By Joseph Harrison  

Atlantic City may be known as a casino destination, but the town has recently raised the steaks—and that's not a misprint. With the recent addition of national steakhouse powerhouses Gallagher's at Resorts, Morton's at Caesars, Ruth's Chris at the Walk and the Palm at the Tropicana, Atlantic City has instantly become a steak lovers' destination, especially when you combine them with the impressive steak joints at nearly every casino. "It was my feeling that this was a natural progression, and all eyes have been really on Vegas the past couple of years and the growth of the retail and dining marketplace," says Trump Plaza Vice President of Hotel Operations Frank Freedman. "Give people more options and they will come. When a place like the Palm opens, then other places like Morton's and Ruth's Chris say they want to be there, too. They can't afford to leave an important marketplace like Atlantic City to their competition." "Honestly, we always knew that this was going to happen," adds Michael Bowman, Harrah's Entertainment vice president of Atlantic City food and beverage operations. "It happened in New York and Philly and Vegas, and we're just catching up." Some aren't as sure. "I have 20 years of experience in this town," says Paul Sander, assistant general manager of the Palm in Atlantic City. "If you asked me if I thought this would happen five years ago, I would have said it's not going to happen. Ask me now, and, of course, I love the idea. It is really important for Atlantic City to be successful culinarily if we are going to get to the next level and become a destination to attract people away from Philadelphia and New York. Let face it: people want that big piece of meat and a great bottle of wine. " "It is nice to see people back and enjoying steakhouses," says Jay Chesterton, director of food and beverage for Trump Taj Mahal. "There was a brief time there when the American public took a pause with respect to beef. But all of a sudden, there is a resurgence in good-quality beef. Not just beef, but quality beef." If all this talk of steakhouses has your mouth watering for a big, juicy slab of beef, here's some help in making your decision on where you should dig into a steak in Atlantic City. [Brighton Steakhouse, Sands] SYNOPSIS: Considered one of the best steakhouses in the city, the Brighton features the nuts and bolts of what make a steakhouse successful: USDA Prime meat, onion soup, lobster bisque, clam chowder, seafood and other steakhouse fare presented by Executive Chef Paul Drew. DÉCOR: Featuring one of the most modern designs of any steakhouse in Atlantic City, the Brighton's rich reds and oranges combined with hardwood floors and asymmetrical shapes make it one of the most striking restaurants in the city. The layout of the restaurant is also very intimate so your experience is very personal and not crowded. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $110 WHY GO THERE: Quality and service. "We have enjoyed the confidence of the public," says Preben Wulff, vice president of the Sands' food and beverage operations. "Press readers voted us the No. 1 steakhouse in the casinos this year, and Zagat rated us the best value steakhouse." SIGNATURE STEAK: 16-ounce New York Prime strip. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Chilean sea bass and sesame-crusted tuna. WINE LIST: Specializing in California and French wines, the Brighton also has some very appealing Italian selections. RESERVATIONS: 609-441-4000. Open 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. [High Steaks, Trump Marina] SYNOPSIS: High Steaks and the other two Trump casino steakhouses are the only three restaurants in town offering Prime Certified Angus Beef. A true American steakhouse, High Steaks' open atmosphere and location right off the casino floor make this a fun place to dine with great food thanks to Executive Chef Ray Bertschy. DÉCOR: The most unique steakhouse in town, High Steaks' Southwest décor remains classy despite its cattle horn chandeliers. Brightly lit with an open atmosphere, High Steaks lends itself to be a fun place to dine. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $120 WHY GO THERE: Other than the interesting décor and liveliness of the room, the main reason to go to High Steaks is its high quality of beef. "You can't get any better than Prime Certified Angus Beef unless you went to some of the exotic Kobe items, and that's usually out of most people's price range," says Chuck Newland, director of food and beverage for Trump Marina. SIGNATURE STEAK: The 24-ounce porterhouse. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Broiled salmon with shiitake mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes topped with crabmeat. WINE LIST: A fine list specializing in California cabernets. RESERVATIONS: 609-441-8355. Open 6 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. [Gallagher's, Resorts] SYNOPSIS: Walk into the bar area of Gallagher's, and despite its modern architecture, there is something very nostalgic about this legendary New York restaurant transplanted to Atlantic City. But the atmosphere, complete with black-and-white photos of celebrities, isn't the only thing that tells you it's Gallagher's: the food matches up. DÉCOR: Known for its red-checkered tablecloths and classic architecture in New York, the Atlantic City version is more modern, yet it still pays homage to its New York founder with dark woods, low lighting, leather banquette seating and a masculine aura. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $120 to $130 WHY GO THERE: Because it's one of the best steakhouses in the city, especially if you appreciate the dry aging method the steaks go through. SIGNATURE STEAK: Since Gallagher's invented the New York Strip, how can you not have one of these 22-ounce bone-in beauties? STEAK ALTERNATIVES: The jumbo lump crab cakes are phenomenal, and a seasonal vegetable platter is a unique steakhouse entrée. WINE LIST: While still developing, Gallagher's already has 120 labels with something for everyone. There are some really nice values and boutique wines here that you won't see on every list. RESERVATIONS: 609-340-6555. Open 5 p.m. daily. [Max's Steakhouse, Trump Plaza] SYNOPSIS: The longtime casino favorite is not your typical steakhouse, in that you will not only find traditional steakhouse staples like colossal shrimp and fine beef, but the menu also boasts unexpected delights including Asian- and French-inspired cuisine created by executive chef Antonio Campaniello and room chef Gordon Greenlee. DÉCOR: Offering a very country club-like atmosphere, Max's features warm woods, low lighting, tin ceilings and classic standards from the likes of Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra to set the mood. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $140 WHY GO THERE: Like the other Trump steakhouses, the Prime Certified Angus Beef is the main reason to go, but Freedman says the service is second to none. "We have a lot of the original staff in that room, so they have been in there close to 20 years. You get very personalized service, and it's very intimate at 120 capacity." SIGNATURE STEAK: 24-ounce bone-in ribeye. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Seafood includes pepper-crusted seared tuna and Pacific prawns in garlic butter, as well as fish flown in daily from Hawaii and the West Coast. WINE LIST: One of the most interesting wine lists in town, Max's specializes in boutique, hard-to-find California wines that are not overly expensive. RESERVATIONS: 609-441-6224. Open 6 p.m. Friday to Tuesday. [Morton's The Steakhouse, Caesars] SYNOPSIS: Founded less than 30 yeas ago in Chicago, Morton's has become a nationwide chain of 69 well-respected restaurants serving quality Prime-aged, Midwest grain-fed beef. DÉCOR: An upper-crust speakeasy that is high-energy and upscale with banquettes, rich woods, an open kitchen and the most beautiful bar in any Atlantic City steakhouse. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $130 to $150 WHY GO THERE: Because it's Morton's, and you have to see what all the fuss is about. While expensive, Morton's service and food are quite extraordinary. SIGNATURE STEAK: Chicago-style bone-in ribeye, which can be prepared Cajun-style. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: The menu concentrates on steak, but there are a couple of chicken and seafood choices. WINE LIST: One of the most impressive in the city, Morton's boasts a collection of 2,000 selections with an inventory of 100,000 bottles. RESERVATIONS: 609-449-1044. Open 5:30 p.m. daily; bar opens at 5 p.m. [Nero's Grill, Caesars] SYNOPSIS: One of the pricier restaurants in the city, Nero's Grill makes it worth it with its gourmet menu and quality service. Director of Food and Executive Chef Joseph Giunta offers very traditional cuisine with some flair. Unlike most steakhouses in the city, Nero's uses more light sauces and gourmet touches. DÉCOR: Old World charm is obvious in this very elegant room that features a red color scheme, nostalgic furniture and a Romanesque class. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $140 WHY GO THERE: Consistency. The amazing staff and well-trained kitchen staff make Nero's a trip to remember. SIGNATURE STEAK: 22-ounce porterhouse. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: The Dover sole or three-pound lobster, de-shelled tableside. WINE LIST: California and Italian varieties comprise a large portion of this impressive list. RESERVATIONS: 609-348-4411. Open 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. [The Oaks, Hilton] SYNOPSIS: This New York-style steak and seafood house offers everything you would expect from a high-end steakhouse, including some great Prime beef presented by Oaks Chef Lee Finkle. DÉCOR: Its over-the-top masculine setting has lots of woods and brass, with, of course, a centerpiece oak tree in the middle of the room. The classy-but-comfortable atmosphere means this place will usually be loud and boisterous, just like it's meant to be. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $120 WHY GO THERE: "This place is good enough to be its own brand," Clark says. "We buy the best available products and make sure it's an experience you won't forget." SIGNATURE STEAK: The 16-ounce cowboy cut ribeye, marinated and grilled bone-in and served with Maker's Mark BBQ sauce. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: 12-ounce and 14-ounce rock lobster tails. WINE LIST: Offering 25 wines by the glass at very affordable prices, the wine list is complemented by a great selection of single-malt Scotches. RESERVATIONS: 609-236-7870. Open 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. [Old Homestead Steakhouse, Borgata] SYNOPSIS: The famous steakhouse from New York's meat-packing district wowed everyone when it opened in Borgata with its modern architecture that drastically differed from its more classic New York appearance. Arguably the nicest room in the city, the food equals the atmosphere, as founders Greg and Marc Sherry sweat over every small detail to ensure an unforgettable experience. DÉCOR: Spectacular, this two-story architectural beauty is well lit with light woods, modern art, an open kitchen and beautiful furniture. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $130 to $150 WHY GO THERE: Aside from the great service and food, the atmosphere really is amazing here. SIGNATURE STEAK: 48-ounce porterhouse for two. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Whole lobsters four pounds or more or the Dover sole Francaise with sautéed crabmeat. WINE LIST: All of Borgata's restaurants feature a fabulous selection of well-known and boutique wines, and Old Homestead is no exception. RESERVATIONS: 609-317-1000. Open 5 p.m. daily, except Sunday, when it opens at 4 p.m. [The Palm, Tropicana] SYNOPSIS: What started as a New York Italian joint founded by two immigrants in 1926 has grown to become the largest and most successful family-owned chain of steakhouses in the country. With 29 locations around the country, the Palm delivers the signature Prime steaks, great seafood and Italian fare the restaurant became famous for, complete with the caricatures of local and national celebrities and good customers covering its walls. DÉCOR: Trendy yet simple, hardwood floors and wood trim dominate this masculine steakhouse, which makes it a perfect place to entertain clients or hang out with friends. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $120 WHY GO THERE: "We care about the quality of the food as much as we do the quality of the service," Sandler says. "The Palm has made a reputation as being the place where business people and food lovers gather because of the great food and service." SIGNATURE STEAK: 18-ounce New York sirloin, like all of the other meats at The Palm, hand-trimmed. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Although there are five fresh fish items daily—including delicious swordfish and salmon—try the Italian, which is way better than its more famous Italian neighbor at the Quarter, Carmine's. WINE LIST: The Palm won the national Wine Spectator Award, and the Atlantic City location delivers more than 150 labels specializing in California and Italian reds. RESERVATIONS: 609-344-7256. Open 5 p.m. daily. [Prime Place, Bally's] SYNOPSIS: An Old World steakhouse with a traditional menu, Prime Place is the only steakhouse in the city to feature a salad bar, and its loyal customers love it. Featuring Prime beef, this place lives up to its name, and Executive Chef Armand Fuchs' special touches make it a worthwhile destination. DÉCOR: Classy and romantic with a great view of the Boardwalk and the ocean. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $130 WHY GO THERE: Other than the salad bar, it's a great place to take a date. Its charm is contagious. SIGNATURE STEAK: Prime Place is one of the only restaurants in the city to serve Prime filet mignon, and you can taste the difference with this 10-ounce beauty. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Fresh fish is flown in daily, including snapper from Florida. WINE LIST: An impressive wine list boasts selections from California, France and Australia. RESERVATIONS: 609-340-2350. Open 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. [Rib & Chophouse, Showboat] SYNOPSIS: Another different format for an Atlantic City steakhouse, Showboat's Rib & Chophouse, like its name implies, does not just focus on steaks, but great ribs and chops, too. Renamed and renovated with close to a $1 million investment two years ago, the steakhouse uses Prime and choice meat with classic yet attractive presentations, all guided by Executive Chef Robert Schoell. DÉCOR: The place feels like a classy steakhouse from the moment you see the refrigerated meat locker when you enter. The renovation, which gave the room a new paint job, lighting and comfy furniture, is very relaxing. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $100-$120 WHY GO THERE: It's a place where you don't just get great steak, but great meat overall, including veal chops, rib chops and lamb chops. A meat-eater's paradise. SIGNATURE STEAK: Certified Black Angus Bone-In Tenderloin. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Fresh fish flown from Hawaii and other parts of the world daily. WINE LIST: Very affordable wine program specializing in French and California cabernets and merlots. RESERVATIONS: 609-343-4000. Open 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. [Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, The Walk] SYNOPSIS: Featuring Prime hand-cut, aged, corn-fed Midwestern steaks broiled at 1,800 degrees and served on a 500-degree plate, the New Orleans-based Ruth's Chris boasts 90 worldwide locations. DÉCOR: Modern and masculine with white linens, low lighting, chandeliers, plush booths upholstered with red leather and an outdoor patio for the summer. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $120 WHY GO THERE: The steaks are as fabulous as the chain boasts them to be. Plus, the cooking and serving techniques are truly unique, and the fact that the steaks are topped with butter that sizzles on your hot plate is a nice and scrumptious touch. The cool bar area is also a great place to have a drink and nibble on some appetizers. SIGNATURE STEAK: The 8- or 12-ounce filet carved from prize tenderloin is the most popular steak on the menu for a reason. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: The seared Ahi tuna steak features seared rare tuna topped with colossal lump crabmeat served sizzling with red pepper pesto. WINE LIST: Typical steakhouse fare with a decent selection of California reds. RESERVATIONS: 609-344-5833. Open 5 p.m. daily, except Sundays, when the restaurant opens at 4 p.m. [Safari Steakhouse, Trump Taj Mahal] SYNOPSIS: Don't let the name or the décor description fool you: the Safari Steakhouse ranks as one of the best steakhouses in the city. A true East Coast steakhouse in that it is very much centered around the experience of the steak itself, the Safari also offers some great seafood and strives to be traditional. DÉCOR: Like its name implies, you'll find animal prints on the furniture, dark woods, low lighting, a large tree in the center and other elements to create a "mysterious safari" vibe. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $120 WHY GO THERE: Like Trump Marina and Trump Plaza, you want to go to the Taj Mahal because they are the only steakhouses to offer Prime Certified Angus Beef, which is noticeably tastier than USDA Prime. According to Chesterton, the Trump properties are the only entities to consistently offer this beef except for the Waldorf Astoria in New York. SIGNATURE STEAK: Three-pound porterhouse served with a two-pound cold water lobster tail (for sharing, of course). Also, the 18-ounce bone-in sirloin is extraordinary. STEAK ALTERNATIVES: Whole Maine lobsters or fresh grouper flown in from the Caribbean, Australia and other parts of the world. WINE LIST: A nice selection of approximately 110 bottles dominated by American cabernets. RESERVATIONS: 609-449-6860. Open 6 p.m. Saturday to Tuesday. (Open Fridays except in winter.) [The Steakhouse at Harrah's] SYNOPSIS: The Steakhouse at Harrah's revolutionized the steakhouse in Atlantic City when it opened in 2001 thanks to a $5.1 million investment. The first steakhouse in town with a bar in the front of the restaurant that incorporated food, the Steakhouse also features its own Bluepoint Raw Bar, offering oysters, clams, shrimp, sushi and assorted cold appetizers. Executive Chef Edward Batten likes to keep things simple and delicious. The steak serves a mix of Prime, Angus and choice meat. DÉCOR: A very warm room with dark woods, a wide array of banquettes, low lighting and a visible wine display. AVERAGE BILL FOR TWO: $100-$120 WHY GO THERE: "I think that the No. 1 reason to go here is the service," Bowman says. "Eighty percent of our customers are giving the place ‘A' scores, which is unbelievable." SIGNATURE STEAK: The Prime porterhouse or the Angus prime rib, which is the best prime rib in the city. STEAK ALTERNATIVE: Try the Chilean sea bass or the fresh fish flown in daily, WINE LIST: A nice array of wines by the bottle or glass, with a strong California influence. RESERVATIONS: 609-441-5000. Open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m.

