Casino Connection Atlantic City

12 Days of Christmas

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

1. Sugar High

Thurber was right: candy’s dandy, and It’Sugar at the Pier Shops at Caesars will custom-make a chocolate bar with your sweetie’s name spelled out in M&Ms or other toppings ($7.95 to $49.95; add $1.50 for the message). While you’re there, check out the fun collection of vintage candy (Good & Plenty, Milk Duds, Dots, Nikl Nips). Gift boxes of nostalgia candy come in two sizes ($35 and $75).
We adore Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at the Walk, which has those to-die-for dessert apples. The Apple Pie Apple is a Granny Smith dipped in white ribbon (a kind of chocolate) then rolled in brown sugar and cinnamon. The Cheesecake Apple is dipped in white ribbon and rolled in crushed graham crackers. Most festive are the candied Granny Smith apples rolled in coconut. These decadent delights ($7.95 each) are pretty enough to be centerpieces, and big enough to feed two or more.

2. Just Say Ahhh!

Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas at Harrah’s and the Seaview Marriott offer mini-retreats for men and women with everything from pomegranate lime mani-pedis ($125) to a heavenly half-day of pampering with a massage, facial, manicure and makeup application ($257). Create a custom spa package or purchase gift certificates from $25 to $600.

Look to the East for relaxation at Vive Day Spa & Salon, new at Showboat. Vive has a “Chakra Relaxation Room” and signature treatments including an Arctic algae body treatment and mud therapy body mask.

For “social spa-ing,” there’s Qua Baths and Spa at Caesars, which taps the healing power of water for a uniquely restorative experience. Fourteen treatment rooms include a deluxe couple’s studio and wet rooms with Vichy showers. (Invite only those you really, really like.)

For a whole new you, Immersion Spa at the Water Club at Borgata offers bliss-inducing spa packages like the Serenity (from $431), with an overnight stay, stone or deep tissue massage, and use of Immersion’s infinity edge lap pool and fitness center.

At Blue Mercury at the Tropicana, get glowing with spray-on self-tanning (at $60, it’s cheaper than a trip to St. Tropez!). Special event makeup application is just $45, and brow styling starts at $25.

3. Holiday Wrapping

Face the frosty weather in style with this year’s fashion essential: a snuggly wrap, stole, shawl or poncho. They’re super because they can go over a coat or jacket, providing even more warmth against winter’s chill. And you can’t go wrong giving them as gifts, because they’re usually one-size-fits-all and come in a multitude of styles, from sophisticated pashmina cashmere to nubby knits.

Chico’s at the Pier at Caesars has a wide selection of wraps for milady, $98 and up in cotton-poly and mohair-acrylic blends. The Van Heusen outlet store at the Walk has styles starting at $49.99 with 60 percent off the lowest price. Ireland and Old Lace in Historic Smithville has a fabulous new line of woolen scarves, hats, wraps and capes in natural raw undyed wool and alpaca, from Brannigan Weavers of Drogheda, Ireland.

4. Take the Cannolis

In some parts of the country, partygoers bring gifts of food to the hostess called “bread-and-butter gifts.” Few things are as welcome during the holidays as a basket of fresh-baked breads, marvelous cheeses, unusual vintages of wine and other delectables.

For great bread and pastries, try Formica Brothers Bakery in Ducktown or at Kensington Square in Northfield. Gift baskets start at $25, holiday cookie and pastry trays at $11. For a staggering variety of international foods, as well as the fattest fresh raspberries we’ve ever seen, visit Eden Gourmet at the Pier. Create your own basket, or buy one pre-made.

Why not choose a cultural “theme” and build a gift basket around it? If Mom and Dad love Italian, load up a basket with Italian bread, then tuck in a good bottle of wine, fresh mozzarella and a few jars of unusual sauces. Garnish with fruit and add an Italian cookbook. Top the whole thing with a CD of great Italian music.

5. Tie One On

Dress him for success in an elegant silk tie or cashmere sport coat from Hugo Boss at the Pier Shops at Caesars; accompany French-cuffed dress shirts with German-made mother of pearl or onyx cufflinks. Everything in the fall collection is now 25 percent off. Paisley ties are all the rage right now, and Hugo Boss offers them in a surprising array of colors—even coral.

For the upwardly mobile man in your life, there may be no better role model than Donald J. Trump. The Donald, it’s said, favors pink power ties because of their good feng shui, and you’ll find lots of pink in the Trump collection at Van Heusen on the Walk.

We like the pink-gray-and-white diagonal striped tie and a silvery-pink paisley tie, as well as a selection of ties in bold black and white. Most ties are in the $50 range, but steep daily discounts of 30 percent to 40 percent make them extra-affordable. Pair with 100 percent cotton shirts from the Trump collection (about $59.50, also with big daily discounts).

6. Scentsational

Ever since people starting giving Christmas gifts, cologne has been the failsafe fallback present. Luckily these days, there’s more to choose from than Jean Nate and Hai Karate.

For one-stop shopping, visit Perfumania at the Walk. Most popular scents this season: Bulgari, Burberry and Paris Hilton scents for women; Armani’s Acqua di Geo and Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue for men.

Lacoste is also a perennial favorite for gents; JLo remains a top seller for women. Through January 5, buy one select fragrance and you’ll get the second for just $9.99.

The Hugo Boss “Boss Pure” fragrance collection should also be high on your guy list. It’s light, fresh and sophisticated. $65 at Hugo Boss, the Pier Shops at Caesars.

7. A Perfect Pollyanna

The Yankee Candle store at the Walk has dozens of gift boxes and gift bags for every budget, $12.99 and up.

Our favorite scents: Cinnamon Stick, Red Apple Wreath and Silver Bells, which has the irresistible smell of a stroll in the winter woods.

All the holiday gift packages are nicely presented—some in pretty cable knit sacks, others with tiny stuffed ornaments. And there’s so much variety, you can give one to everyone in your office and not repeat yourself. Votives are $1.99. Large two-wick “housewarmer” candles are $24.99.

8. A Timely Choice

Tourneau at the Pier Shops at Caesars has more than 100 famous-name watches in 8,000 styles that range from the economical ($25) to the astronomical ($250,000). Fortunately, the Tourneau Club Plan allows you to pay over time for the timepiece you really want. There’s also a trade-in, trade-up policy, three-year extended warranty, a selection of certified pre-owned watches, on-site service and free batteries for a lifetime.

We like the great selection of Victorinox Swiss Army watches (from $150 to more than $1,000). While supplies last, you can also get a limited-edition Vivante watch celebrating Susan G. Komen for the Cure, with 10 percent of the purchase price going to the fight against breast cancer. The Swiss-made watches have pink mother of pearl dials and come with round or rectangular faces. $450.

9. Do You Hear What I Hear?

A gift of holiday music is sure to bring cheer. Brookstone at the Pier Shops has a wide selection of CDs and two-CD sets ($17 and $30 respectively). Our recommendation: Dig That Crazy Santa Claus, with memorable melodies from Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong and more. It’s the only soundtrack you’ll need for the holidays.

We also like Takin’ Care of Christmas by rocker Randy Bachman, Sinatra’s Christmas Memories and Smooth Christmas (with Luther Vandross, Toni Braxton, Alicia Keys, Boyz II Men and more). Of course, your collection isn’t complete without Vince Guaraldi’s jazzy soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

10. Bedazzled

For all things bright and beautiful, from crystal jewelry to a stunning array of intricate crystal-inlaid hair combs and clips, don’t forget to stop at Trendie Treasures in Historic Smithville.

Trendie Treasures has become well-known for supplying fashion accessories for prom dresses and bridal parties. You’ll find chandelier earrings, vintage-look pendants, and a selection of unusual hair ornaments that’s so extensive, you’ll be hard-pressed to make a choice. But that’s okay—with prices from under $10 to just about $50, everything is affordable.

Go on a treasure hunt at Trendie Treasures, which also stocks hats, scarves and purses.

11. Digitize Me

This year’s most coveted high-tech gadgets come from those smarties over at Apple Inc., creators of the iPod. At the Apple store at the Pier Shops, check out the new iPhone 3G, the mobile phone most likely to keep you occupied on a desert island. This great communicator has it all. With fast access to internet and email around the world, you can surf the web, get directions and watch video, even while you’re on a call. $199 and $299.

Also fun: Brookstone’s “My Life” keychain digital photo display, which can store up to 100 photos for viewing on a 1.5-inch color screen. Just load on the pictures from your PC. Batteries are rechargeable. About $40.

12. Hat Trick

Keep them bundled up in style this winter with fashionable Fair Isle hats and snow bunny caps from Zoo York and Claire’s Boutique, both at the Walk.

At Zoo York, choose fleece-lined holiday knit hats for guys at $19.99 (matching mufflers are $29.99). At Claire’s, find colorful snow bunny caps for just $16, coordinating scarves for $12 and gloves or mittens for $8. Every girl on your list will love the matching set.

If Claire’s is any indication, we could be witnessing the return of yet another ’80s fashion phenomenon: legwarmers! The store is carrying oodles of them in brilliant colors for about $10. (Can’t you just hear that Flashdance music?)

And To All A Good Buy…

For super bargains every day of the year, it’s Bijou Terner at the Pier Shops. Everything in this great little store is $10, from silky sarongs and shawls to ties, belts, purses, hats and gloves, sunglasses, wallets and jewelry. We like the chunky enamel clasp bracelets.

Another great bargain: Airwalk fleece-lined boots at Payless Shoes at the Walk. They’re as cute as Uggs at a fraction of the price ($29.99 and up).

The big trend in purses is big, bigger, biggest. Visit the Coach outlet at the Walk for enormous shiny patent leather purses. They start at $229, but take 30 percent off right away. You can carry a whole wardrobe in these roomy bags.

Every woman knows a little blue box means a gift from Tiffany & Co. Want to please your lady fair, but stay within your means? Visit Tiffany at the Pier Shops for the delightful Blue Box charm—a tiny replica of the signature box in blue enamel and silver. $150.

A Tasty Idea

Is there a couple on your gift list who simply can’t afford date night, and don’t want to splurge on a babysitter? There may be no more thoughtful gift than an evening out courtesy of that little old wish-granter, you!
Most restaurants offer gift certificates in many denominations, so you can be as conservative or extravagant as you like. Tuck a gift card inside a festive card, or wrap it in a small box. Don’t forget to include a voucher for one night of babysitting (on you). Make the gift even more memorable by including a beribboned split of champagne and two glasses for a post-date toast. It’s one night they’ll always remember.

Cost-Conscious Holiday Décor

• Choose a theme and create a tradition, like the man who spent a lot of time in Germany and started collecting Santa Claus ornaments. Over the years, he acquired hundreds, enough to fill an entire room of his house. The collection is a great icebreaker at holiday parties, and a legacy he will eventually hand down to his children.

• For an inexpensive holiday display, pile fresh-cut pine boughs on the mantelpiece, on windowsills or in large baskets, then tuck in a few pinecones (sprayed with “snow” or gold paint). Apples and oranges look good among the greenery. Add a pineapple as a sign of welcome.

• Booklovers, celebrate the season by displaying a collection of Christmas classics on your coffee table or end tables. Invite friends over for readings of A Christmas Carol, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, The Gift of the Magi and Miracle on 34th Street.

• Give old-fashioned charm to a room by gathering all the kids’ teddy bears, other stuffed animals or old-fashioned dolls and grouping them together in a rocking chair or along a sofa back.

• To dress a holiday tree at almost no cost, buy sheets of crepe paper in brilliant red and green. Cut the paper in broad strips, tie the strips up in big bows, and arrange among the tree branches, or string as one continuous garland.

• “Recycle” those old Christmas ornaments by displaying them in bowls or vases. Add strings of beaded garland.

Wrap It Up (Inexpensively)!

Americans produce 25 percent more trash during the holidays than any other time of the year—much of it discarded wrapping paper. You’re no Scrooge, but why not save some money by wrapping your gifts in handy household recyclables? It’s the green thing to do.

• Here’s a time-honored no-cost gift wrap: the comics! Save the funny pages from your Sunday paper, and set off the wrap with a colorful bow. For sports nuts, use the sports page.

• Textured aluminum foil serves the same purpose, but looks contemporary and elegant.

• Use road maps to wrap gifts for your favorite holiday traveler.

• Wrap presents in brown paper bags, then add a raffia bow and sprig of holly for a naturally pretty look. For something more festive, buy glitter pens in gold, silver or other colors and draw simple snowflake or scroll designs on the brown paper wrap.

• Cover any gift wrap with paper doilies for a “snowflake” effect.

• Another way to wrap gifts inexpensively: use rolls of pretty wallpaper, which can be found in “seconds” bins at hardware and home supply stores.

