By Dave Bontempo   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

After three decades of out-and-out competition, golf and gaming have forged a prosperous and mutually beneficial relationship. The newfound alliance reaches a whole new level this month with the Battle of the Casinos at Mays Landing Country Club on Wednesday, September 24. The three-member scramble, pitting property against property, begins at high noon. Cash prizes and bragging rights accompany the winning team in what could become a cherished industry tradition.
     
This event enhances a valuable partnership. The Greater Atlantic City Golf Association brings golfers to gaming properties, and Harrah’s owns the Atlantic City Country Club. It’s a stark contrast to the days when casinos avoided making tee times for fear of reduced action from their players. Furthermore, a growing number of casino employees golf.
    
Battle of the Casinos blends several interesting concepts: money, a convenient start time for shift workers, and significant backing. It was devised by a casino executive, linked to a legendary golf family and sponsored by Casino Connection, the nation’s pre-eminent gaming employee magazine.
     
The event also prompts a look at two interconnected industries. Golf and gaming have prospered together and become important to each other’s business plans. From instructional schools to family specials and new equipment, their partnership cuts across several businesses.

Casino Tournament

Battle of the Casinos was suggested to Don Siok, one of Mays Landing’s three owners, and its director of golf, by Phil Juliano, senior vice president of marketing at the Atlantic City Hilton. Juliano has often used the game to further business.
   
“When I was in player development, it was always great to use country clubs as a resource for customers,” Juliano says. “A lot of casino players enjoy golf, so it would be sensible to travel to places where they lived, play in their tournaments and recruit them to Atlantic City. A lot of business got done that way.”
   
Juliano recalls that golf represented a double-edged coin to gaming.
   
“On the one hand, casinos go way back in providing successful events that ignited the soul of the golfer,” he says. “They brought legends like Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino to area courses to help entertain customers. It’s a natural, because the golfer has a lot of gambler in him—there may even be gambling on the golf course.
   
“On the other hand, with the short stay of gamblers in this market, it’s not easy for casinos to put up money and provide golf for their players, then expect them to gamble too.
What you’ll see in the future is that it will be provided.”
    
Juliano is a good golfer who once captured a celebrity tournament with the late actor Jerry Orbach of Law and Order fame as his teammate. He also played with Orbach’s rival, Hal Linden, from the TV show Barney Miller.
     
When Juliano suggested Battle of the Casinos, Siok created a unique format. Each casino can enter a set of three-man teams. They are paired against opponents in an unusual six-some for a scramble tournament with a shotgun start.
   
This is a true scramble. Players advance to the site of the best drive, the best approach shot and the best position to putt. There are no rules mandating that teams use a certain number of every player’s drives.
   
The team aspect keeps players in the game. Regardless of how individuals perform, they can always step up and help their team with a timely shot.
   
Scramble tournaments create nuances of teamwork. The first shooter might take the safe route, hitting an approach to the center of the green to ensure his team is putting. Second and third shots can be gambles designed to get closer to the pin.
    
Putting emphasizes the same form of community. The first player can give teammates a read on the speed and break of the shot, letting them “go to school” on his efforts.
      
Siok added another dimension to the scoring.  The top 10 finishers are placed into different “flights,” with the winner of each taking a prize. That means players finishing first, 11th, 21st etc. take some money home.  The format enables golfers of varied skill levels to compete, and replaces the need for a handicap system.

Mays Landing Mystique

In 1962 Leo Fraser, owner of the Atlantic City Country Club, built the Mays Landing Country Club as an affordable alternative to other country club prices. This challenging yet forgiving layout had greens fees under $10 as late as the early 1980s.
     
“This course was ahead of its time,” Siok says. “It gives the community a good test of golf, it’s in excellent condition and it’s reasonably priced, so it can be affordable. The feeling has always been that it’s one of the best bangs for the buck around.”
     
The Fraser golf name is legendary. He was a president of the nationwide Professional Golfers Association, the sport’s ruling body. He had elite connections throughout the golf world and became enshrined in its Hall of Fame. He ran the fabled “Sonny Fraser” amateur tournament at ACCC, won by future stars like Julius Boros. He even had PGA greats Sam Snead and Tony Lema kick off the Mays Landing course with an exhibition match.
   
Deal-making was Fraser’s legacy. As president, he kept the PGA from splintering when unhappy blue-chip golfers like Jack Nicklaus, Boros and Arnold Palmer tried to start their own tour. They actually announced a network contract and a new schedule. Fraser stepped in and established a tournament players division within the PGA, which satisfied them. The compromise gave the golfers a bigger slice of booming network profits and a larger voice in PGA matters. It also kept the organization from losing them. As a unified, rather than fractured body, the PGA benefited.
  
Leo Fraser also had a zest for innovation. In 1980, he brought a group of aging players together at Atlantic City Country Club for an experimental tournament, won by Don January. It led directly to the multimillion-dollar Seniors Tour.
     
Leo’s sons Doug and Jimmy, who own Mays Landing along with Siok, have maintained the family reputation. Like Siok, they belong to distinguished golf organizations and have captured awards. Jimmy helped create the Atlantic City Golf Association.