By Joseph Harrison  

Walk into a casino anywhere in the world and it's hard not to get caught up in the bright lights, the ching-ching of the slot machines and the overall excitement. But behind the scenes of every card flipped, every slot machine that hits and every roll of the dice, big brother is watching you… and that eye in the sky is getting more sophisticated every day. Tune into NBC's hit series Vegas, which follows James Caan as a surveillance director, and you might roll your eyes at some of the seemingly impossible things they do to catch people cheating in his casino. But experts in the field say that the technology in Vegas isn't too far from what really is possible in the surveillance field (although the dramatic situations portrayed are usually completely bogus). "Well, some of it is futuristic," said Charlie Guenther, vice president of corporate surveillance for Resorts International Holdings, which owns Resorts Atlantic City, the Atlantic City Hilton, the Las Vegas Hilton and other properties across the country. "But believe it or not, some of it does exist." Guenther, who has been in the surveillance business for 25 years, says the biggest advance in technology is the camera. "They are so high-powered," Guenther said. "They move 360 degrees, they can automatically zoom in on a particular problem and are a whole lot smaller and better. They can zoom in and read the year on a coin or a serial number on a bill from very far away." If you are on the casino floor—or even off—there is most likely a camera that can capture your every move. Whether you're parking your car, having a drink in a lounge or eating at a restaurant, casino cameras are able to be where you are and see what you are doing. "The reason all of the cameras exist is not only for the casino but for the protection of the guest," Guenther said. "They extend into restaurants and lounges because there is a lot of revenue from the back of the house—the restaurants, outlets, stores and shops. They are cash-driven businesses, and of course, they have to be monitored." While there are cameras everywhere, most of the equipment is located on the casino floor. Every table has approximately four to 10 cameras watching it, offering surveillance employees every angle they will possibly need, watching the dealers and players. Although there is not a camera on every slot machine, regulations mandate every slot machine must be covered by camera coverage. "They are there to make sure no one is trying to take advantage of slot machines, internally or externally," Guenther said. "The biggest scams are definitely coin-related. There are a lot of ways to cheat a coin-operated slot machine. That's one of the reasons the industry has moved toward the ticket vouchers. Yes, it's convenient, but it also helps safeguard the casinos from coin scams." Even with all of these cameras, it's impossible to watch everyone, right? Yes, it is. But with the improved cameras comes improved software and digital capabilities. Every camera in a casino is hooked up to recorders, whether tape or digital, to document everything going on 24 hours a day. "The software that is being created and introduced changes the way surveillance works in casinos every day," Guenther said. "Software can do everything from tracking chips to tracking specific cards. It can tell you which tables are down and which are up with very little human intervention. "And the biggest advance these days is the switch to digital. When casinos have digital systems that archive and index what the cameras record, you can find what you're looking for in a matter of seconds. That basically changes everything for us in the surveillance field." Computer software is so advanced that it will tell surveillance teams there is a problem with little or no human interaction. For example, software can watch a specific person or item, like a piece of artwork or a gaming chip, and if the person or the artwork or the gaming chip moves, the system will alert surveillance. [DIGITAL BUGS] But with the digital technology come some issues, said Greg Schaaf, director of surveillance for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. "Right now, we're analog by choice," Schaaf said. "But we are evaluating digital. We hope that others test it first because there are a lot of bugs in it. Steve Wynn's new casino in Vegas installed a great system, and I think a lot of casinos are using that as a model to see how it goes. We're waiting to make sure our transition will be as smooth as possible." Borgata's careful crossover into digital is the method that most other casinos seem to be adopting, too. "It will be really convenient and fast and wonderful if it all works," Schaaf said. "Our library has 12,000 tapes in it right now. So yes, the convenience will be great, and we're really excited about it. But we have to make sure the technology is there before we make the move." Derk Boss, vice president of surveillance for American Casino and Entertainment, which owns the Sands in Atlantic City and Vegas properties including the Stratosphere and Arizona Charlie's, agreed. "That kind of investment is a real big deal to any company, to switch to digital," he said. "It will cost us millions. And the old systems are very solid and dependable, and can probably chug on for some time. So you just have to make sure the expense is justified." Alan Zajic, owner of the Nevada-based security and surveillance consulting firm AWZ Consulting, said the cost factor is the No. 1 reason more casinos are not converting to digital. "The smaller and medium-sized casinos are especially concerned about the cost factors," Zajic said. "It is the wave of the future, and it certainly beats the analog system. When you see a large facility's tape room with 3,000 docks and people constantly moving and changing tapes, it's amazing. Obviously, casinos want out of that mode." Boss said he looks forward to the digital revolution. "You are going to have the ability to circle something like a briefcase and ask the software to tell you when it moves," Boss explained. "And the computer will look to see when that condition changed. Today, we're looking for a tape for however long it takes to find that particular event. Meanwhile, the bad guy is getting away." While different technology debuts every day, Guenther is most impressed by the advances in biometric technology. "All of that has grown leaps and bounds, especially since 9/11 and the creation of Homeland Security," Guenther said. "Facial recognition and fingerprint analysis is an amazing advance to protect players and casinos from one of the biggest problems we face: identity theft." As most players are well aware, that casino's player's card is much more than a way to earn a burger at the coffee shop. High rollers earn everything from cash comps to rooms to gourmet meals to trips all over the world. So those cards are extremely valuable. Some casinos are taking added measures to ensure identity theft does not occur, including taking players' pictures for the cards, and at some casinos, even fingerprints. "These are major advances… and costly ones," says Guenther. Most casinos currently use some sort of facial recognition feature to cross-reference "the bad guys," but Schaaf said the technology is still "average," and he hopes that will improve. [BIG BROTHER WATCHING] Zajic agreed that biometrics and facial recognition, as a whole, is still in its infancy. But he said the problem will not be with technology, but with privacy. "People are concerned that technology is going too far," Zajic said. "People are going to be nervous if they know their pictures are being taken right at the table or slot machine, and that the casino is tracking them more than they even are now. They want some anonymity regarding their gambling habits. You can figure out how much money you can invest in a machine and the return, but you can't put a measurement on how many customers will be infuriated by the technology and move to a casino not using it." Zajic said that privacy issue can crossover to the employees, too. "It's getting to the point where employees' ID cards have a transmission ability so readers in the doorway frames will tell management how many times you are going through that door, when you're taking your break, how long your break was and more. It's becoming a George Orwell situation that people's bathroom breaks are even being monitored. For the employer, it could be very valuable to track the highly sensitive money areas. But there is this whole ‘big brother' thing." Schaaf said he is most impressed by the Surveillance Information Network managed by Biometrica Systems. "Something can happen at any casino, and you can send the information to 170 casinos around the world. We sent out information about a guy cheating on roulette (putting bets down after the ball dropped and distracting dealers) and the guy was doing the same thing in Lithuania, and they caught him, leading to his arrest. Sharing information is crucial." Boss said a big buzz is happening regarding "smart tables," where blackjack and other tables will be equipped with cameras and sensors that will rate players, keep track of wins and losses and more. "It will be able to alert us if a player is playing suspiciously," Boss said. "It will also tell us if we want to take a look at a particular game because a table may be losing too much. That's a big advantage." Although it seems that the casino surveillance teams are all-powerful, one thing they cannot do is record sound. "It is a violation of federal law," Guenther said. "Each casino that has operations in the United States must place placards on the wall that tell patrons that by entering the casino, they are giving the casino permission to videotape their activities." Gaming regulations prohibit casino operators from discussing specifics about how many people work in surveillance departments. But those big surveillance rooms you see on television do exist, as do the catwalks overlooking the casino floor, as well as plainclothes surveillance personnel making the rounds. And no matter how good the technology is, all surveillance experts say the equipment is only as good as its operators. "It's a dangerous direction to take when you take more and more human interaction out of the equation," Schaaf said. "Technology is a support tool for the surveillance team and the management team. The relationships between the surveillance team, the management and the regulators are very important. We all need to share these results and ideas, and good people are essential to that happening." But no matter how much technology or how good a surveillance team is, anyone in the business knows there will always be the "bad guys" testing the system. "It doesn't surprise me at all that they keep trying to cheat," Schaaf said. "I've been doing this for 20 years. And there is a lot of money in a casino. And all people are tempted. That's not going to change."

By Martin Baird  

En una columna reciente, les dije que no hay conexión entre la satisfacción de un cliente de casino y su futuro crecimiento. Recomendé que los casinos se olvidaran de las encuestas sobre la satisfacción del cliente y que animaran a los empleados a concentrarse en crear más clientes defensores quienes están sorprendentemente felices con sus experiencias en el juego y estarían dispuestos arriesgar su reputación y desempeño como defensores de una propiedad pasando la voz positiva y anunciando su libre decisión. Esto es importante porque los clientes defensores tienen la probabilidad mayor de que regresen a jugar otra vez (repitan el negocio) y generen nuevo negocio a través de la voz positiva que pasan sobre el casino. Todos los empleados del casino desde ejecutivos de "blackjack" hasta cocineros de restaurantes deberían trabajar duro para hacer que esto suceda. [Abogar a Abogados] ¿Por qué los empleados del casino deberían preocuparse si sus clientes son defensores? Les aseguro que, los defensores propinarán, y eso significa más dinero en su bolsillo. Piense en la retención de empleo, también. "General Motors" y la compañía "Ford Motor" anunció en enero que suspenderán miles y miles de empleados. ¡Aquellos esforzados manufactureros de autos no tienen defensores por sus vehículos! Recientemente tuve el choque de mi vida cuando aprendí que un mayor de la corporación de la base global de E.U. había creado un índice que muestra el grado para cual sea que tenga clientes defensores, pero esto nada tiene que ver con los datos. Es maravilloso que una compañía tenga un índice porque puede ser una herramienta para planear y manejar el futuro crecimiento de la corporación. Entre más alto el índice, más defensores la compañía tiene y mayor éxito tendrá. Lo que es espantoso es que la gerencia esté sentada sobre los datos. Aunque no le parezca la gran cosa, pongamos a esta corporación en perspectiva. No identificaré a la compañía pero diré que una de las revistas más importantes de negocios ha nombrado a esta corporación la compañía más admirada globalmente y la segunda compañía más admirada de los Estados Unidos. Otra respetada revista de negocios le ha nombrado la cuarta marca más valiosa en el mundo. Esta compañía es una casa famosa que ofrece todo desde productos al consumidor hasta servicios financieros. El hecho de que esta compañía sea exitosa es la conciencia de la importancia de que los defensores son significativos. Es de igual importancia lo que uno de sus gerentes de división me dijo en una conversación telefónica que la compañía no tiene un sistema en sitio para conseguir los datos de los defensores por ejemplo, usar la información para crear más crecimiento. Es así como el índice puede llegar a ser una herramienta de manejo. Haberle prestado atención a la defensa por clientes, es tiempo ahora de llevar las cosas al siguiente nivel. La palabra clave es "sistema". No es suficiente que un casino tenga defensores y una forma para medirlos. Se deben poner sus datos de medidas en acción con un sistema seguro. [Usar los Datos] Todo inicia con el deseo de manejo para hacerlo en primer lugar. Este es seguido por medida de que algo importa más-defensores. Pero no hay posibilidad de que el casino sepa como usar estos datos del defensor para generar un crecimiento futuro. No obstante, debe tener un sistema en sitio para reunir los datos, poner los datos en acción y hacer a la gente responsable para tomar acciones y mantener el proceso hacia adelante paulatinamente. Las compañías exitosas implementan las mejores prácticas internamente para hacer que grandes cosas sucedan y los casinos necesitarán hacer lo mismo con este sistema: • La gerencia debe actuar como líder para crear una cultura que demuestre claramente que tan importante son los defensores. • Un programa formal debe estar en sitio y debe estar monitoreado. • Las metas deben estar establecidas y conocidas. • Todos deben trabajar juntos como equipo. • Los empleados son críticos para proveer el tipo de servicio al cliente para convertirlo en defensor. Incentivo, premiación y reconocimiento de programas serán necesarios para estimularlos. • El progreso solo ocurrirá con acciones planeadas. • Garantizo que se requerirán mejoras internas para crear defensores. Estas mejoras deben ser identificadas e implementadas. • Finalmente, los empleados querrán saber como van progresando las cosas, así que hágales un comentario y mantengamos informados. Como parte del sistema, se le debería preguntar a los clientes de cómo el casino podría ser un mejor lugar para jugar. Infórmele a los clientes también, haciéndoles saber como su información fue empleada. Lo que aprendí de aquel gerente de división muestra que aun la empresa más exitosa puede tropezar. Todavía, simplemente no puedo creer que tal corporación importante tuviera datos cruciales tan relevantes y dejará que se empolvarán en la repisa. Ese es un error–un error que sirve como ejemplo para los casinos y sus empleados.

By Martin Baird  

In a recent column, I told you there is no connection between a casino's guest satisfaction and its future growth. I recommended that casinos forget about guest satisfaction surveys and that they encourage employees to concentrate on creating more advocates—guests who are so amazingly happy with their gaming experience they would be willing to risk their reputation and act as advocates for a property by spreading positive word-of-mouth advertising of their own free will. This is important because guest advocates are highly likely to return to play again (repeat business) and generate new business through the positive word they spread about the casino. All casino employees from executives to blackjack dealers to restaurant chefs should work hard to make this happen. [Advocating Advocates] Why should casino employees care if their customers are advocates? I assure you, advocates will tip, and that means more money in your pocket. Think job retention, too. General Motors and Ford Motor Company announced in January that they will lay off tens of thousands of employees. Those struggling auto manufacturers have no advocates for their vehicles! I recently learned that a major U.S.-based global corporation has created an index that shows the degree to which it has customer advocates, but that it is doing nothing with the data. It's wonderful that the company has this index because it can be a tool for planning and managing the corporation's future growth. The higher the index, the more advocates the company has and the more successful it will be. What's appalling is that management is sitting on the data. Lest you think this is no big deal, let's put this corporation into perspective. I won't identify the company but I will note that one major business magazine has named this corporation the top most globally admired company and America's second-most admired company. Another respected business magazine has named it the fourth most valuable brand worldwide. This company is a household name that offers everything from consumer products to financial services. The fact that such a successful company is aware of the importance of advocates is significant. It is equally significant that one of its division managers told me in a telephone conversation that the company doesn't have a system in place to leverage the advocate data—i.e., to use the information to create more growth. That's how the index can become a management tool. Having brought guest advocacy to your attention, it's now time to take things to the next level. The key word here is "system." It's not enough that a casino have advocates and a way to measure them. It must put its measurement data into action with a turnkey system. [Using the Data] It all starts with management's willingness to do this in the first place. That is followed by measurement of the one thing that matters most—advocates. But it's not likely the casino will know how to use that advocate data to generate future growth. Therefore, it must have a system in place to gather the data, put the data into action, make people accountable for leveraging it and keep the process rolling forward smoothly. Successful companies implement best practices internally to make great things happen and casinos will need to do the same within this system: • Management must act as leaders to create a culture that clearly demonstrates how important guest advocates are. • A formal program must be in place and it must be monitored. • Goals must be set and met. • Everyone must work together as a team. • Employees are critical to providing the kind of customer service that turns guests into advocates. Incentive, reward and recognition programs will be needed to spur them on. • Progress will occur only with action planning. • I guarantee internal improvements will be required to create more advocates. Those improvements must be identified and implemented. • Finally, employees will want to know how things are progressing, so give them closure by keeping them informed. As part of the system, guests should be asked how the casino can be a better place to play. Give guests closure, too, by letting them know how their input was used. What I learned from that division manager shows that even the most successful enterprise can stumble. Still, I simply can't believe that such a highly regarded corporation would have a crucial piece of data in hand and let it gather dust on the shelf. That's a mistake—a mistake that serves as an example for casinos and their employees.