• Instead of going to the trouble of wrapping a large box, spray paint it, then add a bow.

• Baskets of every size can be had for a song at your local thrift store, and they're perfect for gift giving. Fill the basket with colorful crumpled paper, add your gifts, and wrap the entire basket in colored cellophane. Top with a shiny ribbon.

The 4th Annual Casino Connection Choice Awards

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

No one knows better than Casino Connection readers where to dine, where to shop, and where to go for a great time in Atlantic City. That’s why we asked you to choose the best of the best for our annual Casino Connection Choice Awards—and as always, you answered in record numbers.

The competition this year was intense, and the results hard-won. Some categories even resulted in a tie. Thanks to everyone who responded, and congratulations to all the nominees and winners. You make Atlantic City a great place to live and work, every day of the year.

Now it’s time to reveal the winners. The envelope, please!
Restaurant: Melting Pot

Casino Restaurant: Carmine’s at Tropicana and Morton’s Steakhouse at Caesars

Bar/Lounge: Ego Bar & Lounge at Taj Mahal

Nightclub: Casbah at Taj Mahal

Singles Spot: (a tie) mur.mur and B Bar at Borgata

Clothing Store: H&M

Mall/Shopping: Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk

Shoe Store: Barefeet Shoes

Salon/Spa: Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa (at Harrah’s and Seaview Marriott)

Hospital: AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center

Place to Gamble: Borgata

Weekend Getaway: Cape May

Ringing in the New Year

By Robert Rossiello Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Recipe for a great New Year’s Eve: Champagne. Confetti. Someone to kiss at midnight. And a guidebook to the best parties Atlantic City’s casinos have to offer. Not sure where to welcome 2009? Here’s how the hottest night spots will ring out the old and celebrate the new.

Bally’s Atlantic City
Blue Martini will have live entertainment and a midnight countdown. 609-340-2709
Other Venues: Mountain Bar.

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
The nightclubs mixx and mur.mur will each host a themed New Year’s Eve celebration. DJ Riz will spin discs at mixx. $50. DJ Spider mans the booth at mur.mur. $100. Bottle service is available at both clubs. 609-317-7805
Other Venues: Gypsy Bar, B Bar.

Caesars and the Pier Shops
Game ON and Trinity Pub will host a “Beyond The Velvet Rope” celebration. DJ Jazzy Jeff & DJ Sat One will spin discs at Game ON (VIP tables available), while a live band will perform at Trinity. Party includes access to both bars, open bar 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., live Times Square feed, champagne toast at midnight with party favors. $99. 609-345-6800
Other Venues: Sonsie, Continental.

Harrah’s Atlantic City
The Pool at Harrah’s will feature DJ Klutch, an open bar from 9 p.m. to midnight, complimentary admission to the Waterfront Buffet from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., live video feed from Times Square, and at midnight, a balloon/beach ball drop and champagne toast. Party goes until 4 a.m. Tickets are $99 in advance. 1-800-277-5990.
Other Venues: Eden Lounge and Xhibition Bar.

Resorts Atlantic City
Boogie Nights will hold a groovy New Year’s Eve party with open bar from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and a midnight countdown. $100.
609-340-7698 • Other Venues: Luna Lounge

Showboat Casino & House of Blues
D’Jais Belmar will host a “Jersey Shore” party at Club Worship with special guests and live performances, open bar from 9 p.m. to midnight, hats, noisemakers, souvenir T-shirts, Times Square broadcast and confetti. $99. 609-343-4000.

Tropicana Casino & Resort
(The Quarter & Marketplace)
Tropicana will host a free New Year’s Eve event in Fiesta Plaza at the Quarter featuring several DJs. The bars and restaurants will be offering special packages; reservations are suggested.

Planet Rose will offer karaoke, shot specials and giveaways starting from 7 p.m., with no cover before 11 p.m. Private VIP Room will be available for the entire night or on an hourly basis. Room rentals of three hours or more include a free bottle of champagne and favors. The VIP Room has unlimited karaoke with your own private system and cocktail service.

Cuba Libre will offer a late night dinner package as well as an a la carte menu. DJ Javier will be spinning a tropical mix and the “Late Night Latin 2” floor show will feature a Cuban percussionist, singers and dancers. Tickets are $25 in advance until December 29.
Upstairs in the Missile Bar DJ Sojo will spin hot vocal house, dance and mash-ups. Party favors and noisemakers will be offered at midnight. 609-348-6700.

A Dam Good Sports Bar will have a $10 cover that includes free buffet at midnight, $5 40 oz. bottled beers, party favors, DJ and drink specials.

Providence Nightclub will have a five-hour open bar 9:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., hors d’oeuvres from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., live projections from Times Square, champagne toast and confetti drop. $150 (VIP table $250).

32° Luxe Lounge is offering a package which includes party favors, hats and noisemakers, live Times Square broadcast at midnight and a complimentary champagne toast. Music by DJ B Easy. $40 until December 29.

Rí Rá has live music by Eleven Eleven and Red Square features DJ Siberian Nights starting at 11:45 p.m.

Firewaters in the Marketplace has a $10 cover that includes munchies, party favors, DJ and midnight champagne toast. All proceeds will benefit the fight against breast cancer.

Trump Marina Hotel Casino
A free party will take place in the Atrium starting at 9 p.m. DJ Frank Jr. will be on hand along with sexy dancers and videos.

At the Wave the popular band Don’t Call me Francis will play. Open bar from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. will include party favors and champagne toast. Advance tickets are $75 and $100 the night of the event. A reserved table for two with bottle of champagne is available for $300.

Gourmet Dinner Package (Imperial Court, DJ’s Steakhouse, Harbor View) $235 per couple includes a four-course dinner, party favors and a bottle of champagne. A combined Gourmet Dinner and Wave Package is available for $325. www.trumpmarina.com.

Trump Plaza Casino Hotel
Jezebel’s will have live entertainment to ring in the New Year. 800-677-7787.

A New Year’s Eve overnight package includes $200 at Roberto’s Ristorante and brunch for two the next day. www.trumpplaza.com/special-offers • Other Venues: Liquid Bar, EVO.

Trump Taj Mahal
WKTU’s Beatstock dance party takes place in the Xanadu Theatre from 10 p.m. A DJ will spin discs, while special live performances will take place throughout the night. $100.
609-449-5150.

Jerry Blavat brings his dance party to the Tiara Ballroom beginning at 8 p.m. Buffet dinner for two is included for $125, or with overnight stay package for $250. www.trumptaj.com/special-offers. 609-449-5150.

Casbah Nightclub will feature DJ SOJO, open bar from 10 p.m. to midnight, and a midnight celebration. $100. 609-449-5138. www.casbahclub.com.

New Year’s Eve Arena package includes an overnight stay, a dance party in the Mark G. Etess arena with music by Cheers, a sit-down surf-and-turf dinner and open bar. Package also includes brunch for two on New Year’s Day. Party and Room package starting at $749. Party tickets $150.

. Other Venues: Hard Rock Café.

Flight Maneuvers

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

“ We can’t be a world-class destination if the world can’t get to us,” says Assemblyman John Burzichelli. As chairman of the state’s Tourism and Gaming Commission, the Gloucester County Democrat supports growing efforts to increase air service to Atlantic City International Airport (ACY).

“It’s pretty obvious,” Burzichelli says. “If you’re going to fill Atlantic City in February, we can’t tell travelers, ‘You have to go to Philadelphia first, and by the way, if it snows, it may take you four hours to get here.’ We want these people off the plane and in the city, so their money ends up here.”

With the tough economy getting tougher and Atlantic City casinos facing more out-of-state competition, the convention business—busiest at mid-week in the off-season—could be the city’s best hope for sustained cash flow, revenue that’s not as sensitive as gaming revenue to the ebbs and flows of a stalled economy.

Plus, the city is ideal for conventioneers, and the airport is equipped to bring them in, says Jeff Vasser, executive director of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority.

“It’s just logical,” Vasser says. “Philadelphia is so overwhelmed. Newark is overwhelmed. We have a jewel down here that can grow. All we need is to get some of these airlines on board.”

To persuade more carriers to make Atlantic City International an East Coast destination, an unlikely coalition has formed that includes the ACCVA, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, retail and entertainment concerns, and the casinos. In the past, these parties have not always agreed, but as marketing partners, they share one goal: to expand passenger service to ACY and bring in more visitors.

The casino group consists of every operating property as well as those waiting in the wings (Pinnacle, Revel and Coastal Development, which hopes to turn Trump Marina into Margaritaville). Other coalition members include the Pier Shops, Chelsea Hotel and the Cordish Group, which runs Atlantic City Outlets.

“The airlines are very risk-averse right now, and having this consortium will show them we will in fact buy seats and package them with rooms for the inbound market on a scheduled basis,” says SJTA Executive Director Bart Mueller.

The convergence of several factors could enable the city to lure airlines here, even as they cut service to other cities.

“We are now at a tipping point,” says Maureen Adams, CFO for Harrah’s Atlantic City. “For the first time in its history, Atlantic City has 18,000 casino hotel rooms, more non-gaming than ever before, and the appropriate level of retail to position it as a destination market. We can handle larger groups and more conventions than we ever have in the past. But we lack the infrastructure to bring them.”

Despite the economy, or perhaps due to it, the airlines may be more receptive to the Atlantic City plan, Adams adds.

“A lot of them are looking for more short hauls, so what we’re proposing seems to be more palatable than it has in the past,” she says. “We feel we have a better shot than ever to convince them there’s opportunity here.”

Kim Townsend, CEO of Pinnacle Atlantic City, points out that more than 66 percent of the population lives east of the Mississippi, with one-fifth in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. These potential customers “are so close, yet so far away because right now there’s no easy way for them to get to us,” Townsend says. “We are at a disadvantage as it relates to the meeting market segment, and when the economy gets tight, convenience prevails over destination. Adding air service will put us on the map for thousands of meeting and convention planners. Right now, we’re not even on their radar.”

Currently, only Spirit Airlines has commercial passenger service to ACY. Delta, which served Atlantic City from 2002 until early this year, bailed when the company went bankrupt.

Meantime, the airport here is wholly capable of handling major carriers and increased traffic, says Mueller. With a main runway of 10,000 feet and a secondary runway of 6,400 feet, “We are by contract with NASA an alternative landing site for the Space Shuttle,” he says. “We do about 120,000 airfield operations a year, and we could easily do 500,000. We want to attract carriers that have a hub with frequency and connectivity to the national system.”

In preparation for that day, the airport has undergone big renovations. A $26 million, 1,400-space parking garage has just opened. An interior overhaul of the airport should be complete by year’s end. An expansion of the apron would allow ACY to build an additional concourse and jet bridges. The missing link is service.

“Right now, people who come here are forced to fly into Philadelphia or Newark and find ground transportation,” says Mueller. “That’s not fair to the casino industry, which has invested billions and continues to invest billions, even in the worst of times. We have to convince the airlines.”

To do so, Vasser promises a presentation that will hopefully show commercial carriers that people from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and other major cities will come here if they can do so without a hassle.

“Six years ago, the limiting factor here was a lack of committable hotel rooms,” Vasser says. “Now it’s air service. Everything else is in place: hotel rooms, a great convention center, restaurants, shows. Everything is in place to bring a national convention here except the transportation.”

“We have evolved beyond a day-trip market,” says Adams. “Now we’re able to go out and attract new business.’’

If the coalition succeeds, enhanced air service could be possible as early as 2009.

“For me,” says Adams, “it would be a fabulous example of what we can do when we work together.”

Show Me The Money!

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

In these challenging economic times, most Americans are tightening their purse strings, keeping a close eye on their family budgets, and doing all they can to maintain their financial solvency.

But sound financial management is more than just watching the bills and cutting holiday spending. It’s also about keeping the money that’s rightfully yours—and one way to do that is to make sure you get every tax deduction allowed by law.

Tax deductions are valuable benefits in the tax code that allow you to reduce the amount of your taxable income. For some people, failure to claim deductions can mean the difference between getting a refund and having a balance due.

H&R Block urges taxpayers to look out for these commonly
overlooked deductions:

1. Medical Expenses. In addition to what you’ve spent on doctors, hospitals and medicine, other deductions include health insurance premiums, prescription eyeglasses and contacts, hearing aids, medical transportation, equipment for handicapped people and nursing home expenses.

2. State and Local Taxes. Keep track of income or sales taxes, real estate taxes, and personal property taxes.

3. Charitable Contributions. These include cash and property donated to charitable organizations, including clothing and household items. You can also deduct your auto mileage for travel related to charitable activities.