Direct Link

You can’t talk about Atlantic City golf without a nod to the famous Atlantic City Country Club, a favorite of legends including Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead, Babe Didrikson Zaharias and Bob Hope.
   
Founded in 1897, the rolling 170-acre, par-70 course has a bayfront locale that recalls the legendary courses of Ireland and Scotland, and its history is just as impressive.
   
As the story goes, this is where the term “birdie” was coined, when a golfer named Ab Smith landed the second shot of a par-4 inches from the cup and exclaimed, “That was a bird of a shot!” “Bird” soon became synonymous with “excellent;” golf lingo was further expanded when a two under par (or “big bird”) became known as an “eagle.”
   
Once a members-only establishment, the Atlantic City Country Club has been open to the public since 2005, when it was acquired by Harrah’s Entertainment. Now everyone can play these velvety greens and confront a particularly daunting 15th hole, where winds and deep traps conspire to make even capable players feel like duffers.
    
Former Eagles QB Ron Jaworski’s annual Celebrity Golf Challenge is held at the country club, attracting sports greats like Joe Theismann, Mike Ditka and Jeremiah Trotter to the Northfield course.
    
Golf Week Magazine has named Atlantic City Country Club the No. 1 public daily-fee golf course in New Jersey. Along with a worldclass pro shop, the country club offers PGA instruction at all levels.

Class, Pay Attention        

Some casino employees use the Twisted Dune Golf Club driving range as their classroom. Welcome to MC’s Golf Academy, run by Matt Callaghan. Callaghan has operated a golf instructional school for 10 years, the last few at Twisted Dune.
     
“It’s great to work with people. I really enjoy watching them progress,” Callaghan says. “We pick up a topic each week and emphasize that. We have a good student-treacher ratio (about 6-1). There are all kinds of age groups. We have young kids here, some who are 5 years old. We have a lot of kids in the 6-to-8-year-old range and we work our way up.”
    
All levels benefit. In one of its pure forms, the academy becomes the foundation for a beginner’s swing. The basics are easier for beginners to grasp than for veterans saddled with years of bad habits.
   
Any player can learn to escape the sand, finish the swing, or improve their chip or putt. Want to talk about nuance? A swing spans everything from club speed, weight distribution and hand positions to feet placement, swing plane and follow-through. A split-second timing difference can turn a potential drive into a 20-yard dribbler.
   
Regardless of whether players can drive for show, the academy can help them putt for dough.
   
“People don’t generally ask for help in the biggest part of the game: chipping and putting,” Callaghan says. “That accounts for about 65 percent of your score. We do several drills with speed and the pace of putts.”
   
Like anything else, students must study between classes. Repetition makes the drills become part of muscle memory and forges one’s ability to avoid worrying about each shot he’s about to hit.
   
“I really like people to hit balls and work on what we taught them in between the meetings,” Callaghan says. “It’s nice for us to see the improvement. I also want to receive the feedback. It makes you feel good to see something working for someone.”
   
Many students play for area high school teams.   

Getting Outfitted
  
George Dennis will supply some of the prizes for the Battle of the Casinos. The Linwood native opened New Jersey’s only Golf USA in Egg Harbor Township on July 10.
    
The store features clubs, shoes and apparel along with innovations like the Swing Analyzer (someone seeking to buy clubs can hit golf balls into a net, then study a computerized reading).
    
“It gives you the reading, carry distance, total distance, club head speed, ball speed and the spin rate,” Dennis says. “It can tell you whether you have the right club or the correct shaft.”
    
Dennis calls his establishment a complete golf shop and a unique area attraction. He plans to open a second Golf USA franchise in central New Jersey within a couple of years.
   
Casino tournaments naturally coax his support. Before becoming an entrepreneur, he spent 1995-2000 in the casino industry, managing Breadsticks restaurant at Resorts.

A Different Way to Play

Tilton Fitness and Blue Heron Pines Golf Club have hooked up for a unique health-wealth combination.
     
Membership in Tilton provides reduced greens fees, advanced bookings and golf shop and restaurant discounts along with some invitations to exclusive events at Blue Heron Pines. For many casino employees who patronize both establishments, it’s a solid play.
   
General Manager Will Arabea reports a brisk increase in business due to the partnership. Blue Heron was the area’s original high-end daily-fee club, built by people who had been part of Pine Valley, the nation’s top-ranked golf course. It now has new owners, a dynamic layout and smooth, fast greens. Blue Heron launches its own full-blown golf academy in September, offering private lessons, clinics and high-tech swing analysis. In the fall, it will have parent and child specials after 4:30 p.m., starting at three holes for $4, total, including cart.

Storied Seaview
   
Always worth the trip, Seaview Marriott sports two courses and a strong brand of history. The Bay Course was built in 1914. Golf legend Sam Snead won his first Major championship there in 1942. This layout also had two long stints as host of the ShopRite LPGA Classic. The finest female golfers in the world, including Juli Inkster, Annika Sorenstam and Betsy King, held their tournament here.
   