By Frank Legato  

Students in the behavioral sciences at Richard Stockton College have counted on Dr. Lewis Leitner and Dr. Israel Posner for more than 30 years. This year, the two professors established offices off-campus at Stockton's Carnegie Library Center in Atlantic City, where they are now serving the training needs of the gaming industry. The two professors now head up a new certification program, called the Stockton Institute for Gaming Management (SIGMA), designed with the help of Spectrum Gaming Group through Stockton's Professional Development and Continuing Education division. Posner, who is now executive director of corporate and professional services for the division, and Leitner, who is executive director of management training and development, have gathered human resources executives and training managers from several casinos together for a series of meetings to get industry input as they finalize the SIGMA instruction program. The SIGMA program is the result of years of interaction between Stockton's continuing education division and the region's main industry. According to Leitner, he and Posner had discussed the need to develop such a training program for years with casino human resources officials, and with Michael Pollock, managing director of Spectrum Gaming Group, which conducts several educational conferences for the industry and publishes the Gaming Industry Observer newsletter. "In some ways, we have known for years, through our contact with casinos, the need for training in management development, leadership, and supervisory development," says Leitner, "but until now, it has not been dealt with in a comprehensive fashion." Posner adds that Stockton's professional development and continuing education division is "ideally positioned" to help strengthen the management forces at the casinos. He notes, for instance, that Stockton has already trained some 3,000 regional employees under a U.S. Department of Labor grant dedicated to customer service training. "As the industry becomes more competitive, the need to have great talent for the industry to thrive and grow is more compelling," Posner says. "Stockton is here to address that need and develop that talent." Stockton and Spectrum brought the program from concept to reality in the past year, forming an advisory committee of human resources professionals, educators and expert industry analysts including representatives of Spectrum and of Casino Connection International LLC (including Casino Connection Editor Roger Gros). The advisory panel first met last October, and by last month, had assisted the college in creating a general curriculum for the SIGMA program. [SIGMA Certification] SIGMA is designed to help casinos strengthen leadership and supervisory skills in their management workforce, in a comprehensive curriculum addressing practically all areas of casino hotel operations. Managers will receive a SIGMA certification at the end of the program. "It is hoped that SIGMA will encourage talented staff to enhance their managerial skills and knowledge," says Posner. Posner adds that the SIGMA certificate is sure to be helpful to employees in advancing their careers across the Northeast, in newer jurisdictions such as Pennsylvania and New York. "Having a certificate will be important for the progression of individual careers, and it will be helpful to human resources officials in succession planning," he says. The program is being tailored around the needs of casino employees, with training sessions lasting no more than four or five hours and flexible scheduling. Instructors will include Stockton faculty, Spectrum Gaming Group associates and experienced gaming executives, regulators and suppliers. There will be three tiers of certificates available—basic management certification upon completion of four of the five required courses; intermediate gaming management certification after three additional electives; and advanced gaming management certification after three more electives are complete. Although the schedules were still being finalized at press time, Leitner says the basic certification program will consist of a total of 72 hours of training, divided into several configurations to accommodate people with casino jobs. "We are building a variety of access points to complete the training," Leitner says, "including half-day workshops, full-day workshops, hour-long conferences, training both on-site and off-site—we are working with the properties." "If a property wants to fast-track training for two full-time weeks, we can make that happen as well," adds Joe Weinert, vice president of Spectrum Gaming. "We are working with the advisory panel, and the scheduling will be largely up to the employers. Typically, adult education has to be flexible. The schedule of the individual and the schedule of the corporation must be taken into account." Spectrum also will provide credit toward certification for attending selected seminars and workshops conducted at its industry conferences. Posner says the college also will take in-house training programs already in place at the properties into account, and award credit toward certification for training already being done by individual casino companies. [Core Curriculum] The core curriculum for the SIGMA program includes required courses in gaming leadership and management, data analysis, financial and managerial accounting, customer relationship management, and the special requirements of doing business in New Jersey. Electives will include special training in a variety of job-related areas, and as Posner notes, all courses will be designed according to what casino officials indicate is needed. "We've been working with the casino industry to provide this training in response to specific needs," he says. "The industry has told us their needs in the past and we have worked to fill them, but this takes it to the next level by putting together a comprehensive curriculum." The core curriculum for the start of the SIGMA program includes the following: Required Courses • Gaming Leadership and Management • Gaming Industry: Status and Trends • Data Analysis and Data-Based Decision Making • Financial and Managerial Accounting Electives • Surveillance Operations and Bottom-Line Impact • Advances in Gaming Technology • Security and Risk Management • Marketing and Promotional Strategies • Slot and Table Game Management • Regulatory Issues • PR and Crisis Management for Gaming Executives • Psychosocial Issues • Non-Gaming Revenue: Opportunities and Challenges More courses are being added in both the required and elective categories, and the program will be in a constant mode of upgrading as needs arise. The SIGMA program was set to begin with a "soft start" for the spring, beginning this month at the Carnegie Library Center. For March, April and May, at least one course will be conducted at the Carnegie center, with courses on site at the properties in each of those months as well. A more formal start to the SIGMA program is slated for fall. According to Posner, the advisory council will keep meeting a few times a year to keep the program fresh and assure the needs of the industry are being met. For more information on the SIGMA program, contact Stockton's Professional Development and Continuing Education office at 609-652-4227, visit the division's website at www.stocktonpdce.net, visit Spectrum Gaming Group's website at www.spectrumgaming.com/programs, or call Spectrum at 609-272-0900. "Stockton is revitalizing its Professional Development and Continuing Education program to build bridges to the hospitality business and gaming industry," says Leitner. "SIGMA is representative of Stockton renewing its effort in professional development and continuing education and combining it with Spectrum, which has professional expertise in gaming. Together, we feel we have created something of much value to the industry."

By Winifred Anderson  

Despierta antes de que el despertador suene, lo desactiva y se queda en cama observando como los números digitales cambian mientras usted se dice que si realmente tiene que pararse y alistarse para el trabajo. Después de repetírselo varias veces, finalmente se sale de la cama. Forzado a apresurarse, lucha por alistarse, y echa el cerrojo a la puerta. No hay tiempo para café hoy. Mientras conduce, sigue pensando que no tiene ganas de ir siente un nudo en el estómago, mientras su mente piensa en todo lo que tiene que hacer y no hay ganas para hacerlo. ¿Recuerda cuando pensaba en que tan emocionante debería ser trabajar en el casino? Las luces, la gente, la rápida andada, el encanto. Las personas que trabajan en el juego frecuentemente dicen que el negocio es como ningún otro. Mientras que es cierto en muchas formas, en una no lo es: Los empleados en cada industria descubren que, no importa que tan maravillosa su industria y compañía puedan ser, esto se puede olvidar por el tiempo o por el cansancio debido a hacer estrictos planes a cierto plazo, carencia de trabajadores, lidiar con cortes presupuestales, escuchar negatividad empedernida, o simplemente que usted se de cuenta que está en el trabajo equivocado. En pocas palabras, los mejores de nosotros podernos agotarnos. Marcos Buckingham y Donald O. Clifton, en Ahora Descubra Sus Fuerzas, discute los resultados de una encuesta de la Organización Gallup de 198,000 empleados en 36 compañías, encaminadas a determinar el porcentaje de aquellos que creían que "tienen la oportunidad de hacer lo que ellos hacen mejor cada día". Ese estudio índico que, sobre todo, tan sólo un 20 por ciento de aquellos entrevistados sintieron sus fuerzas bien empleadas la mayor parte del tiempo que estaban en el trabajo. Cuando los resultados fueron colapsados por la unidad de negocio, aquellos grupos con mayor número de porcentaje de empleados que sintieron que sus fuerzas fueron comprometidas más frecuentemente en su trabajo diario, experimentaron menos cambio, mayor productividad y una mayor satisfacción para el cliente. [Amando la Vida] La gente se desenvuelve mejor cuando disfrutan su trabajo, y disfrutan el trabajo que utiliza las habilidades que tienen en abundancia. Cuando los empleados dan lo mejor, el cliente se beneficia, los accionistas se benefician, los compañeros se benefician, y hasta sus familias se benefician. Si viviéramos hasta los 80, viviríamos 4,160 semanas. Cada uno de nosotros trabajaría aproximadamente de 40 a 50 años en nuestro tiempo de vida, lo cual significa que pasaríamos de 2,000 a 2,600 semanas en el trabajo–la mitad del tiempo que estuviéramos vivos. De acuerdo a Seth Godin, autor de La Supervivencia No Es Suficiente: Por que Compañías Inteligentes Abandonan la Preocupación y Toman el Cambio, "Si todo lo que usted hace en el trabajo es esperar por sobrevivir, su día no puede ser muy divertido". No disfrutar de algo que toda una parte enorme de su vida impacta más que solo en usted. ¿Cuando llega a casa después de un día difícil, se ríe tan fácilmente como cuando ha tenido un buen día en el trabajo, o está tranquilo y distraído? ¿Tiene o se da tiempo para las actividades en las que está interesado? ¿Tiene energía para las cosas o para la gente que necesitan de su atención o se siente cansado de irse a la cama temprano? ¿A veces habla con algún otro de que tan infeliz es usted? ¿Cómo dejamos que esta nos suceda a nosotros? Tal vez el trabajo que originalmente quería no está disponible o alguien más se le escogió para este. Tal vez término aceptando una posición que era su segunda o tercera opción: pero, desde que usted sabía que los casinos a menudo promueven internamente, tal vez usted pensó que estaría en el trabajo por un rato. Tal vez ha empezado a sentirse pasado al otro lado. Si usted es un buen representante, tal vez quiera ser recompensado de la manera que la mayoría de los buenos representantes lo son-con una promoción. Desde luego, su tiempo se ha pasado en cosas que comúnmente no necesitan habilidades o fuerzas que lo promuevan. Por supuesto, algunas personas disfrutan en nuevo papel y prosperan en usar las diferentes habilidades: pero muchas personas se vuelven desgraciadas sobre el tiempo porque lo que los promovió fue la fuente real de su gozo. En algún punto de la vida, muchos de nosotros nos damos cuenta que las opciones que hemos tomado nos han encerrado en una posición en la que nos requiera más para mantenernos que para vivir una vida. Los profesionales de recursos humanos llaman a este como "Las Esposas Doradas"-cuando su compensación lo tiene atado a su trabajo. [Regreso a la Pasión] Los expertos en carreras y negocios de Marcos Buckingham para Richard Bolles para Tom Peters reconocen la importancia de encontrar trabajo, trabajo que lleve a una combinación de sus fuerzas más estupendas y de sus valores más profundos para crear una vida que le traiga una gran satisfacción. Regresar la pasión a su vida laboral no es un proceso fácil, pero nada vale más la pena que esta. Aquí están algunos pasos para empezar: [Paso 1:] Reconozca que usted no es feliz. Como un camino que recorrer, la jornada empieza reconocer que usted tiene un problema. Solo entonces podrá enfrentar la realidad y empezar a salir de la situación. Las personas que lo conocen mejor probablemente sepan que usted es miserable y han estado esperando que usted lo descubra. [Paso 2:] Dese cuenta exactamente que es lo que lo está haciendo infeliz. Compre y lea Buckingham y Clifton "Ahora, Descubra Sus Fuerzas". Dentro de este hay un código que le permite tomar una evaluación por correo electrónico llamada Buscador de Fuerzas. Cuando que haya identificado sus principales fuerzas, podrá evaluar si su trabajo le está permitiendo usar las fuerzas por lo menos el 70 por ciento del tiempo. Otro buen lugar para visitar es www.authentichappiress.com, creado por el Dr. Martin Seligman de la Universidad de Pennsylvania. El tiene varias evaluaciones gratuitas que le podrán ayudar a identificar los puntos clave relacionados a la vida, al trabajo y a la felicidad. [Paso 3:] Compare su situación en la vida actual con lo que su vida era cuando primero empezó a experimentar la grande infelicidad. Esto podrá ayudarle a descubrir si es la forma de cómo está el trabajo actualmente estructurado o las tareas por si solas son la fuente de su desgracia. Por ejemplo, tal vez esté casado o mantiene una relación seria pero su trabajo requiere que usted trabaje 60–más horas a la semana. Trabajar tantas horas no hubiera sido un problema hace pocos años, pero ahora le gustaría tener más de una vida de casa, y el trabajo está ahora interfiriendo con eso. [Paso 4:] Cree una visión de cómo le gustaría que su vida fuera. Esta es la parte más difícil y el lugar donde la mayor parte de la gente avienta la toalla. Usted no puede cambiar la dirección sino sabe a donde quiere ir, entonces ningún viejo lugar debería ser lo suficientemente bueno. Escribiendo una visión de cómo desearía que su vida fuera, ambas personal y profesionalmente, es la única manera de cómo realmente podrá saber si los cambios que hace van a situarlo donde usted quiere estar. De otra manera, guarde este artículo, porque lo necesitara otra vez. [Paso 5:] Haga un manejo sobre sus finanzas y salga de deudas. La mayoría de los americanos deben por lo menos $ 7,000 solo en deudas de tarjetas de crédito. Si su paquete de compensación crea la imagen de las esposas doradas, entonces su deuda es más como una pistola de metal gris del tipo tradicional. Se convierte en un esclavo de su deuda, vive para pagar sus cuentas más que por un propósito y pasión. Llame Mejor Oficina de Negocios Local o "United Way" y ellos le conectarán con el servicio de consejera de deudas reputado si es que necesita uno. [Paso 5a:] Mientras tanto, mire como puede hacer unos cambios inmediatos en su vida personal y llévelos a las áreas que le traen gozo y cumplimiento. Tal vez su horario no le permitirá entrenar un equipo en una liga pequeña, pero ¿Podría ayudar al entrenador con algunas de sus tareas? ¿Hay alguna persona joven por quien usted quisiera fungir como mentor? Su "United Way" local puede relacionado con actividades voluntarias que requerirán de sus fuerzas, déjese llevar por sus pasiones y organice su horario. Siguiendo estos pasos arrancará en el camino de una vida más feliz, más plena, mas productiva. Si no está disfrutando su trabajo, se le hará increíblemente difícil darle a la compañía lo mejor de si. El cliente sufre, sus compañeros de trabajo sufren, usted y su familia sufren. Recuerde aquellas 4,000–semanas más que estará en el planeta. ¿Realmente quiere ser miserable en el 50 por ciento de ellos?