4. Out-of-Pocket Job Expenses. Most business-related expenses that aren’t reimbursed by your employer, such as costs for travel, uniforms, union dues and continuing education expenses, could be deductible.

5. Job Search Costs. Regardless of whether you land a job, you may deduct the expenses you incur while looking for a new career in your current occupation, including the costs of long distance phone calls, preparing, copying and mailing your resume or career counseling.

6. Student Loan Interest. As much as $2,500 in student loan interest can be deductible but not if the loan came from a relative or if someone else claims you as a dependant.

7. Moving Expenses. The cost of moving yourself, your family and your belongings to a new job location is deductible if requirements are met.

8. Military Reservists’ Deduction. Expenses for reservists who serve more than 100 miles from home and stay overnight can be deducted.

9. Self-Employed. You may deduct half of self-employment taxes, 100 percent of self-employed health insurance pre-miums and contributions to self-employed retirement plans (SEPs, SIMPLEs, etc.)

10. Early Withdrawal Penalties. Any forfeited interest or penalties you incurred after cashing in a CD or time deposit before its maturity date is deductible.

Other deductions also could be available. For more information about frequently overlooked tax deductions go to www.hrblock.com and click on Advice.

And Be Aware of these New Provisions for 2008

• Thinking about buying a home? A refundable tax credit for first-time homebuyers ($7,500, or 10 percent of the purchase price, whichever is lower) is available on 2008 returns. This credit is available to first-time buyers who have not owned a principal residence for the last three years.

• Homeowners who itemize their tax deductions are now able to deduct state and property taxes on their federal return. And an additional standard deduction is now available for taxpayers who own homes but don’t itemize. Single filers can deduct up to $500, and married filers up to $1,000.

• The “kiddie tax” now applies to children under 18, children who are 18 unless they are self-supporting based on earned income, and children 19-23 who are full-time students unless they are self-supporting based on earned income.

• The net long-term capital gain rate of 5 percent was eliminated in 2008.

And Here Are More Ways to Lower Your Tax Bill

Give Till It Helps. You’ll take special pleasure in contributing to your favorite charities when you know it’s reducing your tax bill. Donations made to qualified charities before year’s end can result in serious savings. But remember to itemize, itemize, itemize! Uncle Sam won’t allow for thrift store donations, for example, if you do not have a list of every cast-off winter coat and toaster oven you contribute, plus an estimated fair market value. The list must be signed off by the store.

Pay A Few Bills In Advance. Prepay a few 2009 bills and you can write them off this year. If you make your January mortgage payment this month, you’ve got an additional month of interest to deduct. If you have big medical bills, like braces for the kids, consider making all the payments before December 31. (The IRS allows families to itemize and deduct medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.) And if you have a flexible spending plan (tax-free earnings set aside to cover medical and dental expenses), now’s the time to use it up.

You Can’t Take It With You. So give it away! Each year the government allows you to give anyone a $12,000 tax-free gift. If you’re married, you and your spouse can combine your gift for a total of $24,000. Give to your children and grandchildren and you can actively reduce your future estate taxes.

AC History,

Wynn, Lose or Draw

By David Schwartz Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Casino magnate Steve Wynn is about to open his newest hotel, Encore at Wynn Las Vegas. Wynn is universally credited with remaking the casino resort in Las Vegas (starting with the 1989 opening of the Mirage), but many forget that he made a huge impact in Atlantic City in the early 1980s, with his short-lived Golden Nugget. If Wynn had stayed in Atlantic City, the last 20 years of casino history might have played out quite differently.

Stephen A. Wynn’s father ran a bingo hall in Maryland. From a young age, Wynn was fascinated by the business of gambling. In 1967, he moved to Las Vegas and bought a share in the Frontier, a small Strip casino, where he learned the business as a slot manager and assistant credit manager.

After billionaire Howard Hughes bought the Frontier, Wynn dabbled in a few businesses before returning to casinos at the Golden Nugget. The casino was then a rather bland gambling hall without a hotel. In 1973, after a large stock purchase, Wynn became president and chairman of the board. Once in power, he cleaned house by firing thieving or dishonest employees, then dramatically remodeled the casino. Within a year, Wynn had quadrupled the Golden Nugget’s profits. He soon built several hotel towers and made the casino Downtown’s finest.

With the legalization of gaming in Atlantic City, Wynn set his sights on the East Coast. He first came to town in June 1978. Incognito in a Willie Nelson T-shirt and drawstring pants, he scoped out local real estate. Walking into the lobby of the small Strand Motel at Boston Avenue and the Boardwalk, he offered owner Manny Solomon $8.5 million for the property. Solomon made a few calls to confirm Wynn’s identity, then they shook on it. Steve Wynn was in the Atlantic City casino business.

Wynn planned another Golden Nugget, and built it from the ground up as a Victorian-style white-and-gold luxury hotel. Architect Joel Bergman executed Wynn’s designs.

The Nugget, Atlantic City’s sixth casino, opened December 9, 1980. At 40,000 square feet, it was relatively small, with just 506 rooms, barely over the 500 mandated by the Casino Control Act. Only the Sands had fewer table games. Yet the Golden Nugget was a hit. In 1981, it ranked fourth in total revenues, out-earning, per capita, bigger casinos like Resorts and Bally’s Park Place.

By 1983, the Golden Nugget was the city’s top-earning property, with more than $262 million in revenues for the year. Considering that the hotel had cost $160 million to build, it was clear Wynn had scored an unqualified success.

The Golden Nugget was a popular stop for gamblers because of Wynn’s personality. He appeared in the Nugget’s television commercials (in one, he famously brought headliner Frank Sinatra extra towels). He was a constant presence on the casino floor, greeting employees and patrons alike. One year, Wynn gave a car to each of his managers. This exceptional bonus spread the message that the casino magnate rewarded good service. With his balance sheet firmly in the black, Wynn had good reason to be pleased.

The Nugget’s success convinced Wynn that Atlantic City was a profitable market. He began planning a larger, more elegant casino in the Marina District, but he soon became annoyed by what he regarded as cumbersome regulatory restrictions. Though he held onto his Marina tract, in 1986 Wynn reached an agreement to sell the Golden Nugget to the Bally’s corporation.

After the sale became official in 1987, Bally’s changed the casino’s name to Bally’s Grand. Today, it is the Atlantic City Hilton. It has never recaptured the profitability of the Wynn years. Wynn went on to open the Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip in 1989. It sparked a building boom that transformed Las Vegas from a polyester playground to a hip destination resort.

It’s intriguing to wonder what would have happened if Steve Wynn had not become disenchanted with New Jersey regulators. If he had been given a freer hand here, it’s a good guess that an “Atlantic City Mirage” would have triggered a similar building boom by the shore. If that had happened, perhaps Atlantic City, not Las Vegas, would be the nation’s leading casino destination today.

Employee Profile,

Full House

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

It’s been said that any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad. By that definition, Mark Schisler of Galloway, a financial analyst at Trump Taj Mahal, is one special fellow.

Schisler and his wife, Christina, have adopted four foster children and expect to finalize the adoption of a fifth by year’s end. All are girls, ranging from one to seven. All are happy, healthy and cherished. The oldest is African-American, three are Hispanic, and one is of Asian descent.

So how’s life in the Schisler house? “Every day is an adventure,” Schisler says. “The girls are a joy at times, and at times they drive you crazy. But I can’t imagine what it would be like to not have them now.”

A Toms River native, Schisler originally studied restaurant management, but a year of working 15-hour days at a local eatery convinced him it was the wrong line of work. So he took a slot cashier’s position at the Taj, “just to get my foot in the door.” The strategy worked. Six months later, then-VP of Finance Patrick O’Malley cleared the path to a job in financial operations. Schisler soon ascended to financial analyst.

Meantime, the Schislers, who were unable to have kids of their own, began talking adoption. One day, they saw a sign at a healthcare center near their home: “Foster parents needed.”

“We said, ‘It’s a message from God,’” Schisler recalls. “We knew it was time.”

The couple underwent nine months of rigorous inspections and 27 hours of classes before they were approved to be foster parents. In May 2002, their first child, a nine-month-old girl, arrived. She was followed, two months later, by a newborn. Having two babies in such a short span “was a total shock to us,” Schisler says. “The five-day-old was so fragile, I was scared to hold her.”

But he quickly got over his apprehension, and the family grew. In the next two years, the Schislers took in two more babies, and in August 2007, brought home the last of the girls.

It’s a unique family situation, and Schisler is grateful to his employers for their support. “If something comes up, my bosses are very flexible,” he says. “I appreciate everything the Taj has done for us.”

He is especially thankful to Director of Finance Jim Wright for his understanding. And when riding therapy was recommended for the Schislers’ autistic daughter, Taj General Manager Rosalind Krause donated six months of treatment at the Atlantic Riding Center for the Handicapped (ARCH). The treatment has worked, Schisler says. The child’s motor skills “have increased unbelievably. When she started, she didn’t even walk.”

Though Mark and Christina have welcomed the last of the girls, it may not be the last of the family.

“I still want a boy,” Schisler says. “Luckily, we learned that, when you add another, there’s really not that much more to do.”

Horoscopes,

LEO

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Entertainment,

UPCOMING SHOWS

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

December 5
Harry Connick Jr., Borgata
Ray Davies, Borgata
Stockton Faculty Band, Dante Hall

December 6
Mannheim Steamroller, Harrah’s
Scott Weiland, Borgata
Brian McNight Holiday Show, Resorts

December 7
Viva Italia with Toto Cutugno, Al Bano, Francesco Merola, Taj Mahal

December 7-13
Ben E. King’s White Christmas, Resorts

December 8
George Winston, Ocean City Music Pier

December 12
Avenged Sevenfold, House of Blues

December 12-13
Kenny Rogers, Taj Mahal

December 13
Cheech & Chong, Borgata
Duran Duran, House of Blues
Christmas in Italy featuring Cristina Fontanelli, Dante Hall
Holt vs. Torres, Boardwalk Hall

December 14
Clef Club Community Band, Dante Hall

December 19-20
Holiday Magic with Joe Holiday, Dante Hall

December 27
New Breed Fighters Ultimate Cage Fighting, House of Blues

December 30
The Roots, House of Blues

December 31
Goo Goo Dolls, House of Blues
Craig Ferguson, Borgata
Pointer Sisters, Tropicana
David Allan Grier, Harrah’s

REVIEWS
Ongoing
Yesterday—A Tribute to the Beatles, Tropicana

November 4 - December 20
Sounds of the Season, Tropicana

November 28 - December 28
Cirque Dreams Holidaze, Trump Plaza

December 9-17
Spirit of Christmas, Hilton

December 26-31
Michael Turco’s Magic “Wonder,” Bally’s

Entertainment,

LATE-NIGHT LAUGHS

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Scottish comedian Craig Ferguson stands to inherit the late-night TV throne with his confessional comedy hour, The Late Late Show on CBS.

With roots in punk music, Ferguson began his stand-up career under the pseudonym “Bing Hitler.” He followed that nutty move with roles in controversial television and theater productions before crossing the Atlantic to break into the big time.

After two years of small parts in U.S. TV, Ferguson landed a gig on The Drew Carey Show, where he remained until 2003. In 2004, he took over Craig Kilborn’s hosting spot on The Late Late Show, where his brand of kooky British humor has entertained audiences ever since.

Ferguson recently drew national attention when he campaigned to become an honorary citizen of every state in America before he became a naturalized citizen this year, just in time for the presidential election. These stunts, and the integrity behind them, set Ferguson apart from other hosts presiding over the late night stage.

DIGGING DEEP

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

One of the most famous groups in hip-hop has garnered little mainstream press, in part because their approach to the genre is vastly different than most in hip-hop today. As the forefathers of rap, The Roots always manage to go their own way.

For one, they forego sampling, preferring to perform live. Rap’s edgier side is demonstrated on the group’s new record, Rising Down, which has been a magnet for controversy due to its cover, which references America’s history of slavery, and lyrics that take on social issues like the Iraq war.

The Roots have toured the country in this important year for race and politics, and at every stop have entertained and educated the crowd on hip-hop’s endless potential.

Entertainment,

THE GAMBLER

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Kenny Rogers may be best known for the musical morality tale “The Gambler,” but the singer had a chart-topping history long before that defining hit, in a number of surprising genres.

Rogers’ career began in the mid-1950s with a doo-wop group called the Scholars, and he spent the next few years as a jazz singer. In the 1960s, Rogers joined the folk-rock group First Edition, and recorded hits like the mournful post-Vietnam ballad, “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town.”

In 1976, Rogers launched a solo career, developing a soft pop and country sound. A year later, he struck gold with the No. 1 hit “Lucille.” Next came “The Gambler” and “Coward of the County,” as well as TV movies based on his cowboy persona.

