make way for a $2 billion casino project that former CRDA director Curtis Bashaw and former Caesars Entertainment CEO Wally Barr have planned for the adjacent Boardwalk property. So who knows where the restaurant will land in the future?

By Dave Bontempo   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Scott Molina knows perception affects reality. Trump Taj Mahal’s executive director of slot operations sees projected revenues by studying customers. When they line up to play games he purchased, the numbers are good. “It gives you a thrill,” says Molina. “Especially now, retention is paramount for the casino. It takes far more effort to acquire a new customer than to maintain a profitable player. You do all you can to make sure you don’t lose anyone.” Molina combines his knowledge of machine appeal with that of operating expenses, budgets and project plans. He knows that not all machines are created equal, even those with the same name. “All the operators in town can buy a Tiki Torch video game, but it has numerous configurations—the denomination, hold percentage, the amount of lines, the bet-per-line… The way you set that up, and the way you manage the floor, literally with hundreds of games and many configurations, will determine the difference between how we perform versus, say, Showboat.” Machine placement also adds to the equation, and aesthetics weigh heavily in bottom-line revenue. “The psychology is that people don’t like to sit next to each other, but they like it busy,” Molina says. “We laid out the slot floor to create activity, excitement and also comfort. Before, everything used to be one big row of slot machines, up to 30 games in a row. We’ve made the rows shorter (six, eight and 10), the aisles wider and put in better pathways to facilitate movement.” The games tell a story, and incorporate elements of virtual reality. “A big thing now is Sensory Immersion Gaming,” Molina says. “A person sees, feels and hears the thrill of the game. The slot chair actually moves. In one game, Top Gun, you feel like you’re in the cockpit. You get the sensation of flying a plane against an opponent in Surround Sound. You’ve got noise coming out the back of the chair, and it vibrates. It’s awesome.” Molina also understands how low-denomination games have contributed to the operation. Three years ago, penny slots comprised 4 percent of the gaming floor at his property. Now it’s 35 percent. Penny games allow more bang for the buck. Players can stretch their bankroll, increasing or decreasing their line bet depending on how well they’re doing. A Northfield native, Molina entered gaming in 1981. He broke in at Claridge, moved to Trump Marina in 1987 and has been at the Taj Mahal since 2000. His rise included jobs as slot technician, lead slot technician, slot tech trainer, slot performance manager, slot ops manager, director and, finally, executive director. Along the way, he was selected as Employee of the Quarter several times. The journey showed he was a natural leader. The 125 people who report to him see a boss who projects something more than efficiency. He exudes passion.

By   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

The popularity of James Frey’s new novel—he admits this one’s a novel, which is novel—may have more to do with curiosity than the merits of the book. Frey, as everyone recalls, is the memoirist whose back-to-back blockbusters, A Million Little Pieces and My Friend Leonard, were exposed as hoaxes, leading to the author’s cringe-worthy televised whuppin’ on the Oprah Winfrey show (Winfrey, of course, had a legitimate beef—her book club endorsement made Frey a literary sensation, an oracle among recovering addicts, and a multimillionaire). Frey’s public evisceration was a warning shot to all writers tempted to “improve” non-fiction by fictionalizing it. When he was properly pilloried, most observers thought the author would crawl into his bank vault and never be heard from again. But he’s back, in what the Los Angeles Times calls a big sloppy mess of a book, and the New York Times hails as a masterpiece. Bright Shiny Morning attempts to sum up the circus that is L.A. through a motley cast of quirky characters: a closeted gay movie star and his wife; a pair of crazy kids on a moped, whose trip to the City of Angels was financed by stolen gang money; a wise and humble homeless man who lives in a gas station restroom; an insecure Latina who falls in love with the son of her wealthy employer… You get the picture—all God’s children, the tall and the small, representing life’s rich pageant as seen through James Frey’s penthouse window. Through vignettes presented in the author’s patented staccato prose—sans punctuation, sans paragraphs, running on and on, goofily, distractedly—these characters purport to embody “a city, a culture and an age.” If not for Frey’s fame as a faker, Bright Shiny Morning might be enjoyable in a lurching, unsteady, idiosyncratic way. But his prior indiscretions prove he’s a sticky sentimentalist pretending to be a cynic, a squashy softie acting like a big tough guy, and an all-around hack who specializes in the painfully predictable story arc. As a result, this book—all 500 mind-numbing pages of it—comes across as insincere. Sorry, James. You blew your cover.

By Joe Legato   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Ican hear the marching bands already. EA Sports reminds college fans that one of the most competitive times of the year is almost here with NCAA Football 09. NCAA 09 returns with an explosion of new features while maintaining the classic game play that’s been successful in this franchise. As before, you can choose from a plethora of authentic college stadiums as you take your favorite college football team through some of the hardest-hitting games you’ll ever see. The effects of home field advantage are more visible this time around, as receivers run squiggly routes and players take Quarterback Quizzes to regain their player’s composure. This version also brings back “Campus Legend” mode, where you can start from scratch by following and recruiting high school players to college teams. NCAA 09 finally brings one new feature that fans have been calling for: the “Online Dynasty” mode. Fans can now build up their team and play up to 60 seasons online for a chance to establish themselves as the best. Online Dynasty mode also has the option of downloadable rosters, which facilitates just jumping into the game. Another new feature of NCAA 09 is the option of icing the kicker. Now when you ice the kicker, the camera angle adjusts to make the kick more difficult for the opposing kicker, and ice actually forms on the meter. As with most NCAA Football games, NCAA 09 is a great game to just pick up and play with a group of friends. And if nobody wants to play as any college team, you even have the option of playing a game with teams built up of only college mascots. With so many options, the game is definitely worth a try. Just be careful, though, because competition tends to soar high during games such as these. You may even want to bring your own helmet.

By Chris Borino   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Hip-hop legend Nas planned to name his ninth record the most powerful word in the English language but removed the title just weeks before its release. Regardless of its title, the record’s content is sure to incite strong reactions. Nas’ first record, 1994’s Illmatic, is often considered hip-hop's greatest achievement. Back then, Nas rhymed about growing up in Queens and matter of factly announced, “The World is Mine.” Since then, Nas has grown considerably, and this record focuses on the world that is ours—the war, the atrocities, the shame and the pride. As the album's previous title indicates, the themes are largely focused on life in the U.S. for African-Americans, but Nas addresses many subjects including the historical treatment of women and the right wing media with “Sly Fox”—an indictment of Fox News and the Bush administration. Nas rhymes, “This old German said I was a thug with a knotty head/Looked at my Benz and called that a Nazi sled/With a face like he wonder where I got my bread...My story is I'm from the home of the thieves...America.” As always, Nas showcases his ability to manipulate words. People are going to listen to this album and be uncomfortable because Nas holds nothing back. While his contemporaries are promoting a dogma of conspicuous consumption and self-degradation, Nas spends an hour lamenting about failing black leadership and deconstructing the epithet that inspired the record.

By Frank Legato   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Okay, before you go out and get this DVD, you’ve got to ask yourself something: Are you an action junkie? Do you get off on seeing grunting, sweaty, monosyllabic action heroes alternately shoot, decapitate, gut and rip the throats out of the bad guys? In other words, do you like Rambo movies? If you love the saga of the ex-Special Forces hero, Stallone’s fourth installment of the series that started with First Blood does not disappoint. Before the film begins, you find yourself wondering whether the 62-year-old Stallone, who wrote, directed and starred in the film, is still up to the task of running through a jungle disemboweling bad guys. He is. Setting the stage are real-life, chilling images of men, women and children being slaughtered, raped and enslaved by Burmese soldiers in a documented campaign of genocide—we firmly establish that the bad guys are really bad. Rambo is hired to take a group of missionaries up the river into Burma. He gets them to their destination, stopping briefly to slice through half a dozen Burmese pirates before they can kill the missionaries (piece of cake). Eventually, the missionaries are taken hostage by the Burmese soldiers, and Rambo is called upon to lead a band of mercenaries to rescue them. Here’s where the real fun begins. From bows and arrows to gazillion-caliber, shoulder-slung machine guns to Claymore mines and other explosives, Rambo just starts offing the entire Burmese army. A word of caution: This is one of the most gratuitous sequences of blood-and-guts (literally) gore ever put on film. Sly will stab you, shoot you, and blow you up real good. And, as with the other Rambo films, you’ll feel that the bastards actually deserved it! Yes, we know. It’s not exactly the kind of film you pop into the DVD player and curl up with your sweetheart to watch. It’s a get-some-beer-and-call-your-buddies movie. Know that going in, and you’re going to have a rip-roaring, gut-carving, head-blowing-up good time!