By Winifred Anderson  

You wake up before the alarm clock goes off, shut if off and lie in bed watching the digital numbers change while telling yourself that you really have to get up and get ready for work. After repeating that to yourself several times, you finally get out of bed. Forced to rush, you scramble to get ready, and bolt out the door. No stopping for coffee today. During the drive in, you're still thinking about how much you don't want to go. You feel your stomach knotting up as your mind races with all you have to do and how deeply you don't want to do it. Remember when you thought how exciting and fun it must be to work in a casino? The lights, the people, the fast pace, the glamour. People who work in gaming often say the business is like no other. While that's true in many ways, in one way it's not: Employees in every industry discover that, no matter how wonderful their industry and company may be, this can be forgotten over time or worn off due to making tight deadlines, working short-handed, dealing with budget cuts, listening to relentless negativity, or just plain discovering you're in the wrong job. In short, the best of us can get burned out. Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, in Now, Discover Your Strengths, discuss the findings of the Gallup Organization's survey of 198,000 employees in 36 companies, conducted to determine the percentage of those who believed they "have the opportunity to do what they do best every day." That study indicated that, overall, a mere 20 percent of those surveyed felt their strengths were used the bulk of the time they're at work. When results were broken down by business unit, those groups with larger percentages of employees who felt their strengths were engaged most often in their daily work, experienced lower turnover, higher productivity, and higher customer satisfaction. [Loving the Life] People perform best when they enjoy their work, and they enjoy the work that uses skills they have in abundance. When employees perform their best, the customers benefit, the shareholders benefit, coworkers benefit, even their families benefit. If we live to be 80, we'll be alive 4,160 weeks. Each of us will work approximately 40 to 50 years over our lifetime, which means we'll spend about 2,000 to 2,600 weeks at work—half of the time we'll be alive. According to Seth Godin, author of Survival is Not Enough: Why Smart Companies Abandon Worry and Embrace Change, "If all you do at work is hope to survive, your day can't be much fun." Not enjoying something that takes up such a huge part of your life impacts more than just you. When you come home after a hard day, do you laugh as easily as when you've had a good day at work, or are you quiet and withdrawn? Do you have or make time for activities you're interested in? Do you have energy for the things or people who need your attention, or do you feel exhausted and go to bed early? Do you ever talk about anything other than how unhappy you are? How do we let this happen to ourselves? Maybe the job you originally wanted wasn't available or someone else was chosen for it. Maybe you ended up accepting a position that was your second or third choice; but, since you knew that casinos often promote from within, you figured you'd only be in the job a little while. Perhaps you've started to feel passed over. If you're a top performer, perhaps you may have been rewarded the way most top performers are—with a promotion. Since then, your time is spent on things which typically don't call for the skills or strengths that got you promoted. Of course, some people enjoy the new role and thrive in it using the different skills; but many people become unhappy over time because what got them promoted was the real source of their joy. At some point in life, many of us find that the choices we've made have locked us into a position that requires us to make a living rather than make a life. Human resources professionals refer to this as "Golden Handcuffs"—when your compensation keeps you tied to your job. [Back to Passion] Career and business experts from Marcus Buckingham to Richard Bolles to Tom Peters acknowledge the importance of finding work that taps into a combination of your greatest strengths and your deepest values to create a life that brings you the greatest satisfaction. Getting the passion back in your work life isn't an easy process, but nothing worth having ever is. Here are some steps to begin: [Step 1:] Admit to yourself that you're not happy. As on any road to recovery, the journey begins with acknowledging that you've got a problem. Only then can you face reality and start to get out of the situation. The people who know you best probably know you're miserable, and have been waiting for you to discover it. [Step 2:] igure out exactly what's making you unhappy. Buy and read Buckingham and Clifton's Now, Discover Your Strengths. Inside there's a code that allows you to take an online assessment called Strengths Finder. Once you've identified your top strengths, you can evaluate whether your job is allowing you to use your strengths at least 70 percent of the time. Another great place to visit is www.authentichappiness.com, created by Dr. Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania. He has several free assessments that can help you identify key issues related to life, work and happiness. [Step 3:] Compare your current life situation with what your life was like when you first started to experience the greatest unhappiness. This can help you uncover if it's the way the job is currently structured or the tasks themselves which are the source of your unhappiness. For example, perhaps you're married or involved in a serious relationship but your job requires you to work 60-plus hours a week. Working that many hours may not have been a problem a few years ago, but now you'd like to have more of a home life, and work is now interfering with that. [Step 4:] Create a vision of what you'd like your life to be. This is the hardest part, and the spot where most people throw in the towel. You can't change direction if you don't know where you want to go, and if you don't know where you want to go, then any old place ought to be good enough. Writing out a vision of what you want your life to be like, both personally and professionally, is the only way you'll really be able to know if the changes you make are going to get you where you want to be. Otherwise, save this article, because you'll need it again. [Step 5:] Get a handle on your finances and get out of debt. Most Americans owe at least $7,000 just in credit card debt. If your compensation package creates the image of golden handcuffs, then your debt is more like the gunmetal grey of the traditional kind. You become a slave to debt, living to pay your bills rather than living for your purpose and passion. Call your local Better Business Bureau or United Way and they can connect you with a reputable debt counseling service if you need one. [Step 5a:] In the meantime, look at how you can make some immediate changes in your personal life and tap into areas that bring you joy and fulfillment. Maybe your schedule won't allow you to coach a little league team, but could you help the coach with some of his or her tasks? Is there a young person for whom you can act as a mentor? Your local United Way can match you with volunteer activities that will use your strengths, tap into your passions, and fit your schedule. Taking these steps will start you on the road to a happier, fuller, more productive life. If you're not enjoying your work, it becomes incredibly difficult to give the company your best. The customer suffers, your coworkers suffer, you and your family suffer. Keep in mind those 4,000-plus weeks you'll be on the planet. Do you really want to be miserable for 50 percent of them?

By   Fri, Sep 19, 2008

By Frank Legato   Thu, Jun 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 12, 2008

By Roger Gros   Tue, Mar 11, 2008

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Frank Legato   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Roger Gros   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Frank Legato   Thu, Mar 01, 2007

By David Schwartz  

During the Great Depression, America was transfixed by a series of colorful bank robbers who bedeviled law enforcement. Characters like John Dillinger, "Machine Gun" Kelly, Baby Face Nelson, and Bonnie and Clyde traded bullets with police while robbing banks, evading capture, and breaking out of jails across the Midwest. One of the most famous groups was the Barker-Karpis gang. Though Federal Bureau of Investigation Director J. Edgar Hoover told the public that Fred and Dock Barker's mother, Kate "Ma" Barker, was the criminal mastermind behind the gang, she was never involved in planning or carrying out any of the gang's crimes. The actual brains behind the gang was Alvin Karpis, born to Lithuanian immigrants in Montreal, Canada, in 1907. Karpis, alleged to have a near-photographic memory, was usually known by the alias Ray, though he garnered the nickname "Old Creepy" for his perpetually dour expression. He was reportedly a dead ringer for horror actor Boris Karloff. After Karpis began collaborating with Freddie Barker in 1931, the gang robbed banks, kidnapped rich citizens, and hijacked mail deliveries with remarkable efficiency. From 1931 to 1933, the gang picked its targets at will. But in 1934, the tide began to turn against the "public enemies," as John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby Face Nelson, and Bonnie and Clyde were all killed by police or federal agents, and several others were apprehended. On January 16, Fred Barker and his mother were killed after a shootout with FBI agents in Florida, and G-men were hot on the trail of Karpis. With the death or capture of many of the most notorious outlaws, Karpis officially become "Public Enemy Number One" and the focus of an intensive manhunt. Fleeing Miami after the deaths of the Barkers, Karpis was the subject of a national police bulletin. Just after midnight on January 19, Karpis arrived at the Dan-Mor Hotel, three blocks off the Boardwalk on Kentucky Avenue. This was not the Traymore or Marlborough-Blenheim—the Dan-Mor was more of a glorified rooming house. Karpis, together with his partner in crime Harry Campbell, checked into the hotel after having driven all night. Karpis' eight-months pregnant girlfriend, Delores Delaney, was already checked into room 400 of the Dan-Mor (Karpis received room 403). That afternoon, Karpis arranged for a doctor (Carl Surran, who was coincidentally the Atlantic City Police Department's official surgeon) examine Delaney. He, Delaney, Campbell, and another women spent much of the day shopping for winter clothes. Spooked after seeing a man and women they believed were following them several times, Karpis and Campbell agreed to leave Atlantic City the next day. Walking his beat around 3:30 a.m. (now the morning of the 20th), Officer Elias Saab learned of the bulletin for Karpis. Walking his regular beat, he was shocked to learn that one of the cars parked in the Coast Garage on Kentucky Avenue matched the description of the Karpis getaway car. Saab called the station, and three detectives immediately arrived at the Dan-Mor. The hotel's manager was at first uncooperative. While he dickered with the police, his wife went upstairs and awoke Karpis (dressed only in his long underwear), taking him to another room and pleading with him to surrender himself, though she did not know who he was or the nature of the charges he faced. Suddenly, a detective entered the room and grabbed Karpis, who helpfully agreed to enter room 403 and persuade "the men" in there to surrender. Instead, once inside he dressed. He and Campbell then flung open the door and opened fire. As the police fled (one was shot in the face) Karpis grabbed the women in room 404 and ran to a back alley. While the women waited there (Delaney had been shot in the leg and could only move slowly), Karpis and Campbell blasted their way across the street and into the garage. Unable to find their car, they drove off in a Pontiac, driving down Kentucky Avenue in search of their women companions. Instead, they hit the dead-end at the Boardwalk. Trading gunshots with police, they wheeled around, searching desperately for the women. Unable to find them, they resolved to get out of town as soon as possible. Shooting at a group of police, they were able to get off Absecon Island; they did not stop driving until they reached Toledo, Ohio. After escaping from Atlantic City, Karpis continued robbing banks until the FBI cornered him in New Orleans. On April 30, 1936, federal agents captured Karpis, as FBI Director Hoover flew in personally to arrest the fugitive. Karpis would serve 33 years in Alcatraz (he was that prison's longest-serving inmate) and was deported after his release in 1969 and died in Spain ten years later. Though his time in Atlantic City was brief, it was one of the city's most notorious episodes.

By Casino Connection Staff  

Honesty is always the best policy, but be careful not to be brutally honest when someone close to you asks your opinion on something near and dear to their hearts. Temper your honesty with a bit of tact. (You will avoid physical injury this way.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

You are very intelligent, but the fact that you are sharper than most can become tiresome to those around you. Be sure to pay attention to the feelings of others, to be more sensitive. Then, people will seek you out. (Be kind to the little people.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

Balance is the key this month. You have to find that middle ground between discipline and freedom, being careful not to have too much of one or the other. Know when to practice restraint, and when to let loose. (And when to duck.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

You may have a problem in asserting yourself, particularly at work. Don't be afraid to speak your mind. If you make your point with authority and clarity, you will win people over. (It's how Cronkite did it.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

Romance is in the air. Follow your heart, but be careful. Make sure you have found the person who is right for you, before you invest too much of your emotion in a serious relationship. (If you're a guy, you're saying, "Invest what?")

By Casino Connection Staff  

You may be having trouble dealing with a difficult person. Instead of meeting them with anger, try giving them a chance with a sincere and generous attitude. Create the right atmosphere for an open discussion of issues. (If that doesn't work, hit them.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

It's a good month for negotiation, so don't take propositions at face value. Insist on a good demonstration of what someone is trying to sell you—before you commit. Don't sign anything until you have all the facts. (Unless there's a "Sign Here" arrow. Then you have no choice.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

Sometimes the smallest alterations in your life can result in the greatest positive effects. Just ask yourself how you can be a bit kinder to others, and the rest will take care of itself. (Oh, and quit being a jerk.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

Trying new things will give you a lot more room to have fun. Sample everything new, no matter what it is. Try your hand at dancing; get a new hobby. It is a good month for discovery. (And for A&E and History Channel, too.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

Expect more from your relationships. Your partner may be due for some emotional development. The time is right for you to grow, and you need your partner to grow with you. (Then, you'll both be really tall.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

The time is right to start making some big plans. You are successful in that you realize who you are, personally and professionally. The stars are aligned for you to succeed. (You're not like those loser Aquarius people who don't realize their potential.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

You may not be doing all you can to realize your full potential and destiny. It's a good month to look inside and reflect on your life, your capabilities, and on what you can do if you put your mind to it. (What you can do that's legal, anyway.)

By Casino Connection Staff  

Cicago native and Las Vegas sports betting expert Paul Czuchra has published a novel titled The Oddsmakers. Complete with all the lingo and nuance of Las Vegas' sports betting industry, the novel is a nice fictional portrayal of two friends on a quest to make the ultimate bet—and to receive the ultimate payoff without getting hurt. Along the way, characters Marty and Franceene encounter unruly casino bosses, nosy Metro cops, suspicious FBI agents, racist bookies and stereotypical underworld figures. Marty is an oddsmaker at a time when Vegas is not yet the corporate-controlled environment it is today. Franceene is an ex-video poker junkie who works with Marty. Marty is approached to place a bet on a million-dollar sure thing—with the help of a box score of a game that hasn't been played yet—and Franceene is taken along for the ride. For sports fans, Czuchra's book is a glimpse into the desperate world of wagering on sports, where bettors and bookies alike are always scrambling for that long-sought edge. Czuchra intertwines the lingo of betting with the minutiae of sports, from college fight songs to the perpetual debate about banning betting on amateur sporting events, like college basketball. At times the story becomes bogged down in repetitive character development, such as the numerous instances of racism directed at Franceene, an African American character. The epithets are designed to provoke, but instead become so numerous as to detract from the story—too numerous even to be believable. But aside from that small gripe, The Oddsmakers is a fascinating read and interesting glimpse into the minds of gamblers. Czuchra is able to capture a desperate scene and boil it down so that even novice sports enthusiasts will be entertained and informed. Czuchra also shows his mastery of description, setting scenes up and describing environments in a way as to lure readers into the narrative. This book is a good addition to anyone's gambling library, and it's a good first novel by Czuchra.

By Joe Legato  

Who knew Las Vegas has a professional sports team? The Las Vegas Gladiators and Orlando Predators are two of the many teams that fans may recognize in EA Sports' newest football game, Arena Football. With full Arena Football League license and all the rights, EA Sports shows players what professional arena football is all about. Fans can play as real teams, use actual coaches' playbooks, and take in the tons of advertising as they play a game that seems a lot like football on steroids. Nets, walls, and a 50-yard playing field are just some of the many unique qualities of arena football that gamers can now master as they take their favorite (or completely unknown) team the top of the AFL. Arena Football is a game that's all about hits. It is tons of fun to knock people over walls or just slam them midway through the air and force a somersault. You may be scoring touchdown after touchdown, but you won't feel like you are really winning unless you have made some spine-busting tackles. The game also includes a telemetry feature that allows you see if you may be overexerting your players. You can see when players need replaced by viewing how tired they are. Luckily, most players in arena football play both offense and defense, so replacements are skilled on both sides of the field. Arena Football is a lot like the classic NFL Blitz games with the fun tricks and moves that seem to break the laws of physics. And, just like most sports games nowadays, you can play against people all over the country in online mode. The game is definitely worth a try, and you may even end up replacing your favorite NFL team with an AFL team. With names like the New York Dragons, you can't lose.

By Roger Gros  

Roseanne Cash's music has always had a very personal side. After all, when your father is Johnny Cash, there's not much room for error. Either he reins you in or the critics do. And no one has succeeded in controlling her. Maybe because of her father, Roseanne's work has not always been recognized as the high-quality material it usually is. As someone who draws from personal experience for her songs, Cash had what might have been called a banner year in 2005, if it hadn't been so tragic. In the space of one year, she lost her father, her mother (on Roseanne's 50th birthday), her stepmother—June Carter Cash—and her stepsister. The liner notes on Black Cadillac indicate that she spent the year is something like a state of shock. But if a grieving haze is what it took to produce this album, well, it may have been worthwhile. With death as an inspiration, you might expect a dark, brooding collection of songs, but surprisingly, Cash brings in a group of songs that are most often hopeful and uplifting. The title song "Black Cadillac" describes how she felt at her father's funeral, and like all the songs on this album, has powerful, evocative lyrics. "One of us gets to go to heaven and one of us has to stay here in hell" is the song's signature line. Most of the other tunes also have the emotional impact that clearly brings the listener into her world. On "I Was Watching You," Cash talks about love continuing beyond death. In the Richard Thompson-esque song, "Like a Wave," Cash weaves mournful guitars throughout the piece, and she brings a Beatles style to "World Without Sound," complete with a John Lennon reference. This work is all about emotions, it runs the gamut from anguish and sadness to acceptance and celebration. Although anger clearly comes through on a few tunes, Black Cadillac hopefully puts to rest some of the demons with which Cash has long wrestled and brings her a new, appreciative audience, as well.