Rogers recorded a series of successful duets—with Dottie West, Dolly Parton, Kim Carnes, even Sheena Easton—and a series of hits penned by Lionel Richie and the Bee Gees. During the 1990s, the country pop king was edged out of the spotlight by a new breed of country star, but his mainstream appeal has remained strong.

In Atlantic City this month, Rogers will roll out standards from his Christmas albums, as well as some of his greatest hits.

Entertainment,

Call Her Madame

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

During the 1970s and ’80s, performer Wayland Flowers and his alter-ego Madame became a show biz phenomenon with their blend of barbed social commentary and outrageously naughty comedy.

When Wayland died in 1988, it seemed the end of Madame’s career. But now, with new handler Rick Skye and a whole new cabaret act, the old girl is back, delighting audiences with her saucy observations about life on the diva list.

“It’s Madame with an E” continues Saturday nights through December at Resorts’ Starlight Room.

Madame, it’s great to have you back. Tell us about your show.

Oh, it’s very Broadway. Lots of glamorous outfits, plenty of singing and dancing—just a crowd-pleasing good time.

Why did you decide to make a comeback?

It was hard losing Wayland; he knew just what strings to pull with me, and always gave me first choice on the gowns! But I've got too much personality to be stuck in a box.

How do you maintain such a hectic pace at your age?

Lots of sleep, and Vicks Vapo-Rub.

You look great, but your face hardly ever moves. Have you had some Botox?

I’ve had tar and feathers, honey. And a little siding.

Didn’t you replace Paul Lynde as the center square on Hollywood Squares?

Yes, and for two years, no one knew the difference!

What are your favorite pastimes?

Men, drinking, entertaining, and entertaining men who have been drinking.

Is it true you have two heads?

No, but like most people, I have two faces.

Is your Resorts show very risqué?

It’s something old, something new, something borrowed and something oh-so-very-blue. So leave the little ones at home, or I guess you could crack the window and leave them in the car.

You’re known for speaking your mind. Doesn’t it get you in trouble?

Oh honey, life is meant to be lived! Why not just say what you think? Let’s have a ball while we’re here.

Entertainment,

Cajun Crooner

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

No one can turn a Christmas carol into a jazz anthem quite like Harry Connick Jr.

Connick’s version of “Jingle Bells” comes complete with full brass, nimble bass and Connick’s agile piano, all imbued with the musical flavor of his native New Orleans. But jazz inflections come naturally to the gifted performer, who comes to Borgata this month.

“My parents would take me to the French Quarter when I was 5 or 6 years old,” Connick says, “and I’d sit in with the bands there. I grew up around musicians. That traditional music and New Orleans influence—the Creole and the Cajun—is inside of me.”

Expect to hear plenty of joyfully jazzy sounds at Connick’s holiday show. The singer-songwriter-arranger, who has enjoyed impressive success as an actor, will likely include selections from his heartfelt 2007 album, Oh My Nola, a tribute to both the city he loves and the people who endured so much during and after Hurricane Katrina.

Connick began performing as a youngster in the Bourbon Street bars of his hometown. He recorded his first album at 19, but really came to prominence two years later, when he composed the score and sang on the soundtrack of the hit film When Harry Met Sally. His silky voice invited comparisons to Frank Sinatra; the young Connick was even dubbed the “vice-chairman of the board.”

But he was never just a crooner. On his recent Christmas CD, What A Night!, Connick put the swing in the season. His powerhouse big band wails on old chestnuts like “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” “We Three Kings” gets a funky treatment, and Connick also serves up amusing novelties like “Zat You, Santa Claus?” and “Santarrific.”

“Christmas was great when I was a child,” Connick says, “but nothing to compare with the Christmases I now have with my family,”

In fact, on What A Night!, his 11-year-old daughter Kate sings along on “Winter Wonderland.” Will she make an appearance in Atlantic City? We’ll know on December 5.

Out & About,

Making Merry

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

This month’s calendar can hardly contain the holiday fun! Here are some highlights.

Tropicana’s Holiday Light Music Show, through January 4 at the Quarter’s Fiesta Plaza, features dazzling lights and holiday songs including “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and “Brazilian Sleigh Bells.” Onstage at Tropicana, it’s Sounds of the Season, a razzle-dazzle revue with high-stepping dancers and holiday music through December 20.

The songs of Christmas will be rendered with a brogue Friday, December 5 when tenors Ciaran Nagle, Anthony Norton and Brian Dunphy perform in Christmas In Ireland at the Stockton Performing Arts Center. And you’ll see visions of sugarplums when the Atlantic City Ballet brings Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker to the Stockton PAC, December 11-13. Don’t miss this holiday classic. Visit www.stockton.edu/pac or call 609-652-9000.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze at Trump Plaza tells the story of Christmas ornaments that come to life and turn into aerialists, singers and dancers. With the spectacle and skill for which Cirque is renowned, this is a don’t-miss attraction through December 28.

Mannheim Steamroller will bring contemporary interpretations of Yuletide favorites to Harrah’s Saturday, December 6. The Steamroller’s combination of technology, special effects and visual media along with powerful arrangements create a holiday concert you won’t soon forget.

The 7th annual Stockton “Goes to the Beach” concert series concludes at Ocean City Music Pier with pianist George Winston performing his famed Winter Solstice. Visit www.ocnj.us.

At Resorts, two R&B stars will lift their voices in praise of the season. The Brian McKnight Holiday Show is Saturday, December 6; Ben E. King’s White Christmas performs weekends through December 13.

The Hilton welcomes Broadway’s Spirit of Christmas December 9-17. This old-fashioned revue is filled to overflowing with good cheer and great music, led by a Rockettes-style kick line.

Christmas goes pop Friday, December 12 at the Ocean City Pops Holiday Concert. Maestro Bill Schieble and his ensemble will offer up a spirited program of carols and other holiday tunes at the Hughes Center. Visit www.ocnj.com.

Enjoy Christmas In Italy with opera star and audience favorite Cristina Fontanelli Saturday, December 13 at Dante Hall. Fontanelli, who has performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center, will deliver stirring renditions of arias and Christmas airs. Visit www.dantehall.org.

The versatile Joe Holiday will bring a blend of magic, dance and song to Dante hall December 19-20 with Holiday Magic. Witness breathtaking illusions and see dance productions featuring the Dance Forum South Dancers. You might even catch a glimpse of Old Saint Nick. Visit www.dantehall.org.

On Saturday, December 13, enjoy Christkindlmarkt from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at historic Tuckerton Seaport. Sip hot mulled cider, sing along with strolling carolers, and enjoy rides, ice cutting demonstrations and refreshments. Visit www.tuckertonseaport.org.

This Wonderful Life at Cape May Stage is a droll adaptation of Frank Capra’s classic, It’s A Wonderful Life. One stalwart actor plays every role: George Bailey, Mary Bailey, Clarence the Angel, Old Man Potter, even Zuzu. Visit www.capemaystage.com.

At East Lynne Theatre Company, also in Cape May, O. Henry’s Christmas Stories come to life December 7, 12 and 13 at 8:30 p.m. Free for kids 12 and under. Visit www.eastlynnetheatercompany.org.

Enjoy a Madrigal Concert by the splendid Doug Murdock Meistersingers Saturday, December 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Church of the Epiphany in Ventnor. The uplifting concert will be performed by vocalists in period dress and followed by a banquet-style feast in the church hall. For tickets, call 822-0285.

’Tis The Season, a Holiday Spectacular comes to Ocean City Music Pier December 19-21. Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with this family-oriented song-and-dance tribute to the holidays. Visit www.ocnj.us.

For casino entertainment, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Community Events

December 1-23 Sounds of Season School Choirs (weekdays, 11 a.m., noon) Trump Taj Mahal lobby, Atlantic City • 800-234-5678 • www.mapsfoundationofsj.org

December 1 to Jan. 4 Holiday Musical Light Show, every hour, Tropicana Casino Resort, Atlantic City • www.tropicana.net

December 1-31 Old-Fashioned Christmas Exhibit
Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington St., Cape May
609-884-5404 • www.capemaymac.org

December 3 Tree Lighting Ceremony, 4 p.m.
In front of Trump Plaza, Atlantic City • 609-449-6437

December 4 to Jan. 4 Holiday Light Show (Thurs.-Sun., 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.) Village Greene, Rt. 9 & Moss Mill Rd., Smithville • 609-748-6160 • www.smithvillenj.com

December 5 Hereford Inlet Lighthouse Christmas Tree Lighting, 6 p.m., Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, 1st & Central Aves., North Wildwood, 609-522-4520 • www.herefordlighthouse.org

December 5-6 Wildwoods Holiday Spectacular Weekend
Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m., Jaycees Christmas Parade, North Wildwood Dec. 6, All-day gift bazaar, 7 p.m. Spectacular Family Holiday Show, Wildwoods Convention Center • 609-729-5501

December 6 Christmas Parade, 6:30 p.m.
Asbury Ave., 6th to 11th St., Ocean City • 609-399-2629

December 6 Frost Bite Car Cruise/Hospitality Night, 5 p.m. -
8 p.m., Village Greene, Rt. 9 & Moss Mill Rd., Smithville
609-748-6160 • www.smithvillenj.com

December 6 Breakfast with Santa, 10 a.m.
Aleathea’s at Inn of Cape May, Ocean Ave., Cape May • 609-884-5555

December 6 LBI Christmas Parade
Long Beach Blvd., Ship Bottom • 609-494-217

December 6-7 Train Show, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Music Pier, Moorlyn Terr. and the Boardwalk, Ocean City • 609-525-9300

December 6, 13 Breakfast with Santa, 9 a.m.
Fred & Ethel’s Lantern Light, Rt. 9 & Moss Mill Rd., Smithville
609-365-0544 • www.smithvillenj.com

December 6, 13, 20 Mardi Gras Parades, 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. Showboat Casino Hotel, Atlantic City

December 6, 13, 27 Christmas Candlelight House Tour, 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May • 609-884-5404

December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 Smithville Holiday Events: Xmas Train, Magical Talking Tree, Santa, Story Time with Mrs. Claus • Village Greene, Rt. 9 & Moss Mill Rd., Smithville • 609-748-6160 • www.smithvillenj.com

December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21 Holiday Festival of Dance, 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., Trump Taj Mahal lobby, Atlantic City • 800-234-5678

December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20,21 Free Horse and Carriage Rides, noon - 3 p.m., City Hall, 9th & Asbury Ave., Ocean City • 609-399-2269

December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20,21 Photos with Santa, noon - 3 p.m.
Music Pier-Moorlyn Terr. and the Boardwalk, Ocean City • 609-399-2629

December 7-9 Dickens Christmas Extravaganza (times & tours vary)
Cape May • 609-884-5404 • www.capemaymac.org

December 11 House Lighting Contest, 5:30 p.m.
Sea Isle City • 609-263-0050 • www.sea-isle-city.nj.us

December 11 LBI Christmas House Tour
Long Beach Blvd., Beach Haven • 609- 494-3752

December 11 Holiday House Tour, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuckerton Seaport, 120 E Main St., Tuckerton • 609-296-8868 • www.tuckertonseaport.org

December 13 Soul of the Season Festival, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
High St., Millville Glasstown Arts District • www.glasstownartsdistrict.com

December 13 Lunch with Mrs. Claus, 1:30 p.m.
Aleathea’s at Inn of Cape May, Ocean Ave., Cape May • 609-884-5555

December 13 Big Band Dance with John Clark, 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Community Hall, Avalon • 609-967-3066

December 13 Christkindlmarkt (Holiday Crafts), 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuckerton Seaport, 120 E Main St., Tuckerton • 609-296-8868

December 13-14 WSF East Coast Challenge National Cheerleading Championship, AC Convention Center, Atlantic City • 609-449-2000

December 14 Holiday Pops Spectacular, 3 p.m.
Toms River North High School, 1245 Old Freehold Rd., Toms River
732-451-0064 • www.gardenstatephilharmonic.com

December 14 Brunch with Santa, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., VFW
301 JFK Blvd., Sea Isle City • 609-263-0050 • www.sea-isle-city.nj.us

December 19 Holiday Party and Opening Reception, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Noyes Museum of Art, 733 Lily Lake Road, Oceanville • 609-652-8848

December 19-21 ‘Tis The Season Holiday Spectacular (times vary)
Music Pier-Moorlyn Terr. and the Boardwalk, Ocean City
609-525-9300 • www.oceancitychamber.com

December 20 Carolfest, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., Music Pier -
Moorlyn Terr. and the Boardwalk, Ocean City • 609-525-9300

December 31 First Night New Years Eve Celebration,
9 a.m. - 11:45 p.m., various locations, Ocean City • 609-525-9300

December 31 New Year's Eve Fireworks, 8:30 p.m.
JFK Blvd. & the Beach, Sea Isle City • www.sea-isle-city.nj.us

Where Are They Now?,

Who You Gonna Call?