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

August 1 The Killers, Borgata Kevin Costner & Modern West, House of Blues August 1-2 Tom Jones, Taj Mahal August 1-3 Taming of the Shrew, Dante Hall August 2 Peter Frampton, Tropicana Clutch, Murphy’s Law, House of Blues Damon Wayans, Resorts Earth, Wind & Fire, Borgata Grand Funk Railroad, Hilton Kevin Costner, Caesars American Idol Live, Boardwalk Hall August 3 Jill Scott, Borgata August 5 2 Skinnee J’s, House of Blues August 6 No Fear presents Bullet for My Valentine, House of Blues August 7 Miranda Lambert, House of Blues August 8 Hootie & The Blowfish, House of Blues KT Tunstall, Borgata Maroon 5, Counting Crows, Borgata August 8-9 Gladys Knight, Tropicana August 9 Robert Schimmel, Trump Marina Stone Temple Pilots, Borgata New Breed Fighters, House of Blues Unforgettable Tour 2008 (Ballywood Stars), Boardwalk Hall Ladies of the Blues, Dante Hall August 10 Cansei De Ser Sexy, House of Blues August 15 Nicole Atkins, House of Blues Backstreet Boys, House of Blues Smokey Robinson, Trump Marina Chris Rock, Borgata Boston, Tropicana August 15-16 Smokey Robinson, Trump Marina August 16 Elvis in Atlantic City, House of Blues Bob Dylan, Borgata Herbie Hancock, Borgata Bruce Hornsby, House of Blues Jeff Dunham, Taj Mahal America, Hilton Richard Lewis, Susie Esserman, Harrah’s Patty Blee, Dante Hall August 16-17 Sylvia Brown, Taj Mahal August 17 Dr. Robin Smith (Celebrity Advisor Series), Harrah’s Robert Cray Band, Keb’ Mo’, House of Blues August 22 Puddle of Mudd, House of Blues Marc Cohn, House of Blues Maze with Frankie Beverly, Taj Mahal Jesse McCartney, Jordin Sparks, Boardwalk Hall August 22-23 Rod Stewart, Borgata Andrew Dice Clay, Borgata August 23 Greg Fitzsimmons, Trump Marina Billy Idol, House of Blues August 24 Jimmy Bufett, Boardwalk Hall John Mayer with One Republic, Borgata August 30 Travis Tritt, Trump Marina Smashmouth, House of Blues Foreigner, Taj Mahal Meeting in the Aisle (Radiohead tribute), House of Blues August 31 Carlos Mencia, Borgata Revues Ongoing Yesterday—A Tribute to the Beatles, Tropicana To August 7 250,000 Game Show, Resorts To August 17 Kalin & Jinger’s Real Magic, Trump Marina To August 28 Dancing Queen, Trump Marina To August 31 Tony ’n Tina’s Wedding, Showboat To August 31 Thunder from Down Under, Trump Marina To August 31 Defending the Caveman, Bally’s To August 31 The Wedding Singer, Harrah’s To August 31 The Aluminum Show, Trump Plaza August 3-29 Legends in Concert, Hilton

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Jimmy Buffett’s music evokes a mood, an atmosphere, a whole lifestyle. Listening to classics like “Margaritaville” brings back memories (real or imagined) of lounging poolside in the hot summer sun with something ice-cold to temper the heat. Buffett has made millions off his booze-and-beach concept. But he began his career as a sometimes-folk, sometimes-country singer. After his tropical tales consistently topped the charts, Buffett had a hit machine on his hands. These days, his albums dish up more of the same, but who can tire of living in a Caribbean dream world? Surely not the countless fans who make Buffett’s summer tours a smash. With his recent partnership in the new theming of Trump Marina, his return to Boardwalk Hall is greatly anticipated.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Old-school rhythm and blues has long been absent from the Top 40, but true soul artists haven’t disappeared. Most blues musicians have simply taken to the underground, and the fans have followed. The Robert Cray Band and singer Keb’ Mo’ are wholly representative of artists who have large followings and multiple Grammys, yet cannot find a footing in mainstream radio. Hearing them will remind any music fan of the potency and heart inherent in their work. Cray hit the scene in the ’80s, revitalizing the blues; Keb’ Mo’ followed in the ’90s with a country-rock take on the traditional sound. Both artists have put their own spin on a genre that springs from America’s roots. Perhaps their contributions will remind people that good music exists, and it has a history.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

In the dead heat of August, classic rock stations play hits reminiscent of summers past, and every long-lost band of the 1980s resurfaces to remind you of nights you want to remember (and outfits you wish you could forget). This month, two ’80s super-groups are hitting Atlantic City to take you back in time. Foreigner and Boston weren’t avant-garde, but they probably provided the soundtrack to your first birthday, first kiss or first dance as a married couple. Foreigner took the soft, singer-songwriter sensibilities of the ’70s to a new level with hits like “Cold As Ice” and “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” while Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” ushered in a wave of ballads with rocking guitar solos. Though the ’80s are gone, they cannot be forgotten (leggings, anyone?). The cheese factor has increased throughout the years, but you may as well celebrate nostalgia when Foreigner and Boston perform their smash single—once more, with feeling.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Scottish songstress KT Tunstall burst on the music scene in 2005 with a thumping, spangly tune mysteriously titled “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” The song steadily ascended countdown charts on video music channels, then hit the airwaves, becoming instantly ubiquitous. Then came “Suddenly I See,” with its sunny charm and prominence in popular films and TV shows. Tunstall’s debut, Eye to the Telescope, became a worldwide smash and she returned to the studio to craft the pop soundscapes that would become 2007’s Drastic Fantastic. Though its singles have yet to reach the resounding success of “Black Horse,” many critics are calling Drastic Fantastic the better work. She’s touring in support of her newest material, but fans will hear the hits that made Tunstall a star when she stops in Atlantic City this month.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Genius. Icon. Legend. Words that describe Bob Dylan would seem hyperbolic if they weren’t so…well, true. That Dylan is still relevant to contemporary musicians is a feat in its own; Dylan also has released new material that is just as good as any of his previous work (see 2006’s Modern Times). Bob Dylan’s story is well known: Minnesota boy hits the big time with acoustic guitars and political protest songs. Though he eventually goes electric, he never loses the deft songwriting skills or plaintive vocals that made him a folk hero to start. Through it all, Dylan has maintained his legacy both as an artist and an inspiration for generations of musicians. His iconic records are as fresh today as they were back then, and only the best of his peers can say the same (namely the Beatles). Much has been said and written about the musical master, but Dylan will always be somewhat of a mystery. He probably prefers it that way.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Between twisted love songs and wild antics, the Stone Temple Pilots set the tone for rock in the 1990s—sometimes melancholy, often edgy and always catchy. Lead singer Scott Weiland was as famous for his legal troubles as for his music, and his behavior often stole the show from the band’s albums. Released in 1993, STP’s debut album, Core, set the stage for post-punk, post-grunge rock. The follow-up, Purple, is widely recognized as the band’s best CD, featuring the MTV anthem “Interstate Love Song,” and songs like “Vasoline” and “Big Empty.” The band seemed destined for success. The 1999 hit “Sour Girl” swept radio stations; it was boosted by the video, which featured rising starlet Sarah Michelle Gellar. By 2001, the band was in full swing, Weiland had kicked his bad habits, and they released the album Shangri-La Dee Da. Then the band fell out of the spotlight. Whether by choice or the rising wave of pop punk, STP disappeared from radio. Earlier this year, the band announced plans for a reunion tour, which will be passing through Atlantic City this month. Let’s hope the Stone Temple Pilots are as feisty as ever.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

As a member of the Wayans family, Damon Wayans has worked with and competed against his famous brothers. His big break came courtesy of brother Keenen Ivory Wayans, who launched the successful sketch comedy television show In Living Color. Damon, who had recently finished a short stint on Saturday Night Live, became a regular on the show in the early 1990s. With his dead-on celebrity impressions and sarcastic wit, Damon had the chops. He left In Living Color and went on to star in several major motion pictures, including The Last Boy Scout and Major Payne. In 2001, he returned to the small screen to play a loving father on the ABC sitcom My Wife and Kids. The show ran through 2005. This month, Damon brings his brand of comedy to Atlantic City for one night only. Though brothers Marlon and Shawn are over-the-top and Keenen quietly brilliant, Damon has made a name for himself doing what he does best: simply being funny.