By Frank Legato  

The DVD of this excellent film is slated for release on March 16—a definite coup for DVD buyers, in light of the film's six Oscar nominations—including Best Picture, and three nominations (for Director, Supporting Actor and Script) for George Clooney. Clooney co-wrote the script with Grant Heslov, capsulizing the few years during the 1950s that ultimately would solidify the legend of iconic CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow. (The film's title was taken from Murrow's customary sign-off line in his See It Now program.) The scene is the early '50s newsroom of Murrow (David Strathairn) and producer Fred Friendly (Clooney), and the struggle of the two to broadcast the truth in the face of Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy's high-profile rampage against anyone perceived to be a Communist. Murrow, who initially forged his legend in radio chronicling the London blitz during World War II, was the first to take a stand against the scare tactics being employed by McCarthy, who ingeniously is made to play himself via newsreel clips of the day—his rantings are right there for all to see, woven beautifully into the film and making the struggle of Murrow and Friendly to challenge him appear as urgent as it did 50 years ago. Beyond Clooney's triumph as a director in capturing the mood of the period—the bold black-and-white format; the attention to detail in re-creating the atmosphere of the times, right down to the plumes of cigarette smoke in every room—Clooney's script provides a message that is especially relevant today, summed up in one of Murrow's most famous lines: "We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty." The actors are superb in this film, Strathairn capturing the enigmatic, serious essence of Murrow and Clooney right on target as the more extroverted Friendly. This is one film you will not want to miss.

Closing costs. What are they, why am I paying them, and who am I paying them to? Simply, closing costs or settlement costs are the fees that are charged by lenders to the buyer and seller at time of closing on a real estate purchase. Closing costs usually cover pre-paid interest, escrow reserves for taxes and insurance, and down payment. With the exception of the lender's costs, the actual closing costs will be about the same for all lenders. This is because most of the closing costs are going to standard third-party services like title companies, appraisers, homeowner's associations, etc. Most reputable mortgage companies will be able to give you an estimate of what these closing costs will be. All your costs should be listed on a form called the good-faith estimate. This is only an estimate of your closing costs because it is difficult to determine projected taxes, water/sewer payments, and other costs that may transfer with the property. Most people do not have a clear idea of what closing costs are and why they have to pay for them. Sometimes it can dampen a closing, when it should be a joyous experience. Closing costs can be confusing for many reasons. There is no industry standard for the names of various fees, there is not a standard cost for these fees, and closing costs are not just determined by the lender, but by local state, county and city fees, and pre-paid interest depending on the time of the month that you close and the rate. To make things even more confusing, you will not get exact numbers of what you need to bring to closing until the day of or the day before closing. Generally when the HUD sheet (settlement sheet) is complete with all exact charges, you are ready to close. Make sure that you ask your loan officer to thoroughly explain all charges that you will be expected to pay at closing! If you have been listening to the radio, television, or have been reading the paper; then you have heard advertised everywhere about "no closing costs loans" or "closing costs paid for you." While there are many programs available to you with minimal money out of your pocket, you are still paying for the closing costs. They have just been added to the overall price of the loan. Should you want the closing costs included in your mortgage, you must speak to your loan officer first to see if you are in a program that allows a seller concession. A seller concession is when you take a mortgage for more than the agreed-upon contract price of the property being purchased. In essence, you are giving the seller more money than the purchase price and the seller is returning it to you to go toward your closings costs. It is common practice these days. Many sellers are agreeable to this concession, though they do have to pay a little extra for taxes. However, you must make certain that your realtor places the seller concession in the purchase agreement or sales contract for the seller's approval. When you do shop for a loan, take the closing costs into consideration. Some may be negotiable. When you complete your mortgage package, make certain that you ask for a copy of your good-faith estimate. Make sure that if you have questions about any of the charges listed on your good-faith estimate, that you ask! Settlement should be an exciting experience! Don't let the confusion of closing costs lessen this experience. The more questions you ask your loan officer, the more prepared and educated you will be about settlement

More and more people are starting to enjoy cigars without truly knowing much about the art of the cigar-making process. It is a process that, in many cases, takes several years to complete. Many more cigar manufacturers are taking the time to age tobacco, and their efforts are paying off. One such cigar is the Carlos Torano Silver Exodus. The Silver Exodus is made with a Cuban-seed Criollo wrapper, which is very fickle. The wrapper takes, at minimum, four years with the proper amount of sunlight to fully prosper. Too much sunlight and it is ruined, too little sunlight and the wrapper will not have any taste. The Criollo wrapper is also very delicate and can only be trusted to the true master rollers in the industry. Any damage done in the rolling process will cost the manufacturer money and ruin a tobacco leaf that is four years old. A properly grown and rolled cigar with a Criollo wrapper should be one of the best smoking experiences of your life. A complex-tasting, dark wrapper, the Criollo is most notably found on the Torano Silver Exodus and the CAO Criollo. Both of these cigars are worth further personal testing. I highly recommend them. [Hookah Madness] A hookah is an ancient water pipe used to smoke flavored tobacco. Ancient Egyptians used hookahs as the centerpiece of social gatherings. Fruit-flavored tobacco is placed in a clay bowl, which is heated with coal. The coal never touches the tobacco, as in a pipe, cigar or cigarette. Rather, it heats the tobacco when you draw on the hose attached to the hookah. The smoke is sucked down through a metal pipe and filtered through cool water at the bottom of the base. The end result is a wonderful fruit flavor that can be enjoyed all night. There is no harsh taste or smell, just a nice fruit aroma. Many lounges in large cities are starting to incorporate hookah nights into their weekly schedules. 10 West Bar & Lounge, on the White Horse Pike in Galloway, has embraced this craze, offering two- and three-hose hookahs which can be yours for the evening. 10 West provides everything you need for full enjoyment, and will even set it up for you. It is a relaxing way to unwind and enjoy a fine flavored smoke. [Cigar of The Month] ACID by Drew Estate A truly unique cigar experience, ACID by Drew Estate comes in many different shapes, sizes, flavors and strengths. The most popular cigar in the line is the ACID Liquid, a robusto size (5" x 50) cigar that is made in Drew Estate's factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The secret to every ACID brand cigar is the "infusion" process which takes place after the cigar is rolled. Each cigar is placed in a room filled with various oils and botanicals, and these scents "attach" themselves to the cigars. Once lit, the smell coming from one of these is amazing. The Liquid is a well-constructed cigar with a nice, even draw. ACID is not for the traditional cigar smoker, but rather for someone who likes something different. It is one of the only cigars I can smoke in the house without my wife knowing (until now!). Rating: 3 Butts out of 5!

By Joseph Harrison  

March 1-5 Steve Lippia, Hilton March 2 Hawthorne Heights, House of Blues March 3 Steel Pulse, House of Blues Scott Stapp, Borgata March 3-4 Louie Anderson, Harrah's March 4 Collective Soul, Trump Marina Ralphie May, Borgata Dierks Bentley, House of Blues Michael Buble, Borgata March 5 George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic, House of Blues March 6-10 Sister Sledge, Hilton March 10 Buddy Guy & Robert Cray Band, House of Blues Donald Fagen, Borgata Dennis Miller, Borgata March 10-11 Tony Bennett, Caesars March 11 Keith Anderson, Trump Marina March 12 Earth, Wind & Fire, House of Blues March 17 Get the Led Out (Led Zepplin tribute band), House of Blues March 17-18 Gladys Knight, Tropicana Lewis Black, Borgata March 18 2U (U2 tribute band), House of Blues March 24-25 Michael Bolton, Caesars Brad Garret, Tropicana March 25 The Cult, House of Blues March 31-April 1 Regis Philbin, Susan Lucci, Harrah's March 30 Sevendust w/Nonpoint & Socialburn, House of Blues March 31 Rob Zombie, House of Blues

By Joseph Harrison  

It's hard to keep track of the Pretenders' on-again, off-again existence, but the band is back on the road with a stop at the House of Blues April 2. Led by Chrissie Hynde's sultry voice and great songwriting, the Pretenders masterfully blended pop, rock, punk and new wave to become one of the most successful bands of the 1980s. Emerging with a self-titled debut in 1980 that hit No. 1 in the U.K. and the Top 10 in the U.S., Hynde's sexy persona and catchy, guitar-fueled songs gained as much attention as her bandmates did for their passion for drugs. Both guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon died of drug overdoses. After Hynde went into seclusion following the birth of a child and her bandmates' deaths, she re-formed the band in 1983, and the band's lineup has been in constant flux ever since, with Hynde using the name Pretenders for her own vehicle. Expect the band to perform their hit singles and some lesser-known favorites including "Don't Get Me Wrong," "Brass in Pocket," and "Back on the Chain Gang."

By Joseph Harrison  

The popular Decades Rock Live! series for VH1 Classic continues March 10, and this lineup is the best one yet. With past tributes to Cyndi Lauper, the Doors and Bonnie Raitt setting the table, this month's version pays tribute to classic rockers Heart and features former Jane's Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro; 2005 American Idol winner and double-Platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood, who scored the fastest-selling country album in history; singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright; and the reunion of Alice in Chains, although it was not clear at press time if there was going to be a new lead singer named. Expect to hear all of these great performers get together with Ann and Nancy Wilson and the rest of Heart to offer classics including "Crazy On You," "Magic Man," "Barracuda," "What About Love," "Never," "These Dreams," "Nothin' at All," "Alone," "Who Will You Run To," "There's the Girl" and more.

By Joseph Harrison  

The coolest show of the month, hands down, belongs to the House of Blues, which somehow managed to land Nine Inch Nails—a band which commonly sells out arenas—to play in their intimate venue on March 11. Perhaps the most popular industrial group ever, NIN is actually one person: singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Trent Reznor, who brought the genre to a mass audience by mixing industrial beats with hard-edged pop melodies including lyrics that made NIN an alt-rock mainstay. The 30-year-old Reznor, a Pennsylvania native, grew up with music always on his mind, ranging from KISS to classical. When he sent demo tapes to approximately a dozen labels in the late '80s, nearly every one offered him a record deal. He received notice with his very first single, "Down In It," followed by the more mainstream rock-oriented "Head Like a Hole." Gigs, including a big one on the first Lollapalooza, helped propel Reznor's success, but some contract issues sidelined him until Interscope gave him his own label, Nothing. His label's first EP, Broken, was certainly extreme industrial music, but it produced the Top 10 single "Wish," which earned Reznor his first Grammy for Best Heavy Metal Performance. NIN really came to the public attention with The Downward Spiral, a concept album that spawned the smashes "Closer" and "Hurt." Reznor showed his propensity for all things weird by producing the soundtrack for David Lynch's Lost Highway, contributing one of his best songs, "The Perfect Drug." A five-year battle with writer's block followed, but Reznor was finally cured when he released the double-CD The Fragile in 1999, a remix album in 2000, a live album in 2002 and last year's With Teeth, which the band is currently touring in support of, featuring the singles "The Hand That Feeds" and "Only."

By Joseph Harrison  

Some thought it would never happen, but the Pogues have reunited with lead singer Shane MacGowan and are on a current North American tour that is selling out everywhere they roam, including Borgata's Music Box on March 11. Mixing punk with traditional Irish folk music, the Pogues are Celtic rock pioneers who were never afraid to speak their politically driven minds, especially MacGowan, whose poetic rants were not only powerful, but terrifically witty, poignant, and sometimes slurred and incomprehensible. After debuting with three smash albums—Red Roses for Me, Rum Sodomy & the Lash and If I Should Fall from Grace with God—the Pogues became household names in Europe and the U.S., as MacGowan spread his radical views while drinking and drugging himself into oblivion. Formed in London in the early '80s, the Pogues were conceived when MacGowan met tin whistle player Spider Stacy and guitarist Jim Fearnley and formed Pogue Mahone, which means "kiss my ass" in Gaelic. Eventually, they became the Pogues as well as punk icons and college radio staples, courtesy of hits including "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah," "A Pair of Brown Eyes" and "Fairytale in New York." McGowan's nasty habits eventually led to his departure from the band, and the Pogues toured with other singers, including the Clash's Joe Strummer, before Stacy assumed lead vocal duties. The group disbanded in 2001, but is now back with MacGowan sounding great amid rumors of a new CD circulating.

By Joseph Harrison  

When it comes to acerbic wit, it doesn't get any better than Dennis Miller, who returns to Borgata's Music Box on March 10. Full of puns and witty observations, Miller never lets audiences down with his big words, rapid-fire sentences, wisecracks, and politically slanted observations. Miller is a household name thanks to a long career of picking the right gigs. After a stellar run as one of the best "Weekend Update" anchors in Saturday Night Live's history, Miller's long-running HBO series landed him multiple Emmy Awards, followed by jobs as the color man on Monday Night Football and a politically charged CNBC program. Performing stand-up for more than 25 years, Miller is obviously still at the top of his game as shown in his latest HBO stand-up special All In, in which he tackles a wide range of topics including obesity, pharmaceuticals, global warming, political discordance, the Iraq War, immigration, the new Pope and gay marriage, recorded in Las Vegas.

By Joseph Harrison  

When it comes to female R&B singers over the last 10 years or so, it doesn't get any bigger or better than Toni Braxton, who performs at the Tropicana March 10. With a broad appeal that has made her a staple with R&B, adult contemporary and younger listeners, Braxton has released two albums that sold more than 8 million copies each, an amazing feat for any artist. Of course, Braxton's résumé boasts a slew of Billboard chart-toppers, including "Un-break My Heart," "Another Sad Love Song," "Breathe Again," "You Meant the World to Me," "I Belong to You/How Many Ways," "You're Makin' Me High," "I Don't Want To" and "How Could an Angel Break My Heart." The 37-year-old minister's daughter from Maryland grew up singing gospel with her sisters, but she emerged as a solo artist, amazing people with her astonishing voice on her eponymous solo debut in 1993 and never slowing down. The multiple Grammy Award winner proved her versatility while in a contract dispute with her former record label, LaFace, by appearing in the starring role of Belle on Broadway's Beauty and the Beast. Another hit album, Heat, followed in 1999, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts, thanks to singles like "He Wasn't Man Enough," "Just Be a Man About It" with Dr. Dre and "Spanish Guitar." Her latest release, Libra, features the singles "Please" and "That's the Way Love Works (Trippin').

By Joseph Harrison  

Former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald will surely pack in the coveted Baby Boomer crowd when he performs March 3 and 4 at Resorts. McDonald is an American music icon, winning more awards than most people can only dream of. In 1979 alone, he won four Grammies, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "What a Fool Believes" and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus for "Minute by Minute." His amazing 25-year career keeps rolling, as he proved in 2003 with his album Motown, which not only went Platinum but received two Grammy nominations, scoring Top 10 hits on both the Pop and R&B charts for "On My Own" and "I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near)." His 2004 sequel, Motown 2, was equally impressive, debuting at No. 9 on the Billboard Top 10. If you need to catch up on your Michael McDonald, your best bet is the 2005 Warner Bros. release, Michael McDonald: The Ultimate Collection, a career-spanning set that includes hits from his days with the Doobie Brothers and his solo career, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Real Love," "Takin' It to the Streets," "You Belong to Me," "It Keeps You Runnin'," "I Gotta Try," "No Lookin' Back," "Sweet Freedom" and more.

