By Felicia Lowenstein  

Appel Farm Arts and Music Center
457 Shirley Rd., Elmer
856-358-2472 • www.appelfarm.org
Family matinees and evening concert series with four October performances. Family and youth workshops in ceramics, acting, painting, sculpture and yoga.

Atlantic Cape Community College
5100 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing
609- 343-4900 • www.atlantic.edu
Singer-songwriter concerts, author lecture series, studio arts workshops, theatre presentations and year-round art gallery.

Cygus Arts Center
3056 English Creek Ave., Egg Harbor Twp.
609-272-1935 • www.cygusarts.org
Classes offered in ballet, tap, jazz, modern dance, hip-hop, painting, drawing theatre, voice, paino, drums, guitar, karate and yoga.

Galloway Cultural Arts Center
300 E. Jimmie Leeds Rd., Absecon
609-652-2418
Offering art shows, folk arts and crafts exhibits, photography and multi-cultural celebrations.

Hammonton Art Center
107 Bellevue Ave., Hammonton
609-567-5360 www.hammontonartscenter.org
The 11th Annual Member Arts Showcase running from October 1 through 29 features photography, paintings, pastels, prints, jewelry, glass, pottery and works in clay. Classes for beginners and advanced in painting, drawing, watercolor, stained glass and photography.

Ocean City Arts Center
1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City
609-399-7628 www.oceancityartscenter.org
October workshops in pumpkin painting, basketing making and Christmas card creating. Meet the artist A. Tutra on October 5 from 5:50 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Ventnor City Cultural Arts Center
6500 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor
609-823-7952 • www.ventnorcity.org
Workshops offered in painting, wax sculpting, yogo, tai chi, ballet, jazz and tap.

By Felicia Lowenstein  

If you visited a museum, saw a play or enjoyed a concert this year in South Jersey, you’re not alone. More and more people are discovering they don’t have to travel to Philadelphia or New York to enjoy the arts.

South Jersey’s arts community is flourishing, according to Joyce Hagen, manager of marketing and tourism for the South Jersey Cultural Alliance. “We’ve seen some dramatic growth in the South Jersey arts since the SJCA was started back in 1991,” she says. “But we still don’t have the same corporate funding that you might find in North Jersey, for example. There is still a great need for support.”

“When you read about employers and companies moving into an area, one of the things on their list is the availability of cultural events,” adds Michael Cool, executive director of Stockton Performing Arts Center. “It’s not the deciding factor, but it’s in the mix. And when you look at the coastal area from Cape May up through Long Beach Island, there are arts organizations that are very active, adding to the quality of life. The South Jersey Cultural Alliance has really helped focus attention on the need for a vibrant arts community.”

The SJCA was begun to help strengthen the arts in South Jersey by helping organizations come together to market themselves. The organization publishes a free guide to the arts that includes a calendar of events throughout an eight-county region (www.sjca.net or 888-704-7522).

“The arts are so important, and one of the most heady experiences anyone can have,” says Hagen of the SJCA. “The more we get people involved, and especially if we can get kids into the arts early, the more fully they’ll be able to appreciate the arts.”

If you’re looking to experience the arts in South Jersey, Casino Connection has taken the first look. Here are highlights of some of the best that the area has to offer.

THEATER

The “arts come alive” at the Stockton Performing Arts Center in Pomona. Located on the campus of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, this performing arts venue first opened its doors in the fall of 1976 as part of the Division of Arts and Humanities.

“The first year, the center presented about six guest artists,” says Michael Cool, executive director. “Today, we average about 66. “We’re really fortunate to be just a couple of hours from New York and an hour from Philadelphia. That allows us to bring in performances that are en route to one of those major cities. Stockton brings touring guest artists from all over the world in all of the performing arts—theater, dance, concerts and more.”

Theater remains a significant draw, with shows from musicals to comedies and drama, and shows geared toward students and preschoolers. Children’s shows are often priced at a lower cost, and for certain adult performances, children can attend for $10.

“Children are the audience of the future,” says Cool. “We want to expose them to the arts. We are a cultural resource to the community and to the college, too. We want to give people an opportunity to see what they wouldn’t normally have a chance to experience.”

For ticket information and a current schedule at Stockton Performing Arts Center, visit www.stockton.edu/pac. Residents can also become Friends of the PAC, contribute dues to support programming and volunteer their time ushering at performances.

Dante Hall Theater of the Arts is located just a block and a half from Atlantic City’s Boardwalk. Built in 1926 as an addition to St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church, Dante Hall resembles a cathedral. It was renovated and rededicated as a theater in 2003. And while both exterior and interior feature Italian Renaissance-style details, the venue is a thoroughly modern facility with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems.

Since its opening, Dante Hall has been host to a wide array of performances by emerging artists, professional entertainers and regional production companies. Plays, musicals, comedies and dramas are among the fare offered in this unique theater.

Ample free parking is available in the St. Michael’s Church parking lot or in the nearby Ducktown Shops lot. For more information on Dante Hall, visit www.dantehall.org.

Just a couple of miles down the road, the Margate Performing Arts Center is home to the Margate Players, a community theater group known for producing high-quality shows that rival many area professional productions. Their mission is to offer high-quality theater at an affordable cost. The group puts on a variety of musical shows and plays throughout the year, including one show made up of all young actors. For more information, visit www.margateplayers.org or call the box office at 609-487-7783.

The South Jersey Youth Theatre produces two shows annually, made up exclusively of actors age 16 and under. Look for their regional productions, or contact them at southjerseyarts@yahoo.com or 609-334-9502.

DANCE

“Every great city has a ballet company,” says Phyllis Papa, founding artistic director of the Atlantic City Ballet. That was the impetus for the change in name from the Atlantic Contemporary Ballet Theatre, started in 1982, to the Atlantic City Ballet.

“Everyone knows Atlantic City,” says Papa. “Now when we tour, we are ambassadors for the arts in Atlantic City.”

The troupe started with a dozen dancers including Papa. “We danced in and out of the casinos,” she remembers, “at Harrah’s Superstar Theatre, the Playboy, the Golden Nugget. The casinos, and an arts grant, supported us.”

The ballet spent time in residencies at Atlantic Cape Community College, and at Stockton. This fall, the troupe made the move to an Atlantic City landmark, Boardwalk Hall.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to be in Boardwalk Hall,” says Papa. “This is a center for the arts. It could be just like in Europe. This week is the ballet; next week is the opera. My dream is to have all the arts in one location.”

“We’ll be rehearsing there during the week and performing on specific dates at Boardwalk Hall and at Kennedy Plaza,” she adds. “On Mondays and Tuesdays, our rehearsals are open to the public. We’d love to have you come down and see the dancers.”

The company features 14 dancers and 10 apprentices. Dancers hail from all over the world, including China, Romania, Latvia, Japan and Korea. Papa’s own daughters are also in the troupe now. Their next area performance will be Dracula on October 12,13 and 20 at the Margate PAC. The ballet will also perform The Nutcracker at the Stockton Performing Arts Center. For information visit www.acbt.org.

CONCERTS

For generations, the Ocean City Pops has been creating excitement about classical music. From their kids’ “lollipop concerts” to more mature offerings, the Pops has played to enthusiastic audiences—frequently at the Ocean City Music Pier, a picturesque venue on the boardwalk overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

“We’re the only municipality on the East Coast and maybe in the U.S. with a resident orchestra,” says Michele Gillian, communications manager for the city of Ocean City. “It’s a tradition that Ocean City has upheld for 78 years. But that’s not all. We are deep in the history of the arts, from our Arts Center to our historic museum to our concerts. We feel it’s an important part of the Ocean City experience. We’re always promoting the arts. We also work with Stockton to present concerts at the Music Pier.”

Ocean City’s signature New Year’s Eve event, First Night, features a host of concerts. “We try to make it accessible,” says Gillian. “We charge $15 a button so that young children can see a symphony or hear a band that they’ve never seen or heard before.”

For information on the Ocean City Pops, visit www.oceancitypops.org. To learn about Ocean City’s arts events, and more, visit www.njoceancity.com.

Whether it’s Mozart or Tchaikovsky, you can be sure that the Bay Atlantic Symphony Orchestra will perform it to perfection. Founded 24 years ago as the Bridgeton Symphony, the orchestra was renamed in 1998 to reflect its artistic growth.

Today, it is the “Resident Symphony” at the Guaracini Fine and Performing Arts Center located on the campus of Cumberland County College in Vineland. It is also the “Orchestra in Residence” at the prestigious Cape May Music Festival. The symphony also plays regularly at the Stockton Performing Arts Center. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.bayatlanticsymphony.org.

MUSEUMS

For visual arts, look no further than the Noyes Museum of Art, located just minutes from Atlantic City in nearby Oceanville. Adjacent to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, the Noyes provides a picture-perfect view outside as well as in.

Exhibits change often and feature local artists as well as those of national and international acclaim. The museum also has an impressive collection of working decoys, started by founder Fred Noyes. Lectures, workshops and events round out the offerings. The Creative Sparks series is geared specifically to kids who want to explore their creative side.

There is ample free parking on-site and a nominal admission charge. For more information, visit www.noyesmuseum.org.

The Atlantic City Art Center is right in town and convenient to anyone walking the boards or visiting the casinos. Located at Garden Pier near the Showboat, the Art Center presents three galleries with rotating exhibits that change monthly or bi-monthly. There are also accompanying events such as gallery talks, artist demonstrations and literary readings.

Best of all, the Atlantic City Art Center is open seven days a week, except for national holidays. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.acartcenter.org.

Across the way from the Art Center, you’ll find the Atlantic City Historical Museum, which showcases the unique history of this seaside resort. From Mr. Peanut to the rolling chair and the diving horse, you’ll find it all here. The walls are lined with celebrity photos. An informative video tells the story of Atlantic City. Historic memorabilia line the shelves. Don’t forget to pick up your free pickle pin, a memento of the Heinz pickles that were once given away. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit www.acmuseum.org.

One of the area’s best-kept secrets is the Sam Azeez Museum of Woodbine Heritage, located off of Exit 17 of the Garden State Parkway in Woodbine. It showcases the story of the American immigrant, and is a model for how we can all peacefully co-exist today.

“This museum presents a powerful tool for teaching tolerance,” says Jane Stark, executive director. “Here we tell the story of 60 Russian Jewish immigrants who were relocated to Cape May County by a wealthy German philanthropist, Baron de Hirsch, in the 1890s. Woodbine was the experimental agricultural-industrial colony. Baron de Hirsch had this grand idea that he could help poor, landless Russian Jews become ‘of the land.’ That was his dream. And while they essentially failed as farmers, they prospered as manufacturers.”

Stark uses the immigrant experience as an example for young people when she visits classrooms or when they tour the museum. There also is a Holocaust survivor who comes in to talk about prejudice. The museum is an official teaching site for the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education.

The museum, just four years old, is housed in a synagogue built by those early immigrants. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For more information, visit www.thesam.org/Main.htm.

GETTING INVOLVED

The other way to enjoy the arts is to participate in them. The South Jersey region offers ample opportunity.

Community theater, like the Margate Players, welcomes not only actors but musicians, choreographers, set designers, lighting designers, costumers, stage crew and more.

There are plenty of places to get involved in dance, music, art and theater (see the chart on page 37.) “I think the value of the arts comes through an individual’s connection with them,” says Joyce Hagen of the SJCA. “And it can be life-changing.”

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 David Schwartz   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

In the late 19th century, amusement piers were the most exciting entertainment option in Atlantic City. Incorporating concert space, exhibition rooms and dance floors, these were among the most popular spots in town for visitors. Later, however, piers made the change from entertainment venue to amusement park, with rides and other attractions. Steeplechase Pier, initially built as Auditorium Pier in 1899, was one of the first to make this switch, and though it is now gone, it still occupies an important place in Atlantic City history.

Before it opened, the pier was steeped in controversy. The owners of the city’s existing piers, the Heinz (formerly Iron Pier), Steel and Ocean Piers, weren’t eager to welcome new competition for the limited tourist dollar. So, they were less than happy when a group leased a piece of Boardwalk land near Pennsylvania Avenue and started building a fourth pier.

Much like some casino owners today, the pier operators tried to prevent the new pier from opening, rather than upgrade their own facilities in face of the competition. They circulated a petition; since the pier would only be 500 feet long and not the usual 1,000, they demanded that the city council take action.

Several hotel owners signed the petition, and even as construction continued, the city took action: it refused to allow the pier to connect to the Boardwalk, and passed an injunction preventing its opening. After its owners tacked on an additional 500 feet, the city permitted the pier to open.

Less than a block from Steel Pier, the newcomer had trouble establishing itself. In 1902, George C. Tilyou bought the pier. Tilyou hailed from Coney Island, where he was a noted impresario, opening the resort’s first theater and building one of the earliest Ferris wheels. His iconic Steeplechase Park included such rides as the Human Roulette Wheel, Human Pool Table and Barrel of Love.

Looking to turn business around, Tilyou brought in the top entertainment draw of the day—John Phillip Sousa, whose 85-piece band was known for its romping military marches. People flocked to see Sousa, but unfortunately, since the bandstand was outside, they could get just as good a show for free on the beach as the paying customers.

Rather than compete head-on with the other entertainment piers, Tilyou decided to stick with what he knew best. In 1902, he renovated the pier, keeping an auditorium but adding slides, rides and similar carnival attractions. He renamed the structure Steeplechase Pier, after his famous Coney Island resort.

Known as “the funny place,” the pier boasted, for a time, the world’s largest electric sign—a 27,000-light-bulb behemoth that advertised Chesterfield cigarettes. Its whimsical rides appealed to vacationers’ lighter sides, and the pier became remarkably successful. Even after Tilyou’s death in 1914, the pier’s managers continued in their winning ways.

Steeplechase suffered a devastating setback on Valentine’s Day 1932, when a fire, fanned by strong ocean winds, destroyed nearly all the pier. But the pier was rebuilt, opening partially by that summer and later restoring some of the pier’s former splendor.

For more than 40 years, the pier continued to draw visitors; Marie Tilyou, George’s daughter, remained president of its operating company into the 1970s. But with the city’s decline, the pier, along with the rest of the Boardwalk, fell on hard times.

The advent of casino gaming didn’t do much to help Steeplechase Pier. The pier passed into the hands of Joseph Bradway, who sold it to Resorts International in 1982. In 1984, structural weaknesses forced a closure of the pier, and four years later, a fire gutted most of what remained. Any hopes of a revival of the pier were dashed in 1996 when it was finally demolished.

Though Steeplechase Pier is long gone, photographs and memories remain. Never as celebrated as Steel Pier or ornate as Million Dollar, it was nevertheless one of the best-known spots in a town famous for fun.

By Dave Bontempo   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Aslim Sirleaf is a United Nations facsimile. Multi-cultural and well-traveled, he speaks fluent English, Italian and Swedish. Sirleaf also employs the universal language of common courtesy.

The Harrah’s swing-shift security supervisor, who has lived in West Africa, Sweden and Italy, understands people. He guides about 28 of them in a significant, unofficial casino public-relations outfit.

“We have a team whose members are all willing to help out,” Sirleaf says. “This is a great group. I have learned a lot from (security manager) Jim Cahill. He is a great leader because he has the ability to listen to employees and act upon their suggestions. It is important to get employees involved with the creation of policies and implementing them to the fullest. That’s how employees buy in. They realize you are looking out for them.”

Sirleaf rose quickly in a short time. He’s been in the business for only five years, but already is a manager. In a unique twist, Sirleaf joined the same company as his mother, who still works there. Besides family ties, Sirleaf observed enough changes in his own department to maintain a level of excitement.

“Our core business of customer service runs the gamut of many things,” Sirleaf says. “Three years ago, it seemed like it was primarily customer service (ambassadorial), but in the last couple years we have incorporated the security aspect a lot more heavily. When guests come and have won a lot of money, we escort them back to their car safely. There are many requests for that. We patrol the garages and follow up on customer complaints, whether that was somebody saying their wallet was stolen, a drunken guest or an ill guest.

“We have many elderly people gambling. If they suffer a heart attack, we are the first responders. When you have helped revive someone and it ends up saving their life, that’s the greatest feeling in the world.”

Sirleaf, who resides in Atlantic City, was pleased to discover gambling’s impact on the local economy. He was born in Liberia, moved to the U.S. at age 6 and traveled with his father to Sweden and Italy. Sirleaf learned three languages at a young age, and became well-educated overseas.

An aspiring lawyer, Sirleaf gained two additional schooling levels here. The first came from Harrah’s University, enabling his leadership skills to grow. The second occurred unexpectedly.

“From the outside, I first thought gambling was a vice,” Sirleaf says. “But after seeing what it does for Atlantic City, I see the positive. It provides jobs for the community. It enriches the people in the community. We also have a responsible gaming initiative here—we don’t have young ones gambling. The whole situation works well.”

Sirleaf’s typical day involves calling staff meetings, delegating responsibilities, answering e-mails, handling customer complaints and completing paperwork. Some of his work is impromptu. Language barriers have enabled him to employ the Italian dialect to help guests.