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Nearly five years after Maroon 5 and the Counting Crows’ last tour, they’re back on the road to show off the bands’ No. 1 hits and latest albums. Maroon 5 is touring in support of a two-CD deluxe edition of last year’s It Won’t Be Soon Before Long, while the Crows will offer songs from their critically acclaimed new CD, Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings. The Counting Crows were formed in Berkeley, California in 1991 by lead singer Adam Duritz and guitarist David Bryson. Their debut album, 1993’s August and Everything After, was an international success and featured the No. 1 singles “Mr. Jones” and “Round Here,” songs which have become staples whenever the band performs live. The Crows have recorded five studio albums and were nominated for an Academy Award for the song “Accidentally in Love,” from the movie Shrek 2. Of their latest CD, released in March, Duritz has said “Saturday night is when you sin and Sunday is when you regret.” Maroon 5, another band from California, came to prominence in 2002 with the album Songs About Jane. The album eventually went triple platinum and earned the band a Grammy Award. Maroon 5 toured extensively in the next few years and released their follow-up CD in 2007. Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and has gone on to sell 1.8 million copies. Counting Crows lead singer Adam Duritz and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, who come to Borgata’s Event Center August 8, talked to Casino Connection about their co-headlining tour. How did this tour come together? Duritz: People hedge to spend their money these days because there’s not a lot of it out there. People are not spending. So if you get a chance to see the Counting Crows and Maroon 5, that’s a full day. It’s a great way to spend a day in the summer. And both of us were going to tour one way or another. Levine: We’re happy to be touring with these guys because there are so few bands that are for real. It’s a lot of smoke and mirrors these days. We both go out and hit the road and do it the old-fashioned way. There’s not all this crap that’s around. The spirit of this tour is for real. Songwriter to songwriter, what do you appreciate about Adam’s music? Levine: I’ve been a fan for a long time. When that first record came out, I was amazed. It didn’t sound like anything. It was organic and simple. A lot of stuff at that time was overproduced. It seemed like a nice breath of fresh air. The coolest thing about Counting Crows is that they’re a no-nonsense band. Sometimes it’s hard to struggle in that MTV world and then go back to real rock ’n’ roll. They maintained a great amount of success and have always been a great touring band and make great records. That’s all they want to do, and that’s all we want to do. If you were going to cover a song from each band, what would it be? Duritz: Probably “If I Never See Your Face Again.” Adam’s a real singer. I don’t think live is better than records; I like to see a great version on record and delve into it even more live. I still don’t think there has been a quintessential version of “Hit Me Baby One More Time.” I would love to nail it out together. It would be really fun to do an encore of ridiculously cool songs, all of us singing them in our own way. That would be a fun encore. Levine: “Long December.” I love that song so much, it’s insane. I’m excited about this tour because there are so many great singers and musicians. I guarantee there will be some sort of collaboration. It will be a great summer. The Counting Crows and Maroon 5 co-headline Borgata’s Event Center 8 p.m. August 8. Tickets are $125 and $150.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Fashion Cent$ Join Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk at Bally’s Bikini Beach Bar on Saturday, August 9 and Saturday, August 23 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a unique “fashion game show” featuring music, fun, giveaways and prizes. As models in clothing from AC Outlets walk the runway, audience members will test their retail smarts by guessing the correct price. Participants and all who attend will have the chance to win prizes and get discounts and coupons from some of the trendiest outlets at The Walk. One Lovable Mug She’s South Jersey’s preferred pachyderm, minutes from Atlantic City. Everyone loves Lucy the Elephant, a six-story elephant-shaped house built in 1882. Now you can take Lucy home in the form of souvenirs and collectibles from the Lucy the Elephant kiosk in Starbucks Plaza at The Walk, open daily from 11 a.m. While you’re there, pick up a few tickets to visit the one-of-a-kind seaside landmark in nearby Margate. Let’s Dance Hey, wallflower! Think you can’t dance? Think again! Let’s Dance R&B Line Dancing is coming to AC Outlets, The Walk on Saturday, August 9 and Saturday, September 13. Instructors will teach various dance steps and line dances as a DJ spins the best R&B, Motown, and classic oldies. Kool 98.3 will broadcast live from the event, and the August 9 dance party will be videotaped for WMGM-TV 40, Atlantic City. For more information on what’s up at Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk, as well as great coupons, visit www.acoutlets.com.

Tue, Aug 12, 2008

In 1992, President George H. W. Bush signed into law a federal ban on sports gambling. Former New Jersey Senator and NBA star Bill Bradley sponsored the bill. Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon were given exceptions, because they already allowed sports wagering; New Jersey was given until January 1994 to legalize it. But Christie Todd Whitman and Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian blocked the expansion, figuring that sports betting on the ballot during the 1993 governor’s race would motivate urban voters and effectively push incumbent Governor James Florio and the Democrats to victory. Mrs. Whitman and Mr. Haytaian won. Atlantic City lost. Senator Jeff Van Drew has been a strong advocate of sports wagering since being elected as assemblyman in 2002. This year, Van Drew and Senator Raymond J. Lesniak have sponsored S-143, which, subject to voter approval, would permit in-person wagering at casinos on professional sports. Lesniak has even offered pro bono legal services to challenge the federal ban. The legislature is out of session until the fall. S-143 currently is in the Senate Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee, where Senator Jim Whelan is chairman. Its companion bill has passed the Assembly. “Jeff Van Drew is the hero,” says V. George Amiriantz, Atlantic City resident and longtime supporter of legalized sports betting. Amiriantz, who testified before Whelan’s committee on the bill, wants a network of sports betting kiosks at age-restricted locations throughout Atlantic City. Under the plan, kiosks would be connected to one or more sports books inside casinos. Users would first obtain a membership and line of credit with the sports book. Winners would be required to return to the sports book for their winnings. “Somebody should stand up for Atlantic City restaurants,” Amiriantz maintains. “The kiosks will spread redevelopment around town.” If the bill passes committee, Senate Majority Leader Richard Codey will have to post it for a vote by the whole Senate. Senator Codey controls what legislation is voted on in the Senate, and in exchange for posting the bill, he’s made it clear that sports wagering must extend to horse racing tracks. The senator’s cousin, Lawrence Codey, is a past New Jersey racing commissioner; his brother, Donald Codey, is general manager of Freehold Raceway. The casinos have already been coerced into subsidizing New Jersey horse racing to the tune of $176 million. It’s hypocritical for sports betting to be illegal if you and I partake, but legal when government benefits from these activities through taxation. Hypocrisy notwithstanding, millions of dollars will be spent and thousands of people will be drawn to Atlantic City for sports wagering. Sports wagering will take Atlantic City to another echelon and continue its economic growth. It is difficult to push back the tentacles of the federal government. History will offer a few laughs for those observing nanny-state New Jersey accusing the federal government of growing too large and intrusive. Some of us here in South Jersey will laugh, too, as we cheer on Trenton to legalize sports wagering in Atlantic City.

By Michael Bruckler   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

It’s been a great summer in Atlantic City, and we saved some of the best entertainment and special events for last. COMMUNITY EVENTS August 1 Margate Memorial Lifeguard Race, 6:30 p.m., Beach at Decatur Ave., Margate • www.margate-nj.com August 1-3 45th Annual Boardwalk Art Show, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Ocean City • 609-525-9310 August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 (every Friday) 16th Annual Somers Point Beach Concert Series, 7 p.m. William J. Morrow Memorial Beach, Somers Point www.somerspoint-nj.com. Wildwood Crest Sundown Celebration, 7 p.m., Sunset Lake, New Jersey Ave., Wildwood Crest, 609-523-0202 • www.wildwoodcrest.org. August 2 76ers Beach Bash, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., Jack’s Place, 36 & Ocean Dr., Avalon • www.nba.com Stone Harbor’s Annual Arts & Crafts Show 80th Street Recreation Field, Stone Harbor 609-368-4112 • www.stone-harbor.nj.us August 2-3 70th Greater Wildwood Yacht Club Regatta, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Sunset Lake, New Jersey Ave., Wildwood Crest • 609-522-0969 • www.gwyc.org August 3 Great Ducky Race, 10 a.m., Washington Ave. Pier, Margate • 609-344-7873 • www.jewishtimes-sj.com August 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20 25, 27 (Mon. & Wed.) Summer Concert Series, 7:30 p.m., 5800 Ocean Ave., Wildwood Crest • 609-523-0202 Concerts Under the Stars, 7:30 p.m., Promenade & JFK Blvd., Sea Isle City • 609-263-8687 • www.sea-isle-city.nj August 4, 11, 18, 25 (every Monday) Stockton Goes to the Beach, 8 p.m., Music Pier, Moorlyn Terr. & Boardwalk, Ocean City • www.oceancitychamber.com August 5, 12, 19, 26 (every Tuesday) Funtastic Tuesday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Asbury Ave, 6th-10th Sts. 609-399-2269 • Family Film & Fun Night 7:15 p.m., Cornerstone Auditorium, 810 Asbury Ave., Ocean City • 609-399-7527 August 6 OC Hermit Crab Pageant & Races, 6th St. Beach, Ocean City • 609-525-9300 August 6, 13, 20, 27 (every Wednesday) International Night Concert Series, 7 p.m., Kennedy Plaza, Atlantic City • 609-345-2269 August 7, 14, 21, 28 (every Thursday) Thursdays in Park Concert Series/Farmers Market, Center City Park, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., N. Carolina Ave., Atlantic City • 609-344-8338 Ventnor Beach Concerts, 7 p.m., 6500 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor • www.ventnorcity.org Boardwalk Family Fun Nights, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m., Wildwoods Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ • 609-523-1602 • www.dowildwood.com Family Night Dance Party, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., Promenade & JFK Blvd. 609-263-8687 • www.sea-isle-city.nj.us August 8-10 Downbeach Film Festival, Margate Performing Arts Center, 7804 Amherst Ave., Margate • 609-823-9159 August 8, 15, 22, 29 (Fridays) Veterans Plaza Concert, 7 p.m., Veterans Plz., Avalon • www.avalonbeach.com August 9 Miss Ocean City Pageant, 8 p.m., Ocean City Music Pier, Ocean City • 609- 525-9300 • www.oceancitychamber.com August 10 12th Annual Puerto Rican Parade & Latin Music Festival, Noon-10:30 p.m., Albany Ave. to New Jersey Ave., Atlantic City • 609.99.0262 • www.atlanticcityparade.com August 12, 19, 26 Movies Under the Stars, 7 p.m., JFK Blvd. & Pleasure Ave., Sea Isle City • 609- 263-8687 August 14 99th Annual Baby Parade, 10 a.m., Ocean City Boardwalk, Ocean City • 609-525-9300 August 16-17 Civil War Encampment, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Historic Smithville & Village Green, Smithville • 609-748-6160 August 18-22 Ocean City Weird Week, 11 a.m., Music Pier, Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace, Ocean City • 609-525-9300 August 20 6th Thunder Over The Boardwalk, 10 a.m., beach & Boardwalk, Atlantic City • 609-317-1000 • www.theborgata.com August 23 Wildwood Block Party & Festival, 1 p.m., Fox Park, Wildwood • 609-522-2444 August 24 Beach Challenge for Autism 5k Run/Walk, 7 a.m., 34th St. beach, Ocean City • 215-527-9056 Stone Harbor Lions Club 10k, 5k Races & 2 Mile Walk, 8 a.m., 96th Street & First Ave., Stone Harbor • 609-412-6957 August 30 Labor Day Arts & Crafts Extravaganza, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tabernacle grounds, 6th & Asbury Ave., Ocean City • 1-800-822-4112 Enjoy free music at Thursdays in the Park concerts at Center City Park, Atlantic and North Carolina avenues, noon to 4 p.m. each Thursday this month, sponsored by the Special Improvement District, merchants and casinos. Check out the Farmer’s Market, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the same time. For information, visit www.acsid.com. The Downbeach Film Festival is Friday, August 8 to Sunday, August 10, in Margate, Ventnor and Atlantic City with a full weekend of features, shorts and documentaries. Filmmaking and screenwriting panels are at the Ventnor Community Arts Center and Resorts’ Screening Room. For a full schedule, visit www.downbeachfilmfestival.org. It’s a celebration of everything Puerto Rican at the 12th annual Puerto Rican Parade, Sunday, August 10. The parade begins at noon on the Boardwalk at Albany Avenue and travels to New Jersey Avenue, where it concludes with a Latin Music Festival until 10:30 p.m. There is a minimal festival entrance fee. For more information, visit www.atlanticcityparade.com. Get ready for heart-stopping feats, aerobatic maneuvers and formation flying at the Atlantic City Airshow “Thunder Over the Boardwalk,” Wednesday, August 20, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free show is presented by the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. This spectacular demonstration features the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, the Army Golden Knights parachute team, the 177th Fighter Wing of the N.J. Air National Guard, Hughes FAA Tech Center aircraft flybys, Geico Extra 300 demonstration by Tim Weber, Fagan Ethanol-fueled MX-2 piloted by Greg Poe, the Red Eagles Two-Ship Routine, and world-class civilian aerobatics. For more information, visit www.atlanticcitynj.com/acairshow.asp. Want to avoid traffic during the airshow? Join the Island Jam Luau Show, an exciting mix of Polynesian music, hula and fire dancing at Kennedy Plaza. Back-to-back two-hour shows begin at 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Great American Volleyball returns Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24 on the beach in front of Trump Plaza. Come see players from around the East Coast compete for top positions and cash prizes. Free for spectators. The tournament begins at 9 a.m.; players check in at 8 a.m. or register online at www.greatamericanvolleyball.com. For more events in Atlantic City, visit www.atlanticcitynj.com or www.cityofatlanticcity.org.