By Dave Bontempo  

Darryl Pearce was, literally, bred for business. The Showboat front-office supervisor worked extensively in family-run businesses as a youth. One involved a Florida-based high-end windows and doors facility owned by his father. Another concerned a medical seminars establishment in Pearce's native Canada, owned by his mother. Talk about diversity. Pearce gained an early array of entrepreneurial savvy and matured quickly. He's in casino management at age 28 and armed both with a psychology concentration from Western Ontario University and an owner's appreciation of customers. Pearce thrived despite the separation of his parents, which forced him to live in two countries. "I have moved 30 times," Pearce says, laughing. "I'm glad I don't have to do that much anymore. I started my own family and feel very settled now." Pearce is glad he declined ownership of the family establishments to pursue a chef's career. It led to a new life. Pearce came here needing a license to work aboard an Atlantic City-based cruise ship. He figured to cook, entertain clients and travel the seas. Oops. Pearce stumbled into hotel administration and hasn't left. "It's great to build relationships with people in this industry," Pearce says. "They are there just to have a good time. If we are facilitating, we're setting them up for great fun. All we have to do is arrange for everything. Make sure the reservations are set, give them the best room option, wish them luck, and let them know you are there to help them. "For the guests, we're the best chance for a guarantee at the casino. They are not guaranteed to win when they gamble, but they do expect a nice room from us. They have expectations of us and we exceed them as much as possible." Guest satisfaction involves an army of small details, packaged into 1,309 rooms. They range from bell service, early check-in and extra pillows to hand creams, roll-away cribs and the juggling of requests. A number of customers want lower floors in the wake of 9/11. Others seek proximity to elevators. The Somers Point resident enjoys his new approach to customer service. It needs to remain sharp, but it ends with the job. Bottom-line headaches don't follow him home. Pearce advanced his credentials with a two-year management-training program. He gained further insight by working in the uniform shop, with vendors, dry cleaners, seamstresses, union personnel and non-union workers throughout the city. Advancement came quickly. Despite being much younger than many employees he supervises, Pearce fashions a strong relationship plan. "One thing I learned from being molded to take over the business is that everybody has to buy into you," Pearce says. "You don't simply want the employees to look at you as the supervisor, you want them to believe that you were the right guy for the job. That brings you a lot of respect. If a supervisor is viewed as a better choice for the job, it's a better buy for the team and you will get a better performance from your team." How does the respect unfold? "Show grace more than anything," Pearce says. "Be compassionate about people's situations. Help them with scheduling, be understanding of mistakes, listen to them. People need to speak first. They want to know they are being understood. Once they tell you something, you can often figure out what they need from their story." Whether it's a customer or employee, Pearce knows what another person wants. That's the sign of a sharp professional.

By Frank Legato  

By day, Gary Monterosso is a mild-mannered computer teacher at an Egg Harbor Township intermediate school. But outside of the teaching gig he has maintained for 25 years, Monterosso is the king of beers. Since 1993, Monterosso has been reporting on the beer scene in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. His columns on beer—he is billed as "America's Beer Authority," a title that has been trademarked—appear in five publications, including Ed Hitzel's Restaurant Magazine and newsletter, Mid-Atlantic Brewing News and others. He goes on syndicated radio shows as well, including a regular Saturday spot on Sirius Advice, channel 11 on the Sirius satellite radio network. Monterosso will tell you the direction the brewing of beer has taken since the emergence of micro-breweries. He'll tell all about the new beers coming out from all corners of the country. He'll tell you what beer matches up best with certain food, a concept which he says "elevates beer to the status where I think it deserves to be." Monterosso first discovered his love of writing in the late 1980s. After seeing his name in print for the first time when he got an article printed in a national computer magazine, he began seeking out additional writing assignments, and settled on making beer his subject of choice after a friend gave him a book on beers. In the ensuing 13 years, Monterosso has appeared on over 100 radio and television shows talking about beer, and has rode the "good beer" movement to recognition as an expert on the subject. He even co-founded the New Jersey Association of Beer Writers, and in 2001, he was awarded a Silver Medal for writing by the North American Guild of Beer Writers. "Beer is making a comeback," Monterosso says. "For the past few years, it has been under attack by spirits—go into a bar and most likely, you will see young people drinking martinis. Beer is not necessarily considered a hip drink by the young. But things are changing." The reason things are changing? Creativity, among big and small brewers alike, he says, led by the microbreweries that have sprung up everywhere during the past decade. "Microbreweries are introducing more sophisticated flavors," says Monterosso. "Because they are small, they can introduce some crazy, far-out flavors. They can roll the dice and see if it works, because they aren't making huge batches." Even the big boys are catching on, he says. Anheuser-Busch—brewer of half the beers in the country—is getting creative these days, with new products Monterosso calls "craft-like." "Michelob Celebrate, for instance, is a ten-and-a-half-percent alcohol beer, which is pretty high," he says. "But they put a little vanilla bean in it, and they age it in a bourbon cask, which gives it a really complex flavor. It's a nice winter-spring beer." Winter-spring beer? "Beers are seasonal," he says. "The winter beers tend to be heavier, fuller-bodied, more complex. They are nighttime sipping beers, for the most part. Now that we are going into the warmer months, you start seeing some fruit beers, and the wheat beers, which are a little lower in alcohol. They are quite refreshing and perfect for spring." Monterosso's spring recommendations (see below) and many others can be sampled this month at the "Celebration of the Suds," the Atlantic City Beer Festival at the Convention Center March 18 and 19. Gary is this year's master of ceremonies. Monterosso is in the process of expanding his repertoire of expertise to include rum, vodka and sake. So, look for more festivals in the future. [Spring Beers] With the warm weather approaching Gary Monterosso has made some beer recommendations. "Some people call them lawnmower beers, because when you are out mowing the lawn you want something that is more light and refreshing." Strawberry Wheat, a wheat beer from Lancaster Brewing Belgian Lambics, a wheat beer from Belgium in various fruit flavors Melbourne Brothers, a hard-to-find English brand of fruit beers (try Red, White and Brew distributor in Mount Holly, says Monterosso)

By Dave Bontempo  

Tom Cook always knew the numbers. The California native held an economics degree, an MBA and a financial analyst's position in Alaska back in the mid 1990s. It simply wasn't enough. Crunching, bunching and spewing the numbers into facts, figures and bottom-line data grew tiresome. Cook sought to implement them differently, in a new career. His interest intensified after contacting a classmate who'd thrived in the casino business. "I asked him, ‘What's a guy with an MBA doing working for Harrah's?'" Cook recalls. "He explained the whole thing to me, including the Harrah's President's Associates program for management training. It was intended for MBAs. I said, ‘Wow, somebody is going to pay me to learn the business, maybe get a management position?' It's unbelievable." Cook gained one of the final spots in the Atlantic City base of the associates program. He came to Harrah's in 1995 and forged an enviable eight-year run between there and Showboat. He left town as an assistant general manager and now serves as senior vice president and general manager of Harrah's in North Kansas City. For Cook, who now supervises about 1,700 employees, Atlantic City delivered more than a baptism my fire. It enabled his upward mobility by providing a fundamentals base and an intense market to test it in. "The associates program covered gaming, food and beverage, marketing, operations and finance," Cook says. "You learn all the important disciplines about the business in the better part of nine to 18 months. It was great to find a business that demanded more customer service and the use of interpersonal skills." Cook weighed in with a zest for innovation. He implemented an award-winning program called "Play Slots On Us For An Hour." The initiative, instituted prior to Harrah's Total Reward card program, enabled new Gold Card customers to gain reimbursement for an hour of losses, up to $250. It produced a bevy of new signups and held them when the program later changed to issuing coupons good only on a return trip. "Play Slots On Us" was a bold move. It required a larger pump-priming investment than most casino enticements and had to generate new business to be successful. "It was an aggressive initiative, " Cook says. "On the one hand, you have that up-front investment, but then we developed a lot of customer loyalty. By the time someone came into the property two or three times, you know that the person will have received great service all throughout the property and will return often. "I think it was important for us because Atlantic City was in kind of a stagnant market period. Today, the amenities are coming on, but at that time, you were competing in incentives and promotions." Cook's program competed immensely well. It received the prestigious Chairman's Award for all Harrah's properties nationwide. Cook and his cohorts garnered the Outstanding Team Award. "That's not something you're going to get every day; it was wonderful," Cook says. "It was an achievement to be enormously proud of, because we had an excellent team. A background in financial analysis tells you what drives revenues and what drives expenses, but there's also something nice about being able to pry into the wealth of knowledge around you. "If you come in as someone's boss and give the impression of being wet behind the ears and not appreciating that the folks in the trenches know their business, you won't be able to challenge them enough. The employees at Harrah's really came through." Before leaving the property, Cook instituted a program to pinpoint customers idling at stalled machines. A malfunction or a jackpot triggered an SOS to a dispatcher, who directed attendants to the troubled area. The system identified time, place and whether premium customers were waiting. "It eliminated luck or the squeaky wheel situation," Cook says. "You don't want a customer to get an attendant out of a random act of kindness or just because someone happened to be walking by. You also don't want a player waiting for 20 minutes to get a jackpot or fix a machine. That becomes frustrating for everybody." Cook gained a promotion to Showboat and became responsible for its marketing, customer service, security and operational functions. He departed Atlantic City a well-rounded executive. "There was a lot to experience there," Cook says. "We learned to play to the conditions we were given. At Harrah's we knew our customers were not the people who wanted to walk the boards or be with the crowds in the middle of the city. They were a little quieter. They wanted to be in the Marina. Showboat was unique and strong in its way too. "I'm grateful for everything that happened in Atlantic City. It was a great place to start a career. This whole thing is a dream come true."

By Dave Bontempo  

Forget March Madness in Atlantic City. Call the upcoming sports schedule Boardwalk Blitz. Atlantic City offers a high-powered alternative entertainment package during college basketball's national frenzied period. Boardwalk Hall ushers in a unique triple hitter starting March 4—three successive weekends of high-level contact sports. The March mayhem will produce a boxing champion, numerous state wrestling titleholders and mixed martial arts kingpins in a short time period. Cinderella stories and championship crownings will occur, but have nothing to do with the NCAA. They will pertain to the WBC (boxing), the NJSIAA (wrestling) and MFC (martial arts). What a menu. The Mixed Fighting Championship invades March 4, and the state high school wrestling tournament runs March 10-12. A heavyweight title bout between James Toney and Hasim Rahman caps off the special-events trifecta. Boardwalk Hall officials hesitate to label this barrage a trend, but hindsight may legitimize that theory. This is the most active sporting month in the Hall's post-renovation era, which began in 2001 after a $90 million makeover. On the heels of a blockbuster January card involving Arturo Gatti and the WWE Smackdown in late February, Atlantic City produces a rich sports quarter. Whether it's a trend or aberration, March events should bring about 25,000 fans to Atlantic City. Casino accountants can already be heard rejoicing. Before anyone gambles, March may provide a year's supply of jabs, hooks, uppercuts, arm bars, ankle locks, submissions, pins and standing ovations. Emotions run high in these one-on-one encounters, in which a single move can suddenly end the event. Mixed Fighting begins at 7 p.m. March 4 under the sponsorship of Trump Plaza. Din Thomas, returning to mixed martial arts after a boxing stint, debuts in the MFC against Ryan Healy. The co-feature pits Tara Larosa and Roxanne Modafferi, two of the country's more visible female performers, in a groundbreaking headlining role for women warriors. [Grappling Greatness] A throng composed of friends, families and entourages hikes attendance at the State Wrestling Championships to about 10,000. The state's top wrestlers compete in 14 weight classes ranging from 103 pounds to Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight. Action becomes frantic and fans become delirious as the potential for pins prompts them to scream and stomp their feet. Stakes run extremely high among wrestlers who defeated top opponents in district and regional qualifiers before heading here. Action begins March 10 at 6 p.m. with preliminaries and quarterfinals. More quarterfinals and wrestle-backs continue with the Saturday program, starting at 10 a.m. Following the morning session, Boardwalk Hall will clear the facility and reopen at 4 p.m. for the evening session, starting at 5 p.m. The semifinals and wrestle-backs comprise the evening program. Consolation, finals matches and the awards ceremony mark the Sunday slate beginning at 10 a.m. [Heavyweight Drama] Toney and Rahman vie for the World Boxing Council title March 18 at the Hall. Bally's provides the lead sponsorship. For Rahman, the promotional theme for this fight should be "Finally." He was scheduled to fight WBC champion Vitali Klitschko four separate times for the title in 2005. Klitschko forced postponements each time because of injuries and ultimately retired because of them. Rahman gained the WBC title by default, but sustained a lost year in the ring. The 32-year-old Baltimore native obtained huge momentum in 2004. He fashioned a string of home victories followed by a show-stopping performance at Madison Square Garden. Rahman's concern is maintaining the momentum generated by the activity. "I'm ready, anxious to fight for the title again after all that's happened," Rahman says. "It is my time now." It was back in 2001 when Rahman shocked the ring world with a one-punch knockout victory over defending champion Lennox Lewis. Though Lewis gained a rematch victory, he maintains respect for Rahman. "I give Rahman the edge in this fight," says Lewis, who was in town to witness Gatti's late January appearance against Thomas Damgaard in Boardwalk Hall. "He's been there before, he's taller and he's more of a natural heavyweight. Toney is coming up in weight and it's a lot harder for him. Toney's natural edge is that he has that swarming style and he can fire a lot of punches at once if he wants to. I think this will be an entertaining fight." Toney, whose prominence occurred by way of a middleweight and super-middleweight title reign, became an unusually effective heavyweight. He knocked out former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and cruiserweight champion Adolpho Washington. He also secured a good decision victory over highly regarded cruiserweight titleholder Vassily Jirov. Toney, based in Detroit, holds a connection with area boxing fans. He scored several victories here during the middleweight and super-middlweight reigns. Toney's former manager, Jackie Kallen, was the featured character in the movie Against The Ropes. Toney has not lost a fight in almost nine years.

My 5-year-old daughter is incredibly lazy. Like most kids, she does the least possible amount of whatever work she is asked to do. For that matter… I'm lazy. It seems normal for people to procrastinate, cut corners and avoid tasks that seem too difficult. Personal health is often no exception with this "less is enough" behavior. We clearly recognize the results of this attitude but we don't know how to change. What is the solution? Here is one thought: How about reversing the process of how we acquired an unhealthy lifestyle—one small step at a time? No matter who you are, what shape you're in, your lack of time, money or confidence, or previous failures, you can still chip away at the mountain. Pick one tiny little change that you are willing to make and stick with it under the penalty of shaving an eyebrow. This plan (except for the eyebrow part) is a simplified form of Kaizen, a Japanese concept based on the process of improvement by continuously making and maintaining small changes. In theory we know it well: "Rome was not built in a day." "The overnight success that took 20 years." "Every journey begins with the first step." Let's face it, nobody is instantly a chain smoker and no Olympic figure skaters did a triple lutz their first time on the ice. The options for small improvements are endless, but to maintain a change, it should fit your personality and ability. A beginner's first step may be eating a mini-carrot, walking 10 minutes or smoking one fewer cigarette a day. As planned, the carrot consumption either increases or expands to broccoli, the walking time increases or progresses to a jog and the number of cigarettes smoked tapers to nothing. For a more advanced fitness level one may consider adding yoga, Pilates or a spin class into an exercise routine. If giving up your lunchtime Tasty Kakes is too steep a commitment, start by limiting yourself to just half a portion. Unlike the overzealous New Year's resolution where one plunges into a host of dramatic self-improvements, this plan is about getting your big toe in the water and then proceeding in slow-but-steady increments. You may have a significant goal, size or look in mind but, without a plan, those aspirations often fade: baby steps may be the strut of success. Pick your "changette" with resolve, but allow for modification as necessary. Rally your troops, write down your step (forgetting is always a problem… ask my daughters) and don't discredit the action for being too small—that's the point! Be sure to celebrate each achievement and then set your sights on the next small step in the direction of your ultimate goal. I am going to improve my flexibility by stretching my hamstrings for three minutes every night starting today. The check-off sheet is on my nightstand and, when it becomes like brushing my teeth, I am going to work on my balance. My 5-year-old will be making her bed every morning or else… she will be the only kindergartener missing an eyebrow. Good luck. You can do this!