Fascinated by research and social issues, Sirleaf hopes to incorporate law, politics and economics into his future portfolio. Present-day hobbies? Reading and more reading. He is studying for the bar. Legalese will be the next language he masters.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Feeling out of touch with your friends? A group outing is in order this month. So call up the whole gang and plan a night of food and fun. Start with an Italian dinner, then onto drinks and bonding until last call. (Don’t forget the designated driver.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Things are hectic around your workplace in the beginning of the month. Continue to do your job and avoid the drama. Just give it time to settle down. By month’s end everything will be back on track. (Then, quit.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Push the boundaries a bit this month. The time is now to break out of the routine and try something adventurous. Your newfound boldness will lure a suitor by month’s end. (And a restraining order by the end of the year.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Your relationship may not be perfect at present, but hang on until mid-month. An unexpected event brings everything together and leaves the two of you right back on lover’s lane. (Watch out for the detour at Breakup Point.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

It’s going to be a great month so get out and enjoy the fall air. Mild mid-month weather makes it perfect for a day trip. Try Washington or New York to see the changing of the leaves. (Or Arizona, for the changing of the tumbleweeds.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Lately, you and your sweetheart have been too absorbed with work to spend time together. Plan a romantic dinner at home without phone calls, e-mail or television to keep the relationship flame burning. (Ditch the kids, too.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Something small will get you riled up late in the month. Avoid an immediate confrontation but don’t drag the bad energy along either. Once you have calmed down, face the problem head on and find a viable solution. (Preferably, without fisticuffs.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

It seems like you never stop and take a breather. This month, balance work and relaxation by taking a long lunch and walk on the Boardwalk. The time out of the office will prove positive and make you healthier in the long run. (And keep you from going postal.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Stop being a hermit and look for a local community group to get involved in. From hiking to needlepoint, the additional pasttime will offer new opportunities and friendships for you. (Needlepoint: hobby of the untra-cool.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

You have always been known as the one who is down-to-earth and easy to talk to. This month, a close friend puts these qualities to the test. Remember to find the positive and remain genuine in your advice. (Try not to laugh at him.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Plan on spending late nights at work. This after-hours project is perfect for toning your computer skills. Buckle down and the mid-month completion will be considered a huge success. (Then, toast your ulcer with a milkshake.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

It’s not always easy to be the voice of reason. This month, you must take charge of a situation at home. Declare your authority and set things straight before everything gets out of control. (Kick butt and take names.)

By Robert Rossiello   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

The immigrant story has always been a part of American literature. The great European migration at the beginning of the last century created a cultural melting pot that defines us to this day. Recently, two prominent authors have released books that explore the tradition of ethnic identity and the struggles of making it in the New World.

Junot Díaz, who emigrated from the Dominican Republic when he was six and grew up in New Jersey, has released his first novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Like his award-winning short story collection Drown (1996), Wao deals with the immigrant experience, both personal and political. Oscar is a chubby nerd trying to get through adolescence in a family whose history is haunted by a troubled homeland. This is a vibrant stew of a book, told in a slangy prose that blends street smarts and high culture to capture both the internal struggle of an awkward geek and the larger theme of the Dominican diaspora. With this sprawling, comic tour de force Díaz has given voice to a people who have escaped a corrupt dictatorship only to raise their children in an America that does not always live up to its promise.

Another writer who tells a personal story on a grand scale is Edwidge Danticat. A native of Haiti who lived with her uncle until joining her parents in New York at the age of 12, Danticat has become the celebrated voice of her island nation. Brother, I’m Dying is a memoir that delves into the lives of her father, Mira—who fled Haiti to become a cab driver in Brooklyn—and his brother, Joseph, who stayed on in his homeland to build a Baptist ministry. This is a heartbreaking book, full of joy and sorrow, that recounts the sacrifices of two men whose lives took different courses but are united in their effort to retain their dignity and their identity under difficult circumstances.

Both of these outstanding books tell a universal story and elevate their authors to the top ranks of contemporary writers. They also show that America, though it has changed much over the years, is still a promised land of hope and opportunity.

By Joe Legato   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

The coolest dude in Nintendo’s long history of heroes may actually be a woman. Samus Aran returns as Nintendo brings fans of the Metroid Prime series the third installment, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.

The game takes place shortly after the end of its predecessor in a future where the Galactic Federation keeps peace in the universe and protects against space pirates and other dangers. Gamers once again play as Samus Aran, the female bounty hunter with a cybernetic suit that gives her special abilities as she hunts space pirates.

In Metroid Prime 3, though Samus and fellow bounty hunters have been corrupted by toxic Phazon, the recurring enemy of the series, Dark Samus, is responsible. Samus must now defeat Dark Samus while also battling her corrupted fellow bounty hunters and preventing the corruption from completely overcoming her.

Similar to most games for the Wii, the remote and nunchuk give Metroid Prime 3 some cool features. One example is the use of the grapple lasso. Players can simply throw the nunchuk forward and pull it back to retrieve items with the lasso. Another neat feature is a visor which allows you to remotely command your ship, allowing players to move the ship around or use it to help destroy enemies.

Metroid Prime 3 is possibly the best Metroid to date, and a unique game for the Wii. Like the other Metroid games, it is classified as a first-person adventure rather than first-person shooter because players spend a significant amount of time exploring and searching for items, rather just constantly battling bad guys.

This helps to give Metroid Prime 3 a complex storyline and a ton of replay value. Just make sure you’re actually replaying it for the adventure and not just to look for movie scenes with the beautiful Samus taking her helmet off.

By Chris Borino   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Gogol Bordello sounds like a drunken gypsy symphony. It’s a blend of rock, ska and punk mixed with Balkan strings. The accordion accompanies the unfamiliar sound of broken English. Were the lead singer, Eugene Hutz, to sing with a better mastery of English, accordion might seem out of place.

But with Hutz’s choppy English sentences, the blend is seamless. Hutz performs using the guitar, various percussion instruments, and the fire bucket. That’s right, the fire bucket—something one would normally use to put out fires.

Hutz evacuated his homeland, the Ukraine, after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and lived briefly in Vermont with his parents before settling down in New York City as a DJ. He formed Gogol Bordello with a mission to introduce America to the distinct sounds of Eastern Europe, and he pulls it off well with the assistance of eight other musicians including a violin player, a drummer, a bassist, an accordion player and lots of barking vocals and crazy European dance sounds.

Super Taranta is the fifth album from the world’s greatest gypsy punk band. Their previous albums were less polished, unfocused and seemed very inferior to their live performances—the kind of albums you might buy at a show after having seen them perform. But Super Taranta has the potential to work the other way. If something recorded in a studio can be packed with so much energy, imagine what it’s like seeing Gogol perform live.

The classic song on this album is “Alcohol,” a five-minute tribute to man’s faithful companion. Perhaps if Hutz had been born here in the United States, he’d sound like some kind of Van Wilder. Instead, I find a certain charm reflected by his frigid, Ukranian, Vodka-loving blood.

The other track worth repeated listening is “Supertheory of Supereverything,” a spirited anti-theological anthem: “First time I have read the Bible / It had stroke me as unwitty / I think it may have started rumor/ Lord ain’t got no humor…I don’t read the Bible / I don’t trust disciple / Even if they’re made of marble / Or Canal Street bling.”

By Beth Joseph   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Its not every day Hollywood creates a movie about four middle-aged men that hop on their motorcycles in the hope of claiming their faded youth. Hollywood did it with horses in City Slickers and now Wild Hogs bands four buddies and their Harleys together for a Midwest freedom ride.

Doug (Tim Allen), a dentist, Woody (John Travolta), a broke soon-to-be divorcè, Bobby (Martin Lawrence), an abused husband, and Dudley (William H. Macy), a computer nerd, play suburban biker wannabees that embark on a West Coast adventure to avoid life’s downfalls.

Leaving their wives, work and cell phones behind, the foursome head out on a 2,000-mile ride. Identified as the “Wild Hogs” by patches sewn on by Doug’s wife as a symbol of their unity, the “gang” finds out what it truly means to ride together.

The situations that unfold over the trip from Cincinnati to California teeter between funny and phony. The “Wild Hogs” are confronted by a gang of real-life bikers, the Del Fuegos, led by a tattooed Ray Liotta, that begins a series of chase scenes and gang fights. But the action comes when the crew runs out of gas and hides out in a little nearby town. Romance finds its way into the film when Macy’s character hits it off with a diner owner played by Marisa Tomei.

The cast makes the movie, with Allen, Macy and Lawrence embracing their inner road warrier to the fullest. Travolta’s skill on the Harley surpasses the rest of the cast, but his acting comes across jittery, awkward and even disappointing at times.

This is not sophisticated humor, but with a cast consisting of slapstick comedic actors it wasn’t expected to be. While most of this more than 90-minute film is predictable but amusing, it is still worth the rental. And be sure to keep the tape rolling when the credits begin. Outtakes and bloopers are replaced by a hilarious “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” with Ty Pennington that will definitely leave you laughing.

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

October 5
Get the Led Out, House of Blues
Kathy Griffin, Borgata

October 6
Roseanne Barr, House of Blues
Four Tops, Trump Marina

October 7
Celebrity Chef Series: Lidia Bastianich, Caesars

October 11 through November 25
Finnegan’s Wake, Showboat

October 12
Tower of Power, Average White Band, House of Blues
Cage Fighting Fury, Taj Mahal

October 13
Pashalis Terzis, Taj Mahal
Claudio Baglioni, Tropicana

Now through October 14
The Producers, Harrah’s

October 18-20
Mary Wilson, Harrah’s

October 19
Louis C.K., Borgata

October 19-20
Sheryl Crow, Caesars
Johnny Mathis, Tropicana

October 20
The Wallflowers, Borgata
Curb Your Enthusiasm with Richard Lewis, Susie Essman, House of Blues
Porcupine Tree, Trump Marina

October 26
Tiesto, Borgata Down, House of Blues

October 27
New Found Glory, Senses Fail, House of Blues

October 26-27
Smokey Robinson, Trump Plaza

October 28

Say Anything, Hellogoodbye, House of Blues

November 3
Zappa Plays Zappa, House of Blues

Now Through November 7

Cirque Shanghai, Tropicana

November 9
Eddie Money, House of Blues

November 9-11
Engelbert Humperdinck, Tropicana

November 10
Bob Newhart, Trump Plaza
Dashboard Confessional, House of Blues
Travis Tritt, Trump Marina
John Fogerty, Borgata

November 11
Gigi D’alessio, Anna Tatangelo , Taj Mahal

November 13
Chelsea Handler, House of Blues

November 16
Last Comic Standing finalists, House of Blues

November 17
Soulive with Lela James, House of Blues
Sinatra Sings Sinatra, Harrah’s

November 18
Celebrity Chef Series: Giada DeLaurentiis, Caesars

November 24
Boys Like Girls, House of Blues
Jay Leno, Caesars

November 30
Tony Bennett, Harrah’s

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

REEEG is back. That’s right, everyone’s favorite daytime talk show host is back to sing, dance and joke around as Regis Philbin performs in Bally’s Ballroom on October 19 and 20.

The former host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire and current co-host of Live with Regis and Kelly also happens to put on a pretty good casino show, complete with classic tunes and songs from his two albums, When You’re Smiling and It’s Time for Regis.

Philbin might not possess the strongest pipes to ever hit Atlantic City, but he knows how to work a crowd with his charm and great sense of humor. He will perform classic torch songs and standards by himself, backed by a full orchestra, as well as duets with Susan Lucci, who will open the show.

The soap star, best known for playing Erica Kane on the ABC soap opera All My Children since 1970, became known to the public—even those who didn’t watch soap operas—as the woman who couldn’t win a Daytime Emmy after failing to win 18 times. She finally won in 1999. She starred on Broadway in Annie Get Your Gun, and will perform songs from that show as well as popular American standards.

Regis Philbin and Susan Lucci perform 9 p.m. October 19 and 20 at Bally’s Main Ballroom. Tickets are $50 and $85.

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

One of the youngest and most popular country stars to reach the top, 25-year-old LeAnn Rimes shows her stuff at the House of Blues on October 13.

In Nashville, it usually takes years for someone to gain the massive attention that Rimes immediately received in 1996 for Blue, her debut single and album. Rimes made people think Patsy Cline had come back from the dead—despite the fact that she was only 13 years old.

The Texas native became an immediate star, signing a deal with Curb Records, debuting her single at No. 3 on the pop charts and selling more than 123,000 copies in the first week.

Rimes became the youngest singer ever to be nominated for the CMA Best Country Singer award and never looked back, quickly releasing two follow-up albums in 1997 and another in 1998.

Over the years, Rimes redefined her appearance, becoming more of a sexy persona on 2002’s Twisted Angel, which didn’t work so well, resulting in her return to regular country gal with the contemporary This Woman, released in 2005.

Rimes made a misstep in 2006, releasing Whatever We Wanna, an album that showed the youngster going back to her pop roots. Apparently, her record company didn’t think much of it, releasing it only in Europe.

She hopes to rebound this year with a return to country, so Atlantic City fans should look forward to hearing some new tunes, including “Ready for a Miracle,” a gospel-like tune that appeared on the soundtrack for the summer flop Evan Almighty.

Her new single, “Nothing Better to Do,” is the first track on Family, her new album which has been delayed. The single was released in May, and the album isn’t expected to hit the streets until this month. So expect to hear a nice blend of new songs and her greatest hits.

Leann Rimes performs 8 p.m. October 13 at the House of Blues at Showboat. Tickets are $40, $75 and $95.

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

The reunion tour of the year makes a stop at Boardwalk Hall when The Police rock Boardwalk Hall on November 3. The concert is sponsored by Trump Entertainment.

After years of denying a Police reunion tour would ever happen, Sting finally came to his senses and decided to reteam with the collaborators who helped him make the best music of his career, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland.

Together, the trio made musical history, and the reunion tour, which will bring The Police around the world, will add to the band’s legacy. The tour launched in May to rave reviews as the band began playing stadiums and arenas from here to Australia. The chance to see them in such a small venue like Boardwalk Hall is amazing.

The band stormed the music scene in 1977 by blending reggae, punk, jazz and rock with an unmistakably nuanced sound filled with evocative melodies, infectious lyrics and rock ’n’ roll swagger.

They dominated the charts and radio airwaves worldwide with five No. 1 albums, a slew of Top 10 singles and six Grammy Awards.

As you would imagine, the Police plan to play all of the massive hits that made them the rock icons they are, including “Roxanne,” “Can’t Stand Losing You,” “Message in a Bottle,” “Walking on the Moon,” “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic,” “Synchronicity II,” “Every Breath You Take,” “King of Pain” and others.

The Police performs 8 p.m. November 3 at Boardwalk Hall with Fiction Plane. Tickets are $50, $100, $225 and $350.

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

If one reality television dance series tour wasn’t enough for you, Atlantic City will host another one as So You Think You Can Dance comes to Boardwalk Hall on October 6.

Hot on the heels of a packed Boardwalk Hall performance of Dancing with the Stars, this tour, based on the hit Fox show, hopes to have the same success.

The tour will feature Danny Tidwell, Dominic Sandoval, Jaime Goodwin, Kameron Bink, Lacey Schwimmer, Lauren Gottlieb, Neil Haskell, Pasha Kovalev, Sara Von Gillerni and Season Three winner Sabra Johnson.

This is the second cross-country performance tour for So You Think You Can Dance, the hot series from the producers of American Idol and American Bandstand that is hosted by Cat Deeley, one of the United Kingdom’s top television personalities, also known in the U.S. for his appearances on Good Morning America and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The premise of the show is that dancers, skilled in styles from street to hip-hop, ballroom to jive and salsa to quickstep, compete to be named “America’s Favorite Dancer.”

The cast hails from all corners of the country. When they were picked, they worked with top choreographers to put together some amazing dance routines. Second-season winner Benji Schwimmer will not be on tour this time, but the So You Think You Can Dance 2007 tour should be every bit as fun.

The So You Think You Can Dance Tour comes to Boardwalk Hall 8 p.m. October 6. Tickets are $37.50, $47.50 and $54.50

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Tribute bands are a dime a dozen. But the Experience Hendrix tribute is certainly one of a kind.

A stunning lineup of premiere guitarists will assemble October 19 at the Trump Taj Mahal arena to pay tribute to rock god Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix may be long gone, but his musical spirit still lives strong. Atlantic City concert-goers are lucky because this is one of only five shows that will feature some of the best-known and respected rock and blues guitar players in the world.

Blues legend Buddy Guy, pedal-steel master Robert Randolph, contemporary fretman Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, bluesman Hubert Sumlin (who worked with both Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf) and Mick Taylor, best known for his time as one of the Rolling Stones, will join the sidemen who played with Hendrix at Woodstock—drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Billy Cox.

Native American band Indigenous and Eric Gales, the guitar phenomenon from Memphis who can be heard on the Power of Soul Hendrix tribute album, will also be on hand. Expect to hear all of Hendrix’s biggest hits, along with some surprises.

Experience Hendrix comes to the Trump Taj Mahal Arena 9 p.m. October 19. Tickets are $38 and $55.

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

One of the few music stars to actually hit it big in a career move to movies, Queen Latifah, gets back to the music thing when she performs at the House of Blues on October 19.

Of course, Queen Latifah seems to be spending more time on screen (a la Bringing Down the House with Steve Martin, Chicago and Hairspray) than on stage. However, as one of the first breakout female rap stars, Latifah’s pro-woman lyrics and no-nonsense attitude helped songs like “Ladies First” and “U.N.I.T.Y.” climb the charts and eventually win Latifah a Grammy for Best Solo Rap Performance.

The former daytime talk show host has been trying to reinvent her musical style, concentrating on more soul and R&B, as evidenced on her 2004 CD The Dana Owens Album, a covers album that showed off her vocal range rather than her rapping.