By Dave Bontempo   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Beth Deighan recalls the day adversity became prosperity. The 17–year casino veteran, squeezed out of her casino administration job because of a merger, was posting a resume on monster.com. Then came the revelation. “I realized there was no job board for people in our profession,” she says. The moment changed her life. Deighan found a job by inventing a supermarket for casinos, casino employees and recruiters. The result is Casino Careers Online, gaming’s answer to monster.com. CCO, which celebrated its 10th birthday in June, has 87,000 resumes on file and more than 500 client companies. It reaches the world’s outposts, from Malaysia to Hong Kong, Barcelona to Guatemala, Russia to Canada. Companies pay to post their openings. Prospective employees use it for free. Industry research firm Weddle’s has listed the company in its top 350 employment websites for four straight years. Based in Northfield, Casino Careers Online has served more than 100,000 people worldwide, and also has an executive search division. “The best feeling you can get is to go to work and at the end of the day in some way you helped somebody,” Deighan says. “Every day, what we do has an impact on someone’s life.” The Buffalo native and Glassboro State graduate had been a gaming industry coach, working at Golden Nugget, Tropicana, the Taj Mahal and the Hilton. As an entrepreneur, she needed to help job seekers tap into the market. It was a logical career extension. Or was it? “I asked associates if they would be interested in placing opportunities on my job board. Virginia McDowell (then VP of corporate marketing at Argosy) said, ‘Go for it.’ Other people thought it was questionable, because relationships are built on personal trust, which is harder to see on a job board.” Ultimately, Deighan took McDowell’s advice. She contacted one of her former Glassboro professors, Frank Grazian, who had recently sold a successful business. He agreed to invest. The timing was perfect. Casino Careers Online blended with the explosive rise of riverboat and Native American gaming. Clients poured in. Relationships grew. The company’s powerful reach led to some extraordinary developments, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. “People who had been displaced from their homes (primarily in Louisiana and Mississippi) contacted our website when they could not even contact their company,” Deighan says. “We would have people say they were now in Texas and needed a job. We helped them. We did a lot of phone work. They knew if they called us, somebody would always pick up the phone. The notes of thanks that came in to us after that were heartwarming.” Besides job listings, the Casino Careers website offers interview tips and stresses how applicants might separate themselves from the pack. Deighan enjoys offering job-seeking pointers. It matches the instructional role she played in gaming. “My favorite thing was opening the Trop,” she says. “They were owned by Ramada and believed in training at all levels of the organization. They spent a lot of money on team-building. For executives, we helped impart supervisory and communication skills with intense training. We took people away from their work environment to Mt. Airy Resort or to Hershey (Pennsylvania). Everything you’d see in a Fortune 500 company, we did there. “We worked on their time-management, decision-making abilities, performance appraisals. They were placed into different teams and pitted against each other in case studies. It was four days of management ‘fun and games.’ It showed how they communicated with others, what their management style was, how it doesn’t have to be my-department-versus-your-department. “They developed an incredible camaraderie, which remains today. Now if something comes up in their company, they can talk about it as friends first.” Then they can improvise. Like Beth Deighan did.

By   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Forget HGTV and House Beautiful. For beautiful, doable, up-close ideas on how to transform a house into a sumptuous, welcoming home, visit the Ruth Newman Shapiro Cancer & Heart Fund’s Show House at the Shore, in Margate through August 10. The 1920s-era Georgian brick home, with formal columns, a wrought iron balcony, brick courtyard and brooding magnolia trees, was christened Seabright on Rumson by owners Mark Arbeit and Mitch Tannehill, who bought and restored the aging structure, then made it available to RNS for its popular summer fundraiser. The result, as befits this upscale Margate neighborhood, is grand. From the first-floor formal living room, with its moss-and-cream palette, coffered ceiling, onyx-faced marble fireplace, and equestrian chic, to the third-floor retreat, with rattan club chairs facing a candlelit Buddha, the home is a masterwork of pure elegance from more than a dozen interior designers. One of the most stunning rooms in the show house is the library-slash-entertainment room, where dozens of books and thousands of CDs are displayed on ceiling-high shelves, but the home’s audio and video system are artfully concealed in cupboards. Plush, down-filled armchairs in cherry-and-white plaid with a dog motif are a whimsical touch in the otherwise regal space, with Roman shades and rich floral tapestry drapes for privacy. The kitchen, suggested by an English country estate, features Carrera marble countertops, tumbled stone floors, and two-toned cherry-wood and soft yellow cabinets for a bright look, plus hand-painted Delft tiles and tons of natural light. No surprise to see Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances here—the pricy stoves, refrigerators, freezers and wine coolers are practically mandatory in contemporary show house kitchens. Another charming space is the breakfast nook, with a bistro table and chairs curtained in red-and-white striped cotton ticking. A mural on the wall warns, in French, “If you love me, be careful!” Chandeliers and wall sconces of sparkling Baccarat crystal add to the opulence of the home, and a vintage-looking chandelier of wrought distressed metal with gleaming crystal teardrops gorgeously illuminates a dining area. Before the red front door closes to the public forever, make haste to see the RNS Show House, which supports a very worthy effort: the Ruth Newman Shapiro Heart & Cancer Fund. If you’re a real show house fan, RNS is just the start. The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts’ 4th Annual Designer Show House is open in Cape May through October. The Craftsman-style Otis Townsend Residence, built in 1915, is something of a departure for MAC, which raises money through the project to help generate tourism and preserve the legacy of Victorian Cape May. Unlike previous Cape May show houses, which underwent significant structural renovations before being decorated and furnished, the Townsend house was largely intact when almost 20 designers descended. In every room, they stayed faithful to the Arts & Crafts or Mission style of decor, which emphasizes richly stained woodwork, furniture with clean, spare lines, light fixtures of hammered copper and brass, and neutral walls. Against this decorous backdrop, however, the design team imposed a lushness of detail and pattern that is almost too much to absorb in a single walk-through. A third-floor “media pub chamber” features a wet bar with ceramic tiles that resemble snakeskin. Oversized pillows and ottomans add extra seating in the lounge area, and knick-knacks, bric-a-brac, curiosities and special features—birdcages, candles, books, postcards, frosted glass lamps, even copper valances—crowd every space. One room that relies less on excess is the charming second-floor nursery, where a Beatrix Potter-style mural evokes a dreamy woodland-like feel. Talk about something for everyone. Go, and be inspired.

By   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

If you’re tired of the treadmill and the Stairmaster, take your workout to the beach. Exercising on the beach adds fun, resistance, and variety to your routine, and it’s an easy alternative for those who live or work in South Jersey.

Because sand is unstable, the simplest moves require greater balance and agility, get your heart rate up faster and tax muscles you don’t typically use in the gym.

Fitness Supervisor Erika Queen of Tilton Fitness in Galloway says the beach provides a perfect break with routine.

“Going to the gym every day can be monotonous, and your muscles tend to adapt to what you do regularly, so you see less improvement over time,” says Queen. “Your body reacts differently to a beach workout. It’s fun and challenging, and the sand is less jarring on the joints.”

Make sure to avoid the compacted sand at the water’s edge, which can be as unforgiving as concrete. Stay on the soft sand, unless you choose to run in the water (which also adds great resistance).

A new trend in fitness is lifting sandbags, and lucky South Jerseyans can make their own by filling a durable cloth bag (or two) with beach sand. The benefits? “Unlike dumbbells, sandbags distribute weight unevenly, and it’s excellent strength training,” says Queen. “You pick up a big heavy sandbag and your body just goes, ‘Whoa.’”