When the stores in the Walk opened, I was right there checking out the bargains (and there are still great ones to be had!). When new shopping centers on the mainland open, I'm there to see what treasures the stores hold. So, you can imagine how much I am anticipating the opening of the Forum Shops at Caesars this spring. They've lined up luxury retailers, fine dining and upscale entertainment establishments that will help Atlantic City compete with the most sophisticated of urban shopping areas. My pocketbook may be strained, but I'm going to be one of those first on the scene to do serious window shopping. Of course, these developments hold another treasure for Atlantic and Cape May residents and workers—new jobs. The retail trade industry is predicted to add 2.1 million new jobs nationwide by 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although many people imagine the retail industry to be all part-time jobs without benefits, designed mostly for students and retirees, there are definitely lucrative career paths. Those paths hold full-time positions, good compensation and great benefit packages. But, like all career paths, there are specific skills and experience that need to be acquired before moving on up the ladder. Excellent and professional customer service skills, use of effective sales techniques, and knowledge of consumer behavior are required for individuals to succeed. Imagine yourself presenting designer casual wear to a discriminating potential buyer at A/X Armani or one of the other high-end shops coming to our area. That dream can come true for you or your family member. Atlantic Cape Community College has partnered with the National Retail Federation, the Atlantic Cape May WIB, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and Kravco-Simon, Inc. (managers of The Hamilton Mall) to educate and motivate local workers to enter and excel in a retail career. The newly formed Institute of Service Excellence (ISE) is already training many in a customer sales and service curriculum. Not only do participants learn about general business, business math and good conflict resolution techniques, they are trained in excellent customer service skills and retail and sales techniques. As part of this program, graduates are prepared to take (at no cost!) an exam to be certified by the National Retail Federation in Customer Service. This certification puts ISE graduates heads above others competing for these exciting and better-paying new retail jobs. ISE classes are open and, best of all, they are totally free. They run weekdays for an intensive 140-hour course over four weeks right in Atlantic City. If you sign up soon, you'll be ready for all the spring retail job fairs. To register for the Institute for Service Excellence, call 609-345-6700, ext. 2925 or stop in during the weekday to the Atlantic County Office Building, 1333 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City to register. Perhaps when I'm shopping for treasure this summer, you and I will meet. I'm sure to be impressed by your courteous and efficient sales skills!

By Roger Gros  

When David Jonas abruptly resigned last November as president of Harrah's Entertainment, Inc.'s Atlantic City region, the world's largest gaming company found itself at a critical juncture in its largest market. The company had just swallowed up two more Atlantic City properties—Caesars and Bally's—with its acquisition of Caesars Entertainment, it had just announced a $550 million upgrade and expansion of its flagship Harrah's Atlantic City property, and it was in the throes of developing the Pier at Caesars, perhaps the largest retail project under construction on the East Coast. Within days of Jonas' resignation, the company announced it was appointing John Payne, a 10-year Harrah's veteran, to head up its Atlantic City region. For anyone else, the appointment might have been a mixed blessing—a tremendous opportunity in a pressure-cooker environment. But not for Payne, who, as Harrah's Gulf Coast regional president, had just spearheaded relief and recovery efforts for the nearly 9,000 Harrah's employees impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. At age 36, Payne now heads a business that generates more than $2 billion in gaming revenue—more than 40 percent of Atlantic City's total in 2005. Last month, with just a month on the job under his belt, he sat down with Casino Connection magazine to share his thoughts about Harrah's and the Atlantic City market. Casino Connection: What was your first impression of Atlantic City? Payne: Atlantic City was the one market I hadn't worked in, and I haven't worked with most of the people here. I was raised in the Washington, D.C., area, and we went to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, not Atlantic City. So I really wasn't familiar with the area. My first impression was that there was much opportunity here. I feel like we've undersold Atlantic City. I'm not placing blame, but when you think about the Pier coming in, the resorts we have, the Walk and the natural beauty of the beaches, we have so much to offer. We've done great job marketing to the Philadelphia area, and the Borgata's done a good job in New York. But we really haven't penetrated the Baltimore and D.C. markets like we should. This is a big market at $5 billion, but I'm coming in with new eyes to see how we can get to $6 billion or $7 billion. What was your charge from Harrah's Chairman and CEO Gary Loveman when you took over the Atlantic City properties? His charge basically was to continue to grow these properties. We're one Atlantic City, but we have four distinct personalities. I think it's critical that we work together in certain areas so we don't step on each other's toes, but it's also very critical that we nurture the four personalities. Caesars is different from Bally's, Bally's is different from Showboat, Showboat is different from Harrah's and so on. They have different customer segments and different needs. The challenge is to grow them in a way that they complement each other. How will you do that? We have to look at all four properties. We can't just look at one and say what it's going to be. Clearly, what we want to be at Harrah's and what we want to be at Caesars are a little more defined than where we want to go with Showboat and where we want to go with Bally's. With the Showboat, there's a great tradition there, and with the addition of the House of Blues there's been a new infusion of customers. The same with Bally's: It's been a very successful property, with three distinct experiences—the Claridge, the Wild Wild West and the Bally's floor. We're working through what they should be long-term. Aside from the announced $550 million upgrade and expansion at Harrah's and the Pier at Caesars, what are your plans? Well, the big project is at Harrah's, but you're going to see a lot of construction at all our properties. If you go to the Showboat, you'll see that all the rooms in the Bourbon Tower are being renovated. At Caesars, you'll see construction walls going up as we prepare for the opening of the Pier. And the second floor is being redone with a new VIP Lounge, which we're also adding at Bally's. There's been talk about a new name for Bally's. When will you unveil it? We don't have a time frame. We're continuing to study what is the right positioning for that property. We have multiple brands and we need to better understand what Bally's wants to be and what would be the best brand. How about the market itself? What's your impression now that you been on the job for 30 days or so? I want to be clear: The market is undersupplied in terms of hotel rooms. When you look at statistics–and I hate to compare Atlantic City to the Las Vegas Strip–but when you look at the two markets the contrast is startling. Both markets did about $5 billion in gaming revenues in 2005. But Las Vegas did another $9 billion in non-gaming revenue and we did just $300 million. Las Vegas has 135,000 hotel rooms, we have 15,000. There's clearly an opportunity here to bring in customers from cities like Baltimore and Washington, D.C., but we need hotel rooms and more capital investment in non-gaming amenities. We want to keep them here when they visit.

By Casino Connection Staff  

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board narrowed the field of contenders for two at-large slot parlor licenses last month when it rejected the license applications of developers in Lancaster and West Homestead. The board voted unanimously to reject the application of two attorneys seeking to convert a former department store in downtown Lancaster into a slot casino, and to reject the application of the owner of Trum Construction outside of Pittsburgh, who was seeking to convert a former industrial site on the river in West Homestead into a casino. In both cases, the board determined the applicants had not met their requirement to demonstrate the ability to pay the $50 million license fee. Under the law, applicants are required to submit valid letters of credit for the $50 million fee. The applicants have ten days in which to officially seek a reconsideration of the board's actions, but no new application paperwork can be submitted—which means the board's decisions likely are final. The board also used the lack of a letter of credit to reject the Pittsburgh application of North Shore Gaming, headed by Alco Parking owner Merrill Stabile and former officials of Mandalay Resort Group. Stabile announced that he was withdrawing his bid in the face of grand plans announced by Harrah's and Isle of Capri for their projects. The board's actions leave 22 applicants for the 14 slot licenses in Pennsylvania, and seven applicants vying for the two at-large slot parlor licenses available.

By Casino Connection Staff  

The Mohegan tribe's plans to transform the Pocono Downs racetrack into Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs may revive a long-stalled project to create a $350 million rail link between New York City and the Poconos. The states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania would contribute funding to completion of the link, which would run from Penn Station in Manhattan to Scranton, the location of Pocono Downs. The link also would benefit proposed slot parlors in Pocono Manor and the Mount Airy Lodge. The $350 million rail project, now in the preliminary engineering phase, would restore passenger service terminated in 1970 between New York and Scranton, through New Jersey and the Poconos. The Federal Transit Administration is slated to do an environmental impact study in the spring, after which the project could be recommended for federal funding. A "highly recommended" rating would authorize Pennsylvania and New Jersey to draw down $120 million approved for the project in August as part of the $286 billion federal transportation bill.

By Casino Connection Staff  

Harrah's Entertainment last month released details of its proposed slot casino in Pittsburgh, announcing a plan for a $512 million slot casino adjacent to the Station Square retail and dining complex on the southern banks of the Monongahela River. Harrah's announced it is partnering with Cleveland-based Forest City Enterprises to create Harrah's Station Square Casino as part of a $1 billion entertainment, retail and residential development. "This is a massive development plan. We are going to create, if you will, a new neighborhood for Pittsburgh," Brian Ratner, a director of Forest City, said at a news conference. In addition to the casino—which would open with 3,000 slots and would add up to 2,000 more eventually—the complex would include a 1,200-seat event center, retail shops, restaurants, a riverside park, 1,250 condominiums, and an expansion of the existing Sheraton Station Square hotel. The complex would flank both sides of the existing Station Square retail and dining complex. The partners contend the Station Square plan would generate more revenue than any of the other proposals for Pittsburgh—an estimated $550 million. Forest City and Harrah's also have pledged to establish a $25 million endowment for revitalizing inner-city neighborhoods and to give $1 million a year to a foundation to support local communities with 60 percent or more minority populations.

By Casino Connection Staff  

New York Governor George Pataki is asking the state legislature to authorize three new video lottery terminal venues to open after the state's remaining three racetracks go live with VLTs later this year. Pataki is proposing a bill that would authorize three VLT parlors, with licenses to be awarded through competitive bids. The parlors could be located anywhere in the state other than certain designated locations, as long as they are at least 15 miles from an existing VLT facility. The governor said he hopes to raise more money for education, after seeing much success in raising education funds through existing racetrack VLT operations at Saratoga, Batavia, Canandaigua, Hamburg and Monticello. Those tracks collectively earned $300 million last year, on nearly $3 billion in wagers. Of that $300 million, $155 million went to the state's schools. Yonkers Raceway, Aqueduct Park and Vernon Downs are all expected to open their VLT facilities this year, and are projected to double the money generated by the state lottery for education. Lawmakers in favor of Pataki's proposal noted last month that the state needs more venues to compete with Pennsylvania, where 61,000 slots are slated to come on line within the next two years. Opponents, though, cautioned that new venues would also create more gambling addiction by creating more "convenience gambling."

By Casino Connection Staff  

Former Borgata CEO Bob Boughner has been named Businessman of the Year, and Barbara Lang, founder and owner of the Lang & Associates CPA firm, has been named Business Woman of the Year. The honors, announced last month by the Atlantic City Regional Mainland Chamber of Commerce, will be presented March 15 at the Chamber's 38th annual Business Man and Woman of the Year Dinner at Harrah's Atlantic City. Boughner, who took the Borgata from concept to reality, has been named by Borgata parent Boyd Gaming as president and CEO of the new subsidiary Echelon Resorts, which will create a new megaresort on the current site of the Stardust on the Las Vegas Strip. Lang's firm provides accounting, administrative and consulting services to all of Atlantic City's 12 casino hotels, and to small businesses operating in the Atlantic County community. She currently serves as chairperson of the Chamber, having led the effort to merge the Atlantic County and Atlantic City chambers into New Jersey's fifth largest chamber of commerce. "The Business Man and Woman of the year program is the Chamber's most prestigious annual event," said Chamber President Joe Kelly. "This year, our committee has honored two of the most dynamic members of our business community. Their award once again demonstrates their unparalleled commitment to the community and to their individual companies."

By Casino Connection Staff  

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority kicked off its follow-up to last year's "Summit On The Shore" conferences on branding the Jersey Shore with a series of conferences begun January 26 called "Downtown: It's A Shore Thing." The new conferences focus on the city centers of the Jersey Shore, and what individual towns can do to brand themselves both individually and as part of the Jersey Shore experience. The first meeting was highlighted by a keynote from Curtis Bashaw, the former CRDA executive director who launched the Summit On The Shore program last year, and included presentations by current CRDA chief Tom Carver and various marketing experts. The next "Shore Thing" meeting is March 9 at the Asbury Park Convention Hall, and the final one will be held April 5 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. For more information, call 609-633-7121 or visit www.summitontheshore.com.

By Casino Connection Staff  

If you ever thought that the hotel addition currently being planned for the Borgata was going to be "just another tower," think again. Former CEO Bob Boughner, who is still overseeing the design of the property's expansion, even though he has relocated to Las Vegas to oversee the birth of Boyd Gaming's Echelon Place, revealed additional details about the project to Casino Connection last month. "Phase II of the expansion is a project called the Water Club," Boughner said. "It's a separate and uniquely branded hotel with 800 rooms and suites. There are separate suite floors with their own elevators and check-in. There will be an additional 35 suites, the smallest being 1,500 square feet and the largest 5,000 square feet. There is a separate porte cochere and valet parking. "It has two outdoor pools and two indoor pools. Three pools are at grade and the fourth is a regulation lap pool at the spa in the sky, which is in addition to the existing spa in Borgata. There will be an additional 11 retail shops in addition to the stores that have been added in the Phase I expansion." Boughner says the success of Borgata dictated the method of expansion. "We announced the expansion of the Borgata six months after we opened," he explained. "During those six months, we projected out where we thought we would be and we even underestimated the potential. We needed the public area as quickly as possible, so we separated out the hotel product expansion. We didn't want the longer lead time needed to build the hotel to delay the public area expansion. Phase I will be open in a few months on time and on budget."

By Casino Connection Staff  

Longtime Tropicana executive Maureen Siman has been named as the new vice president of marketing for the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. Siman will lead the ACCVA's communications, media relations, community services and tourism marketing. "Maureen has been a strong proponent of Atlantic City for years," said ACCVA Executive Director Jeffrey Vasser. "We know she'll bring her valuable experience and vast body of knowledge to our team." Siman was most recently assistant vice president of media services and government relations at the Tropicana, where she was instrumental in the team which oversaw the opening of the Quarter retail attraction.

By Casino Connection Staff  

"New Jersey: Come see for yourself." That's the winning state slogan picked last month from five finalists—garnering 3,373 votes out of more than 11,000 cast by New Jersey residents to replace the familiar but old "New Jersey and You: Perfect Together" theme made famous by former Governor Tom Keane's North Jersey accent. There was more slogan news last month, this time at the city level. Atlantic City's "Always Turned On" slogan came in third in a national survey of the effectiveness of city slogans performed by a California marketing group. The group put out a list of Top 50 city slogans, and Atlantic City's took a back seat only to Las Vegas' "What happens here, stays here" and Charlottesville's "So Very Virginia." "Pehh-fect."

By Casino Connection Staff  

Three of Atlantic City's favorite adopted sons enjoyed a glorious weekend at the end of January. Virgil Hill, Mike Arnaoutis and Arturo Gatti each delivered convincing victories and set the stage for more significant events in their careers. It started with Hill, the ageless 42-year-old native of Bismarck, North Dakota. Now based in Atlantic County, Hill returned to the city in which he won his first title nearly 20 years ago. On January 27, he scored a difficult decision victory over Valery Brudov to capture a cruiserweight championship at the Tropicana. Hill, who made an astounding 21 defenses in two light-heavyweight title reigns, defeated a stubborn opponent and overcame a nasty cut to do it. His longtime corner man Mike Hall, who runs the Pleasantville Recreation Center where Hill trains, did an excellent job closing a cut and allowing Hill to finesse his way to victory. On the same card, Greek sensation Mighty Mike Arnaoutis scored a one-round victory over Marc Thompson in the first home fight of his life. Arnaoutis, now based in Somers Point, was a 12-time national amateur champion based in Greece. Because his native country does not hold professional boxing, Arnaoutis traveled to England and then to America. A fast-paced, crowd-pleasing style propels the unbeaten Arnaoutis toward a world title bout, perhaps this year. Gatti, a member of the Atlantic City Hall of Fame, captured the most crucial triumph in his career against Thomas Damgaard. The Jersey City-based Gatti, who was waging his 21st Atlantic City bout and seventh straight at Boardwalk Hall, faced a win-or-retire ultimatum. His June 2005 setback to Floyd Mayweather had network executives whispering of his retirement. But Gatti delivered a sterling performance in his welterweight debut. He battled solidly off the ropes, kept Damgaard at a distance and finally stopped him late in round 11. For Gatti and the casino industry, the gravy train rolls on. Expect him to oppose WBC welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir in July.