Latifah may have been the first female rapper to hit megastardom. The Newark native recently released Trav’lin’ Light, another covers collection that features guest appearances from Joe Sample, George Duke, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. So you can expect to hear some of those tunes along with her biggest hits, like “Wrath of Madness,” “Ladies First,” “U.N.I.T.Y.,” “Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)” and “Paper.”

Queen Latifah performs 8 p.m. October 19 at the House of Blues at Showboat. Tickets are $42, $67, $77 and $87.

By Joseph Harrison   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

When it comes to political comedy, there are some well-known heavy-hitters. Dennis Miller. Bill Maher. Lewis Black.

But none may be bigger or better right now than Jon Stewart, who comes to Caesars Atlantic City on October 6. Stewart has always been that comedian that people kept an eye on. Whether doing stand-up, hosting his own show on MTV or starring opposite Adam Sandler in the film Big Daddy, Stewart always possessed great comic timing and a likeable personality that seemed to endear most.

But no one—including Stewart—realized how big he would become when he began hosting The Daily Show, an irreverent, biting and often dead-on political nightly news comedy show that, along with South Park, put Comedy Central on the map.

The New Jersey native became known on the comedy circuit after moving to New York City in the mid-1980s, eventually becoming a finalist to replace David Letterman at NBC, a job that went to Conan O’Brien. He hosted his own talk show on MTV, The Jon Stewart Show, which was a huge hit and became the network’s second highest-rated show behind Beavis and Butt-Head.

Stewart’s meteoric rise to fame came in 1999 when he began hosting The Daily Show after Craig Kilborn left to replace Tom Snyder on CBS’ very late show. He has won nine Emmys for The Daily Show, which helped him work on other successful projects, including his best-selling book, America (The Book), which won a Grammy for its audio version.
As for his stand-up, you can expect Stewart’s witty, clever, no-holds-barred political routine, in which he has no problem bashing President George Bush and his Cabinet. The comedian, who hosted the Grammys and Oscars, also strays away from politics to provide the audience with a diversified and humorous evening.

Jon Stewart performs 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. October 6 at Caesars Atlantic City’s Circus Maximus Theater. Tickets are $100, $125 and $150.

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Pain. We all know it, and so do our pets.

There are two general categories of pain, acute and chronic. Acute pain is associated with post-surgical procedures, injury and broken bones, while chronic pain usually comes with old-age conditions such as arthritis or disc disease.

Owners associate pain in older animals by saying, “Oh, he’s just getting old,” or “She can’t jump up on the couch anymore.” While most pets do not vocalize it, these are signs of chronic pain. Other indicators are weak hind legs that collapse, or cats that won’t let you brush near their tails. To draw attention to the painful area, a pet will lick at that spot constantly, causing discoloration and/or sores. This occurs most commonly on dog’s legs and on a cat’s back.

Advancements in pain medications have been rapid over the past few years. Many drugs now on the market, such as Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Zubrin and Metacam, are helpful to most pets. Many pain remedies are synergistic, meaning that two different pain medications given together are often more effective than either alone.

For chronic pain, combinations of different classes of drugs work best. Since chronic pain originates in the central nervous system, drugs that affect brain chemicals work best. A new medication for chronic pain is Tramadol.

Alternative Pain Therapies

Today, many people are turning away from drugs due to side effects and the desire to use natural therapies. Alternative medicine for pets includes homeopathy, herbal therapies, acupuncture and physical therapy.

Physical therapy involves massage, heat and cold therapy, water therapy and chiropractic. The same outcomes of physical therapy in humans following injury or surgery benefit animals as well.

Laser pain therapy is used to treat arthritis, muscle pulls and chronic spasms, ligament/tendon injuries, sprains and strains, ulcerations and open wounds, lick granulomas, and post-surgical and soft-tissue trauma. The new “Class 4” laser was developed specifically to deal with pain, swelling, injury repair and healing, using unique properties and frequency.

The laser works by penetrating deep tissues and thus into joints, whereas cold lasers only treat the surface.

Pain relief, relaxation of muscles and local anesthesia, as well as the treatment of many internal diseases, are all effective results of acupuncture, which is the science of stimulating specific neurological points in the body.

If the problem is a muscle spasm, homeopathic remedies such as Spascopreel can be the answer. Acute trauma, swelling and pain can be treated using a homeopathic remedy such as Traumeel. Each of these homeopathic remedies is specific for the condition being treated, and thus is more helpful to the animal, especially when combining treatments.

Another option is mesotherapy, which is the painless injection of vitamins, minerals and/or homeopathic medications under the surface of the animal’s skin. Mesotherapy treatments can benefit those patients suffering from muscle spasms, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, among other conditions.

Prolotherapy or proliferative therapy, also known as ligament reconstructive therapy, is a recognized human orthopedic procedure that stimulates the body's natural healing processes to strengthen joints weakened by trauma or arthritis. When joints weaken or ligaments and tendons are stretched, torn or fragmented they become hyper-mobile and painful for your pet. Traditional approaches with anti-inflammatory drugs and surgery often fail to stabilize the joint and relieve pain permanently. Prolotherapy directly addresses the cause and repairs the weakened sites, resulting in permanent stabilization of the joints.

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

The saying “all roads lead to here” must be referring to Hamilton Township. Located directly off the Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway, Black Horse and White Horse Pike, the township of Hamilton is a unique mix of history, retail and nature.

The massive township is broken down into seven major sections consisting of Cologne, McKee, Laureldale, Weymouth, Mizpah, Reega and the most well-known area of Mays Landing. “While all in the same township, the sections are sort of like rural neighborhoods,” explains Mayor Thomas Palmentieri. “It is an ideal blend of modern suburban and rural development.”

Incorporated February 5, 1813, the township of Hamilton maintains a strong historic district located in Mays Landing. Named for first U.S. Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, the township to this day is occupied with quaint shops, distinctive eateries and houses in Mays Landing dating back to the area’s first settlers.

“This is a great historic town that’s a kaleidoscope of society,” says Deputy Mayor Nelson Gaskill.

Many of the older buildings are made of brick and sandstone dating back to the early 1800s. Mays Landing’s historical district joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1900.

“The town reflects the values of both the past and present,” says Committeeman William Beyers. “It inspires all individual tastes.”

With 115 square miles of land, Hamilton Township is the largest municipality in the state of New Jersey. It has been developed for housing and retail, but due to regulations set by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, Hamilton Township still contains natural pinelands that cover nearly 80 percent of the municipality’s land.

The protected pinelands include rural forests for nature lovers to hike, bike and camp at any of the numerous Atlantic County parks. Not only does Hamilton Township contain beauty on land, but the serenity and sparkle of Lake Lenape and the Great Egg Harbor River allow for waterfront living off the coast.

While the beauty of nature encompasses more than three-quarters of the township, the extensive retail with a centralized shopping district is what brings thousands to the township of Hamilton each day. The area consists of more than 3 million square feet of first-class retail establishments, including the Hamilton Mall, Consumer Square and Hamilton Commons.

“We have the premiere commercial district in the county,” says Palmentieri. “We have retail and dining in a condensed area and the biggest and best movie theater complex around.”

The retail district of Mays Landing consists of more than 250 stores including stores like Macy’s, Sears, Old Navy and Target. In addition to hundreds of shopping spots, the area restaurants and entertainment make it a common stop for locals and visitors to the Jersey shore.

Whether looking to connect with nature, revisit a piece of history or shop until you drop, the vast land of Hamilton Township is a dynamic community just off the highway.

City Hall Address
6101 13th Street
]Mays Landing, NJ 08330
609-625-1511

Mayor: Thomas Palmentieri
City Council: Nelson Gaskill, James Link, William Beyers and Charles Pritchard
Population: 27,499
Tax Rate (per $100): 3.593
Schools:
Joseph C. Shaner Memorial School (K-1)
George L. Hess Educational Complex (U.S. Dept. of Education Blue Ribbon School and New Jersey Dept. of Education STAR School) (2-6)
William Davies Middle School (7-8)
Oakcrest High School (9-12)
Atlantic Cape Community College

FUN FACTS

Mays Landing resident Suzette Charles claimed the crown as Miss America when Vanessa Williams resigned in 1984.

The old cotton mill located on Lake Lenape, which caught fire last month, is scheduled to undergo redevelopment into 180 luxury condominiums. While the original portion of the eight-building complex was destroyed, the plans still entail retaining the building’s historic brick, stone and masonry features that date back to the early 1800s.

The Atlantic City Race Course, located next to the Hamilton Mall, plans to increase live horse-racing dates from seven to 20 in 2008.

The Mays Landing Historic Trail offers a 3.3-mile hike or longer 5.8-mile path along the river. At low tide, the sunken Weymouth ship can be seen in the mud flats along the trail.

Atlantic Cape Community College, the state’s second community college (1964), recently announced a $30 million expansion on the main Mays Landing campus.

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Here's a typical scenario if you work the swing shift or the graveyard shift: You come home late, you eat dinner; maybe you can’t go right to bed so you turn the TV on and there’s yet another real-estate infomercial course with glowing testimonies of fabulous wealth for part-timers.

I’ve seen my fair share and purchased my fair share, but to set the record straight, there is money to be made, even in today’s impacted housing market.

“Option ARMs” are one of those ways, but you have to be careful. “ARM” stands for “adjustable-rate mortgage”—that is, a mortgage where the interest rate is not fixed, but fluctuates based on a couple factors, but usually tied to the Prime Rate. An Option ARM means that the buyer normally has four options on how to make payments.

Some TV infomercials offer investment courses that supposedly help you use an ARM to refinance your home so you can leverage its equity and buy other properties. How does that work? Through “deferred interest.” In other words, the ARM has graduated payments starting at the minimum and gradually reaching the fully indexed rate. The ARM defers interest and gives the borrower (you) a greater cash flow compared to a conventional fixed-rate mortgage. And with cash flow, you can buy another property, maybe a rental.

So far so good, right? But there's a problem.

Because the interest rate is adjustable, it “adjusts” to the whims of the real-estate market, so your payments can go up. And because you could opt for “interest-only” or just pay the minimum, you can be lulled into thinking that you’re keeping within your budget when in fact the loan’s not getting paid off. Deferred interest still has to be paid, eventually.

As an Option ARM, I like the Cost of Savings Index, or COSI loan, because its yearly interest is charged to whatever the loan’s current principal balance is, so as the principal gets paid down, that deferred interest gets zapped as well. Plus, the COSI’s interest rate uses the most stable index possible aside from a standard fixed rate—the Cost of Savings Index.

That index is the same as what the banks pay its money market and checking account depositors. Plus, the COSI re-amortizes 26 times a year; it has 2 percent interest “start rate” on investment properties—less so on privately owned—and each year’s bi-weekly payments are capped so as not to exceed 7 percent of last year’s bi-weekly payments.

I give the COSI “two thumbs up!”

By Beth Joseph   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Stop by Chickie’s & Pete’s on a Sunday afternoon and you will hear the collective chant of more than 400 patrons belting out the words to that popular Philadelphia fight song: “Fly Eagles fly, on the road to victory…”

The famous Philadelphia sports bar has now come to the shore, giving locals a home-team spot in Egg Harbor Township.

“Everybody is an Eagles fan down here,” says founder and owner Pete Ciarrocchi. “When you come to Chickie’s & Pete’s, you get football, music and fight songs. It’s an in-game experience.”

The full-service sports bar opened in late March, in the space formerly occupied by Damon’s Grill. The fifth restaurant in the Chickie’s & Pete’s chain combines new design elements with the best of the chain’s signature features. The restaurant features a circular staircase and the trademark two-story liquor wall.

The interior has been completely redone to cater to the sports fanatic. With more than 25 televisions, including a gigantic screen over the central bar and four screens encompassing the back wall of the dining area, it’s an ideal spot to watch the games. Neon signs, beer specials and more than 3,000 empty beer cans adorn the walls, along with Eagles and Phillies paraphernalia and autographed pictures.

With a more than a 30-year history in Philadelphia, Chickie’s & Pete’s is first and foremost an Eagles bar during football season. While music is played during sports events—from NASCAR to hockey—Eagles games are the only ones that are accompanied by play-by-play audio. To keep the bar patrons in the game, a DJ plays music during commercials and the fight song after every Eagles extra point.

But if there is anything to distract you from the game, it’s the liquor wall, with its sliding wooden ladder behind the main bar. The “liquor ladder” allows the bartender to reach the top-shelf spirits on display.

“You can actually see the product,” says Ciarrocchi. “It’s like a liquor store, but here you can try it, instead of having to buy the whole bottle.”

One of the unique features of the Egg Harbor location is its outside bar area. Open year-round, the outdoor bar is outfitted with overhead heating and a fireplace to keep patrons warm. While the finishing touches are still being added, the outdoor area is an ideal place for someone to eat, drink and have a smoke while watching the game.

Nothing goes better with sports than beer and food, which is why Chickie’s & Pete’s offers top-notch finger foods. Most famous for its crab fries, the restaurant has a selection of wings, mussels and pizza as game-time choices. If things get messy, four sinks resembling crab pots are located throughout the restaurant for a quick cleanup while chowing down on the hand-held treats.

As an added attraction during football season, Eagles players visit the bar every Monday for a live ESPN Radio broadcast on 1450 AM. Either linebacker Chris Gocong or Omar Gaither hosts a live show while signing autographs. Other teammates are expected to tag along each week as guests on the show.

Ciarrocchi explains, “This area doesn’t get players, so it’s great, especially for the young kids to come in and get autographs.”

Chickie’s & Pete’s in Egg Harbor Township is open daily from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m., with free on-site parking and daily happy-hour specials from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Reservations can be made for parties of six or larger, and various packaged goods and food items are available for takeout. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.chickiesandpetes.com.

By Sharon Harris-Zlotnick   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

In the restaurant world, Simply Fondue is unique. Fondue is a word derived from the French “fondre.” It translates as “to melt or blend in a single pot.” In this case, it results in an enjoyable dining experience.

Opened by owners Kay and Andrew Reichel in mid-June, the 150-seat eatery offers a fun-yet-sophisticated atmosphere. All cooking is done on a personal burner surface at each granite tabletop.

Mays Landing is the first East Coast franchise of the Dallas-based restaurant group, which has plans for 17 outlets nationwide. The interior chic décor reflects a stylish eye for design. Redwood barstools match the cherry wood paneling of the high-backed booths. Rust-colored hanging lamps and fixtures complete the soft ambiance. The Reichels say they personally shopped with the franchisers throughout the U.S. to select the perfect furnishings.

Customers and servers, all trained to create succulent dishes, participate in the cooking and preparation. Table settings include silverware and dipping skewers. Five cheese fondues ($15) and four salads ($7) may be ordered a la carte, but dinners are designed for two at $37 per person.

Complete dinners include four courses—cheese fondue; salad; entrée plate that features a choice of 24 pieces of beef, chicken, fish, seafood or pork, served with complementary vegetables; and a chocolate dessert fondue. The Lobster Extravaganza entrée for two—priced at $110 per couple—includes a bottle of wine and a 10-ounce lobster tail.

The children’s menu adds extra cheese, beef, chicken, shrimp, vegetables and ravioli, unlimited soft drinks and chocolate for $12. On Sundays, each child under 12 eats for free with one adult meal.

Entrees are cooked with one of several broths or trans fat and cholesterol-free oils. Simply Fondue is vegetarian-friendly, and all items may be cooked without alcohol or beer.

Fourteen desserts blend different chocolates with multiple ingredients, including nuts, marshmallow crème, liqueurs and coconut. Flambéed tableside, they are served with a plate of angel food cake, brownies, fruit slices, Rice Crispies squares and cinnamon sugar cheese balls. For those who are too full, Simply Fondue will distribute a “dessert voucher,” redeemable anytime for the dessert of choice.

Simply Fondue’s bar serves 40 martinis, numerous specialty coffees and dessert liquors. The bar also stocks several wines and beers.

With proper identification, casino employees receive a 20 percent discount on food. Simply Fondue offers weekly specials. Happy Hour is Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with $6 martinis and $2.50 bottled beer. Other promotions include Monday’s “Ladies Lite,” a $34.95 cheese fondue, salad and chocolate meal for two; “Two for Tuesday,” a $49.95 three-course dinner; and Thursday’s Date Night, dinner for two and a bottle of wine for $69.95.

Two private party rooms are available. The owners encourage early reservations for holiday parties.

Dinner hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. on Friday. Weekend hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and until 9 p.m. on Sunday. Reservations and major credit cards are accepted, and there is free parking.

Chef's Corner

Fondue Fundamentals

Cheese fondue was originally created out of necessity when foods became scarce during the cold Swiss winters. Stale cheese was melted and combined with white wine and seasonings to create new dishes. Today, fondue has become more than a dining option; it is a stylish and fun way to eat.

Here are some helpful hints for the next time you fondue.

1. Fondue foods should be cut into bite-size pieces for easy dipping. Strawberries, medium shrimp and scallops are already an optimum size, but larger foods like bread, cakes, meats or cheese should be cut into 1-inch cubes for ideal skewing size.

2. You are dipping from a communal pot, so keep your fingers and lips away from the pot and avoid double-dipping.

3. Most fondue fans use cheese or chocolate that is best suited for a ceramic pot. Be sure to keep the fondues at a low temperature (120 degrees) to avoid boiling or burning.

4. For the kids a sure-fire pleaser is any dessert food that can be dipped in milk chocolate. Pretzels, marshmallows and Oreos top the popularity charts.

One final fondue thought; according to Simply Fondue’s website, fondue eaters should be sure not to drop any meat or fruit into the pot, as legend has it that those who lose their food have to kiss the person sitting next to them or pay the entire bill.