The weight shifts inside a sandbag, so lifting one requires constant realignment, improving core strength and balance. (For a great sandbag workout, visit www.menshealth.com.)

Regular jaunts on the beach build beautiful calves, a part of the legs hard to develop by walking, says Rich Owen, fitness supervisor at the AtlantiCare Life Center in Egg Harbor Township.

“Along with greater resistance, with each step the body starts to sink and the foot is flexed,” says Owen. “You can’t get that walking on the pavement or a trail.”

Beach workouts require extra safeguards, Owen adds. “For every three degrees above 70, the sun and heat can increase your heart rate by one beat per minute,” he says. “If you normally run an hour at a certain intensity, decrease it to 30 to 45 minutes in the heat, and decrease the intensity. You’re getting the same workout.” The beach is ideal for sit-ups, pushups and crunches, he adds.

Another advantage of exercising outside: sunlight provides a natural dose of vitamins D and E, which help prevent autoimmune diseases, ward off heart disease and cancer, build healthy bones and boost your mood, among many other benefits.

“Being out in the fresh air and feeling the warmth of the sun is rejuvenating,” says Owen. “It just makes people feel good.”

Play It Safe Outdoors

If you work out on the beach, Rich Owen of AtlantiCare’s Life Center advises doing so in the morning or early evening to avoid overheating. Hydration is key, so drink about 24 ounces of water per hour when working out in the sun. Sun block is essential, as water intensifies the glare of the sun.

Owen offered these additional safety tips:

• “Watch the weather, especially here in South Jersey, where thunderstorms can roll in very quickly. Be sure to carry a cell phone. Let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to be back.”
• “Be aware of your environment. The beach has an uneven surface, plus grasses and shells, so stay aware when you’re walking, running or doing lunges. If you work out in the water, be mindful of changing currents and waves; stay near a lifeguard.”
• “Eat no more than 30 to 45 minutes before exercising. Some good choices are yogurt with granola or a tuna or chicken sandwich on wheat bread. You want to utilize those carbs, so don’t be afraid to have a pre-exercise kashi or granola bar.” After exercising, have a meal that includes a 4-to-1 ratio of proteins to carbohydrates.
• Signs of overheating include light headedness, chills, extreme thirst, inability to sweat, dry mouth, faintness and nausea. If you experience these symptoms, see a doctor at once. Hot, red skin and very high temperature are signs of heat stroke and should be treated as an emergency.

Get-Fit Tips from Austrailia's Thunder Down Under

You’d think 90 minutes a night of crowd-pleasing gyrations would be enough exercise for Austrailia's Thunder Down Under male revue, through August 31 at Trump Marina. But these sexy hunks work up a sweat offstage too. Here are a few of their favorite diet and exercise tips:

David Moore of Surfer’s Paradise, Gold Coast, does his share of cardio and weightlifting, and stays whipcord lean by emphasizing a healthful “Low GI” diet.

The Low GI (Glycemic Index) program was developed in his native Australia. The plan’s plentiful grains, pasta, legumes and fruits help you feel full and keep your blood sugar on an even keel, which staves off hunger.

“When I do eat carbs, it’s whole grains and brown rice,” says Moore.

Sam Fardell of Trundle, Australia, sports those enviable six-pack abs by staying away from the six-packs of Bud, eating five small meals a day (once every three hours) and logging about an hour in the gym at least five days a week.

“I spend about 20 minutes on cardio, and the rest lifting weights—the heavier the better,” says Fardell, 28, who squat-lifts 550 pounds.

Clint Scott is “naturally very skinny. When I first started the show, I was a runt, just 65 kilos (143 pounds).”

To beef up for his role with the Thunder, the 30-year-old Broadbeach, Gold Coast, native eats frequently and spends a lot of time weightlifting “to gain muscle, not fat.” He likes surfing, swimming and running on the beach, and advocates paddling a surfboard as a great toner.

“You have to arch your back to keep the board from nosediving, which builds your core strength and back muscles,” he says.

Build Your Beach Body Here

• Brigantine’s Community Education and Recreation Department offers the 38th Street Beach Fitness program through August 17. Walking Club: Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m.-8 a.m. Yoga: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Beach Boot Camp: Tues. & Thurs., 9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m. Running Club: Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Beach Volleyball: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Surf School: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.- noon. $5 fee for yoga and boot camp; various fees for surf school. For more information, call 609-266-3323.
• Fitness instructor Eliane Bravo conducts exercise classes on the Knight Avenue beach in Margate every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. $14. In case of rain, the class is held at Core Fitness, 8506 Ventnor Avenue. For information, call 609-665-0287.
• Work out with Revolution Fitness’s Anthony D’Agostino of Ventnor on the beach at Huntington Avenue in Margate, Sundays at 9 a.m. through the summer. D’Agostino uses Russian kettlebells for superior strength training. For information, visit www.revolution-fit.com.
• An outdoor yoga class is held at Lou Booth Amphitheater, 2nd and Ocean avenues in North Wildwood, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 a.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. $5. For more information, visit www.northwildwood.com.

 

By Dave Bontempo   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Sharpen your pencils. Compile your worksheets. Rank your players and prepare for RotoBowl IV, the Fantasy Football version of the World Series of Poker. The most serious players on the East Coast, joined by some from other countries, invade the Atlantic City Convention Center September 6. During the 20-round draft, played in one gigantic room, players seek $27,500, which includes two Super Bowl tickets and $20,000 cash. More than 300 teams are expected to participate, encompassing live drafts in Atlantic City, Baltimore and online. Fantasy Football keeps growing. Most of the approximately 20 million players participate in small leagues, making RotoBowl the source of bragging rights and one big payoff. “We’re really happy with how this has taken off,” says RotoBowl founder Chris Clarke. “Word of mouth and publicity have really helped. Slowly but surely, we’re building a real foundation. We have about a 75 percent retention rate, which I think is excellent. Players leave the draft saying they’ll come back the following year with their friends, then they do that. “People mark this event on their calendars. It coincides with the beginning of the NFL season and it’s a good time in Atlantic City, right after the summer season ends. Players gamble in the casinos after our draft.” RotoBowl is a New Jersey production. Clarke and co-founder Matthew Pepe are from Fairlawn. Local resident John Hansen, the Fantasy Guru, connected them with Atlantic City officials for the 2005 debut. Hansen, one of RotoBowl’s financiers, views it as another level of enjoyment with subscribers and a recruitment tool. This event combines the reasonable odds of a card game with the long-shot dreams of a lottery. Entries cost $250 for each team, which is placed in a six-team division of a 12-team league. Win the division over the course of 12 weeks and you’ll make $300, a realistic profit probability. Capture the Week 13 playoff and you are assured $900. Then it gets tricky. Anywhere from 50 to 100 teams will be placed in a post-season pool, comprised of weeks 14 to 16. Only a handful from that elite group capture the big money: $20,000 for first place, $3,000 for second, $1,000 for third and $500 to $250 for fourth through eighth. Top teams are not separated by much. One play, one crucial mid-season free-agent pickup or the bounce of a ball can determine who wins $27,500. Let’s examine one of the world’s most interesting Fantasy Football tournaments. Reasons to Love RotoBowl • It’s above-board, honest and fair. There’s no commissioner cheating, which hampers many local leagues. There are no lineups put in after games have started, and no questionable free-agency pickups. There are no arbitrary rule interpretations. And there’s no collusion, because there are absolutely no trades. • RotoBowl is so fair, even the “experts” have no edge. Hansen, who publishes the Fantasy Guru report to thousands of subscribers, has also been a commentator for the NFL Network and Comcast’s Fantasy Football programs. He plays in this tournament against people who take his published advice. Hansen has played well in RotoBowl without winning, proving there’s enough public information for anyone to triumph. • High scores are not wasted. Teams play two games every week. One unfolds against the scheduled opponent. The second occurs against the entire six-team division. The top three scores in the division receive an additional victory, while the low three take an extra loss. This eliminates the dreaded feeling of scoring more points than everyone in the league on a given week, except the team you play, and thus losing. • Free agency is a neat wrinkle. Every team has 1,000 free-agency points to spend throughout the year. Teams bid on free agents every week, and therefore must manage a bankroll of points. Shoot the budget too soon and there’s nothing left for a late-season pickup. Hold onto it too long and you’ve missed valuable acquisitions. The free-agency element requires a management skill. This year, a second free-agency period has been added for Saturday. Survival Tips • Success depends on gut interpretation of players. Before injuries ravaged Casino Connection’s 2007 team, for example, we had the thrill of choosing Randy Moss as the 50th pick of the draft. He was an unknown quantity, but enjoyed a monster season. • Try to laugh. You can’t affect the variables, nor does a player have any idea how opposing teams draft or select free agents. There are always crazy surprises, like a marginal player going for 500 units. You can’t predict how desperately another team will need a player on a given week. For league updates, go to www.rotobowl.com.