By Casino Connection Staff  

Two celebrated chefs from the Philadelphia region last month debuted a new restaurant at Caesars Atlantic City. The new Mia restaurant is a Mediterranean Italian bistro created by renowned chefs Georges Perrier and Chris Scarduzio. Perrier is best known for Philadelphia's legendary Le Bec-Fin and Brasserie Perrier. Scarduzio is co-owner and executive chef of Brasserie Perrier and the new Brasserie Perrier Café in Philadelphia. The Mia restaurant at Caesars is the third collaboration between the two chefs. Mia features Mediterranean pasta, meat and fish dishes served in a contemporary setting, targeted to twentysomething patrons. There is full dinner service, but later in the evening, the restaurant takes on a lounge atmosphere, with the menu service changing to non-traditional pizzas and pastas, plus caviar and raw oysters. Also at Caesars, Morton's The Steakhouse is holding an event March 6 that will give customers the chance to pair one of several of the restaurant's most decadent desserts with one of the best wines in the house. For $40, customers will be given an hour and a half beginning at 6 p.m. to stroll through displays of Morton's signature chocolate desserts, truffles and a chocolate fountain, and pair the sweets with Bonterra Vineyards merlot, Dry Sack sherry, Mariah Zinfandel or Sandeman Founder Reserve Porto. To make reservations, call Christine Staatsburg at 609-449-1044.

By Casino Connection Staff  

Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy called for patience from Atlantic City residents as his new administration sorts out a laundry list of problems and puts action plans in place to deal with them. Levy laid out his plan at his first "State of the City" address, delivered January 30 before the Metropolitan Business and Citizens Association. The new mayor cited ongoing violent crime, high taxes and excessive city bureaucracy among the major problems, and pledged to deal with them all through a good relationship with City Council and several specific actions, including the addition of 250 new police cars paid for through grants, and a plan to reduce spending across the board. "The social and fiscal problems of this city cannot and will not be readily fixed in the short term," Levy cautioned. "I have no false illusions about being able to correct all the things that trouble the city. However, there is much we can do to set realistic goals and achieve meaningful outcomes." Among those goals, in addition to increased police presence, will be to institute city-wide cleanups and street-sweeping programs; to streamline the building approval process to encourage development; and to institute systematic inspections of city properties.

By Casino Connection Staff  

MGM Mirage Inc. CEO Terry Lanni said last month that the company, which is spending $7 billion to create the Project CityCenter mixed-use development on the Las Vegas Strip, will consider doing a similar gaming/retail/entertainment/residential mega-complex in Atlantic City. Lanni says the company will decide whether to create "CityCenter East" in another year or so, when the company is halfway toward its anticipated 2009 opening of the Strip project. The 66-acre Project CityCenter will include a hotel-casino designed by architect Cesar Pelli, a Mandarin Oriental non-gaming hotel, retail and entertainment space, condominiums and other boutique hotels. If it is reprised in Atlantic City, it will be on the 55-acre parcel MGM owns adjacent to its jointly owned Borgata on Renaissance Pointe. Lanni told Global Gaming Business that a CityCenter East "would be no less than what we are doing at CityCenter in Las Vegas."

By Casino Connection Staff  

Atlantic City is holding its first-ever beer festival and trade show this month, when the "Celebration of the Suds" Atlantic City Beer Festival takes over the Atlantic City Convention Center March 18 and 19. Billed as the East Coast's largest tribute to beer, the event brings together 40 brewers, 20 restaurants and dozens of beer-related vendors for booth displays, entertainment and special events on a 30,000-square-foot convention floor. The event will showcase more than 100 different beers, from microbrews to the latest brands from the giants of the beer business. More than 15,000 attendees are expected, according to show producer Unsuited Entertainment LLC. They will be treated not only to the brewers' booth displays, but to presentations of gourmet food, a variety of entertainment, contests and prize giveaways. The trade show is open to the public, and attendees will be invited to sample brews and cuisine from the area's best restaurants. The producers hope to make this an annual event in Atlantic City, according to this year's master of ceremonies, award-winning beer writer Gary Monterosso. Monterosso—who is also the subject of this month's "Mixologist" —will be one of the featured beer experts speaking at the celebration, which also will include less beer-related attractions ranging from Playboy Playmates to musical performances by Birnam Wood and the Toonz. The show runs noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 18 and noon to 7 p.m. the following day. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. If you're a designated driver, you can get in for $5. For more information, visit www.celebrationofthesuds.com.

By Casino Connection Staff  

One of the hip offerings of the "new' Atlantic City, the beach bars fronting six Boardwalk casinos, may be on the endangered species list. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is proposing new rules for structures on the beach that could essentially wipe out the Boardwalk beach bars. After its rocky summer relations with the casinos last year, in which the state DEP fined Resorts Atlantic City $50,000 for building the Nikki Beach club without a permit in place and fined others for expanding too close to the shoreline, the agency is planning to change the requirements for permission to build on the beach. Currently, temporary beach structures must be at least 50 feet from the high-tide line. Under the new rules, no structure would be permitted to take up more than 33 percent of "usable beach area." Since "usable beach area" changes with every storm, the rule poses a planning nightmare for casinos opening beach attractions. It's a nightmare some casino operators have already said they won't deal with. Resorts President Audrey Oswell announced last month that Nikki Beach will not reopen on the casino's beachfront this summer. Executives at other casinos are questioning whether to reopen their beach bars. Executives of the Atlantic City Hilton told reporters they were uncertain whether to reopen the city's first casino beach bar. An executive of Harrah's Entertainment was similarly noncommittal when asked about the future of beach bars at Caesars and at Showboat's House of Blues. Only one casino, Trump Plaza, has announced that it will definitely open its beach bar this year, for a fourth season.

Atlantic City is continuing to grow with new amenities, new attractions, new conventions and new rooms for visitors. Whether it's the non-stop entertainment, beach bars, shopping, restaurants or the casinos, you can find what you're looking for in Atlantic City, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. But while Atlantic City is "Always Turned On" with all these new amenities, it is still the people who work in the city day in and day out who really make Atlantic City shine. They open the door for the couple visiting from Ohio. They deal the next winning poker hand. They make sure everyone's dinner is served just right. They make sure Atlantic City is the vacation destination to be remembered by the 33 million people who visit each year. That's why nine years ago the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority created the Atlantic City Host Awards—to recognize and honor those workers who go above and beyond the call of duty each day. Each Host Award nominee represents the best of the best. And each 14-karat gold, custom-designed lighthouse lapel pin given out every year distinguishes award winners as beacons of hospitality. Close to 300 people in the hospitality industry are nominated by managers each year. The Atlantic City Host Awards Committee narrows the field of nominees down to five finalists in each category and the winners for each category are announced during a banquet, to take place this year on Wednesday, May 10, in the Adrian Phillips Ballroom at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall. Even more people can win this year, because the number of categories for the Host Awards has increased. The normal 19 categories have been redefined and expanded to include 22 different categories, including Best Casino Games Personnel, Best Casino Support Personnel, Best Public Area Personnel and Best Cashier. Managers, do you know a server in a restaurant or casino who consistently personifies exemplary customer service? How about a retail associate or valet? Well, here's your chance to reward someone for doing more than just his or her job. Employees, here is your chance to shine. Remind your managers how great your hospitality skills are so you can get the recognition you deserve. Host Award nominations are due by March 24. Of course, one of the highlights of the Host Awards is the presentation of the "Spirit of Hospitality" award honoring an outstanding individual who has made a significant long-term contribution to the hospitality industry. Last year's Spirit of Hospitality award winner was talk show host, columnist and local celebrity Pinky Kravitz. Past winners include James A. Crawford, former executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority; Don Guardian, executive director of the Atlantic City Special Improvement District; and Atlantic City historian and author Vicki Gold Levi. Who will it be this year? You'll have to wait until May 10 to find out. New this year is a program book that will allow for advertisement space to be purchased, for businesses to support nominees. Purchase space in the Host Awards program book and give a "shout out" to all the nominees and the winners. Those interested in advertisement space should contact Host Awards Committee Chairwoman Jacqueline Carole. Yes, what keeps visitors coming back to Atlantic City are all the attractions we have to offer. But what else keeps them coming back are the special people honored each year who make Atlantic City feel like a home away from home for millions of visitors. It's time once again to recognize each and every one of them at the Atlantic City Host Awards. For more information regarding the Host Awards or for a nomination form, visit www.atlanticcitynj.com and click on the Host Awards logo, or contact Jacqueline Carole at (609) 449-7174 or e-mail jcarole@accva.com.

The casino industry surpassed a major milestone in 2005 when its gross revenue exceeded $5 billion, placing it just behind Las Vegas in terms of gaming revenues. There are, of course, a number of factors which contributed to the continued growth and success of the industry over the years, culminating in last year's record level of revenue. One of the most important is the maintenance of a stable tax environment—one which creates a high degree of investor confidence in the future of the Atlantic City casino industry. This continued investment is necessary for future expansion projects and marketing innovations which will keep Atlantic City competitive. Investors are understandably sensitive to unexpected shifts in tax policy, particularly if increases in taxes are viewed as creating a dampening impact on steady economic growth. The experience in New Jersey is an excellent indicator of the benefits which flow from stability in the tax structure. For instance, the casino industry has, since its inception, been subject to an 8 percent state tax on gross revenues, the proceeds dedicated by the state constitution to programs benefiting eligible senior citizens and the disabled. The lion's share of the money is devoted to subsidizing the cost of prescription drugs so seniors and the disabled never pay more than $5 for each prescription. Based on last year's gross of just over $5 billion, the state will collect more than $400 million from this one tax alone. Since the onset of legalized gaming, the casino industry has provided nearly $6 billion for the assistance program. It is equally noteworthy that the 12 casinos in Atlantic City pay 80 percent of all the property taxes collected in the city each year; generate more than $20 million in state sales tax revenue; produce approximately $15 million in luxury taxes and more than $20 million in corporate business taxes. These tax revenue totals will continue to grow as a result of the industry's major emphasis on creating additional opportunities for non-gaming revenue—shopping, entertainment, and dining. For instance, while the $5 billion revenue generated last year placed Atlantic City just behind Las Vegas, the industry lagged far behind in revenue from sources other than casino operations. As new venues open and draw ever greater numbers of visitors, the income and the tax revenue it provides will grow steadily. Accompanying that growth is the continued development of Atlantic City as a major tourist destination. The shopping to be found here, along with the entertainment and fine dining experience to be had, will greatly strengthen the position of the city, as well as our industry, as competition from neighboring states comes on line. But the tax policies applied to casino operations will remain central to the continued success of the city and the industry. There is, of course, no dispute that one of the fundamental principles of government is that its tax structure must be fair and equitable to all concerned. It is, though, equally as crucial that the structure also be utilized to encourage economic growth, private investment and job creation. That philosophy underlies a myriad of government programs offering tax incentives, tax credits, grants and loans and other subsidies to lure private industry to relocate to New Jersey or to maintain its operations here. It is a recognition that a favorable and stable tax environment is a major consideration on the part of those who make important and far-reaching investment decisions. That the casino industry has shown itself to be one of the most significant economic growth engines in New Jersey is inarguable. It provides more than 47,000 jobs with an annual payroll of more than $1.2 billion. Its beneficial impact is felt across the entire state with its expenditure of some $2 billion annually for the purchase of goods and services from 12,000 small businesses in every region of the state. The ability of the industry to rely on a stable tax environment contributed in no small measure to the growth and vitality restored to South Jersey in particular, a region of the state which had historically lagged behind its Central and North Jersey counterparts in job creation and economic health. With a record-setting year behind us and hopes for an even brighter year ahead of us, the industry is hopeful that changes in the policies which have contributed so greatly to its success will be considered carefully, indeed, and in light of what we have accomplished.

I have an official announcement to make, right here in the official monthly editor's correspondence: Ricky Martin is not Mexican. He is, in fact, Puerto Rican. He is from San Juan, as we now know. In fact, we knew this after the first call you folks made to us last month. And, after the ten-thousandth call, we assumed the first nine-thousand, nine hundred-and-ninety-nine calls were correct. It was one little word in our monthly entertainment section in the February issue that was missed by all of our esteemed editors and proofreaders. "The 34-year-old Mexican star, best known for…" Best known for not being Mexican, as it turns out. Yes, you let us know of the error quite matter-of-factly. The impression we now have is that calling Ricky Mexican was worse than calling the Dalai Lama Chinese, calling Bono an Englishman, or calling the Pope a Lutheran. As managing editor, I take full responsibility for the snafu. I should have known better, because in the 1980s, Ricky was a lead singer for the boy band Menudo, a Puerto Rican phenomenon. Okay, I confess—I didn't know that either, until I looked it up just now. For all I knew, Menudo was from Cuba and the lead singer was Ricky Ricardo. Still, Ricky Martin's songs should have clued me in to the fact that he is Puerto Rican. There was "Livin' la Vida Loca," which is an obvious reference to Puerto Rico, since it is in Spanish. Then, there was the blockbuster hit "I Am Puerto Rican," followed up by the multi-Platinum "I Was Born In San Juan, Which Is In Puerto Rico." Then there was last year's Grammy winner, "I Am Not A Mexican." This month's entertainment section will have no such gaffes. You will find accurate spotlight descriptions of the Pogues, an Irish punk band which is not Mexican, and is playing at the Borgata, which is not in Mexico or Puerto Rico. Then there is Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart, who are bringing together a star-studded show at Trump Taj Mahal for VH1's Decades Rock Live series, including non-Mexicans like former Jane's Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro, singer/songwriter/non-Mexican Rufus Wainwright, and a reunion of the non-Mexican band Alice In Chains. The Wilson sisters are not from Mexico or Puerto Rico either. They are, rather, from the other side of the continent entirely—they're from Seattle. However, the band Heart, which they made famous, actually was formed in Canada, and released its first record on a Canadian record label. Ha! I guess I won't be getting any calls about Heart next month, from irate Canadians or irate people from Seattle (if there even are any irate people in Seattle). You will also find nuggets in this month's entertainment section about Nine Inch Nails and the Pretenders. For the record, both of these acts have roots in Ohio. Nine Inch Nails was formed in Cleveland by Trent Reznor, and the Pretenders were formed by Chrissie Hynde, who is from Akron, even though she formed the Pretenders in England. Yes, I do know about some entertainers—I simply have been amiss in keeping up on the history and genealogy of Ricky Martin, and for this, I apologize profusely. I'm glad we cleared that up—now we can get on to what's in the rest of our issue. Yes, there is more to Casino Connection than our typically comprehensive information on non-Mexican entertainers. This is our steakhouse issue, providing you with a wealth of information on where to go in this town to get carnivorous. We have a good feature on a new training program run by Stockton College at the Carnegie Library Center that you will want to check out, and one on security and surveillance in casinos that you won't want to miss. The latter one is by Joseph Harrison, who also penned our cover story this month. He is the fine contributing editor who, as it happens, writes our entertainment section. I think he's from Puerto Rico.

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Feb 02, 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Jan 29, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   Sat, Jan 23, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   Thu, Jan 21, 2010

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

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

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

By NBC 40 WMGM   Wed, Dec 02, 2009

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

 

By NBC 40 WMGM   Wed, Sep 30, 2009

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Sep 22, 2009

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Sep 22, 2009

By NBC 40 WMGM   Mon, Sep 21, 2009

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

 

By NBC 40 WMGM   Sat, Sep 12, 2009

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