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

35th Annual Victorian Week
October 5-14, times vary
Throughout Cape May
609-884-5404 • www.capemaymac.org

The Art of Dr. Seuss Exhibition
October 5-14 • Ocean Galleries
9618 Third Ave., Stone Harbor
609-368-7777 • www.oceangalleries.com

Fall Block Party
October 6, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
5th to 14th St. on Asbury Ave., Ocean City
609-525-9300 • www.njoceancity.com

Ride Now for Autism
October 7, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Motocycle ride begins at Ridley Park, PA (I95, exit 8) and ends at Trump Marina
609-412-3578 • www.cureautismnow.org

Thunder on the Sand Motorcross
October 12-14, times vary
Youngs Avenue and the Boardwalk, Wildwood
609-523-8051 • www.thundermoto.com

Irish Festival
October 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Village Green, Historic Smithville
609-748-6160 • www.smithvillenj.com

South Jersey Pumpkin Show
October 13, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Cumberland County Fairgrounds, 3001 Carmel Rd., Millville
856-765-0118 • www.sjpumpkinshow.com

Mays Landing Ghost Walk
October 19, 3:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Presbyterian Church, 6001 Main St., Mays Landing
609-625-4496 www.mayslandingmerchants.com

Wildwoods Fabulous `50s Weekend
October 19-21, times vary Wildwood Convention Center, 4500 Boardwalk, Wildwood
 609-729-4000 www.fabfifties.com

Fall Beach Sweeps (Coastline Cleanup)
October 20, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Various Locations (check website)
732-872-0111 • www.cleanoceanaction.org

Family Fun Day
October 20, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
 Noyes Museum, 733 Lake Lily Rd., Oceanville
609-652-8848 • www.noyesmuseum.org

Boardwalk Hayride
October 20-21 & 28, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Boardwalk at Ocean Ave., Ocean City
609-398-4662 • www.ocnj.us

Noyes Museum’s Puff & Pour
October 25, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Noyes Museum, 733 Lake Lily Rd., Oceanville
609-652-8848 • www.noyesmuseum.org

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

It’s the time of year festival-goers line up in Munich to hear the words, “O’zapft is!” That’s German for “it is tapped,” and it’s yelled after the first beer keg begins to flow in a traditional Oktoberfest opening-day ceremony.

That’s right, it’s time once again to enjoy the best of the wurst, including traditional foods like kielbasa and bratwurst, along with more ale and lagers you could shake a pint at. And, of course, everyone knows the Towne of Historic Smithville is the place to celebrate.

Oktoberfest is on Saturday, October 6 and Sunday, October 7. Come out and enjoy an international food court featuring everything from German cuisine and beer to Greek, seafood and Italian. Over 100 crafters will display their hand-made wares for sale, and for the kids, there will be train and carousel rides. The event is held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.smithvillenj.com.

If a juicy bratwurst isn’t something your stomach is used to, you may want to try the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival at the Atlantic City Convention Center, Friday, October 12 through Sunday, October 14. Visitors will experience hundreds of food and gift vendors, and enjoy sample recipes or purchase gourmet gifts, kitchen appliances, cookbooks, spices, sauces and more.

You can also enjoy live music, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs including 2007’s Feature Chef Guy Fieri, cooking contests, cooking classes for kids and plenty of discounts. Hours for the show are Friday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $17 before October 7 or $25 after that date. Tickets for the wine seminar are $20 and tickets to the beer seminar are $10. For more information, call 609-398-4450 or visit www.gourmetshows.com.

Get your running shoes on for the 49th Annual Atlantic City Marathon, held on Sunday, October 14.

“America's First Festival of Running” is an annual non-profit event promoting the benefits of running with runs for every age, level and ability. The courses run along the Atlantic City Boardwalk and through Atlantic City, and the neighboring towns of Ventnor, Margate and Longport. There will be a full marathon, a half marathon, a 10K and 5K, the Maria Berenato Kugel two-mile walk and the Freda Spano Kids Fun Run.

The Fun Run is free for kids ages 2 to 10. Bring your old, or new, running shoes and donate them to the Show Us Your Shoes program. They’ll be donated to a local charity. This event attracts runners from all over the country. For more information, or applications, visit www.atlanticcitymarathon.org or contact acmarathon@aol.com.

The world's largest indoor antiques and collectibles show, Atlantique City, returns to the Atlantic City Convention Center on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21. Dealers will cover 10 acres with 18th, 19th and early 20th century period antiques and fine arts, from Tiffany lamps and metalwork to American folk art, European and American bronze, drawings, prints, fine furniture, Asian art and antiques, glass, porcelain and silver. There will be exhibitors from 41 states plus Canada, Great Britain, Europe and Asia. Complimentary appraisals will be provided from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Advance show tickets, which include a reduced admission fee and early entry on Saturday, are available. Atlantique City is hosted by Antique Trader magazine. For more information, visit www.atlantiquecity.com.

Up for a challenge? Take the 8th Annual New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge, and visit 11 historic lighthouses throughout the state, Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21, including Atlantic City’s own Absecon Lighthouse at 31 S. Rhode Island Ave.

Each participating site will have its own souvenir to commemorate the visit. For more information, call 856-546-0514 or visit www.njlhs.org.

By Joseph Harrison  

It’s one of the three casino classics. Before the days of celebrity-chef restaurants and ultra-lounges, casino patrons could count on the Big Three for chowing down: steakhouse, coffee shop… and buffet.

Buffets were not normally mentioned in the same breath as "quality" in the old days. They were food troughs, places to grab a bite and get back to the table. However, the mega-resort era, with its emphasis on fine dining among other resort amenities, has changed the nature of the buffet. The best in town offer food that could stack up with gourmet restaurants, and the overall quality level has raised considerably from the old feeding-trough days.

Here are our ratings of the 12 buffet restaurants at the city’s 11 casinos.

Borgata Buffet
Harrah’s may be bigger and slightly more exciting, but the Borgata Buffet is the best in the city because of its outstanding food—and that’s why you go to a buffet.

The 586-seat buffet is classy and beautiful, adorned with fresh flowers, marble booth dividers, large pillars and oversized archways under a painted blue sky.

The buffet area is large, too, offering something for everyone—all of it fantastic. The food is so good that if a chef took most of the entrees, paired one with a couple of sides and served it on a plate in a regular restaurant for dinner, you would be ecstatic.

This is not normal buffet food. Consider it gourmet food served buffet-style. A recent visit included blackened catfish with apple remoulade, miso-glazed salmon, mojito chicken, striped bass with mango sauce, seafood ravioli and a carving station that featured a whole salmon being filleted.

Of course, there are all of the buffet staples like an Asian station, pizza, pastas, fried chicken and barbecue ribs, and a great dessert station featuring some of the best goodies in town, including bite-sized cheesecakes, homemade gelato, Hammonton blueberry pie, coconut cream pie and more. It’s a little pricey, but worth every penny.

The Borgata Buffet is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Prices are $13.95 for breakfast, $21.95 for Sunday brunch, $17.95 for lunch, and $27.95 for dinner.

Waterfront Buffet, Harrah’s

The old expression less is more certainly doesn’t apply to the Waterfront Buffet, Atlantic City’s newest, gigantic buffet. This one’s a must-try.

Easily one of the top two buffets in the city, the 600-plus-seat restaurant is simply beautiful with its aquatic colors, 22-foot ceilings, elaborate lighting and chandeliers, and private dining areas—some that overlook the spectacular Pool at Harrah’s.

Enough about the interior design. The reason to visit the Waterfront Buffet is its food area, which is perfectly designed and offers diners more choices—120 food items—than any other buffet in the city on its nearly 300 feet of counter space.

Like most great Las Vegas buffets, the Waterfront stands out because of its interactive food stations. There are approximately seven areas of the buffet where customers can have food cooked to their liking, including: the Rodizio, where Brazilian and Portuguese-style meats are roasted in a rotisserie and carved; Pasta Creations, where patrons choose sauces, meats, vegetables and pastas; Seafood, including fresh whole grilled fish rotating over a fire pit; the Mongolian Grill, where vegetables, noodles, meats and seafood are mixed with Asian spices; and Salads, where patrons can have a chef salad chopped to their choosing. Other action stations feature sushi and desserts, including homemade crepes and gelato mixed with toppings on a cold stone.

The Waterfront Buffet is open noon to 9 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The buffet is $27.99 for adults dinner and lunch; $20.99 for children dinner and lunch to 11 years old; $15.99 for adults brunch; $7.99 for children brunch to 11 years old.

French Quarter Buffet, Showboat

Harrah’s sister property, Showboat, boasts a buffet nearly as good as the Waterfront. Consistently one of the best buffets since receiving a $10 million investment in 2001, the French Quarter Buffet is as massive as the Waterfront, seating more than 700 people. Like Harrah’s buffet, it takes quite a while just to browse the ample selections to choose what you’re going to try first.

The best salad bar in town is a good place to start, then head to one of the seven food stations. Standouts include the fresh-baked pizza, prime rib, u-peel shrimp, Asian station and a great seafood station with everything from crab cakes to salmon. Specialty dishes like New Orleans cornmeal breaded flounder give the buffet a sense of Louisiana authenticity, and the large variety of desserts is better than most.

Check out the buffet on Friday and Saturday nights, where the price increases, but so do the seafood items, including all-you-can eat crab legs, fresh fish and much more.

Even though the buffet is six years old, the French Quarter still looks great with its Mardi Gras theme, blue sky ceiling, festive atmosphere and bar. Receiving beads upon entrance is a nice touch, too. But no flashing please!

The French Quarter Buffet is open noon to 4 p.m. daily for lunch; dinner served 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily, to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Price is $21.99 adults for dinner, $17.99 for lunch, $23.99 on Sunday for dinner, $29.99 Friday and Saturday for land and sea buffet.

Virginia City Buffet, Bally’s Wild Wild West

The Virginia City Buffet was one of the first themed, Vegas-style buffets in town. Set in the Old West confines of the Wild Wild West, the buffet makes you feel like you walked onto a Southern plantation. It still remains one of the city’s nicest and best buffets.

Although there may not be as many selections as Harrah’s, Showboat and Borgata, the Virginia City’s food is as good, if not better, than most others.

Split into six different stations, start off at the amazing salad bar, which features three different types of green salad plus all of the vegetables you would ever want, a great bread selection and five soups, including New England clam chowder and deli-style cabbage.

Head to Fort Pasta for some Italian treats, including antipasto, chicken cacciatore, slow-roasted pork, pizza and a variety of pastas.

The New Frontiers section is simply great. With a menu that rotates monthly, you’ll find a different ethnicity celebrated at one point or another. On our visit, Louisiana cuisine was being offered, and items like Creole crab salad, rice and beans, blackened salmon, jambalaya and hickory-smoked ribs did not disappoint.
A solid Asian section offers staples like General Tso’s chicken as well as surprises like baked tilapia with a black bean sauce. The Virginia City Buffet, hands down, is the best-value buffet in town.

The Virginia City Buffet is open noon to 10 p.m. Sunday to Friday, to 11 p.m. Saturday. Lunch is $14.99; dinner is $18.99.

Cornucopia Buffet, Atlantic City Hilton

Despite not receiving any major upgrades in many years, the Atlantic City Hilton has done its best to keep up with the Joneses.

Small but great improvements to the buffet include opening up the buffet lines so people can easily access food and offering a larger variety of selections by not duplicating items.

A nice carving station includes steamship of beef, barbecue pork and turkey, and staple items include chicken, pasta, potatoes and fresh vegetables.

The Cornucopia likes to focus on seafood, and its seafood salads can’t be beat, but you’ll also find fried shrimp, u-peel shrimp, steamed clams and mussels, fried fish, and a fresh fish of the day, which sometimes includes mahi mahi. Don’t forget to try one of the soups of the day, which always include a red or white clam chowder.

Like its sister property Resorts, Hilton’s desserts and overall buffet could be upgraded, but the décor here is nicer than Resorts.

The Hilton’s Cornucopia Buffet is open noon to 9 p.m. Sunday to Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday. Price is $20.99 at all times.

Fiesta Buffet, Tropicana

The Fiesta Buffet is much improved thanks to a renovation and menu change last year.

With a bright interior design tying into the Quarter’s Old Havana theme, a number of large booths face the windows looking out to the Boardwalk, offering one of the nicest buffet views in the city.

But buffets are mostly about the food, and the Fiesta’s cuisine will not disappoint. The entire buffet line, which has been opened up for easy access, features zero duplication.

A recent visit boasted some stellar entrees, including Italian bracciole, fresh salmon and chicken parmigiana. Another great addition is a pasta station, where a chef makes a variety of fresh pasta with your choice of sauce. The carving station also boasts fine meats.

But fans of the Fiesta flock there because of the seafood. All-you-can-eat snow crab legs can be found every day, and the steamed clams were being devoured as quick as the Fiesta staff would bring them out.

On the down side, the Trop’s Asian station was minimal, the selections were average and the service was mediocre. The desserts also didn’t impress. In comparison to the other buffets in the city, the price for dinner should be closer to $20 than $25.

The Fiesta Buffet is open 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday to Thursday for brunch; noon to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday for dinner; 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday for brunch; noon to 9 p.m. Friday for dinner; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for brunch; 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday for dinner; 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday for dinner. Prices are $18.95 for breakfast and lunch, $24.95 for dinner.

La Piazza, Caesars

Big changes were made at La Piazza recently, and the overall improvement at the 430-seat buffet is remarkable.

Walk into La Piazza and you’ll realize the buffet really holds its own aesthetically. You know you’re at Caesars with the large pillars and tile floors, but furniture, carpeting, silverware, buffet displays and even employee uniforms were changed in June to give the buffet a needed sprucing-up.

The biggest difference is the salad bar area. Even though it was always decent with a variety of cold salads, including grilled chicken Caesar, La Piazza recently added an ample fruit and cheese selection with seasonal fruits ranging from blueberries to raspberries to watermelon, along with yogurt and a variety of juices.

The food is definitely above average, even if the selection is not enormous. Two meats are always offered on the carving station, including prime rib, stuffed veal breast, free-range turkey and lamb.

The fresh-made pizza is thick yet light, and buffet staples like sausage and peppers, fried chicken, stuffed flounder and short ribs are worth the visit.

The only real downside about La Piazza is the desserts. While the ones that were there—strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, chocolate cannolli and soft ice cream—all looked very appetizing, the selection was incredibly small.

At under $20 during the weekdays for dinner, this is one of the better value buffets in town.

La Piazza is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, to midnight on Saturday. Prices are $12.99 for breakfast, $15.99 for lunch and $18.99 for dinner Monday to Friday; $12.99 for breakfast, $24.99 for lunch and dinner Saturday and Sunday.

Bayside Buffet, Trump Marina

For some reason, the Trump properties just don’t invest in their buffets. A good example is Trump Marina, where the original buffet layout remains from when the casino was first built—long before it was the Marina.

That said, the Bayside Buffet’s culinary staff makes the most of what it has, putting out a decent buffet when it comes to food.

The Bayside’s ho-hum décor is bettered by the food selection, which features a great salad bar. The food, while tasty, is limited. Surprising selections like leg of lamb, mahi mahi, chicken with apple stuffing and stuffed cabbage (for the Polish food lovers out there) complemented usual buffet fare like barbecue chicken with pineapple salsa, manicotti rosa, carved turkey and pizza.

An above-average dessert bar includes ice cream, chocolate-dipped strawberries and bite-size desserts ranging from cannolli and éclairs to pineapple macadamia cheesecake.

While the regular buffet is mediocre, visit the Bayside weekends, where a special seafood buffet is offered Friday through Sunday. A pretty good bargain at $24.99, the seafood fest includes u-peel shrimp, sushi, steamed clams and snow crabs, prime rib, Seafood Newburg, fried clams, mussels marinara, tilapia, crawfish, catfish, roast pork loin and more.

The Bayside Buffet is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Price is $12.99 for breakfast, $17.99 for dinner, and $24.99 for seafood buffet, which is offered Friday to Sunday.

Sultan’s Feast Buffet, Trump Taj Mahal

Located on the second floor at the center of the main promenade, Sultan’s Feast retains the original look of the Taj Mahal. With its Indian arches, pastel coloring and wall murals of feasting sultans, the décor, along with the menu, could use a facelift.

That said, the food is solid buffet fare. Typical of most buffets, Sultan’s Feast has a large salad bar, an ample pasta section, seafood choices and a dessert station. There is no Asian cuisine or exotic flavors, but the staple meat-and-potato choices are definitely done right.

Notable standouts are the rotisserie chicken built into the wall behind the buffet line, and the flaming wood-burning oven for pizzas and stromboli.

Top choices include crab Del Ray, made-to-order steaks and fall-off-the-bone barbecued spare ribs. King crab legs and u-peel shrimp are popular. The dessert station features make-your-own sundae bar, cakes, puddings and sugar-free choices.

While we happened to stop in for a midweek lunch, it’s well-known the breakfast buffet is the Sultan’s standout meal.

The Sultan’s Feast is open from 8 a.m. until 6:30 a.m., serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Prices are $14 for breakfast and $21 ($22.47 including tax) for lunch and dinner. Children ages 7-12 are half price, and under 7 years old eat for free.

The Buffet at Resorts

Atlantic City Perhaps the most-cafeteria-like setup belongs to Resorts’ The Buffet, but its cuisine is anything but.

While The Buffet’s food is certainly not gourmet, the food is solid and worth the admission price.