By Dave Bontempo Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Phil Satre has thrived on the industry’s cutting edge. These days, he’s head of Nevada-based Sierra Resources, which serves 1.2 million electric customers, 145,000 natural gas customers and could be well-positioned if a coal heating revolution engulfs America.

Satre’s influence encompassed a remarkable 25-year career. Until three years ago, he was a gaming kingpin who spurred the ascent of the Harrah’s brand from two properties to upwards of 40. He served as CEO both of Harrah’s and Harrah’s Entertainment. The Wall Street Journal once named him the best executive in the casino and hotel industries.

“I’m fortunate to have been in the industry when it expanded beyond Nevada and Atlantic City,” says Satre, who now lives in Reno. “But I have to give a lot of the credit to being in Atlantic City. That’s really the reason I entered the business.”

In the early ’80s. Satre, general counsel for the late Bill Harrah, was sent here to export the company model. Atlantic City, gaming’s number two heavyweight, had an immense drive-in market. Harrah’s offered a marina, less congestion, infinitely more parking and a sense of exclusivity.

“The most exciting thing in my career really was the first thing,” Satre says. “We took the Harrah’s brand from our roots in Reno and Lake Tahoe and moved it to Atlantic City during the early days of gaming there. It was gratifying to take the concept Bill Harrah had crafted for 40 years and bring it across the country.

“After some bumps in the road, the success of Harrah’s in Atlantic City was the success that powered the company. Atlantic City had been table-games oriented, but Bill Harrah pioneered the idea that we were unabashedly slanted toward the slot customer. He was ahead of his time in recognizing that slots had the broadest appeal. We knew there was a customer who was being given short shrift in the industry.”

Harrah’s thought big and earned customers around the country. A Total Rewards revolution ensued.

“Before that, you had one program in AC just for AC. You had one in Reno, one in Tahoe. The breakthrough occurred when we cross-marketed and cross-promoted for Harrah’s properties nationwide. It was the foundation of Total Rewards. When we started seeing the revenues hit in the neighborhood of $1 billion to $3 billion, we knew something was working.”

The company also knew what not to emphasize. The bells, whistles, glitz and glamour of spanking new properties did not necessarily define Harrah’s.

“The image of the company was based on the experience the customer has with employees,” Satre indicates. “If you think about other brands, some were based upon a value, like Circus Circus. Some emphasized the physical attributes of the property. We expanded our brand in a way that we were not labeled as upscale or midscale. We had the flexibility not to be confined by the physical attribute of the company.

“You need to do that. In small properties like Indiana, for example, we would not have been able to expand if our brand was big hotels with lots of restaurants, retail and highly themed casinos. We leveraged the collective base of our customers and the great work of our employees.”

Ah, the big ingredient. Employees. Custodians of the realm. Maintaining harmony with them benefits every company. Satre did not want Harrah’s growth to blur the lines of communication.

“We tried to make the employees believe that our success would be theirs,” he says. “Just like we have customer loyalty, we have the 401K plans and try to be very accessible.

“I enjoy knowing the employees by name. As we grew to 40,000 of them, I knew I couldn’t get around to doing it, so we set up a way for them to reach out. It was 1-800-CALL-PHIL. That went right to my office. Everything else for me was put aside. On that day, I took phone calls. People could call anonymously or give their names, it didn’t matter. I just wanted their ideas, insights—anything that was on their mind. It was then my job to follow up on the suggestions. The message was that employees are not just a number out there, they all have input with the CEO.”

It’s another strong use of leverage. With customers and employees, Satre demonstrated that people numbers lead to profit numbers.

Mind, Body & Spirit,

A Farewell to Flabby Arms

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

For women of a certain age, underarm jiggle—also known as “chicken cutlets” and “bat wings”—is an unfortunate fact of life.

Diet, genetics and lifestyle all contribute to the unsightly fat pouches, which keep so many of us in long sleeves no matter what the season.

But you don’t have to live with flabby underarms. Try this exercise series from trainer Joe Reid of Tilton Fitness, as demonstarated by trainers Melissa Young and Diane McManus, and your arms could be firmer and shapelier within weeks. Soon you’ll be able to do the Miss America wave without embarrassment.

Bench Dip

1. Put your hands shoulder-width apart on a secure bench or chair. Straighten your arms, keeping some bend in the elbows to maintain tension in the triceps, and not in your elbow joints.

2. Slowly lower your upper body to the floor, elbows tucked into your sides. Then push yourself back up to the starting position.

Dumbbell Kickback

1. Grab a 3-to-5-pound dumbbell with your right hand and position your left knee and hand onto a flat bench. (This exercise can also been done without a bench, bending slightly forward and keeping a strong, flat back.)

2. With your arm tucked into your side at a 90-degree angle, slowly extend your arm out, keeping the elbow close to the body. Slowly lower back to the starting position, and repeat with your opposite arm.

Modified Pushup

This is your basic pushup, but with the hands positioned close together. As you lower your body, keep the elbows in (if they turn out, you will work the pectoral muscles). Push back to the starting
position.

Exercise Bands

Loop an elastic exercise band over the top of a door, and close the door tight. Keeping your shoulders down and elbows close to the body, position the handles at mid-chest, then slowly push down so the hands end up at the sides of your hips. Try it with palms facing front, then back, to work different muscle fibers.

For each exercise, aim for three sets of 12-15 reps. Don’t hurry through your workout—really experience the tension of each exercise, and rest for 30-60 seconds between each set. Consult an experienced trainer for tips on proper form.

Reid also recommends drinking lots of water, and following your workout with a light snack that combines both protein and carbohydrates. Finally, he says, do not work the same muscle group two days in a row. Your muscles need time to recover.

Water, Water

If you said, “True,” you might get an argument from University of Pennsylvania kidney specialist Dr. Stanley Goldfarb.

Recently interviewed by NPR and WebMD.com, Goldfarb debunked the “8-x-8 rule,” suggesting it’s an old wives’ tale with little supporting clinical evidence. Could the supposed health benefits of water (clearer skin, speedier weight loss, fewer bodily toxins) be unsubstantiated bunk?

It depends who you’re talking to. According to the Mayo Clinic, too little water can drain your energy and make you feel sluggish, and the average adult should chug two to three liters of fluid daily (water and other beverages) just to replace what they eliminate. And some experts contend that by the time you crave water, you’re already dehydrated.

Not so fast, says Today show contributor Dr. Judith Reichman. “We have a marvelous built-in hydration control—it’s called thirst, which works through multiple hormones and sensors in our vascular system,” she says.

Reichman agrees with Goldfarb that “none of the suppositions (about water’s healthy effects) bear medical scrutiny.”

When it comes to weight control, water may be helpful, but not for the reasons we assume. Dr. Madeline Fernstrom of the University of Pittsburgh told NPR that water “is a great strategy for dieters,” if only because it keeps the mouth busy without adding any calories. Plus, plenty of water can lead to a feeling of fullness that may help prevent overeating.

Maybe the best evidence is the evidence of your own senses. If eight glasses a day makes you look and feel great, go for it. Atlantic City tap water has won numerous national taste awards, so let’s raise a collective glass to our crystal-clear municipal supply. Cheers!

Sports Report,

Grudge Match

By Dave Bontempo Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Nothing stirs the senses like the rubber match in a boxing trilogy, regardless of how well-known the boxers are.

Unheralded Kendall Holt and Ricardo Torres unfurl the magic with the third fight in their terrific rivalry December 13 at Boardwalk Hall. Their WBO junior welterweight title bout completes one of the wildest, craziest roller-coaster rides between boxers in recent memory.

In each of their first two fights, the boxer who trailed snatched victory from defeat's door. Torres delivered the first act, stunning Holt with an 11th round technical knockout in Columbia last year. Holt led by seven points on one card and one point on another, with two rounds remaining. Winning either the 11th or 12th round would have given the Paterson native the title. Instead, Torres turned the tables with a knockdown and technical knockout victory before a delirious crowd.

Because the fight was close and generously dubbed “controversial,” the rematch occurred earlier this year in Nevada. Holt then became the magician. He appeared hopelessly out of the fight when Torres dropped him with a right hand 15 seconds into the fight. Less than 30 seconds later, Torres fired a left hook that dropped Holt again. It seemed to be over. Torres moved in for the finish, but BOOM, walked into a left-hook right-hand combination and was knocked out for several minutes. The 180-degree turn had occurred in two seconds.

The memorable turnaround shows how boxing indeed produces miracles. Now Atlantic City showcases the presumed final installment of the three-fight series.

Boxing has enjoyed a few high-profile, three-bout rivalries. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier graced the ’70s with their heavyweight “thrill-ogy.” In the 1980s, Greg Haugen and Vinny Pazienza capped their three-bout affair in Atlantic City. In 2003, Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward fought their tie-breaking battle here (Gatti won, despite breaking his hand on Ward's hip early in the fight).

Rematches prompt the issue of adjustment. In this case, how will Torres rebound after being stopped on a dime? The advantage usually rests with the person who delivered the most recent knockout. Will Holt come gunning for Torres, believing he has Torres’ number, or will he proceed more cautiously? Will being ahead on the scorecards be a joy or a jinx?

Because these questions are legitimate and not easily answered, the bout has intrigue. Holt enters at 24-2 with 13 knockouts. Torres carries a 32-2 mark with 28 knockouts. Avoid getting refreshments when this one gets under way.

Holt-Torres caps a prosperous 2008 for Atlantic City. The volume of bouts was not important, but the implications were.

THE PROVING GROUND

What happened here set the stage for several significant developments in the boxing world.

Paulie Malignaggi utilized the Boardwalk as a stepping stone, with a January victory over Lovemore N’Dou. The Brooklyn fighter, making the first defense of his IBF 140-pound title, struggled throughout the first portion of the fight but managed to rally in the second half and capture a close decision.

How important was it? Malignaggi parlayed the victory into a November showdown against Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas. For the quick-talking New Yorker, the January victory was the difference between a mediocre year and a substantial, career-high payday against Hatton.

April featured two fighters who would later vie in one of boxing’s fights of the year. Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto blazed an impressive doubleheader victory at the Hall, leading to their memorable July battle in Las Vegas.

Margarito avenged an earlier career loss to Kermit Cintron with a decisive victory. He displayed superior strength and attitude, pummeling a fighter who had beaten him earlier. Margarito was a deceptive 2-1 underdog because of the previous loss, but waged one of the best fights in his career.

Cotto complied with the script, obtaining the easy-as-expected victory against Alphonso Gomez. He was far superior and looked unbeatable on this night. Because each triumphed at the Hall, they met three months later in Las Vegas.

Margarito again worked the inside beautifully in that fight, overpowering Cotto and giving the popular Puerto Rican his first defeat ever. The bout had tremendous pace and fan appeal. It should be honored among the top fights of the year, if not gain the distinction outright.

June featured Part One of the Kelly Pavlik saga. Atlantic City was pleased to welcome its adopted son from Youngstown, Ohio, who had scored a pulsating come-from-behind victory over Jermain Taylor the previous September. Filling a void left by the retired Gatti, Pavlik got a hero’s welcome here. Amid the recession and scholastic graduation conflicts in Ohio, Pavlik still drew a respectable crowed for his overwhelming victory against Gary Lockett. Indeed, he looked like the most unbeatable middleweight in the world.

Perhaps he should have stayed there. Or did he simply run into destiny? Pavlik came back to the Hall in October against Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins at a unique 170-pound catch weight. Hopkins, who holds the boxing record of 20 consecutive middleweight defenses (160 pounds) had long since moved up to 175 and become comfortable with the weight. He had battered Antonio Tarver in 2006 in one of his all-time virtuoso performances.

It did not look like he could top that one, but he shattered the standard. Hopkins bullied, harassed and toyed with Pavlik en route to a one-sided verdict. Unleashing combinations against the confused Pavlik, Hopkins delivered a substantial beating. From the third round on, Pavlik was not even in the fight.

The implications of this bout will unwind over the next several months. Pavlik needs time off and a return to the middleweight division. It will be interesting to see what this took out of him.

Hopkins awaited other developments in boxing, secure of another grand payday if he wants one. But his anticipated rematch with Roy Jones will not materialize. Jones was battered in early November by Joe Calzaghe in New York.

Casino Connection Sports Editor Dave Bontempo, an award-winning writer and broadcaster, calls major boxing matches throughout the world for HBO International and pay-per-view companies. He will call the Holt-Torres bout for an international audience.