By   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

From the exuberance of the crowd, who sang and clapped along to gospel anthems like “Send It On Down” and “Lord, Deliver Me,” you’d think you were in the front row at church. From the vast buffet, which included egg and cheese soufflé, Southern fried chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, jambalaya and rosemary corn bread, you’d swear you were at Grandma’s supper. Instead, this is the justly renowned Sunday Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues—a marvelous idea, marvelously executed by Executive Chef Robert Schoell. The Southern-inspired feast offers made-to-order omelets, Creole chicken and roasted turkey, hickory-smoked ham, fresh fruit and salads, homemade waffles and sticky buns, and to-die-for desserts (don’t miss the white chocolate banana bread pudding, served up with fresh whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries—it’s simply fantastic). Another menu favorite: the fluffy chorizo cheese grits. Unenlightened Northerners will think they’re piling on the mashed potatoes, but these grits, made with chorizo sausage, are a fabulous alternative; you’re sure to line up for seconds. Of course, food is only half the pleasure of the inspired and inspiring Gospel Brunch. When we attended, a South Philly vocal group called the Delegation saluted HOB as a place to “both play and praise,” then ably provided the exultation. Backed by bass and drums and accompanied by a solo dancer, the seven-person choir raised the roof with old-time gospel. The brunch is seasonal, so best to get there by the end of the month. Want a more subdued (but equally delicious) Sunday experience? Visit the Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield. Executive Chef Brian Clotworthy provides an array of hot dishes (done-to-perfection petite filet mignon, flaky herb-crusted black sea bass in mustard seed sauce); and cold (smoked salmon filets), accompanied by aromatic bread from Formica’s Bakery, plenty of salads and fresh fruit, and the largest chocolate pastry display in South Jersey. Chefs at individual carving stations serve up succulent ham, roast turkey and prime rib. Pancakes and omelets are made to order; try some waffles with the extraordinary fresh vanilla ice cream, freshly made by Bally’s pastry chef Michael D’Angelo (warning: you’ll never want the store-bought stuff again). Clotworthy recommends the roasted banana cheesecake, also a D’Angelo creation. “It’s sensational,” he says. “D’Angelo is the most creative chef in the city.” The Atlantic City Country Club, once private, has been owned and operated by Harrah’s Entertainment since 2005. That open secret has taken time to get out, says Food and Beverage Manager Patti Fairfield. “Even some people in Northfield think we’re still exclusive,” she says. “Now the word is spreading, and we couldn’t be happier. Everyone is welcome, and this is a beautiful setting, especially on Sunday morning.” With soft jazz from students at CharterTech High School, and a serene vista that includes rolling greens, the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic City skyline, this is a secret whose days are numbered. Sunday Gospel Brunch House of Blues at Showboat Starts at 11 a.m. $30 per person $20 for children under 18 For reservations, visit the Showboat box office, call Ticketmaster at 800-736-1420 or visit www.ticketmaster.com. Sunday Brunch 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Atlantic City Country Club One Leo Fraser Drive, Northfield $29.95 per person Children 12 and under $14.95 Children 4 and under free For reservations, call 609-236-4465 or visit www.accountryclub.com.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Gary Loveman’s role with the new Caesars Entertainment, formerly Harrah’s Entertainment, has changed. Caesars has recently been taken private by private equity companies Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group. Loveman holds the same titles, but his attention has turned to different things. At the East Coast Gaming Conference in May, he talked with Casino Connection Publisher Roger Gros about the differences between operating a public and a private company, and explained how the company’s previous expansion plans stand now. To hear a podcast of the full interview, visit www.casinoconnectionac.com and click on the Boardwalk Podcast button. Casino Connection: Now that Caesars is a private company, how does it change your job? Loveman: It’s changed my job a fair bit. There’s a whole process to managing communication in a public company that’s not particularly valuable but is an obligation, and an important one. I no longer have to be attentive to that, so I have more time to devote to the folks I work with and customers and businesses we’re looking after. I have an extremely capable, enterprising group of partners in my two private equity firms who are really quite helpful. They’re owners of the company, so you answer to them as you once answered to the public shareholders. How does that dynamic work? Do they oversee it more than shareholders do? They tend to be more involved in the substance of what we could do to grow value. They’re not asking how we market Showboat Atlantic City. They’re very involved in where we apply capital, what markets we’re going to enter, who our partners are going to be, these sorts of things. I find that quite constructive. Is there a cap on capital reinvestment in any Harrah’s properties? We understand you’ve scaled back on some expansion plans. We don’t put a cap on it, but we put a higher rate of expected return. For a public company borrowing at 6 percent or 7 percent, a project with a 9 percent or 10 percent expected return was in the shareholders’ interest, and we would pursue it. Today, in a much tighter market with private owners who expect higher rates of return, 9 percent on a buffet remodel is not feasible. It pushes us to be more innovative and smarter. Any deserving project can get funded, but “deserving” is a higher bar than it used to be. Let’s go through some of the projects that were announced prior to the buyout, starting with the big center Strip project on the land you own in Las Vegas. Is that on hold? No, we’re actively proceeding, but it’s a much more complicated undertaking. We’re trying to architect a plan amid a bunch of businesses that operate and are very successful. That’s a very different thing than tearing everything down and building something afresh. We have a $1.2 billion Caesars Palace expansion that’s almost halfway along. We have an arena that will begin construction later this year. We have a variety of other projects that we’ve made some noise about publicly here and there that are centered around building out this plan, and you’ll hear more about this over time. The last thing we want to do is take seven successful businesses and turn them into one big construction zone and discourage anyone from wanting to be around Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard. So we’ll do this sequentially. How about in the regional properties? We’re opening the biggest, fanciest casino in the Midwest in August—Horseshoe Hammond. Absolutely beautiful place, and I think it will really redefine the experience in that part of the country. There’s a lot going on. It’s the biggest capital-spending year in the history of the company, and another one next year. Internationally you’ve decided not to go through with a couple of projects—the Slovenia development and the Bahamas. Were there different reasons for each one? In Slovenia, we just couldn’t reach an agreement with the government. We still like the idea, but remember, this is a legacy communist regime that is really trying to work through a series of reforms that include tax rates, international inward investment—after a long period of working on it, we just couldn’t get there. Rather than keep banging our heads on it, we decided to stand down and see what happens. We unfortunately withdrew in the Bahamian case because our partner there couldn’t get far enough along quickly enough to make the project feasible. The U.K. is going through as tough a time as any gaming jurisdiction. Is this something that you hope the government will respond to quickly? The government of Prime Minister (Gordon) Brown has been a terrible disappointment—raising tax rates, really working backward. Of course that comes on the heels of decades of an institutional establishment that discourages visitation to casinos in general. We feel like we have good businesses. We have a lot of new ones that are larger and more Vegas-like, if you will, than what preceded them. Over time they’re going to do well, but it’s been a disappointing start. It’s tough to drive visitation there. People have attitudes about casinos; they consider them to be very exclusive, upper-class, stilted kinds of places, and it takes time to overcome that. You’ve talked about non-gaming amenities and their return on investment. That’s been a success in Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Is this something you look at very closely before you consider it for your other properties? We look at it everywhere. It all has to do with the economics. You see non-gaming amenities arrive in jurisdictions where the gaming tax rates are reasonable, since you can help monetize the costs of these big developments in the casino at a reasonable rate of tax. But you could never build a beautiful amenity in Illinois, where the gaming tax rate takes all the benefit. These things are very much coupled. The challenge is that the revenues and margins associated with the non-gaming amenity tend to be anywhere from zero to a very small number, and can’t support enormous investments unless they’re monetized in the casino or in some other innovative way. That’s the challenge. At the margin, that’s where a lot of these projects are failing. Gaming has had a difficult run in Massachusetts, Maryland and Kentucky. Is that just the cycle we always go through, or is it something deeper? I think it’s something deeper. Since 1992, we’ve had three states make it into gaming. That’s extraordinary, because you need a perfect alignment of legislative, gubernatorial and business leadership to make this work. Those are very tough to find. The progress has been very modest, even in a state like mine, Massachusetts, where everybody acknowledges, without debate, that nearly $1 billion of Massachusetts revenue goes to Connecticut Native American facilities. There isn’t any debate about whether the residents ought to gamble—that issue’s long gone. It’s just a policy-making issue, and in Massachusetts this issue is still active. We went down to pretty spectacular defeat this year. I’m not encouraged. I think the industry needs to do a much better job of communicating the merits of what we propose. Where do you think Harrah’s is going to be in five years? Is this going to be a typical public equity buy where they hold it for five or six years, then spin it back public? I suspect an exit through a public market offering is the most likely result; how many years is hard to tell. There would have to be some large strategic investor—given the size of the company, it would have to be a very large investor, a sovereign country’s investment entity or something like that. So it could come back in as parts of a public company? It would be a public company but a large number of shares would remain with management in the private equity firms. That wouldn’t be any different than (Kirk) Kerkorian’s ownership of MGM or (Sheldon) Adelson’s ownership of Sands or the Ferttitas’ ownership of Station when it was public.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