Try to overlook the dated carpeting and antique furniture and head right for the food, where everyday offerings include entrees like braised veal stew, herb-roasted chicken, tasty fried shrimp, oven-roasted grouper with a corn and tomato salsa, steamed clams, u-peel shrimp and a decent salad and antipasti bar. You’ll also find at least two meats on the carving station, including steamship of beef and turkey with all of the trimmings.

But if you’re going to go to Resorts’ buffet, go on Wednesday, Friday or Sunday. On those days, the buffet food is kicked up a notch, and the admission price remains the same.

Wednesdays focus on barbecue items including pork loin, while Friday has more seafood, including barbecue salmon filleted on a cedar plank, crab legs, scallops and shrimp in a lemon butter sauce. Sunday is Italian night with Italian favorites including chicken and veal parmesan, bracciole and a pasta station, which is also offered Wednesday and Friday.

Resorts’ buffet is a good place to grab a quick, satisfying meal. Just don’t expect to be wowed.

The Buffet at Resorts is open noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Price is $19.99 Monday through Thursday, $21.99 Friday to Sunday. If you have a free Destination Club Card, receive a $3 discount. Breakfast is also served 9 a.m. to noon Sunday for $12.99.

Broadway Buffet, Trump Plaza

One of the most inexpensive buffets in town, the Plaza’s Broadway Buffet is only an option if you are looking for something quick and cheap and are already at the Plaza. Like the Marina, Resorts and Bally’s Sidewalk, this is not a destination buffet by any definition.

The highlights of the Broadway Buffet are the decent carving station—with prime rib and turkey—the u-peel shrimp and the desserts created by award-winning executive pastry chef Dan Boman. Like the other buffets in town, the selections rotate daily, but you’ll find typical selections like baked fish, chicken, barbecue pork, pasta, lasagna, all of the trimmings and salad.

Like the Marina, the best days to visit the Broadway are Friday to Sunday, where the seafood buffet includes crab legs, crab cakes, steamed clams and mussels, along with prime rib, turkey or ham. If you’re thinking about trying the Broadway, you’ll have to wait until early November, when the buffet will reopen with a new look and new prices.

At press time, the Broadway Buffet is open 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday, to 9 p.m. Saturday. The cost of the buffet is $15.95 from Wednesday to 3 p.m. Friday. Seafood buffet, offered from 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday evening, is $18.95.

Sidewalk Buffet, Bally’s Atlantic City

At the very bottom is the Sidewalk Buffet. Let’s put it this way: there are better hospital cafeterias. Another fact is that Bally’s employees’ new dining room is way better than the buffet open to the public. This is a place obviously used for low-level players that Bally’s wants to feed but not over-compensate.

The only buffet in town with a traditional buffet line that features bars around the food items, a weak salad bar doesn’t get diners off to a good start. Typical dishes include chicken primavera and parmesan, codfish with almonds and steamed mussels. A lot of the food looked dried up, including the pork riblets and salmon.

The Sidewalk Buffet is open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition, the buffet is open 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Mondays. Prices are $11.99 for breakfast, $13.99 for lunch and dinner, $18.99 on Saturdays and Sundays for seafood buffet.

By Dave Bontempo  

Joe Giaimo once called races at Freehold and the Meadowlands. Yet, his lifetime trifecta—anticipation, preparation and execution above standards—occurred in gaming.

The Newark native and day-one Atlantic City dealer employs his craft as a shift manager at the Excalibur in Las Vegas. Giaimo has also served several properties as vice president of table games. He witnessed the birth of Atlantic City, riverboats in New Orleans and a tour of Las Vegas properties. Giaimo built teams, developed customer appreciation units and helped a multibillion-dollar industry spread its tentacles.

Budgeting, training, staffing, planning… he’s done it all. Giaimo closes in on three full decades.

“I never envisioned a career that could go on this long,” Giaimo says. “What keeps this fresh is that you never get stagnant. You are always meeting new people. This is a unique business. You can’t just go from running a 7-Eleven to running another store to running a casino. This is an industry in which you have to know what everybody’s job is, and it helps that you do those jobs while you are on the way up. You can’t start in this business from the top. For me, it’s hard to imagine not having an exciting place to go to every day.”

Giaimo began his career with clairvoyance. The Seton Hall graduate viewed casinos as the future, even while calling races at a horse track in the mid-1970s to earn summer income.

He enjoyed the one-on-one nature of calling the trotters and accepting sole responsibility for his performance. But the high calling had a projected low ceiling. He correctly predicted that casinos would adversely affect racing and wagered his career on gaming, at Resorts.

Describing horses gave way to calling “seven,” “yo,” “horn-high 12” and “center-field 9.” Yet, the action was much faster.

“The first days of Atlantic City were madness, but it was a good kind of madness,” Giaimo recalls. “The industry was a baby. We were doing something that had not been attempted in 47 years, ever since Nevada had legalized gambling. Out West you could deal years and years in order to become real good. In Atlantic City, there was not a lot of time, because it was so busy. You got good fast or you left.”

Giaimo thrived, and advanced. He gained promotions at the Sands and became a casino manager. He opened the Taj Mahal, moved to Showboat and gained a wealth of seasoning. Before leaving in 1993, Giaimo had risen from dealer, box, floor and pit boss to shift manager and table-games executive.

When stagnation gripped this market, Giaimo again embraced the future. He headed to New Orleans with technical and emotional maturity. Internal relationships remained a key element for success.

“This whole business is how you treat employees,” Giaimo says. “If you treat the people right, the job gets done right. People who are not happy, who feel that they are being picked on, or harassed, will not do the job the way it’s supposed to be done. It’s really true about treating people the way you want to be treated.

“You always want to learn from good people, but you can also pick up a lot from watching a bad boss. You tell yourself that you will never do this or that a certain way.

“I like to consider how something I’m going to say is going to be received. Whether it is praise or discipline, you always want to think about how that person is going to handle what you say before you say it. I’m proud of what we accomplished at the different properties in Atlantic City.”

Giaimo has supervised up to 500 employees. He has also anticipated the needs of thousands of customers. “In the early days of gaming, you opened the door and people showed up,” Giaimo says. “Now it’s all about customer service. You have to be better than everybody else. You have to anticipate what your customers want, prepare for their visit and exceed their expectations.

“If somebody is coming in and likes a certain kind of liquor, you have that waiting for them in the limo. If a customer likes a certain game with a certain table minimum, you set that up for them. When you know the person is coming to your property, you remember what you did last time and go ahead to get that done for them.”

Giaimo has reached a satisfied level of his career, but the crystal ball offers another unique glimpse. With more casinos becoming attached to hotels, he views another new trend, teaching.

“I think it would be good for the hotel people to learn about the casinos,” he says. Once more, Giaimo sees the future. Perhaps he will bet on it.

By Dave Bontempo  

Horse-racing fans gallop into Monmouth Park in Oceanport for a weekend that’s not to be missed. The prestigious Breeders Cup World Thoroughbred Championship, arguably the richest one-day event in sports, now occurs over two days—Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27. It is an unprecedented, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime celebration of New Jersey and major sports.

Imagine 11 Kentucky Derbys in just over 24 hours. That’s what happens when the world’s best thoroughbreds invade Monmouth County for 11 championship races worth $23 million. This is the first time a New Jersey facility has hosted the annual Breeders Cup, which began in 1984 at Hollywood Park, California.
Garden State residents enjoy a noteworthy home-field edge based on the Cup’s expansion this year. Three of the 11 championship races will occur Friday, prompting additional seats to be released to the public. Fans shut out of Saturday’s action observe an excellent chance to savor the Friday teaser. The Breeders races are mixed with a regular card. There is enough action to prompt a Monmouth journey, but perhaps not enough to coax Saturday ticket-holders to come a day earlier.

If neither option opens, Atlantic City Race Course, the casinos and off-track facilities like Favorites in Vineland provide a simulcast agenda.

Properties like Bally’s and Borgata, which invested substantially in racing books, obtain a significant weekend payoff.

Bettors, meanwhile, receive a pleasant culture shock. After more than 360 days of wagering on events as low as $2,500, they see elite horses gunning for seven figures, race after race.

The Breeders Cup includes the Juvenile Filly, and Mare Turf, Sprint, the Mile and Distaff, at $2 million. The $3 million Turf event follows and the $5 million Classic completes the extravaganza. Three Friday races at $1 million apiece open the event.

Wagering handle will easily exceed $100 million. The Breeders Cup will also be televised to at least 25 countries.

The Impact

The Cup was created as a year-end championship competition for North American thoroughbred racing. Its purse money comes primarily from within the industry. The Breeders Cup benefits racing by providing a premier fall stage. Previously, racing had no public visibility after the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes in May and June.

Breeders Cup championships help determine horse-of-the-year honors and incentivize owners to train horses all summer. That subsequently boosts meets like Monmouth and Saratoga. Kentucky Derby entry Any Given Saturday won the Haskell in July at Monmouth. The late-August Travers Stakes at Saratoga, N.Y., gained increased notoriety because Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense was seen as taking another step toward the Breeders Cup. His participation, and victory in a thrilling stretch duel, kept the mystique of the Travers strong for the future.

For the fans, Breeders Cup day is Mardi Gras. Huge, 14-horse-fields and a multimillion-dollar betting pool ensure value. Thoroughbreds with glittering credentials, who have been odds-on favorites in most of their races, can now go off at 7-1. Long-shots prosper, because few horses dominate an elite field.

Handicappers know they will get a strong run from whomever they play. When horses make the final turn, sprint duels to the wire are all-out.

How will you make out? Because each field has up to 14 horses, let’s consider a dozen pointers.

Playing The Breeders

1. If you are a serious bettor, focus the bankroll. Selecting winners in large fields is difficult, yet rewarding. Some races will demand a lighter bet to maintain money for other ones.

2. Don’t forget the “win” line. Projected exacta, trifecta and superfecta payouts are intoxicating, but nothing hurts more than picking the top horse without collecting. Win-line bets on Breeders Cup Day carry substantial value.

3. Once you’ve covered the win bet, consider an “all” ticket. For $13, bettors can have a $1 exacta with their top horse over the entire field. If the favorites look vulnerable, this can be an excellent play.

4. For $12, you can box five horses in a 10-cent superfecta. This requires picking the top four horses, but it could bring more than $1,000.

5. Toy with a $1 superfecta. It could pay off a college education. You’ll need a hunch for a horse you expect to finish first or second, then place a field of horses in the other slots.

6. View gimmick bets like the Ultra Pick Six as a lottery ticket. Play it, but with the same expectation. They’ve been known to pay in the millions. Naturally, the odds are as remote as Haley’s Comet. That also means that once in a lifetime, but it could be your ultra lucky day.

7. Remember the impact of pace. The best horse won’t win if he is caught in a wicked speed duel. If there are three or more “speed” horses, who expend most of their energy early, a stalker or closer looms prominently. If there is an absence of “early speed,” a lone front-runner like Cat Thief can win the race.

8. Bet early. Unlike most days, odds rarely fluctuate dramatically in the final minutes of elite races. Many people bet serious money and will take more time. Avoid the shutout. Use the machines, too.

9. Utilize the Racing Form more than usual. On most other days, bettors need to combine the paper’s past-performance with how the horse looks on the track. With owners having pointed to this day for months, however, most horses will look tremendous.

10. Observe “traffic” conditions. If a horse competes with better early speed to his left or right, he could become “pocketed” and flounder.

11. Pray for good weather. Rain changes everything.

12. European invaders often perform well on turf. Give strong consideration to them, especially if the weather is comfortable, as expected.

For those who live near Monmouth Park, the track runs an extended special meet from Wednesday through Saturday. For those who appreciate history, this is where Cigar concluded his perfect 1995 season and where French-based Miesque became the first horse to win consecutive Breeders Cups. It was here that European import Arcangues stunned the racing world at 134-1, paying a record $269.20 for a $2 wager in 1993. It will be here, presumably, that Street Sense will try to duplicate the Miesque feet. He won the Breeders Cup last year and the Kentucky Derby in 2007.

It’s all on the table. Betting. History. Panorama. Enjoy this all-star performance of the Sport of Kings. Hit a big one, too.

By Frank Legato  

A giant, ocean-inspired mosaic, created by Millville artists Liz Nicklus (r.) and Jacqui Hair (l.), leads to an entrance, and inside that entrance is a three-story water feature, simulating a waterfall. Beautiful works of art—paintings, sculptures—adorn rooms and public spaces throughout the building.

Wait. This is a hospital, right?

It is AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s newly expanded and renovated Atlantic City campus, and its use of what ARMC calls the “Healing Arts Program,” begun in its Center for Childbirth and continued with the city campus expansion. The program has a unique mission: to commission works from local artists which tap into the healing power of art.

“Research has shown that visual arts and music can speed healing and calm tension,” says Margaret Belfield, vice president and administrator of ARMC’s city campus. “AtlantiCare has made a commitment to dedicate 1 percent of all new building costs to the healing arts.”

For ARMC’s new emergency room and seven-story George F. Lynn Harmony Pavilion, that means more than 500 pieces so far of artwork in all mediums, which are being incorporated throughout the new patient tower to foster that healing environment. Requests for proposals have gone out across the state, and more than 80 artists have already been selected. Nintey percent of them are New Jersey residents. The goal is to have a total of more than 700 pieces of art by the time the facility is complete in the spring.

Belfield says ARMC formed a committee of volunteers from the local art community to advise the hospital staff and to help select works. “I have a wonderful community advisory group we put together around the healing arts,” she says. “We have community leaders who are artists, people who run the local art museums or have connections to artists, and just people connected to AtlantiCare who love art.” Their task is to select art that promotes healing, and “harmony.” That means being culturally sensitive and all-inclusive, says Belfield. “We’re trying to be very careful to select art that appeals to all of our guests,” she says. “We have a very diverse population that we serve, so our art needs to reflect that—we all view harmony differently.”

Belfield says she has learned a lot from being on what she calls “the most fun committee I, as a hospital administrator, have ever gotten go be on.” For instance, cultural adjustments were made to some works that were already in progress after advice from the panel. The giant mosaic is already different from Nicklus’ original design, which included blackbirds. They were removed from the mosaic plan when the panel advised the birds represent death in some cultures.

“I’ve learned a lot about art, and I’ve appreciated working with such a talented group of people who have devoted their time to the project.”

When it’s done, ARMC’s Atlantic City Campus will be a model of healing art. In fact, the organization even plans to give tours of the artworks to local schoolchildren.

Yes, it’s a hospital. But it’s also a mini-museum.

By Frank Legato  

A sign on the Atlantic City Expressway boasts that some of the nicest new rooms in town are not in the hotels, but in the city’s hospital.

This may be true, but the private rooms, complete with fine art and family visiting areas, are only a small part of the story in the $128 million expansion of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center’s Atlantic City campus. ARMC’s new city campus, which will officially be christened with a VIP party Oct. 11 and will accept its first patients Oct. 15, is a carefully planned and masterfully executed example of the absolute state of the medical art.

In all, the expansion entails a new seven-story patient tower, a new emergency department with its own diagnostic imaging suite, a new radiology department, a new intensive care unit with 26 private rooms, four new surgical floors including 30 private in-patient rooms each, and a new helipad (opened in June) with a trauma stabilization facility and direct elevator to the E.R.

The project also entails renovation of 23,000 square feet of the existing 109-year-old hospital, and construction of a pedstian bridge over Michigan Avenue connecting to the Coliseum Parking Garage at Caesars Atlantic City.

Following the opening of the hospital’s Harrah’s Regional Trauma Center this month, the seven floors of the tower, called the George F. Lynn Harmony Pavilion, will open in phases until all new rooms are available by the end of the year. The complete expansion and renovation will be open by sometime in the spring.

However, the facts and schedule of the expansion don’t begin to tell the story of the careful planning and community involvement that led to the creation of a medical facility that will no doubt be hailed as one of the top such facilities in the region, if not the nation.

The hospital’s executive staff, led by Vice President and Administrator Margaret Belfield, reached out to experts in the community for help in planning a facility that would best promote healing and wellness in all aspects, from the colors and design elements used in the rooms to the most effective floor plans for the trauma center. They even sought help in selecting art that would most promote healing to adorn the rooms and public spaces. (See page 29.)

The community responded in a big way, forming committees along with hospital staff and donating their time and advice in planning sessions over the past few years. The ARMC staff also sought advice within the industry, and did a wealth of research on what would be needed to allow the trauma center and pavilion to serve the community’s needs.

“We really did a lot of homework, with the community as well as within the industry,” says Belfield, “to make sure we were really addressing the current needs of patients and families. We planned the facility around evidence-based design principles for patient care and the healing arts. We incorporated a lot of the research out there now as to how you promote healing and wellness.”

The community support culminated with a $1 million donation from the Harrah’s Foundation in July that prompted ARMC to change the name of its new trauma center in recognition of the support from the city’s largest casino operator.

The Harrah’s donation was a surprise, “and an honor,” says Belfield. “One of the things that tell you you’re a value to the community as a health organization is when your community embraces you,” she says, adding that because ARMC is a not-for-profit organization that refuses care to no one, donations from the community are vital.

Harrah’s Center

The newly named Harrah’s Regional Trauma Center is easily among the most advanced facilities of its kind anywhere in the country. It is designed with a remarkable eye toward functionality, incorporating the results of painstaking research into the best ways to serve patients in an emergency care situation.

The Trauma Center is the heart of the new facility. It is at the center of ARMC’s plan, because it was the element most sorely needed. “I have a great staff here; we’ve gotten external accolades for things we’ve done well clinically, from both quality and safety perspectives, which we’re very proud of,” Belfield says. “But we needed a new building. We really needed to get the right facility for our patients and their families, as well as the staff.”