Ground Breakng,

Discover Bartlett Landing

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Those who crave the comforts of home without the fuss and trouble of home maintenance may find a perfect solution in Bartlett Landing, a rental community surrounded by wooded wildlife habitat in historic Tuckerton, Ocean County.

The community’s chief selling point is its “homelike environment, without all the work,” says Manager Frances Pascavage. “There’s a big clientele for that, including professionals who are just too busy to be bothered with upkeep.”

Bartlett Landing, which opened in 2006, includes miles of trails where walkers and joggers are likely to see osprey, deer, foxes and rare turtles. Of more than 60 original acres, 43 remain natural at the direction of the property owner. Proximity to the beach, fishing and boating ensures ample opportunities for outdoor fun.

Bartlett Landing includes 128 units within 25 buildings, but there are no worries about sound transmission: in every one-story and two-story residence, there’s never another unit above you, and two firewalls separate each unit for both safety and soundproofing.

One of the best interior features: space. Lots and lots of it. At 1,207 square feet, the smallest unit, called the ranch model, is larger than some homes, and includes two bedrooms, two full baths, walk-in closets and a full-size laundry room. The loft model is 1,667 square feet, and as the name suggests, includes an enormous second-level loft as well as an attic. The townhouse, at 1,749 square feet, features an impressive master suite, ample living space upstairs, and a breakfast area. Each unit has an attached garage and separate entrance. All have patios; the loft and townhouse models have porches as well.

“The quality is there inside and out, and it shows,” says Jim Strom, director of marketing and leasing for Bartlett Landing. “But of course the thing that strikes people first is the sheer size and spaciousness.”

The design of these homes might aptly be described as “country contemporary,” or perhaps “seashore contemporary.” Plenty of windows let in natural light and allow residents to enjoy the natural splendor outside. Nine-foot ceilings add to the roomy feeling; some units also have cathedral ceilings.

Entertainment, history, shopping and fine dining are all close by; Tuckerton Seaport, a working maritime village, is within walking distance. Long Beach Island is just 10 minutes away, and Atlantic City is a 30-minute drive down the Parkway.

“Our location is phenomenal,” says Strom. “The town of Tuckerton is like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting—a quaint, nice little town, like America from an era gone by.”

But you don’t have to leave Bartlett Landing to have fun. The community includes a double tennis court, bocce ball and shuffleboard courts, swimming pool in season, and a grand clubhouse with community great room, which often hosts special events for residents and townspeople. Wandering the wooded trails, you can take a companion; pets are welcome for a one-time fee.

And when you’re done playing, there’s a fully equipped fitness center with private showers and saunas.

Contemporary in appeal, in a pristine natural setting and surrounded by some of the most desirable attractions in South Jersey, Bartlett Landing is ideally situated for those who love to explore, hike, fish, go antiquing—then head home, close the door and enjoy a world of privacy.

For more information, please call 609-294-2404 or visit us online http://www.bartlettlanding.com

BY DESIGN: The Winter Garden

Dedicated gardeners know that winter is no excuse to slack off. Why not plant shrubs and trees that keep your yard attractive all year long?

Here are some great selections that look lovely and in some cases attract bird species: Christmas holly shrubs, red osier dogwood, plume grass, bayberry, cranberrybush viburnum, winterberry holly, birch trees, yew shrubs, Canadian hemlocks and Viking black chokeberry.

Look for plants and shrubs of some height, so they won't get covered if it snows. Invite wintering birds by hanging bird feeders among the tree branches.

Hot Eats - Chef's Corner,

The Family Plan at Carmine's

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Carmine’s restaurant is renowned for two things: huge portions of southern Italian food, served family style, and an old-time clubby atmosphere that’s so genuine, it’s hard to believe the restaurant has been here only four years.

Located on two floors of the Quarter at Tropicana with a broad winding staircase that connects the upper and lower levels, Carmine’s offers as unintimidating and pleasant a dining experience as you’re likely to find in Atlantic City. The food is dependably delicious and above all, plentiful; doggie bags are virtually guaranteed.

With beige walls, dark wood wainscoting and warm lighting, the restaurant has an almost sepia color palette, which lends a vintage feel. Cloth-covered tables with ladderback chairs fill the main dining room; paintings and photos of notable Italians and Italian-Americans cover the walls. We made a parlor game of identifying Ezio Pinza, Lou Costello, Jimmy Durante and countless others. (There are also scores of black and white photos of unknown immigrant Americans, all of them original.)

Luckily for music lovers, the soundtrack is as traditional as the setting. Don’t be surprised to hear Sinatra, Perry Como and operatic favorites leading the hit parade.

It’s easy to imagine the stars of another era dining at Carmine’s. Service is prompt and attentive but not cloying; the atmosphere is low-key, warm and welcoming. A core philosophy of the restaurant group, with two locations in New York, one in the Bahamas, and one here, is making customers feel right at home, says General Manager Neil Terjessen.

“We serve everything family style, so people are always passing the food, passing the wine,” Terjessen says. “It’s like being at Grandma’s house for Sunday dinner. Everybody gets into a festive mood.”

The biggest phenomenon at Carmine’s “is people sharing their food with other tables,” Terjessen says.

As for the famous mammoth portions, Carmine’s delivered in spades. A single platter of chicken alla Romana easily fed five, with enough left over to take home. Tender breasts of chicken were heaped on a bed of savory sauteed spinach, with strips of red pepper and grace notes of white wine, garlic and fresh melted mozzarella.

Though my companion found the roasted potatoes a bit overdone, I loved the big wedges, browned to a turn and slightly crunchy at the edges. This main dish, hearty and rib-sticking, was served with a basket of crusty breads (some fresh-baked on premises, some delivered daily from Brooklyn).

Menu favorites include the penne alla vodka, with its distinctive pink sauce made of marinara and heavy cream (the vodka is added just before serving), and chicken parmigiana. There are daily specials too—Tuesday, for example, it’s rack of lamb; Saturday, the 38-ounce split prime rib.

Calorie alert: Carmine’s desserts are also served family style, and it’s far too easy to load up. Our server brought us a huge bowl of tiramisu, made with homemade ladyfingers soaked in espresso, coffee liqueur, and a hint of Marsala wine, making this one intoxicating dessert. The strawberry “shortcake” substitutes marble pound cake for actual shortcake, then loads on the fruit, whipped cream and pistachio nuts. I’m a fan of regular shortcake, but the pound cake worked too. Both desserts were sweet and rich to a fault, and again, we had enough left over to take home.

For the biggest appetites, or a hungry table, Terjessen recommends the Titanic ice cream sundae, created for a New York customer who asked for one of everything on the dessert menu. Made with six full scoops of ice cream, plus pineapple, strawberries, bananas, roasted hazelnuts, chocolate torta and Ferrara wafers, this confection is legendary. We didn’t brave the unsinkable Titanic, but will definitely try it when the kids come along.

Carmine’s seats 550 people at capacity and has two bars with 20 seats each, making it ideal for birthday parties, anniversaries and weddings.

Terjessen says two-thirds of the staff at Carmine’s have been there since day one, which may account for their ease and friendliness, among themselves and with their patrons. With good food, a delightful atmosphere, and a couple of doggie bags to take home, we enjoyed our first visit, and look forward to our next.

CHEF’S CORNER

Chicken or Veal Parmigiana

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)
1 cup of flour
2 large eggs
3 cups of bread crumbs
2 five-ounce chicken breasts or veal cutlets, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
2 cups marinara sauce
5 or 6 1/4-inch-thick slices mozzarella
2 tbsp. grated romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Spread the flour on a large plate. Whisk eggs in a shallow bowl. Spread breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Coat with flour and shake off excess. Dip in the egg mixture and let excess drip off. Press cutlets into bread crumbs, coating both sides. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours until needed.

In large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook cutlets for about 3 minutes each side or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel to drain.

In a sauce pan heat marinara over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer cutlets to ovenproof casserole and place mozzarella on top, sprinkle with grated cheese. Cook in oven 3 to 4 minutes until cheese is melted. Ladle sauce onto large platter and serve cutlets on top.

Carmine’s, The Quarter at Tropicana, Atlantic City
609-572-9300 • Open 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 11:30 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.
Private parties • Takeout menu available

Q & A,

Q&A with Kim Butler

By Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Before anyone in Atlantic City met Kim Butler, they knew her voice.

For several years, Butler was an on-air radio personality at WMGM-FM and WOND-AM. Then she moved to the casino industry, where she did public relations for Trump Plaza, Trump Taj Mahal and Resorts.

In 2003, Butler became marketing director for Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk, a new shopping destination that has since transformed much of the city’s downtown. Now general manager, she was named the Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce Businesswoman of the Year for 2008. Butler remains an energetic spokeswoman for all that’s right about the city. She spoke with Casino Connection Managing Editor Marjorie Preston about current and future plans for the Walk, which has become a major Atlantic City selling point.

Casino Connection: Was it difficult to shift gears from casino marketing to management at Atlantic City Outlets?

Butler: I was so passionate about the prospect for growth that this project represented, I just thought, “Oh boy, no guts, no glory.” It really was a leap of faith, just as it was a leap of faith for the developers to come and turn Michigan Avenue into a pedestrian connector between the Convention Center and the Boardwalk. I liken it to holding hands and jumping off the diving board together.

The Walk was a venture of Cordish and CRDA. How was that alliance forged?

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority provided the land, and Cordish the funding. Two or three other companies were slated to go ahead and build the project; a couple of different developers signed on, but didn’t go ahead. And the whole concept of the outlets was the sheer genius of David Cordish. Outlets are a destination in and of themselves; Atlantic City is a destination. So to have a destination within the destination is a perfect fit.

Before the Walk, what was the neighborhood like here?

It was a scary place. CRDA had put the Miss America Rose Walk along Michigan Avenue in the hopes it would start to clean up the area, which it did, to a certain degree. But there were lots with overgrown weeds, an old warehouse that had been abandoned—it really was like a wasteland in the middle of the city. Not quite the red carpet people hoped to see when they arrived.

Did Cordish work from a template that’s worked in Houston and Tampa?

The specialty of the company is going into urban areas and turning them from economic drains into economic powerhouses. They really redevelop through retail, through mixed use… They do their homework and they understand the vibe of the community. No two projects are alike. But this is definitely one of the first outlet centers in the middle of a city.

Will the fact that these are outlets help your customers through the economic downturn?

Absolutely. First of all, the popularity of outlets is due to the value they represent. You get the very same name brands you buy at a retail location, but here you start with at least a 30 percent savings. There are sales, you can valet park free on Tuesday nights, we have downloadable coupons, and all of a sudden there is a whole lot of value.

You make it easy for people to come here.

That’s an obligation. That’s smart. That’s just good business. We are a tourist destination, but we have a huge base of loyal local customers—people from Voorhees, Cherry Hill, Cape May. We want to make it as inviting as possible for them to come, and thank them for making us a success.

Do you still have holiday shuttles?

We’ve refined it a little bit. Instead of running it as public transportation, we’re actually doing it as a charter. We have nearly a dozen private shopping shuttles scheduled, luxury limo buses. You climb aboard, have refreshments and all kinds of goodies—plasma screen TVs, music, whatever you’d like—and when you get here, you get to shop. We give you a tote bag, your discount book, all your coupons, and go on and have a great time.

It’s $20 per person, so you get that back right away in coupons and transportation. We really want people to come out and enjoy their holiday shopping without having to worry about gas, tolls and parking.

How far do these shuttles go?

I’ve had calls from Baltimore and New York. It’s as near or far as you are.

You’ve said you tried to borrow what you learned about marketing in the casino industry and put it to use at the outlets.

I’ve taken some of the oomph, excitement and sizzle and tried to apply it to retail. My retail compadres across the country look at me and go, “Why would you do that?” We have a promotion now to give away gas, groceries and gift cards for the holidays. So do the casinos. It makes sense, with the strain on people’s pocketbooks, to give gas cards to get people where they’re going, groceries for holiday entertaining, and gift cards for holiday shopping.

We were the endpoint of the Atlantic City Christmas parade, and I extended an offer to the casinos to send some of their entertainers, even if it’s just a couple of gals from the Christmas shows. It makes it a much more festive occasion. We all need to band together and make Atlantic City a great destination, and the way to do that is to work together. Let’s showcase the best of what we have for the holidays.

A comment I get from corporate marketing people is that Atlantic City has more going on from a marketing perspective than all the big chain outlets. They say, “You give us more opportunities to reach out to the community, more opportunities to get involved.” I scratch my head and say, “Really? You mean they don’t do that everywhere?”

When it comes to store layout, is there a proven ratio of apparel stores to restaurants, for example?