On the recommendation of Atlantic City’s planning board, City Council may rezone a 23-acre parcel for casino development in an unlikely location: Route 30, far from the clusters of casinos at the city’s Boardwalk and marina district. Penn National, the nation’s third largest gaming company, has already signed a purchase agreement with the owner of Clayton’s Self Storage on Absecon Boulevard. To those unimpressed with the locale, company officials note that the Borgata was built on a former landfill, so a similarly successful resort on what is essentially an industrial highway is not too far-fetched. They plan a project with 100,000 square feet of casino space and about 1,500 guest rooms. Penn National currently has 19 casinos, racetracks and riverboats in the Midwest and South, and previously proposed an $800 million deal to buy Atlantic City-owned Bader Field with an eye to building three or four casinos. The area now under scrutiny is zoned a bay island by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, meaning development is permissible on just 3 percent of the property.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Dignitaries gathered along Chelsea Avenue fronting the Boardwalk last month to cut the ribbon on one of the most distinctive hotel offerings to come to town in decades: the Chelsea. Curtis Bashaw, Cape May hotelier and former executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, was joined by Governor Jon Corzine, state lawmakers, city officials and tourism officials to open the new hotel, created through the renovation of two buildings that formerly housed the Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson’s—the latter itself a conversion from a kosher hotel originally called Teplitsky’s. Bashaw has spent the past two years gutting and refitting the two hotels into a new destination for the Boardwalk—a non-gaming hotel featuring a retro-chic 1950s look. The 331 rooms are divided into two classes, “Chelsea Luxe” and “Chelsea Lite.” All include flat-screen LCD TVs and other modern amenities, and many have great ocean views. Bashaw said the absence of gaming at the hotel is an asset: “Atlantic City was a resort 100 years before it was a gambling town,” he told the crowd. “Atlantic City is at a crossroads, where the town will find its soul.” Central to the Chelsea’s appeal: a rooftop nightclub and lounge area. The 5th Floor nightspot has a “Living Room” with comfortable furniture and a lodge-like atmosphere. The “Game Room’s” purple pool table fits right in with the art-deco décor. Also up on the roof: a swimming pool with cabanas. The Chelsea includes two restaurants: the upscale steakhouse Chelsea Prime, and Teplitsky’s, a 24-hour restaurant that gives a nod to the building’s original occupants. (The restaurants will open this month; both were designed by famed restaurateur Stephen Starr.) Another innovative feature at the Chelsea: solar-powered rolling chairs to ferry guests up and down the Boardwalk. Known as “solar rollers,” the surreys by Royal Rolling Chairs of Atlantic City will feature light-up panels for visibility, iPod docks and even heated seats. Bashaw called them “a new twist on an old tradition.” The governor and state lawmakers praised the concept of a non-gaming hotel targeted at young visitors for whom gambling may not be the priority. “Properties like this are making sure Atlantic City is more than just a gaming resort,” said Corzine. Added Congressman Frank LoBiondo, “Curtis Bashaw has a knack for taking an impossible idea and making it into something fantastic.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

In June, training department personnel from Trump Entertainment Resorts hosted a daylong customer service seminar for 120 state library employees at Trump Taj Mahal. Training was based on the Trump service philosophy known as ACT (Acknowledge, Connect and Thank). Seminar leaders came from the poker, games, beverage and slots departments. Jennifer Babcock, training and development manager for the Trump organization, said library officials chose Trump “because they had experienced exceptional service when visiting our properties. “I’m so proud of the employees who graciously volunteered their time to help with this project,” Babcock added. “They are true shining stars who make Atlantic City a great place to visit.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Employees of Harrah’s Atlantic City got the holiday spirit a little early this year, and they spread it around. On Friday, July 25, Harrah’s HERO employees from Bally’s, Caesars, Harrah’s Resort and Showboat served lunch at Sister Jean Webster’s Kitchen, Atlantic County Meals on Wheels, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and the Martin Bloom Community Pavilion. The menu: turkey and all the trimmings, naturally. The HERO program (Harrah’s Employees Reaching Out) is a corporation-wide employee volunteer program.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

In June, Trump Taj Mahal was the site of a special shopping spree for patients at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. High roller and frequent Trump guest Moses Tawil of Brooklyn generously donated his comp dollars for the excursion. The shoppers, all Atlantic County residents, bought electronic games, plasma TVs, iPods, digital cameras and other items with the comps. “Moses felt compelled to do something good for the teens, most of whom spend days in the hospital for treatment,” said Taj Mahal GM Rosalind Krause, adding that she hopes the idea catches on.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Who’s up for a night out and some of the best food and fun in town, all for a great cause? On Monday, August 25, Tropicana Casino and Resort will host a Taste of the Quarter to benefit the South Jersey chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Trop President Mark Giannantonio calls it “an exciting opportunity to sample 14 establishments, all in one night.” Tickets are $25. Participating restaurants and merchants include Carmine’s, Cuba Libre, the Palm, Ri-Ra Irish Pub, P.F. Chang’s, China Bistro, Re Square, A Dam Good Sports Bar, the Comedy Stop, Planet Rose, Missile Bar, Providence, Tinder Box/Vino 100, Zeytinia New York’s Gourmet Choice and the IMAX Theatre. Attendees can buy raffle tickets for a $1,500 gift certificate to the Quarter, plus other prizes. Tickets are available at the IMAX box office or through Ticketmaster at 800-736-1420 or www.ticketmaster.com.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

When McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant opened at Harrah’s Atlantic City on July 21, staffers didn’t settle for a simple ribbon cutting. Instead, more than 100 members of the Harrah’s and McCormick & Schmick’s staffs along with executives and VIPs formed a quarter-mile-long line around the casino to the restaurant’s front door. One by one, they passed a giant Alaskan King Salmon to Chef Brandon Iacone, who then tossed it in mid-air, signaling the first seafood delivery. Atlantic City is the 81st U.S. location for the Portland, Oregon-based restaurant company. Founded in the early 1970s by Bill McCormick and Doug Schmick, McCormick & Schmick’s offers “upscale casual” dining with more than 30 seafood varieties from Alaska halibut to New Zealand grouper. With approximately 10,000 square feet and seating for about 375 guests, the McCormick & Schmick's at Harrah’s is located in the casino overlooking the waterfront.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Revel Entertainment has enlisted the aid of Atlantic City to finance pivotal casino infrastructure improvements around its $2 billion Boardwalk resort, now under construction. Revel has asked for $56 million in bond financing to help it pay for new access roads around the oceanfront resort. If the deal is struck, Revel could reportedly get financing at a 4.5 percent to 5 percent interest rate, better than half the rates on the private market. The plan has built-in safeguards for the city. If Revel defaults on the bond, the city could put a lien on the 20-acre resort property and reacquire the land at about one-fourth of its value. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority approved the roadway redesign earlier this month, when Revel CEO Kevin DeSanctis said the new casino needs improved access. Under the plan, Connecticut Avenue in Atlantic City would be widened to six lanes in some areas; the improvements, if approved, could be complete by the time the resort opens in two years. Because Revel contributes about $40 million in city property taxes, said Councilman Bruce Ward, who sponsored the ordinance, “The road improvements, in the end, will cost us nothing.” DeSanctis added that the deal would indicate to other would-be investors “how creative the city can be” in fostering new development. The New Jersey legislature passed a bill last year encouraging such alliances, which have been used in other cities throughout the state.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Aceremony honoring former New Jersey state Senator Bill Gormley brought focus to a regional medical center that serves members of UNITE HERE Local 54, Atlantic City’s culinary union. Gormley was recognized as the driving force behind the effort that created the AtlantiCare Special Care Center. John Wilhelm, president of the international union, said the preventive care center will benefit everyone. “When people don’t get chronic problems treated, it gets more serious,” Wilhelm said. “Costs increase not only for the individual but for the company that employs him. This facility encourages employees to get treatment and stay on the job.” The center is another “first” for Atlantic City, he said, adding that the agreement could serve as a blueprint for other gaming jurisdictions, particularly Las Vegas, where the majority of his members live and work. Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54, praised Gormley and the state, which was represented by Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard, for their foresight in setting up such a facility. “We’re hearing great reports from our members about the treatment they’re getting here,” McDevitt said. “They now have less out-of-pocket health expenses, access to preventive care, and no co-pays when using AtlantiCare physicians or the SCC on-site pharmacy.” Gormley deflected praise to others, saying it could not have happened without the full support of the union and the state. “I just put people together,” said Gormley. “Frankly, I’m confused by the acronyms and terms they throw around, and have to ask my wife to tell me what they’re talking about.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Aug 12, 2008

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. That seems to be the motto of Tropicana Entertainment LLC, which against all odds is trying to regain ownership of the Tropicana Casino Hotel. The holding company, a subsidiary of Columbia Sussex Corp., lost control of the property in December when the Casino Control Commission deemed it unfit to run a gaming operation in New Jersey. After less than a year in Atlantic City, Tropicana’s license was pulled due to regulatory non-compliance and sub-par conditions blamed on massive staff cuts. The property has been up for sale ever since. State-appointed trustee Gary S. Stein at first expressed confidence that the property would sell by April. But he has since asked for two extensions, saying all bids offered have been below market value. The newest deadline for a sale of the Trop is October. Now Tropicana Entertainment is trying to get back in the game. The new board of directors hopes that a bankruptcy deal reached in June between the company and its bondholders, and the subsequent ouster of controversial CEO Bill Yung III, could lay the groundwork for a take-back of the casino, which adjoins the state’s largest hotel. “It's our feeling that circumstances with the company have changed significantly," said new CEO Scott Butera, a restructuring specialist who helped Donald Trump weather financial hard times with his Atlantic City casinos. "In particular, Mr. Yung doesn't sit on the board or have anything to do with running the company.” Joining Butera on the new four-member board of directors is Bradford S. Smith, former chairman of the Casino Control Commission. The new leadership hopes the company will be out of bankruptcy protection by year’s end. One idea being floated is for Yung to reduce his stake in the company—he retains full ownership—and give bondholders more control in exchange for relief from a staggering $2.8 billion debt.