The first order of business in planning the new Emergency Department was simple: it had to be bigger. According to Belfield, ARMC currently handles around 50,000 visits a year in a facility that was built to handle around 20,000. “That had been a source of complaint, because it’s so cramped,” she says. “The new facility is much larger.”

0Throughout the new facility are examples of the careful planning that went into it. There are decentralized nurse stations, so no patient is far from a nurse, and to make the atmosphere more quiet, and calming for patients. There are sliding glass doors separating treatment areas, so all patients have a degree of privacy. Outside the treatment area are separate waiting areas for pediatrics, trauma patients, psychiatric patients and all others.

There are windows in the treatment rooms, high enough so people can’t see in but large enough to let in natural light, which has a calming effect on patients simply because it is a dose of normalcy rarely seen in an emergency room environment.

The design is functional for the staff as well. “We’ll have four rescuscitation bays, as opposed to only two in the current facility,” says Larisa Goganzer, ARMC’s director of special projects. “Within the Emergency Department, there is a CAT-scan and radiology room. So, if you need testing done in the Emergency Department, you stay in the Emergency Department. You don’t have to go to another floor or area.”

Built for Comfort

The same kind of attention to detail went into the design of the rooms in the Harmony Pavilion. In fact, its 146 large rooms (30 per floor on four surgical floors, plus 26 in the intensive care unit) will be all private—as will be renovated rooms in the existing 600-bed facility—is novel enough in the health care industry.

However, again, painstaking research within the community led to a facility built for patient comfort, down to the smallest detail. The rooms may not have all the comforts of home, but it’s as close as you’re going to find in a hospital environment. “Patient control is really important,” says Belfield. “They can control their own heating and air conditioning, their TV and lighting. The staff can’t come in and turn all the bright lights on.”

There also is “family space” on each floor. “We’re inviting the family in, because having your family around you really promotes healing and comfort, because hospitals can be scary environments,” Belfield says. “We’ve built in very comfortable family space on all the floors.”

In addition to physical comfort, attention was paid to cultural sensibilities when designing the pavilion. According to Belfield, the interior design effort was helped by another community committee—the same committee that helped select the art for the facility.

“For example, we had originally placed white curtains in all of our rooms,” she says. “We were told by the advisory group not to have white curtains—that it meant death in certain cultures.” They also had feng shui experts evaluate room design, to create space in which all would feel comfortable—space that promotes healing.

That even includes spiritural healing. One space in the pavilion that will be complete in the spring is a new chapel. “Spirituality is part of health and harmony, so we invited a group of representatives from various religions in our community to come together and look at the stained glass, and to look at how the chapel was set up,” Belfield says. “They said they were honored just to be invited—that no one had ever asked for their participation in such a project. They made some changes to the coloring of our stained glass—they thought it was too solemn—and they turned the light in the room a bit to respect the Muslim community. We’ve gotten a better chapel as a result.”

In the end, all of the combined effort will result in what is sure to be recognized as one of the premier health care facilities in the Northeast. “What I’m most proud of is the community and staff involvement,” says Belfield. “You can walk through the building and see their hands in it. When I asked the community to participate, I wasn’t sure people would do it. They did, and they brought friends with them. What it’s all done is open us up a little more to a relationship with the community.”

And, it has given Atlantic City a first-rate hospital.

By Roger Gros   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

For employees and executives of the casino industry, the decisions we make during the political season are a reflection on how we want our personal and professional lives to progress. And for each of us, those decisions can be different, and depend on what we think will be best for us.

During every election cycle, Casino Connection strives to educate casino industry voters about the views of the candidates so they can make informed decisions. For the most part, we try to focus on the views of the candidates on issues that affect the casino industry. There are many other media outlets that will outline the candidates’ views on a variety of subjects not at all related to gaming. And we’re not saying that your decisions should only be framed by the views of the candidates on gaming issues, but we’re certain that this will (and should) be at least one of your barometers in making your decisions.

This year, the election process is more important than usual. For the first time in almost two decades, we’re electing a new state senator. Although James “Sonny” McCullough is the “acting” state senator, he was appointed upon the resignation of the longtime office-holder, Bill Gormley, earlier this year.

The choice between McCullough and Assemblyman James Whelan is important because this office has traditionally been the most influential in the region. In the past half-century, previous senators included the legendary Frank “Hap” Farley, the late Pat McGahn, Steve Perskie and Gormley—all powerful forces in determining the future of Atlantic City. State politicians all acknowledge the importance of this position, so voters should understand this fact as well. We thought this choice was so important, we took the time to sit down with each candidate to ask them their views on the gaming industry. Read their responses in our Q&A department on page 20.

And for the first time in anyone’s memory, the candidates for Assembly are all rookies in seeking state-level office. Republicans Vince Polastina and John Amodeo are running against Democrats Blondell Spellman and Joseph Wilkins. Read about who they are and their views on gaming at the end of this article.

Atlantic County residents are also faced with other crucial decisions on county executive and the freeholders. Incumbent Dennis Levinson faces Sheriff James McGettigan in the county executive race, and the entire Freeholder Board is up for election as well. But since these positions do not generally impact the gaming industry to any great extent (and for space reasons), we’ll let you research their views through other media outlets.

Remember, the candidates who must stand up for Atlantic City and the gaming industry have to understand the issues that will impact the region for many years: slots at racetracks, smoking in casinos, stable tax rates, development of transportation infrastructure, casino expansion in Atlantic City, and much more. We hope that the questions we posed to the candidates will give you some insight on where they stand and how well they reflect your own personal opinions.

The role of public officials is to make things better for their constituents. While their views on gaming aren’t the only issues that should influence your decision, they should complement their views on other issues important to you personally. We urge you to consider them all and, most importantly, vote and exercise your right and duty as a citizen of this great state.

Meet the Candidates

Unlike the candidates for state Senate, the hopefuls for the Assembly seats from District 2 are all relatively new to campaigns for state office. The two Democrats and two Republicans running have varied backgrounds, and voters will have to do their homework to determine which candidate most accurately reflects their views.
As is the tradition of Casino Connection, we’ve presented the candidates with half a dozen questions on issues that impact the gaming industry. Other media outlets will give a more broad outline of their positions on other issues, but in the interest of space, we’ve chosen to focus on gaming questions.

For more information on the Democrat candidates, go to www.atlanticdems.com. And for the Republicans, go to www.acrepublicans.org.

Blondell Spellman, Democrat

Alongtime resident of Atlantic City, Blondell Spellman is a graduate of La Salle University, and she received her juris doctor from Temple University Law School. After receiving her law degree, Spellman went to work for Women Against Abuse Legal Center, where she helped to protect women against domestic violence, worked on child abuse cases and developed her interest in community service.

As an attorney for the Claridge Hotel & Casino, Spellman was also instrumental in helping recruit minorities and women to work in the casino industry. The Claridge was recognized as the first Atlantic City casino to achieve full compliance with its internal and regulatory goals for employment of minorities and women at all levels of the company.

John Amodeo, Republican

John Amodeo was raised on Absecon Island. He attended Margate City schools, played Little League and was a competitive swimmer for the Margate City Beach Patrol.

As a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s College in Maryland, Amodeo was elected to the Linwood City Council in 1998 and re-elected in 2002.

Amodeo lists his accomplishments on the Linwood City Council as leading the Linwood Bike Path lighting project and serving as chairman of the finance, public works and police committees.

A New Jersey licensed crane operator, Amodeo has worked on many local construction projects. As the lead engineer on the Ocean City Longport Bridge Replacement Project, he was honored with several safety awards.

Joseph Wilkins, Democrat

A lifelong Atlantic County resident, Joseph Wilkins is a retired United State Marine Corps reservist and former assistant commissioner of labor. Wilkins started his career as an apprentice with the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 121 in 1956 and steadily worked his way up to oversee the day-to-day operations of Local Union 322 and over 1,700 members as its business manager in 1997.

Wilkins has also served as the chairman of the Atlantic County Improvement Authority, as a board member of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and as the president of the Atlantic County League of Municipalities.

He is a member of the St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church and resides in Galloway Township with his wife Kathleen.

Vince Polistina, Republican

Vince Polistina, a resident of Egg Harbor Township, graduated from Rutgers University in 1993. He has specialized in the design and construction management of water and wastewater systems throughout his career. Polistina formed the engineering firm Polistina & Associates in 2003. Located in Egg Harbor Township with 12 employees, the firm serves as the official engineer for several towns and municipal boards and authorities in South Jersey.

Prior to the establishment of his own firm, Polistina worked as the township planner for Galloway Township, Egg Harbor Township and Hamilton Township. He is a former chairman of the Egg Harbor Township Police Athletic League and has served as both the president and treasurer of the United Republican Club of Egg Harbor Township.

2007 Assembly Candidates Casino Questionaire

How do you view the role of the casino industry in your district?

Spellman: As a former casino industry leader, I know just how critical the casino industry is, not just to my district, but to all of our region. The casino and gaming sector is the engine of the South Jersey economy, employing tens of thousands of workers and driving millions of dollars in local investment.

Amodeo: The casino industry plays an essential role in Atlantic County for a multitude of reasons. The creation of the casinos has added thousands of outside construction jobs and in-house jobs. Additionally, casinos have economically impacted all of our communities, demanding more housing, more shopping, more health facilities, etc.

Wilkins: The casino industry is an important member of our Atlantic County community, providing good jobs to thousands of men and women from our district. Casinos are a crucial part of our local economy, and I support keeping Atlantic City's casinos competitive with regional competitors to strengthen our economy.

Polistina: The casino industry is the economic engine that drives the economy in our area. Its role is to improve the quality of life for many people in this area by providing employment opportunities, supporting programs such as the PAAD program and supporting numerous charitable organizations throughout the area.

The casino industry has contributed more than $80 million over the past four years to the state racing industry for purses. Now the tracks are back for more. Can the industry refuse to help without the threat of slots at racetracks? What will you do to keep that threat away from Atlantic City?

Spellman: I am firmly opposed to allowing VLTs or other gaming operations in the state that would threaten the casino industry. Casinos are the backbone of the greater South Jersey economy, and VLTs will hurt not only the industry, but the hardworking families of my district.

Amodeo: Present legislation dictates slot machines are not permitted outside of Atlantic City. This legislation should not be altered, since the economic impact of allowing slot machines elsewhere in the state could negatively impact our casinos, and in turn, Atlantic County.

Wilkins: The state should not pass any new legislation establishing gambling in New Jersey. Doing so—such as the plan to bring VLTs to North Jersey—would greatly harm the casino industry and South Jersey's economy. The effects on our hardworking middle-class families could be devastating.

Polistina: I don’t believe that the casino industry can completely refuse to support horse racing if we are going to continue to prevent the tracks from obtaining slots. Not only are the casinos facing increased competition from other states, but the tracks are now not on a level playing field with their competitors in neighboring states. We need to develop a synergy between the casinos and racing so that they can support one another without threatening each other’s livelihood.

Are you satisfied with the compromise reached between the Casino Association and the City Council of Atlantic City designating 25 percent of the casino floors for smokers? Would you support a bill that would totally ban smoking?

Spellman: The current smoking ban provides for a 75 percent/25 percent compromise. I am supportive of a more comprehensive ban to protect the health of casino workers, but I believe we must allow the current compromise to operate and study its economic and public health effects in the longer term.

Amodeo: I am in full support of legislation for smoke-free casinos. Casino employees are being discriminated against under the 75/25 percent ordinance. It is outrageous that employees who protest against an unsafe environment are losing their jobs. The state should help defend the rights of casino workers on this issue.

Wilkins: I believe it is important to ensure workers have a healthy work environment. The Atlantic City Council has recently passed a partial smoking ban, and though I am generally in favor of a full ban, I believe the effects of this partial ban must be studied before action to move forward can be taken.

Polistina: I’m not satisfied because the current situation is unmanageable, and everyone in the casinos is still exposed to secondhand smoke. I would support a bill that completely bans smoking in the casinos.

With competition now in Philadelphia and New York, Atlantic City has a miniscule marketing budget, especially when compared to Las Vegas. Would you like to see marketing dollars for the state tourism department and/or the ACCVA increased?

Spellman: Given the vital importance of the gaming industry to our regional economy, I support increasing the marketing budget to bolster state tourism. We must provide the resources to maintain the wonderful tradition that Atlantic City has enjoyed for years, and we must ensure Atlantic City remains competitive.

Amodeo: Yes, marketing Atlantic City as a total resort destination needs to happen—however, without tax impact on our already heavily overtaxed residents of the state of New Jersey. I believe “creative financing” is in order for this task.

Wilkins: It is critical that the state ensure that Atlantic City's tourism industry, which includes casinos, remains competitive in the face of ever-growing outside competition. I support increasing funding to ensure Atlantic City's competitiveness to that effect, especially in light of the important role casinos play in South Jersey's economy.

Polistina: I would like to see marketing dollars for the ACCVA increased, but not for the state tourism department. The increased competition makes it even more important that the money generated by the casinos be used to market the industry and undertake projects in Atlantic City and the surrounding region, not elsewhere in the state.

There’s a casino in Atlantic City that has recently been sold and has come in with a new business plan that has resulted in the loss of hundreds of jobs. The CCC has said it has no role in the staffing of casinos as long as they pay the requisite taxes. Do you advocate any role for the legislature in this situation?

Spellman: One of the original purposes of the Casino Control Act was to bring casinos to our area that created opportunities and provided good-paying jobs for local residents. In moving forward, we must be mindful of that original intent in order to ensure Atlantic City's casinos remain first-rate attractions that continue to provide these opportunities.

Amodeo: I am not sure if this “new business plan” is cost-effective or is in response to a decrease in profits, but I know that part-time employees without benefits are not good for the industry. Therefore, I would support a debate on legislation that would address this detrimental situation.

Wilkins: I believe it is the duty of Atlantic City's casinos to bring opportunities to local workers in the form of well-paying jobs. It is important we continue to ensure the casino industry provides these jobs while ensuring our casinos remain first-class facilities.

Polistina: Although I don’t believe that the legislature has a role in dictating to a private company on how to run a business, I believe that the legislature has a role in promoting and supporting Atlantic City so that the number of visitors to the city increases and the industry continues to grow. Where do you see the future of Atlantic City in the next several years?

Spellman: As an Atlantic City resident, I see the promise of our city continuing to grow. If elected to the Assembly, I will fight to ensure Atlantic City and South Jersey get their fair share from state government, reinvesting more state funds (including CRDA funds) in Atlantic County to create jobs, stimulate small businesses and make New Jersey more affordable for families.

Amodeo: The future of Atlantic City as a world-class destination is very possible. Having already made great strides with amenities such as the Pier and the Walk, we have to proceed with caution so that the casino industry can remain vibrant and profitable for all current and future stakeholders.

Wilkins: I believe we must support Atlantic City so that it can continue to be the strong backbone of South Jersey's economy. We must bring more state funding to the industry to ensure this regional benefit. By ensuring that small businesses continue to grow and good-paying jobs continue to be created, we will make our state more affordable for residents, improving the lives of Atlantic County and other South Jersey families.

Polistina: If we win, I see our local legislators assisting with the continued transformation of Atlantic City into a true destination resort. We will continue both gaming and non-gaming projects that keep people working and make Atlantic City a vacation resort with amenities for casino patrons and families.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Casino Connection: You’ve been in office now for nine months or so. Were you able to prepare for this position?

McCullough: Quite frankly, last year I retired from my full-time job and thought I would be fishing during the middle of week instead of waiting for the weekend when it is raining.

But lo and behold, Senator (Bill) Gormley decides to step down and my party asked me to take his place. They felt that as being a mayor of one of the largest towns in South Jersey for so many years that I had the experience, I had the knowledge of what our particular area needed and that I was well-known to the point that I would be a good political candidate as well being a good legislator.

How do you view the role of the casino industry in your district?

I met with some of the casino owners right after taking office and told them I was involved in the beginning of the casino industry. I said we wanted to create this casino industry, and give them the permit to have a casino license in Atlantic City, because our construction trade people had no work here. We wanted to provide good year-round employment for our residents.

That wasn’t happening back then and I told them that I was somewhat disappointed with the way the casino industry was going today, as well. There are layoffs. The rules have been changed where there is multiple ownership of different casinos, which obviously benefited the corporate structure but did not necessarily benefit the employees who were working in it. A number of financial institutions are buying casinos and we don’t have the same family atmosphere that we had way back in 1978 when this industry was born.

Let’s talk about the smoking issue. Are you satisfied with the compromise reached between the casino association and the city with 25 percent of the casino floor for smokers?

I sympathize with the casino industry’s arguments, but I have to say that if it is good for the entire state, it is good for everybody, and I have testified before the Senate health committee and endorsed a 100 percent smoking ban in the casinos.

Right now Atlantic City has a miniscule marketing budget, and even the state doesn’t have a huge budget compared to what Philadelphia has, and certainly compared to what Las Vegas has. Would you support some way to raise that marketing budget?

Obviously I would; what legislator wouldn’t support that? Yes, I would like to see more advertising and I think that we have something that tops anything that is in the casino industry in the entire Delaware Valley.

The New Jersey racing industry is demanding the casinos’ help to survive. What would you do about this situation?

One of the things that our industry is concerned about is the VLTs in the Meadowlands and the shakedown that the racing association does to our casinos. It was around $80 million that our industry had to give them. If we could take that $80 million and divert it to national TV, that would be a bigger help than paying off these racetracks that are not making it.