It’s a science. There was a time nobody knew there were stores on Arkansas Avenue. They saw them as they drove in, but once they got here, they were hard to find. So, you put a destination store like the Coach Factory Store on the corner. Suddenly people are in search of that brand, and then they’re exposed to all the others on the street. That’s why the big stores are on the corner.

What about expansion plans?

Any time you’re dealing in development and construction, there are things that pop up that are out of your control. We had a successful expansion with Phase II, which brought 40 new stores to the city, so Phase III is a natural. It will open 10 to 15 new retail locations. Sooner rather than later, hopefully in 2009, the shovels will be in the ground.

As a member of the board of directors at Dante Hall, you’re an ardent supporter of the arts. How much does it matter to have a vibrant arts district?

It’s critical. You need the arts to round out, to diversify, to attract and keep people. Part of what makes New York is Broadway, and though I’m not suggesting that Dante Hall is our Broadway, it’s a fabulous venue for all kinds of art: ethnic music, dance troupes, children’s performances. It’s small, it’s intimate, and here’s the best part—it’s extremely affordable. We’re talking ticket prices from $5 to $20, and the occasional $25 ticket. And we have the opportunity at Dante Hall to bring all this to people.

Do you have a typical day? Is there such a thing?

No. The phone rings, the door knocks, and you never know who’s on the other side.

Global Gaming Roundup,

THEY SAID IT!

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

"I would like to see a constitutional amendment down the road to let the people see if they want to spend their money in New York or go to Atlantic City or Connecticut or Vegas or Canada."
—New York State Senator John Bonacic on a possible popular vote to legalize full commercial casinos in the state

"No good deed goes unpunished."
— Tom Carver of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, on an investigation into his role in helping the state of New Jersey take control of Atlantic City’s troubled government

"We can’t look back and second-guess. You would never make a decision. Turn back the clock 15 months. None of what we’re seeing today was happening."
—Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith saying the company is not looking back at its decision to implode the Stardust and start work on Echelon, which is now on hold through 2009.

"If the world came to an end, there would be cockroaches and Sheldon. And Sheldon would immediately be smart enough to open a pest-control company."
— David Kaminer , a former vice president at a Sheldon Adelson operation that ran the Comdex computer trade show, on why he believes Adelson will survive the current financial turmoil

Global Gaming Roundup,

Here We Go Again

By Casino Connection Staff Tue, Nov 25, 2008

Los Angeles-based Trilliant Gaming Inc. offered Illinois $435 million last month to use the state’s last available gaming license for a casino in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont. Trilliant is headed by former MGM Mirage President Alex Yemenidjian. Yemenidjian is in a joint venture with Onex Corporation, a Canadian private-equity firm headquartered in Toronto.

Trilliant’s offer surprised observers who expected the dormant Emerald Gaming license to fetch little more than $300 million because of current market and credit conditions. Those conditions may have been reflected in the other bids, which ranged from $225 million down to $60 million.

In an aborted 2004 auction, Isle of Capri Casinos put up $518 million for the 10th Illinois casino license. Isle also planned to build in Rosemont, seen as a lucrative location because it’s between downtown Chicago and the city’s busy airport, O’Hare International.

Last month’s applications launch a selection process the Illinois Gaming Board expects to finish by year’s end. After public presentations from all contenders, the board will choose three finalists by considering points such as incentives for host communities, minority employment plans, even cannibalization of nine existing Illinois casinos’ revenue.

Other communities vying for the license are all close-in Chicago suburbs except for Waukegan near the Wisconsin border north of the city.

Global Gaming Roundup,

Good News… For a Change

By Casino Connection Staff

It was an historic election in the United States last month. Voters elected the first African American president, the Democrats gained a broader control of Congress and gaming celebrated its most positive results in years.

Barack Obama’s election to the presidency was not only historic, but it could be transformative. While the impact of an Obama administration and an overwhelmingly Democratic Congress is uncertain on gaming, online gaming is more enthusiastic since the role of champion Rep. Barney Frank has been front-and-center in the economic bailout.

But it was in state referendums where the gaming industry made the most gains. The following results were mostly good news for the gaming business:

Colorado Adds Craps and More

Sixty percent of Colorado voters favored Amendment 50, which allows the state’s three gambling towns to let casinos raise maximum bets to $100 from $5, add craps and roulette, and stay open 24 hours every day. The changes could take effect by mid-2009.

Cripple Creek’s mayor said the local vote will be held as soon as possible. Black Hawk and Central City were expected to follow suit soon.
New taxes from increased gaming revenue will go mostly to Colorado’s community college system. “The state estimates the revisions would bring in an additional $300 million over the next five years,” one report said.

Maryland: Yes on Slots

Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment that legalizes a total of 15,000 slot machines to be placed at five locations in the state. The amendment, crafted and promoted by Governor Martin O’Malley (l.), passed with a comfortable 59 percent margin.

The referendum authorizes slots at one facility in each of three counties—Anne Arundel, Cecil and Worcester—plus one in the city of Baltimore and another on state-owned land at Rocky Gap State Park in western Maryland. The specific locations sited provide that slots may be added to two racetracks, Laurel Park in Anne Arundel County and Ocean Downs in Worcester County. While the language of the referendum does not require slots to be added to those specific sites, it has been presumed that those tracks will become racinos.

The amendment provides for the creation of a gambling commission that would be empowered to alter the number of slots permitted in any one location according to market conditions, though none will be permitted to have more than 4,750.

Maine Casino Rejected

Hollywood Slots casino in Bangor will remain the only slots in Maine with the decisive defeat Tuesday of Question 2, a measure that would have authorized a $184 million casino and hotel in Oxford County.

The vote was 54 percent versus 46 percent against Las Vegas-based Olympia Gaming's proposal that it jumped into weeks before the election after the original sponsor dropped out.

Not Now in Ohio

Ohio’s Issue 6 casino proposal went down in a 2-1 vote with about 3.28 million voting against it and 1.95 million for, yet the proponents, MyOhioNow, say they will return again next year with a more fine-tuned proposal, this one with casinos in multiple locations, instead of just one.

Missouri Ends Loss Limits

Voters in Missouri ended the state’s unique $500 gambling loss limit put in place in 1992 that casino owners felt had hobbled the gaming industry and made it less competitive against casinos in other states.
    The vote on Proposition A was lopsided, 56 percent in favor and 44 percent against.
   To balance out the removal of the loss limit, gaming taxes will go from 20 percent to 21 percent, giving education an estimated additional $110 million a year and putting a lid on new casinos in the state at 13, something that existing casino owners are happy about, since it means that the market won’t become saturated.
   The limit was immediately lifted.

West Virginia Resort Goes to Tables

A referendum authorizing table games at the Greenbrier Resort passed by 366 of 13,000 votes cast in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. The vote prompted the resort to start seeking “a third-party advisor to comprehensively evaluate gaming’s potential impacts,” Greenbrier President Andrew Fogarty wrote to employees the day after the election.

Other Issues

In Massachusetts, voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum that puts an end to greyhound racing before January 1, 2010. The results means that the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park in Raynham and the Wonderland Greyhound Park in Revere will be forced to close, throwing more than 1,000 people out of work. It’s unclear what this means to the tracks’ pursuit of slots, which has been put aside until next year.

Arkansans voted 63 percent to 37 percent to legalize a lottery, which the state constitution has banned for 172 years.

In Delaware, Jack Markell was elected governor. Markell is open to the expansion of gaming, which was not true of the current governor, Ruth Ann Minner. Delaware is likely to add sports betting and table games within the next two years to combat the threat of slot machines in Maryland.

The Tides,

Faces & Places

By Casino Connection Staff

The Tides,

The Giving Tree

By Casino Connection Staff

Trump Plaza’s annual tree lighting is set for December 3 at 4 p.m. The ceremony includes a 76-foot tree, 8,800 lights and a student choir from Charter Tech High.

Once again, the Plaza will hold a toy drive to benefit families of the military. Project Little Soldier will accept new, unwrapped toys to benefit area children whose parents are overseas. There will also be a drop box in the Plaza lobby through December 12. Last year’s drive collected 300 toys and $2,000 in cash donations.

Through December 24 at Trump Taj Mahal, 33 local school choirs will present the music of the season daily from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. On weekends, 24 area dance studios will present the Holiday Dance Fest from noon to 4 p.m. They will entertain to benefit the MAPS Foundation of South Jersey, which assists people with multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. MAPS Foundation will also sell holiday wreaths at Trump Taj Mahal through December 24. Price: $25.

For busy shoppers, MAPS will provide gift wrapping at Tahari boutique at the Quarter at Tropicana, noon to 9 p.m. daily. Gifts do not have to be purchased at Tahari; you can drop them off and pick them up later. Casino workers with ID get a 50 percent discount.

News Flash: Obama Wins!

By Casino Connection Staff

No, we’re not talking about electoral college votes. We’re talking about electoral cocktail votes, tallied at Borgata’s Gypsy Bar in the weeks prior to Election Day.

Patrons supported their candidates by ordering one of three specialty drinks: Ciroc Obama; the McCainarita; and the Miss Independent.

No surprises here: Obama captured 52.6 percent of the vote, McCain won 25.6 percent, and the Independents brought up the rear, with 21.8 percent.

Of course, in this election, we wouldn’t be surprised if some people voted twice.

The Tides,

All Roads Lead to Revel

In more signs of the national and global economic crisis, some Atlantic City casino operators have been forced to lay off staff, Pinnacle Entertainment Chairman Dan Lee said the company’s Boardwalk mega-resort is on “indefinite hold,” MGM Mirage has tabled plans for a $5 billion casino complex, and the Wild Wild West is closing its gaming tables from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. to cut costs.

Representatives from Harrah’s Entertainment last month pointed to a combination of factors—the economy, increased out-of-state competition, and the city’s controversial smoking ban—for sluggish business, especially mid-week, at its four casinos: Harrah’s, Bally’s, Caesars and Showboat. As a result, the company has laid off more than 1,000 employees.

Borgata has also instituted layoffs, releasing about 400 employees, and the Tropicana made modest cuts in late November, laying off 50 supervisors.

In a conference call with investors, Lee said Pinnacle’s plan to build a $2 billion casino resort on the Atlantic City Boardwalk is off again—at least for now—a casualty of the sluggish economy and frozen credit markets. He also cited increased competition from Pennsylvania and Maryland, which
just voted to permit 15,000 slots in five counties.

Pinnacle also pointed to the potential development of casinos at Bader Field, the city’s former airport, as a reason to move cautiously. Yet the casino operator continues development of its construction site on Kentucky Avenue, with plans to take down several motels on the block—the Comfort Inn, the Econo Lodge, and the Miami Hotel-by year’s end.

MGM, in a report on third-quarter earnings, said the economy had caused it to “reassess the timing” of its resort complex near the Borgata.

“We continue to believe Atlantic City represents an important market for further development,” said CEO Terry Lanni, in a statement issued shortly before his surprise resignation. “We intend to resume development at such time as economic conditions and capital markets are sufficiently improved.”

Layoffs are an unfortunate but necessary element of a recession. Casinos don’t want to lose valuable workers, but economic times force their hands.

Bob McDevitt, president of UNITE HERE Local 54, while expressing concern about the layoffs, says the economic crisis could be the catalyst for positive change that will ultimately serve the city. “It’s an opportunity to bring up service standards and get creative with the companies … to bring customers back and make Atlantic City a place that people come to, even in a time of economic strain,” McDevitt said.

Mayor Lorenzo Langford, who was reelected November 4 to serve out the unexpired term of former Mayor Robert Levy, pledged to help the laid-off casino workers find employment. Langford is a former casino dealer.

Atlantic City’s 11 casinos reported a 22.9 percent decrease in gross operating profits in third-quarter 2008, according to figures released last month by the Casino Control Commission.

But the year-over-year revenue decline of nearly 10 percent in October was actually an improvement over September, when revenues dropped 15.1 percent. It was the biggest one-month decline in Atlantic City history.

Outlook,

Playing Santa

For many of us, the holidays mean one word: shopping. And Atlantic City is a gold mine of affordable gifts that are a little different, very fun and always unique.

Start with James’ Salt Water Taffy. Since the 1800s, James Candy Company has offered everything from salt water taffy to chocolate to macaroons. Online specials (www.jamescandy.com) include a pound box of taffy free with the purchase of $40 or more. New this year: nostalgic wrapping paper that recreates the company’s original wrapping paper from the early 1900s.

Visit the Absecon Lighthouse for merchandise including lighthouse replicas, jewelry, toys, books, artwork, photography, pillows and more. The lighthouse can also ship special requests for a $5 shipping and handling fee. For more information, visit www.abseconlighthouse.org or call 609-449-1360.