Tue, Aug 12, 2008

From Smart Cars to wind farms, everyone knows that nowadays, green is the only way to go. We at the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority don’t just talk green; we continue to embrace green initiatives big and small. Following Governor Jon Corzine, who has taken a proactive approach to environmental issues, we have worked with Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc., to install the country’s largest single roof-mounted solar array at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Construction will be complete by December 31. Under a 20-year power purchase agreement, Pepco will build, own, operate and maintain the 2.36-megawatt solar array. The system will cover two-thirds of the main roof (about 290,000 square feet), provide approximately 26 percent of the center’s electricity, and prevent 2,349 tons of carbon dioxide from releasing into the atmosphere. That’s the equivalent of removing 390 passenger vehicles from the road or preserving 14.8 acres of forest. That’s just the start. To conserve more energy, we have worked with Conectiv Thermal to change the hot and cold water temperatures to reduce energy usage in the center. We’ve also changed lighting fixtures to reduce KWH usage and added new door and air curtain installations. We plan to replace the convention center’s outdoor marquee display with an LED video display similar to the one recently completed on Boardwalk Hall facing Pacific Avenue. We’ve even asked for bidders to email their bids rather than traveling to the center to conserve fuel. We’ve also taken recycling to the extreme. In the past year, we’ve recycled 45,180 pounds of paper and cardboard; 3.38 tons of glass, plastic, aluminum, bottles, cans and shrink wrap; 3,767 pounds of lamps, ballasts and batteries; wooden pallets equaling 2,043 pounds; carpet equaling 47,198 pounds; 5,574 pounds of electrical equipment; and computers equaling 2,881 pounds. In keeping with the environmental movement, we’ve also tried to reuse as much material as possible. For instance, we reused old insulation panels in other areas of the center (all extra stock is donated or sold to local contractors). We even used leftover material from the Landscape and Garden show around the exterior of the center. We will be adding ceiling fans to the atrium for an estimated $80,000 thermal savings per year. Proposed future projects include waterless urinals, the installation of steam shutoff and pressure reducing valves on the radiant heating system, and a wind turbine between the Atlantic City Convention Center and the Atlantic City Connector. The wind turbine would produce approximately 16 percent of the annual electrical consumption of the center. My special thanks to Janet Mitrocsak, director of facilities for the Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall, who has become our green expert on solar and wind power. Demonstrating an ongoing commitment, ACCVA has joined as a founding member of the Convene Green Alliance, a grass-roots initiative spearheaded by several associations to effect positive environmental practices through national, regional and local outreach and education. Atlantic City is one of only four destination members, joining Charlotte, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; and Nashville. Moving On While it’s not exactly a green movement, the recent signing of a bill that transfers ownership of the convention center from the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to the ACCVA will help us run the center more efficiently. This legislation frees up a substantial amount of operating budget, streamlines the approval process by letting us report directly to the Governor’s Authorities Unit, and allows us closer control of our financing and bonding activities. All of that makes it easier for us to market the Atlantic City region to visitors and convention planners. I’d like to extend my thanks to Senator Jim Whelan for pursuing the legislation, Assemblyman John Burzichelli for sponsoring it, and Governor Jon S. Corzine for signing it.

Tue, Aug 12, 2008

The Casino Control Commission’s public meeting room is appropriately named after Joseph P. Lordi, the first chair of the commission, who established the agency’s reputation for integrity and honesty. Appropriately, Governor Jon Corzine selected that room to sign into law a bill mandating that New Jersey casinos will remain open in the event of a state government shutdown. This law is a positive end to a difficult situation. The state government shutdown two years ago proved a severe hardship to our state’s casino industry and all who benefit from it, notably our customers and employees. On July 5, 2006, Atlantic City’s casinos were closed by order of the state when the governor and legislature reached a budget impasse. The state declared that 100 or so Casino Control Commission inspectors must be furloughed, along with 45,000 other state employees considered “non-essential”; since we cannot lawfully function without the oversight of the inspectors, the city’s privately owned casinos were forced to close. It was the only time in our industry’s then-28-year history that we were forced to close in such a manner. Our businesses lost millions of dollars of revenue; our employees lost millions of dollars in salaries and tips; our customers were incredibly inconvenienced directly after the Fourth of July weekend. Of course, our state also lost millions in tax revenues. Aside from the short-term impact, CANJ’s key concern was the lasting effect. First, the shutdown deviated from New Jersey’s longstanding, well-deserved reputation as a stable environment for casinos to invest and conduct business. We were also concerned that our customers who feared another shutdown would decline to visit Atlantic City in July. Under the new law, if a second shutdown happens, casino inspectors, as “non-essential” state employees, will again be furloughed, but our casinos will continue to operate. In the event of regulatory infractions, the law permits the governor to immediately close a casino and impose 10 times the normal fine. After the July 2006 shutdown, CANJ resolved that a casino shutdown would not occur again, and Governor Corzine committed to signing an appropriate law to rectify the situation. We’re grateful that he honored his commitment. We are likewise appreciative of the legislative efforts, determination and leadership of Senator Jim Whelan and Assemblymen John Burzichelli, and the support demonstrated by the other sponsors of the bill, including Assemblyman John Amodeo. Also notable was the leadership of Local 54 President Bob McDevitt, who led his members in a march on Trenton in 2006 and again this June. McDevitt made sure his members’ voices would continue to be heard until this law became a reality. If there is a silver lining to this entire episode, it’s that our industry became the “face” of the state shutdown. It helped everyone to better understand the significant benefits casinos generate for the state in tax revenues, job creation, capital investment and purchases of goods and services. This understanding is critical if we’re to transition into a full-fledged destination resort and stronger economic engine for the region and state. The new law makes it clear that integrity need not be sacrificed, and that our employees need not suffer from a budget impasse they did not create and cannot resolve. Joe Lordi, who first demonstrated that state government can be flexible yet still hold on to its core principles, would have approved.

Tue, Aug 12, 2008

Newspapers, television and the internet are full of doom and gloom about the economy and the state of our nation. We can’t help but be concerned, if not downright worried, about our own personal future. But you know what? I’ve been through a lot worse than this and things have always gotten better. I’m not even talking about a world war or a depression. Anyone who lived through the 1970s experienced true confusion on many fronts. The Vietnam War was winding down, but it was still a nightly feature on every news program. Gas prices in the early ’70s skyrocketed (wow, gas was over $1!). Mortgage rates rose in the mid ’70s, topping out at 20 percent. Earth Day was established to fight the disgusting pollution of the air, water and ground. And an unpopular president resigned from office. If any of this sounds familiar, it should. We are dealing with many of the same (or similar) problems today. While some things are worse, others are not. But things got better. The ’70s gave way to the ’80s, when most things improved. The ’90s brought a legendary boom. But let’s get a little more specific and a little closer to home. While the ’90s were generally a good time for the nation, the early ’90s were anything but good for Atlantic City. The stagnant gaming industry of the 1980s, combined with a Northeast recession, was further hit by a huge increase in supply when Trump Taj Mahal opened. While revenues continued to increase, it was at a high marketing cost, which in those days meant more coins for bus customers. Employees lost jobs and it took several years before Atlantic City recovered. So life is a cycle. Things go up and down. Things change and remain the same. With such a negative media, it’s hard to escape the depressing news every day. But we can try. Let’s focus on the problems facing Atlantic City, and why they are far from fatal. Smoking ban: When the full-fledged smoking ban goes into effect in October, it will be even worse than some people expect. By forcing smokers to find another place to gamble, we are forcing them to change habits and some may never return. It will cause further belt-tightening by casinos and will undoubtedly cost some good people their jobs. But the good thing is that it starts the clock ticking towards recovery. We know from other smoking bans imposed in other gaming jurisdictions that it can take up to two years to get back to normal. So as bad as it will be, it will get better. Competition: We’ve absorbed the current competition from Pennsylvania. Once we get beyond the opening of the Sands in Bethlehem, the next hurdle isn’t until the Philly casinos open, probably three years away at the very least. New York isn’t setting any competitive fires for now, so Atlantic City still has several years to diversify and create more non-gaming amenities that no competitor will be able to match. Unions: It seems casino employees are starting to wise up both here and in Las Vegas. Unions are clearly not producing the desired effect for the floor workers who voted them in. And here’s their dirty little secret. They’re not even trying! The unions are more interested in signing up other employees in other casinos so they can wield more power and negotiate one big contract rather than several small ones. So when you hear the unions say the casinos are not negotiating in good faith, be very suspicious. Remember, you’re not married to these unions. They can always be de-certified. The economy: OK, this, in my opinion, is the biggie. Rising energy prices affect everything. The cost of living itself is skyrocketing and until that stabilizes, even gamblers will cut back on what they love most: Atlantic City casinos. But when that happens, we’re poised for a massive rebound. People are going to cut loose and go where they can do more than gamble; a jurisdiction with great restaurants, wonderful entertainment, outdoor recreation, fantastic hotels—and that, my friends, is Atlantic City. So let’s put our heads down and do our jobs. We’ll all be happy when this difficult period ends.

By Frank Legato   Thu, Jun 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 12, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, Mar 10, 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 NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Feb 02, 2010

Convention Center:  Feb 3-7 is the International Power Boat Show. Feb. 20 Spirit Unlimited Cheerleading Competition. February 26th to 28th is the Atlantic City Classic Car Show & Auction.

Boardwalk Hall: February 27 Show of Shows, featuring the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association, 12:00 noon and 5:00 p.m. in Boardwalk Halls arena. 

February 25 9th Annual Men R Cookin at Atlantic City Boys & Girls Club to benefit Boys & Girls Club

It's the Second Annual Atlantic City Restaurant Week from February 28th to March 6th.  70 restaurants with prefix menu's at prefix prices... mark your calendar NOW!

For more information go to http://www.acrestaurantweek.com/

January 30 2010 Casino Connection Magazine update with Lisa Johnson on NBC 40

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Jan 29, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Jan 22, 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   Fri, Sep 11, 2009

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