You mentioned recent layoffs. The Casino Control Commission has no role overseeing the staffing of these casinos as long as they pay the requisite taxes. Do you think there needs to be some legislation to rectify this situation?

I believe there is an obligation to make sure a standard is maintained. The public is going to set the standard. If a casino operator is letting its property fall to what the public thinks is substandard, people aren’t going to go there. I don’t know what kind of regulations we should write to say how clean the bathrooms have to be, or how many waiters or waitresses you need to have in a restaurant here—that is Business 101.

You met with the Mohegan Sun people. Is part of your role to meet with companies considering expansion in Atlantic City?

I met with Mohegan Sun about two months ago, and they are very interested in Atlantic City. The numbers they are willing to invest dwarf anything else we have seen. I am not going to mention the number, because they asked me not to. They are enthused with Atlantic City.

I think as a government official and a state senator from this district, it is my responsibility to support our industries, and to make sure that we have good employment benefits available to us. If I need to go out and solicit corporations to invest in Atlantic County and Atlantic City, then I will do that.

Should the casino industry ask the state to just leave us alone and let us operate under the rules and regulations that currently exist, or should we encourage them to take chances knowing there might be an adverse effect on the industry?

I am not sure that some of the tinkering we’ve done in the past with some of the casinos’ policies was good. I look back and say maybe we made a mistake by allowing multiple casino owners. Maybe we should have left it like it was and let them come in and compete with each other. But you always need to review your policies and procedures. I believe that the casino industry itself knows what it needs, and we should listen to them. I don’t know that we have given them that opportunity. Politicians think they are smarter than everybody else, and in most cases they are not.

Would you be in favor of changing the restriction against campaign contributions by casino companies so they would be allowed to participate in the local government?

I don’t really have a problem with them not being able to contribute to campaigns, because they would overwhelm a campaign, and that would be the company store buying every political election. I would never vote to permit casinos contributing to any local campaign. I would never vote to support casinos contributing to campaigns in the state of New Jersey.

County Executive Dennis Levinson wants casino employees and executives permitted to run for office and participate in Atlantic City and statewide politics. Where do you stand on this issue?

I have mixed emotions on permitting casino employees to hold office in the city of Atlantic City, because that has an impact. City Council members make decisions on zoning issues and other things that may benefit casinos, so there could be a conflict. Yes, you can recuse yourself, but still have influence, so I am not sure about the city of Atlantic City. By the way, a lot of people don’t understand you can be a casino employee and run for political office, just not in Atlantic City and not at the state level.

Why should someone in the casino industry consider voting for you rather than your opponent when it comes to considering the gaming issues?

First of all, my track record as a senator is very short. I have not had the opportunity to introduce a lot of bills that support the casino industry. Anyone who knows the history of Sonny McCullough knows I keep my word. That’s why I’ve achieved my longevity in the largest town now in Atlantic County, where all of the casino employees work. This year is the first in five years that we have had any tax increase, and basically that is because we had to hire more police officers, and the state now is pushing the pension cost down on us.

I think the people in that area know me, I keep my word, I have come out and supported the employees’ efforts, especially in support of the smoking ban, and have supported them if they want to belong to organized labor.

I deal with issues every day that affect the people who work in the industry. They call me when they need help; I am there for them. I have not turned my back on my own hometown, whereas I think my opponent has. If there was one Democrat in the entire state of New Jersey who should have been permitted to vote for that budget to keep the casinos open, it should have been Jimmy Whelan. You had to know that was the right thing to do. But still he did not do that.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Casino Connection: You have been in the Assembly for one term. Do you think that time has prepared you to be senator?

Whelan: I hope it has. But it’s not just the two years I will spend in the Assembly. I think also the other time I have spent in politics, going back to my time as mayor, on city council in Atlantic City, and overall life experience has prepared me to go into the Senate.

How do you view the role of the casino industry in your district?

The first thing we need to acknowledge is that the casinos are the economic engine for this district and for other parts of South Jersey as well. I have been around long enough to know the change from “three months of hurry and nine months of worry” that we had prior to casinos. We are now a year-round economy. It is an economic engine in terms of employment, in terms of its contribution to the public, the taxes they pay, the investment that they bring. I think also over time we have seen that, by and large, the casinos are good corporate citizens.

Let’s talk about the smoking issue. Are you satisfied with the compromise reached between the casino association and the city with 25 percent of the casino floor for smokers?

I’ve said that we should give the compromise a chance to work. But Donald Trump is making noise that we should renege on the compromise, and frankly, if that is the case, we will go back and we will address the 100 percent ban, which is the bill I originally put in. The casino association and city council in good faith worked out a compromise, and typical of most compromises, nobody is perfectly happy.
Clearly the issue of ultimately moving to a national ban is the way to go, because then everybody has a level playing field. Until we get that, I think this compromise certainly should be given a chance—more than the three or four months or six months. Let’s give it at least a year, and then some maybe. If we can work on a national ban, let’s go in that direction. We are working on that right now.

 Let’s talk about slots at racetracks. The casino industry has contributed more than $80 million over the past four years to the racing industry. Do you think the industry can refuse to help? Is there just too much political support on the other side?

Quite honestly, the political reality is the options are to do the kind of thing that you did for the last four years or look at VLTs or slots at the tracks or the Meadowlands. From Atlantic County’s perspective as well as the state’s, we’re better served not having slots at the Meadowlands and the other tracks, so the reality is that we are going to have to live with it.

How long do you prop up the tracks?

As a practical political matter in New Jersey, I think you are going to see at least one more cycle.

As a state senator, how will you try to defuse that threat?

I think you need to keep your eye on the ball. Voters back in 1976 voted for Atlantic City to have a monopoly, and I think that has worked pretty well both for the city and the state as well as the region, and that’s what we need to protect. I’ve used the Mark Twain quote that the fool says don’t put all your eggs in one basket, the wise man says put all your eggs in one basket and watch that basket carefully. When it comes to casino-style gaming in New Jersey, we are the basket, so let’s put all our eggs in this basket and watch this basket. I think we’ve done that, and as long as we continue to do that we are going to be fine.

Right now Atlantic City has a miniscule marketing budget, and even the state doesn’t have a huge budget compared to what Philadelphia has, and certainly compared to what Las Vegas has. Would you support some way to raise that marketing budget?

It would be great to have more money, but frankly, before we need more money, we need more rooms. It’s like the airport issue: If you say we need more scheduled service in here, where are the people going to stay, especially in the summertime, when they get here? We are running at a 100 percent occupancy. The rooms just aren’t there. So the first piece of this is what we see happening with Borgata, Harrah’s, Taj Mahal and other expansions, and hopefully with Pinnacle, Revel and ultimately Bader Field, we will get the room count up to where you can say now we can market because we have the rooms.

There have been layoffs in Atlantic City. The Casino Control Commission has no role overseeing the staffing of these casinos as long as they pay the requisite taxes. Do you think there needs to be some legislation to rectify this situation?

There is legislation already. The legislation now talks about first-class hotels, and there are those who have suggested that needs to be looked at. I spoke with one of the corporate people from the new owners at Tropicana, Columbia Sussex, early on when the first wave of layoffs took place. It was a very cordial meeting, but I tried to explain to this person that the deal in New Jersey is that you have a low tax rate here. And the reason it is so low, the reason it has been relatively stable, and the reason that there has been this commitment on the public sector to support this industry, frankly, is what we get out of the deal. As a casino, you employ a lot of people and pay a lot in taxes, and those people that you employ in turn support the economy. They buy houses, they pay taxes, they buy cars. They are not on the welfare rolls or unemployment the way it used to be here in the winter.

If you come in and cut your work force by 15 percent, the first issue is to really look at is this issue of a first-class resort, and whether they are capable of running a first-class resort.

You mentioned Bader Field. If any politician has a stake in what happens there, it is you, because you live less than a block from the former airport. What do you think should happen to Bader Field?

 You’re right—I have a large stake here both because it is my neighborhood and, frankly, because I am more responsible than most for the closing of Bader Field. I think the reality is you are going to see casino development there, and while at one point I had some reservations, I think the overall situation has changed in part because of the regional competition we are now experiencing.
Just the planning and permitting alone are going to stretch this out to what could be a decade-long project. The Marina district, which ultimately became the Borgata, had a lot of political and planning hurdles, but not as immense as you would have at Bader Field. And that took almost eight years, so you are really looking at something that is a decade away.

Casino employees and executives are not permitted to run for office and participate in Atlantic City and statewide politics. Would you be in favor of changing that so they would be allowed to participate in the local government?

Yes, I would. I think it is past time, the industry has shown itself, the employees have shown themselves and the industry members are good corporate citizens. I do think it is time. It is not just elected office, either. It is people on planning boards, zoning boards and so on. You lose a perspective that they bring as front-line employees, so I think it is time that was addressed.

Where would you like to see Atlantic City in the next five or 10 years, and how would you like to effect that as the state senator for this district?

We need to keep going in the direction we are going. We need to provide that total resort experience which includes dining, shopping and entertainment. I go back to when I got into politics, and the three things we needed then were the same things we need today. Number one, we need more hotel rooms. That’s what fuels all the amenities. If you have the bodies in the hotel rooms they’ll want to see a show, dine, shop and so on, and if they stay two nights they are going to want to move around—which brings us to the second thing, the non-casino attractions. Finally, we need to clean up and fix up the neighborhoods. From the perspective of the local residents, that is the most important, but you don’t get to that one unless you do the other two, because you won’t have the money.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

The New York Division of Budget has set October 15 as the deadline for companies to express interest in operating video lottery terminals for the state at the Aqueduct racetrack in New York City.

The state might hire a contractor to run a new facility the state would build and own, Governor Eliot Spitzer’s office says. It is also considering having an operator develop the facility and “retain excess VLT revenues after making statutory payments for education and racing” and covering expenses.

The state estimates “net machine income” (NMI) from as many as 4,500 Aqueduct VLTs at more than $500 million by 2010. The government will take “in excess of 70 percent” of NMI to fund education, operate the state lottery and support thoroughbred horse racing.

Aqueduct is a thoroughbred track, as are the Belmont and Saratoga tracks. Spitzer has recommended that the New York Racing Association keep the state franchise to run racing at all three. He expects to select a VLT operator around November 1 for Aqueduct and perhaps Belmont.

State senators scrutinizing the NYRA recommendation last week heard expert testimony that Spitzer’s plan does little to increase NYRA’s public accountability and that “integrity reviews” the state contracted for NYRA and three other franchise bidders were poorly performed. The Senate and Assembly must ratify Spitzer’s choices.

“The bidder with the most far-sighted business model” should be selected, said Senator Bill Larkin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming, and Wagering.

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said the governor may need to revise his proposals. “There are a lot of highly qualified, highly financed major players from all around the world who have an interest, and I think this is big enough to include a lot of others,” said Bruno.

Among them are three other bidders for the racing franchise with slot-machine expertise among their ranks. Empire Racing Associates and Capital Play said last week that they will try for a VLT contract. Excelsior Racing Associates gave no comment.

The three bid over the summer on the new racing franchise, due to go into effect January 1. Why Spitzer opened the VLT operation to more bidders wasn’t clear.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

They say it’s a matter of “when,” and not “if.” As soon as West Virginia legalized table games by local option at its racinos (not to mention the proximity of Atlantic City’s full-blown casinos to eastern Pennsylvania), some lawmakers saw the handwriting on the wall—sooner or later, the Keystone State’s all-slot casinos would need table games to compete with their neighbors in the adjacent state.

Last month, Bill DeWeese, the state House majority leader and highest-ranking Democrat in the state legislature, revealed that he is one of them.

DeWeese told fellow lawmakers at a committee meeting in Washington County, home to the Meadows racetrack and casino—the closest Pennsylvania slot facility to the West Virginia line—that the legislature must begin to at least debate the issue of legalizing table games, although it may be too soon to expect them to win approval.

Pennsylvania track owners have begun to lobby lawmakers for tables, and even gaming opponents concede that tables are a fait accompli. “I do think they’re coming,” said state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, a gaming opponent on DeWeese’s House Gaming Oversight Committee. “I’m not a fan of the industry, but it’s a matter of doing it smart, making it a win-win.”

DeWeese, for his part, says he is trying to respond to the initial positive results of slot gambling in the state by getting the ball rolling on expansion of gaming options. “I’m just trying to generate momentum, to put heat and light on the issue,” he said at the meeting. “It’s very important that the conversation take place.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Although it resembles its Las Vegas cousin of the same name, the Venetian Macao is at once totally different and also very familiar, both for the southeastern Chinese market and its parent company, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation (LVS).

When the Venetian opened in Las Vegas in 1998, it was Sheldon Adelson’s intro to the gaming industry. His focus on non-gaming revenue through meetings and conventions, retail, food and beverage, and entertainment was widely criticized. When the Las Vegas property proved a huge success, spawning more hotel towers, retail outlets and additional meeting space, Adelson knew he had a formula that could work in any market.

Nevertheless, the opening of the $2.4 billion Venetian Macao is being met with similar doubts. While the property and its “Cotai Strip” location were compared to the Las Vegas Strip (in fact, LVS warned competitors against using the trademarked Cotai Strip and “Asia’s Las Vegas” under threat of litigation), the market is currently more akin to Atlantic City than Las Vegas. Macau customers generally stay for less than one day and have shown a singular interest in gambling, and not much else. Forays by existing properties into non-gaming amenities such as nightclubs, retail and theaters have thus far been less than successful, but Adelson is confident that the Venetian Macao has a dynamic business model that will succeed.

He’s hanging his hat on the meetings and conventions business. With 1.2 million square feet of meeting space, Adelson expects Asian expos and corporations to consider relocating their business to Macau by offering what the company calls an “integrated resort,” complete with all the elements found at the Las Vegas property, including gaming.

LVS President and COO Bill Weidner (former head of the Sands in Atlantic City) pointed out that the Hong Kong convention market is sold out. All dates are taken by shows and exhibitions organized by the Hong Kong Visitors and Convention Authority, so with Macau’s proximity to one of Asia’s most popular cities, he expects the Venetian to succeed.

“We’ve been very encouraged by our initial sales,” he says. “We expect that to increase now that we’re open.”

While they talk about the non-gaming elements (including an indoor shopping mall, the Grand Canal Shoppes, modeled after the Las Vegas property), it’s clear LVS has not downplayed the gaming. The Venetian hosts the world’s largest casino at 550,000 square feet, with 870 table games and 3,400 slot machines. Opening night saw virtually every gaming position filled.

Although table games, specifically baccarat, are the king of the Macau market, the president of Venetian Macao and the Sands Macau (and former president of Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts), Mark Brown, says they haven’t abandoned the slot player.

“When we first came here,” he says, “we were told that Asian players didn’t play slots. We found that wasn’t true, so we’re offering an expanded variety of machines and promotions that appeal to everyone.”

But it’s developing a new market that makes him excited.

“We’re going to answer the question, ‘If you don’t gamble, why would you come to Macau?’” he explains. “We’re giving that segment a reason to come to Macau. There are now so many reasons to come here that people will come from all over the world to visit for two or three days at a time, whether they are gamblers or not.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

As if to reaffirm its owners’ belief that the current slump in Atlantic City is only temporary, Revel Entertainment last month revealed some of the details of a grand plan for a new mega-resort next to Showboat on the northeast end of the Boardwalk.

Revel, which is backed by Wall Street investment firm Morgan Stanley, revealed plans for a $2 billion casino resort with what ultimately will be two hotel towers with a total of 4,000 rooms. According to environmental papers filed by the operator, the 48-story towers will stand 700 feet high, which would make them the tallest buildings in town.

The company plans to build one hotel tower for the opening of the resort, and examine market conditions for the timing of the second, which would give the as-yet-unnamed project the highest room count in Atlantic City.

The operator is already clearing the land of what once was the Southeast Inlet residential neighborhood to begin construction of the massive resort, which is expected to transform that end of the Boardwalk into a magnet for visitors. Wall Street analysts, in fact, are already predicting that Revel’s project will do for the Boardwalk what Borgata has done for the Marina district. The project is slated for opening in 2011, the same year Pinnacle Entertainment plans to open its own as-yet-unnamed Boardwalk mega-resort on the site of the shuttered Sands casino hotel.

The planned casino will cover a whopping 168,610 square feet, making it easily the largest contiguous casino space in town. (While Bally’s has more gaming space, it is spread across three separate casinos.) Along with that will be more than 500,000 square feet of space devoted to dining, entertainment and retail offerings.

Another unique feature of the new property will be a wedding chapel, transplanting a Vegas tradition to the beach and giving the growing number of couples choosing Atlantic City as a honeymoon destination a complete resort package.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

The famous Steel Pier is ready for a second encore. The amusement attraction will remain open for the 2008 season. Trump Entertainment Resorts announced last month that development delays have pushed back the pier renovations another year. The plan to add luxury housing, retail and entertainment components to the pier remain intact but the main concentration is currently completing the Taj Mahal’s second hotel tower.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

The 10th season for the Atlantic City Surf wrapped up in early September but not without a trip to the playoffs. Finishing their first season in the Can-Am league with a 51-43 record, the Surf fell to the North Shore Spirit in the playoff’s first round. However, the team did finish with the second-best record in the league.

The honors continued as three Surf players, third baseman Anthony Granato, lefty pitcher Brian Rodaway and reliever Matt Pike, received honors by being named to the post season all-star team. Manager Chris Carminucci was voted 2007 Can-Am League Manager of the Year for his leadership and coaching by league field managers and media.