Get a Lucy the Elephant Christmas card and have your holiday greetings stand out from the rest. You can also choose from an array of artwork, clothing and collectibles. Visit Lucy the Elephant in nearby Margate, shop online at www.lucytheelephant.org or call 609-823-6473.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center features “Cupid the Seal” T-shirts, pins, jackets, stuffed animals and gold and silver jewelry. There’s also the Adopt-a-Seal program, which provides food, medicine and care for a sick or injured seal (just $25). Each Adopt-a-Seal package includes a photo of your adopted seal, along with its history. For more information, call 609-266-0538 or visit www.marinemammalstrandingcenter.org.

The Atlantic City Aquarium at Historic Gardner’s Basin offers educational gifts, sweatshirts, T-shirts, plush toys, puzzles and games. Priced under $25, they’re great stocking stuffers. Call 609-348-2880, ext. 14, or visit www.oceanlifecenter.com.

Steel Pier is offering season passes for the first time: one for $99, two or three for $89, four or more for $79. In addition to receiving an all-day ride wristband with each visit, pass holders get a free appetizer with one adult entrée at the Rainforest Café; a customer discount book at Atlantic City Outlets worth $600 in coupons; two free Morning Skyline Cruise tickets for Atlantic City Cruises; 10 percent off all food, beverages and merchandise at Tun Tavern; $1 off the admission price at the Atlantic City Aquarium, and much more. Visit www.steelpier.com for details.

With 100 outlet stores you can certainly find what you’re looking for at Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk. Gift cards are available at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and there’s also a special on gift wrapping: buy one gift wrap of any size and get one gift wrap of equal or lesser value free, available at Amici Pizza on Baltic Avenue. For more information on Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk, visit www.acoutlets.com.

The Pier Shops at Caesars is a shopper’s delight with nearly 90 retailers. With such a huge selection, a Pier Shops at Caesars Gift Card might be just the ticket. Gift cards are available for purchase at the service station at the main entrance on the Boardwalk level. For more information, visit www.thepiershopsatcaesars.com.

The Quarter at Tropicana has many stores with discounts and specials this time of year. With 25 retail shops, Tropicana gift cards, more than 15 restaurants and more than 12 places to party, Tropicana is a one-stop shopping, dining and party destination. Visit www.tropicana.net/holiday for more holiday information.

Stop by Atlantic City’s House of Blues in Showboat and pick out apparel that’ll rock your house during the holidays. There are plenty of hats, collectibles, T-shirts, glasses, sweatshirts, special edition pins and children’s clothing. There’s even a selection of hot sauce and seasonings to choose from. For more information, visit www.hob.com or call 609-236-BLUE.

For true “Always Turned On” Atlantic City merchandise, stop at either of the Visitor Welcome Centers on the Atlantic City Expressway and on the Boardwalk at the Mississippi Avenue side of Boardwalk Hall. You’ll find an abundance of Atlantic City logo merchandise including golf caps, teddy bears, sweatshirts, T-shirts, AC decals, flip-flops, striped carry-alls and candles. You can even get EZ Pass on the go for $29.

Hours of operation for stores and attractions vary, so make sure to call or check the website before visiting. From me and everyone at the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, please have a safe, happy and Always Turned On holiday season.

CANJ,

Seasons of Giving

As we approach the holiday season, especially in these difficult economic times, it’s time to thank our industry and employees for their philanthropy and a generosity of spirit that is truly year-round.

Making a positive difference in the lives of our neighbors is a commitment the casinos take to heart. Giving back is a core belief shared by our entire industry. Our member companies budget generously for charitable contributions and take care to allocate these resources to positively affect the greatest number possible.

For years, the casino industry has been the largest benefactor of the United Way of Atlantic County, donating millions of dollars. In 2007 alone, Atlantic City casinos donated more than $1.1 million to the United Way, which in turn assists many other charitable organizations. We proudly note that, out of 20,000 total United Way donors in Atlantic County, 11,700 were casino employees.

We’re proud that our senior executives have served as United Way Casino Division chairpeople. The Casino Division chairman for 2008 is Bally’s General Manager Joe Domenico. Past chairmen have included Trump’s Mark Juliano (Campaign chair), Harrah’s Michael Walsh (Casino Division chair), Trump’s Mark Sachais (chairman of the Board of Directors), and Showboat’s Jay Snowden (2008 chairman of ACCEL, Atlantic County Community’s Emerging Leaders).

Charitable giving is not limited to writing checks and raising funds. It includes the volunteer spirit exhibited every day by thousands of employees who give thousands of valuable hours to causes they care about. They have prepared and served food in Sister Jean’s Kitchen, built Habitat for Humanity homes, and participated in walkathons, road races and bikeathons for charities like the Alzheimer’s Association, the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society. Casino workers have participated in the Atlantic City Boy’s and Girl’s Club’s “Men Are Cooking” event, served as mentors to area youth, and engaged in other charitable activities too numerous to list.

Our casinos also make numerous in-kind donations including food to the South Jersey Food Bank, school supplies to local schools and supplies for soldiers overseas, to mention just a few. Other in-kind donations include thousands of room nights, fine dining meals and spa packages that the casinos donate for silent auctions at both local and regional charitable events.

All our properties participate in Red Cross blood drives throughout the year, and our industry far exceeds any Red Cross donor group in Atlantic County, with a projected increase this year.

Our considerable involvement in assisting others, be it through charitable donations to fund medical research or helping to feed and clothe those in need, is an integral part of our presence here. Our industry has demonstrated, time after time, its willingness to give to others. As we grow and prosper, that commitment will grow as well.

These are difficult economic times for everyone, but our extended family of casino employees never forgets those who need help the most.

May this holiday season find you and your loved ones in good health, and may good fortune be yours as well. Happy holidays!

Early Out,

Perpetual Campaign

Most of us were relieved to see the end of the campaign season last month, no matter who we favored. The election of Barack Obama is an historic event and all Americans should be proud of his victory. Hopefully, it will be the beginning of the end of the racial divisiveness that has plagued us for too long.

The election of Lorenzo Langford as mayor is also a milestone for Atlantic City. But he doesn’t have long to celebrate. Langford is filling the final year of Bob Levy’s term, cut bizarrely short by several scandals. A short stint as mayor by City Council President William “Speedy” Marsh and a full year under an unelected mayor, Scott Evans, only deepened the bedlam.

Langford’s term is shortened even further by the political realities of Atlantic City. As a city dominated by Democrats, the November general election is something of an afterthought. The real election is the Democratic primary, held in June. So if Langford has any political aspirations beyond his one-year term, he has to start campaigning for the next four-year span immediately, which presents Atlantic City voters with something of a conundrum. How do you evaluate the performance of Langford in office if he has such a short time to establish his agenda?

Langford has been less than forthcoming about his plans for the city. His answers to Casino Connection’s candidates Q&A in the October issue were almost evasive. Since his election, he has been equally circumspect about his plans, pointing to a January “State of the City” speech, when he will reveal his one-year administration’s direction.

Since he won’t tell us where he plans to take the city, we’ll be a little presumptuous and outline our view of where he should go in order to qualify for a full four-year term in 2009.

• Cut Taxes: Atlantic City’s budget is fat and bloated. For a city of 37,000 people, a budget of more than $200 million is ludicrous. Even given the 30 million visitors Atlantic City gets (or used to get), that number is way out of line. Newark has a budget of $250 million and a population of 350,000 and services 10 times the people with a fraction more of a budget.

To demonstrate he will not continue the fiscal lunacy that we’ve seen over the past three years, Langford needs to cut the budget substantially. He needs to gut City Hall of the friends and cronies of mayors and councils past and present who do nothing for the city. He needs to streamline services and identify programs that serve miniscule portions of the community.

• Support Casino Development: Yes, I understand that there are not many companies interested in Atlantic City in this environment, but the mayor needs to send a signal that he is willing and able to work with any company hoping to locate in Atlantic City. During his previous term, his enthusiasm for new casino development was not apparent, and that scared some companies away. Langford needs to reverse that. Remember, the casino industry is the engine that drives the city.

• Reject Development of Bader Field: Unless that magic number of $1 billion is hit, Langford needs to teach a lesson in economics to City Council. Here we are in the worst economy in the past 50 years and they want to sell the last piece of developable land the city owns. Anyone with common sense (and no promise of a payback) understands this. Langford should show leadership on this issue.

• Support Casino Employees Running for Office: Of all people, Langford should understand what it would mean to the city if casino executives and employees were permitted to run for office (including the office of mayor!). He was forced to resign his job as a pit boss when he was first elected. Langford knows the prohibition isn’t fair and he needs to take a lead role in moving this forward, since our senator and assemblymen seem to be scared of the issue.

This is a modest agenda for Langford’s less-than-one-year term. But he doesn’t have time to do much more, so we believe if he targeted these four issues and demonstrated leadership, we would be glad to support him for another four years to tackle other, more complicated issues the city faces.

Interview with John Pasqualoni, President, Resorts Atlantic City

By Fri, Sep 19, 2008

Interview with Curtis Bashaw, Partner, Bashaw-Barr Inc.

By Frank Legato Thu, Jun 19, 2008

SPECIAL EDITION: 30 YEARS OF GAMING IN ATLANTIC CITY, Part 3

By Roger Gros Mon, May 19, 2008

SPECIAL EDITION: 30 YEARS OF GAMING IN ATLANTIC CITY, Part 2

By Roger Gros Mon, May 12, 2008

interview with Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R. New Jersey)

By Roger Gros Mon, Mar 10, 2008

Interview with Paul Rubeli

By Roger Gros Wed, May 23, 2007

Interview with Carlos Tolosa

By Roger Gros Wed, May 23, 2007

Interview with Vince Donlevie

By Frank Legato Tue, May 22, 2007

Interview with Mark Juliano

By Roger Gros Tue, May 22, 2007

Interview with Curtis Bashaw

By Frank Legato Thu, Mar 01, 2007

You Tube Videos,

Atlantic City Events February 2010

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!

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

You Tube Videos,

Atlantic City Outlets Holiday 2010 video

By NBC 40 WMGM Wed, Dec 02, 2009

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

You Tube Videos,

Table Games Coming to Pennsylvania Video

By NBC 40 WMGM Wed, Sep 30, 2009

You Tube Videos,

Atlantic City bids goodbye to Arturo Gatti Video

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.

You Tube Videos,

Resorts turning over ownership to company owned by Wells Fargo VIDEO

By NBC 40 WMGM Tue, Sep 22, 2009

You Tube Videos,

Lenders might take over Resorts, Hilton & Carl Icahn takes over Tropicana VIDEO

By NBC 40 WMGM Mon, Sep 21, 2009

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

You Tube Videos,

Don Marrandino named president of Harrah's Eastern Division Video

By NBC 40 WMGM Fri, Sep 11, 2009

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

Vol. 5, No. 12, December 2008

12 Days of Christmas

The 4th Annual Casino Connection Choice Awards

Ringing in the New Year

Flight Maneuvers

Show Me The Money!

AC History,

Wynn, Lose or Draw

Employee Profile,

Full House

Horoscopes,

CAPRICORN

Horoscopes,

SAGITTARIUS

Horoscopes,

SCORPIO

Horoscopes,

LIBRA

Horoscopes,

VIRGO

Horoscopes,

LEO

Horoscopes,

CANCER

Horoscopes,

GEMINI

Horoscopes,

TAURUS

Horoscopes,

ARIES

Horoscopes,

PISCES

Horoscopes,

Aquarius

MultiMedia,

BOOK REVIEW: Summer at Tiffany

MultiMedia,

VIDEO GAME REVIEW: Fallout 3

MultiMedia,

CD REVIEW: Fearless

MultiMedia,

DVD REVIEW: Get Smart

Entertainment,

UPCOMING SHOWS

Entertainment,

LATE-NIGHT LAUGHS

DIGGING DEEP

Entertainment,

THE GAMBLER

Entertainment,

Call Her Madame

Entertainment,

Cajun Crooner

Out & About,

Making Merry

Where Are They Now?,

Who You Gonna Call?

Mind, Body & Spirit,

A Farewell to Flabby Arms

Sports Report,

Grudge Match

Ground Breakng,

Discover Bartlett Landing

Hot Eats - Chef's Corner,

The Family Plan at Carmine's

Q & A,

Q&A with Kim Butler

Global Gaming Roundup,

THEY SAID IT!

Global Gaming Roundup,

Here We Go Again

Global Gaming Roundup,

Good News… For a Change

The Tides,

Faces & Places

The Tides,

The Giving Tree

News Flash: Obama Wins!

The Tides,

All Roads Lead to Revel