Surf Vice President Mario Perrucci, who has been with the club since season one, resigned in late September. He is just one of several front office staff that will not be returning next year, including Marketing Director Chuck Betson and Field Manager Jeff Ball.

The Surf will return to Bernie Robbins Stadium for the 2008 season beginning in May. For information call 609-344-8873 or log onto www.acsurf.com.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Dancers, live music, hamburgers and hula hoops were all part of Borgata’s latest job fair, as more than 1,000 applicants lined up at Kennedy Plaza for a shot at working at the casino’s new expansion, the Water Club.

Scheduled to open early 2008, the 43-story luxury hotel needs to fill 800 available jobs. The party-like recruitment effort reflected Borgata’s philosophy as a fun place to work.

More than 200 hopefuls lined up three hours before the fair started, prompting the event to begin 30 minutes early. Since then the Borgata website has received more than 1,500 hits from eager job-seekers looking to fill a variety of positions, from culinary to engineering to housekeeping.

Even Governor John Corzine joined the party, taking the stage to praise the casino’s investment in Atlantic City.

“We are pleased by the number of people who came out,” said VP of Marketing Dave Coskey. “We are hoping to get some great associates.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

In recognition of breast cancer awareness month, the Atlantic City casinos will pay tribute in their own way. This October keep an eye out for the pink lights, ribbons and events that help raise awarness of the prevention and recovery of breast cancer.

• The front of Resorts’ Rendezvous Tower will shine with pink lights.

• A pink ribbon of lights will illuminate the side of the Hilton Hotel tower.

• Trump Marina shows beast cancer awareness by turning its marquee pink.

• Harrah's, Showboat and Bally's towers will shine pink over the weekend of October 12 through 14.

• Caesars’ Coliseum Parking Garage will have big pink spotlights to light up the front as a visual upon entering the city.

• All four Harrah’s properties will also run ads on all of the plasma televisions proclaiming support of breast cancer research.

• Borgata’s annual Women in Wine event on November 10 raises funds to benefit breast cancer.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Ken Condon, the most senior of Harrah’s Entertainment bosses, is stepping down as its primary executive at Bally’s Atlantic City.

The 52-year-old Condon, who has spent 29 years in the business, announced his decision in mid-September. He will stay on to help the transition process until the end of the year.

Condon began his career as a casino host at Resorts, went on to become a vice president at Trump Taj Mahal and later moved up the Bally’s chain. As Bally’s president, he single-handedly kept Atlantic City on the world’s major boxing stage. Condon purchased several high-level championship bouts and authored the Arturo Gatti saga in Atlantic City from 2002 to 2007.

Under the banner of Bally’s, Gatti appeared in nine straight Boardwalk Hall sellouts. Gate revenues covered the site fee, enabling Bally’s to entertain thousands of high rollers for practically no cost. Gatti’s 2005 bout against Floyd Mayweather established a gate-receipt record for non-heavyweight bouts in Atlantic City.

Joe Domenico, a longtime Harrah’s executive with extensive Atlantic City experience, who had been running the Harrah’s property in Illinois, will replace Condon.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Hedging their bets against the state legislature doing it for them, seven of Atlantic City’s 11 casinos have said they will go completely smoke-free in their gaming areas rather than build expensive barriers to comply with city council’s 75 percent smoking ban on gaming floors.

Faced with a deadline last month requiring them to tell the state how they plan to comply with the city’s anti-smoking ordinance—which went into effect in April, banning smoking on all but 25 percent of gaming floors—Harrah’s Entertainment, owner of four Atlantic City casinos; Columbia Sussex, owner of the Tropicana; and the Borgata, say they are all opting to create smoking lounges completely off the casino floor, ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet each, making the casino floor smoke-free.

Trump Entertainment officials say that Trump Plaza will go smoke-free, with a smoking lounge added, while Trump Taj Mahal and Trump Marina will build the smoking sections on the casino floors.

The operators’ only other option under the smoking ban would be to erect barriers to hermetically seal off 25 percent of their gaming floors. Many operators have expressed a resistance to spending millions doing that, not only because, as Donald Trump has said, it will be intrusive and ugly, but because there is a good chance the state of New Jersey sooner or later will remove the exemption for casino floors from the state’s indoor smoking ban, mandating 100-percent smoke-free casinos and rendering the casinos’ investments useless.

The local industry lobbied hard to get the exemption from the statewide ban, predicting a 20 percent revenue loss and massive layoffs as smoking gamblers turned to surrounding states that permit smoking in casinos. While the drop in revenues—combined with the impact of the new racinos in eastern Pennsylvania—has not been that high, it has been significant, and will in all likelihood lead to the first-ever year-on-year drop in Atlantic City casino revenues.

Harrah’s officials wasted no time in pointing out that the decision was made out of concern for their employees.

“We are committed to improving the work environment for our employees,” Eastern Division President J. Carlos Tolosa said. “I believe this smoke-free ordinance provides our industry with a fair transitional guideline for better workplace conditions.”

Other casinos were taking similar, if less drastic measures. Resorts International Holdings reportedly will create a smoking lounge at each of its Boardwalk properties, Resorts and the Atlantic City Hilton, and also will erect barriers to set apart one slot area and one table game area for smokers.

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. announced that Kim Townsend will serve as chief executive officer of its new resort in Atlantic City. Townsend was promoted to the newly created position from her previous executive VP post.

Townsend will oversee the remaining demolition work at Pinnacle’s Sands Atlantic City property on the Boardwalk, and will oversee the construction and serve as CEO of the new mega-resort the operator will build in its place.

A native of Ocean City, Townsend returned to the South Jersey region after serving as Pinnacle’s corporate senior vice president of marketing. She joined Pinnacle in 2002, and was involved in planning, development and opening of the company’s L’Auberge du Lac resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and in planning for Pinnacle’s two casinos now under construction in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

She began her gaming career in 1979 at the Golden Nugget in Atlantic City.

“We’re pleased to appoint Kim to her new position in our Atlantic City development, which will play a major role in Pinnacle’s growth,” said Daniel Lee, Pinnacle Entertainment chairman and CEO. “Kim has brought a wealth of skills to the planning and design of our project on the Boardwalk. Her understanding of the regional market will help Pinnacle bring a new level of gaming entertainment to Atlantic City.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Tue, Sep 25, 2007

It’s down to the last few weeks of life for the Sands Hotel and Casino. Pinnacle Entertainment officials last month announced that the Sands could come down via controlled implosion on October 18 at 9:30 p.m.

While there has not been any announcement of official viewing areas for the general public, the Boardwalk is undoubtedly the best vantage point. Best to get there early, however, as many streets will be closed, including Pacific Avenue and surrounding streets. And if you’re planning to attend, huge clouds of dust are usually kicked up after the implosion, so dress appropriately.

The Sands closed November 11, 2006, after it was purchased by Pinnacle, which plans a massive new $1.2 billion facility in its place, stretching from north of Pacific Avenue to the Boardwalk.

The end will be bittersweet, however, for former customers and employees of the Sands. Always one of the most difficult properties to market in the city because of its off-Boardwalk location, the Sands passed through many owners in its 26-year history. Many of the executives from the Sands have gone on to impressive gaming careers in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and beyond.

Since the closing of the Sands, Pinnacle has been slowly dismantling the property, beginning with a complete interior liquidation sale. Everything inside from wall hangings to bath towels was sold.

Pinnacle then turned its focus on the building. The signature Sands dice, triple 7s and champagne bottle were pulled down on a rainy day in August. The building excavation continued with the gutting of the interior. The bridge connecting the casino to the parking garage was severed and brought down with a crane.

No longer does it resemble the former casino hotel but instead stands as bare concrete enclosed by a chain link fence awaiting its final fate.

The implosion of the Sands promises to be a spectacular event, and will be preceded by a state-of-the-art fireworks and light show designed by Fireworks By Grucci, one of the leading fireworks companies in the country. Pinnacle CEO Kim Townsend said it would be comparable to last spring’s demolition of the Stardust on the Las Vegas Strip (above), where Boyd Gaming will build its new Echelon development.

The Sands’ demolition will be the first implosion of casino building on the East Coast. Several of Atlantic City’s venerable hotels from the pre-casino era were imploded but no casinos. The former Playboy-Atlantis adjacent to the Boardwalk Hall was taken down piece by piece because of its proximity to the Hall.

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Throughout life you build friendships, relationships and partnerships. At the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority, we understand the importance of that.

That’s why we’ve taken partnerships to the next level by offering the Marketing Partnership Program. Marketing partners are the backbone of the authority. The authority serves as the destination’s principal marketing arm, stimulating economic growth through convention and leisure tourism development. But you could say that without our marketing partners, that arm is broken.

Our partners provide needed services to our visitors, meeting planners and convention attendees. We may be able to attract people to Atlantic City to hold their meeting or convention, or visitors to enjoy the area, but only with the help of our marketing partners can we make sure they experience Atlantic City as the world-class destination that it is.

How does it all work? For a small annual fee, businesses join our Marketing Partnership Program. As a result, each partner is listed in our publications, when appropriate, including the Meeting Planner Guide, Directory of Destination Services, our restaurant map, Visitor Guide, and of course, our website.

There are multiple benefits for a business to become a marketing partner, first and foremost reaching the meeting planners and visitors before they arrive in Atlantic City. Each partner receives a 12-month calendar by e-mail that lists all upcoming conventions, and includes contact information in case our partners want to reach out by letter if they have products or services that fit the convention. That by itself is a valuable tool.

It also works the other way around. Each of our convention development salespeople attends multiple shows annually and uses the Visitor Guide, which lists our marketing partners, as a collateral piece to distribute.

Every meeting planner who books Atlantic City is sent the Meeting Planner Guide and Directory of Destination Services. And, of course, our staff works closely with meeting planners and recommends only our marketing partners for any services needed, whether it’s transportation, restaurants, hotel accommodations or attractions for them to visit and recommend.

During large conventions, we have a paid concierge who recommends appropriate partners to fulfill an attendee’s needs and a restaurant cart manned by trained staff who offer partners menus, make recommendations based on a visitor’s tastes, and phone in reservations.

Of course, there is more to the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority than conventions. And our marketing partners benefit from our diverse marketing practices. I don’t have room to list all the ways we help our partners so I’ll just highlight a few below.

Our tourism department travels to more than 20 trade shows throughout the United States every year, distributing Visitor Guides along the way. Our staff also picks up leads at those shows that benefit our partners greatly.

Our media relations department includes partners in our press kits, and when distributing information to media inquiries. They write press releases highlighting different partners and what they offer including a quarterly hotel package release. They also take visiting media around the city and show them attractions offered by our marketing partners.

Our website received nearly 3.5 million visits in 2006 and all of our partners are listed there. We also have an itinerary builder and a hotel booking service, which promotes only our partners.

Our graphics department assists partners with photographs, and helps them design brochures, posters and other collateral when time permits.

Of course, our trained visitor services staff stocks partner brochures in Boardwalk Hall and the Boardwalk Hall Information Center, Atlantic City Expressway Welcome Center and at the Atlantic City Convention Center. And they recommend the appropriate partners to visitors when answering guest questions. Last year, our counselors at the welcome centers spoke to more than 160,000 visitors, responded to nearly 65,000 inquiries through our website and mailed 45,000 packets to potential visitors.

Everyone at the authority participates in familiarization tours. That’s when we invite meeting planners, tourism partners, media and others to Atlantic City to showcase our city. Our partners benefit greatly from these special events.

There are many other benefits for marketing partners, including annual trolley tours hosted by the authority that highlight new developments in the city, special events like a recent seminar that focused on public relations, co-op advertising and trade show opportunities, and quarterly networking functions.

Doreen Prinzo, our manager of marketing partnership, keeps all of our partners informed and is constantly thinking of new and unique ways that we can all work together in promoting Atlantic City. Anyone interested in becoming a marketing partner can contact Doreen at 609-449-7156 or dprinzo@accva.com.

We currently have more than 360 marketing partners, but they are not only our partners—they are our friends.

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

Five dollars for a prescription. Outside of employment, if there is one benefit of casino gaming in New Jersey that is probably the most appreciated, this is it.

The Casino Revenue Fund generated approximately $400 million last year to fund the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program, or PAAD. This program benefits approximately 200,000 New Jersey senior citizens living on fixed incomes, as well as disabled residents.

PAAD includes a prescription drug program that allows eligible New Jerseyans to purchase their medicines for only $5, regardless of the cost of the medication. This is a vitally important program, given the soaring cost of prescription drugs.

In other states, thousands of people have been forced to seek medication outside the United States, where the costs are lower. Or, even worse, the high cost has forced them to forego some medications altogether, presenting a very real danger to themselves.

While this laudable prescription drug program represents the overwhelming percentage of expenditures from the tax fund, our industry’s revenue supports other endeavors that help seniors in various ways. Such benefits include educational, cultural, intellectual development and transportation service programs.

The Casino Revenue Fund also supports a community-care program for the elderly and disabled, which offers community-based services to assist residents in efforts to remain in or return to the community rather than entering a nursing facility.

Since 1978, when our industry was born, $5.7 billion has been paid into the fund to support these varied services for seniors. It is no exaggeration to say that, without a healthy and thriving casino industry, that $5.7 billion would not have been available.

New Jersey’s individual and corporate taxpayers would have been asked to provide the money—or else, that broad range of assistance programs would simply not exist. In effect, the casino industry has relieved the state’s taxpayers of the need to produce nearly $400 million annually for programs that give seniors and the disabled the peace of mind that comes from the knowledge that they will be able to afford their medications today, tomorrow and well into the coming years.

Our industry also spends $2.2 billion a year buying goods and services from approximately 12,000 New Jersey vendors, large and small, in all 21 counties. For example, we spent more than $231 million with businesses in Middlesex County, more than $56 million in Essex County, and more than $45 million in Warren County.

Our purchases throughout the entire state have helped create approximately 20,000 jobs with various vendors that sell us quality goods and services. This directly benefits those communities in which the businesses are located, and thus helps bolster the economy of the entire state.

New Jersey’s casino industry also benefits the entire state through the dollars we invest with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. As we detailed in a recent column, from the creation of CRDA in 1984 through the end 2006, more than $1 billion has been generated by our industry to help redevelop blighted areas and address the pressing social and economic needs of the entire state. In fact, the CRDA is required by law to develop projects in every part of the state, and there is a fund dedicated solely to projects in North Jersey.

We are justifiably proud to call ourselves New Jersey’s casino industry. This is where we live. This is where we do business. This is where we put our dollars to work.

Tue, Sep 25, 2007

October in Atlantic City means cool air. It also means hot air.

Yes, that’s right, the political season is upon us. It’s time to get down and dirty and partisan, and to examine our choices among a dying breed: those local politicians who meet all of our normal high standards. In other words, those not in jail, and, as a possible bonus, never indicted.

The biggest race this fall is a novel one, in that the vacancy was not created after someone resigned in disgrace. It is the state Senate vacancy created when Bill Gormley, long a friend to the casino industry, retired earlier this year. It pits James “Sonny” McCullough, the Egg Harbor Township mayor and familiar political figure who now fills Gormley’s seat as acting senator; and Assemblyman James Whelan, the former Democratic mayor of Atlantic City who is in his second year as a state lawmaker.

This is the most-watched race, if you happen to be a race-watcher. As Roger Gros mentions in his analysis beginning on page 24, the state Senate seat from this district has exercised much influence over the years in Trenton, where Gormley was known as a champion of Atlantic City’s interests.

Because of that, we sat down with each of the candidates for a question-and-answer session involving some of the hot-button issues facing Atlantic City. You’ll find their answers starting on page 20.

The race for two state Assembly seats from District 2 involves four relative unknowns in state politics. Don’t worry, though— Casino Connection has you covered. In the feature beginning on page 24, you will find a synopsis of who each candidate is, followed by each candidate’s answers to several questions concerning issues impacting Atlantic City, like VLTs at racetracks (we hate them), the partial smoking ban (does it really ban partial smoking?) and the job cuts causing controversy at a certain casino, which is expected to announce soon that all its gambling will be self-serve.

Speaking of self-serve, we’ve got a buffet feature in this issue. (I live for segues like that, by the way.) Yes, politics are not the only thing we think about in October. We also think about paying one low price for the privilege of cramming as much food down our gullet as will possibly fit.

We used to do these every year at the old Atlantic City Insider newsletter. We did the buffet tour in November, right before the holidays, and by January, I looked like Sydney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon.

Joseph Harrison gets combat pay for this issue, for his exemplary service in visiting each and every buffet establishment in the city and sampling the food. His gastric adventures are outlined in the form of buffet reviews beginning on page 42.

Finally, we get artsy this issue. Felicia Lowenstein Niven gives us a rundown beginning on page 34 of everything South Jersey has to offer in the way of theater, ballet, museums, fine music, dance, and biker bars. (OK, I made the last one up.)

Yes, we have culture for all in this area, from high-society stuff like the ballet all the way to Ripley’s, a place where you can see a film of a man smoking a cigarette through his eye-hole.

Even our other feature, on this month’s opening of the new trauma center and patient tower at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center (page 28), gets artsy. The region’s newest medical facility almost impersonates a museum by itself, with hundreds of works, mostly from New Jersey artists, adorning the walls and public spaces throughout a new facility that itself is a model of the state of the medical arts.

So, for October, use this issue as your guide to getting down and dirty and political, and then getting artsy. And then, if you have any time left, go wolf down a buffet.

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Frank Legato   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Roger Gros   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Frank Legato   Thu, Mar 01, 2007

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Feb 02, 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Jan 29, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   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