Wind conditions dramatically affect this course. When winds are tame, players have a good chance to score. When the breeze picks up, watch out. Nothing is routine anymore. The Pines is a traditional course, carved out of the Pinelands.
   
    This area’s golf menu, among the finest in the nation, continually evolves, improves and entices the lovers of sports, gambling and recreation. A little digging, online or on the telephone, can help players locate excellent specials at almost any time. Always ask for casino discounts, because rules vary.

By   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Call it the Michael Phelps effect, the Shawn Johnson phenomenon, or plain old Olympic fever. The recent Beijing games were a stirring reminder of the human power to achieve, and the ability of our bodies to perform at top levels.
   
Though this year's Olympic winners are inspiring, you can also find inspiration from these casino workers, who reaped big health benefits from exercise, healthful eating, and a little Olympian resolve.

Winning Attitude: Allyssa Hubbard

In January 7, Allyssa Hubbard made a decision that would change her life. The Showboat cage cashier walked into the casino’s on-site gym and signed up for the employee fitness challenge.
    
“I’ve been looking in the mirror, and I no longer like what I see,” she told the trainer. “I’ve noticed I’m getting lazy. I weigh 365 pounds, and I just want to be healthier.”
   
She had once lost more than 80 pounds drinking diet shakes, but this time Allyssa decided to forego the fads. Working out and modifying her diet, she didn’t expect a big loss—“maybe 10, 15 pounds tops.”
   
Allyssa was pleasantly surprised. She lost nine pounds the first week, and five more the second. In March, 50 pounds lighter, she won the challenge. By mid-August—about eight months later—she had lost 101 pounds. The effect on co-workers has been dramatic.
   
“I can’t go to the cafeteria to fill my water bottle without somebody stopping to say, ‘Allyssa, what did you lose this week?’” she says. “It touches me. This whole building did this with me.”
   
The whole building may have been cheering her on, but Allyssa did the heavy lifting: hitting the gym every day for 20 minutes on the treadmill, 25 minutes on the stationary bike, and strength training.
   
When it came to her diet, she said goodbye to fast food (“I loved Wawa, and I had Primo Pizza on speed dial”), opting for healthy alternatives: oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, salad or yogurt for lunch, grilled salmon and vegetables for dinner. She constantly drank water. Dessert was sugar-free pudding (her favorite: Jello French Supreme Banana).
   
With her $200 grand prize, Allyssa bought the basics of a new wardrobe, then donated all her fat clothes to a thrift store.
   
At first, the fear of regaining made her anxious about going to dinner or enjoying the holidays with her family. Allyssa’s now starting to enjoy food without letting it rule or intimidate her.
   
“I had to learn to be comfortable about food,” she says. “Food has no power—only the power I give it.”

Pivotal Moment: “Winning the fitness challenge. Then there was no stopping me.”
Favorite Excuse: “I’d say, ‘Mom, you know it’s your fault I love to eat.’ I was used to food being good.”
Words to Live By: “I don’t get too confident. I’m just a cookie away from failure.”

Lean and Serene: Carolyn Gregson

Everyone knows the pattern: You overeat when you’re depressed, and get more depressed when you gain weight.
    
Carolyn Gregson, a dual rate dealer at Caesars, broke the cycle earlier this year when she lost 33 pounds (and regained her natural optimism). It all happened in less than five months.
   
“I was going through a lot of personal stuff and wasn’t happy,” Carolyn says. “I joined the gym not just to lose weight, but because I knew working out would help with the stress.”
   
At Tilton Fitness near her Galloway home, she worked out three to five days a week, with an emphasis on cardio. As for diet, she jokes, “I ate enough chicken to cluck, and enough salad for my nose to twitch.”
   
The results were swift and gratifying. Carolyn went from a size 14-16 to a size 6-8. “I was actually able to get into a suit I wore the first day I dual-rated—that was 10 years ago,” she says. “My energy is great and I feel so much healthier.”
   
Carolyn hopes to shed another 10 or 15 pounds by her 25th high school reunion. As for her new found energy, she’ll need it: she’s just been accepted into a two-year nursing program at ACCC, and will continue to work as she studies.

The Value of Affirmation: “Everybody at work says, ‘Wow, Carolyn, you look great.’ It keeps you going.”
Her Secret: “I would lose and regain the same 20 pounds, over and over. Working out is what did it for me this time.”
Managing Plateaus: “I drink tons of water, stay away from alcohol and don’t eat late at night. That usually breaks a plateau.”

Doctor’s Orders: Diane Valentine-Bey

“ My doctor’s been asking me to lose weight for 12 years,” says Diane Valentine-Bey, a CTR supervisor at Trump Plaza. “My cholesterol was up, my diabetes was up, and my clothes were too snug, but I just couldn’t get it together. Then the fitness challenge started here at Trump Plaza. For some reason, this time I was ready.”
   
Trump’s Fit to Win Challenge kicked off in March. Teams from each property were assessed for weight and body fat, then racked up points through activity and attendance at AtlantiCare fitness classes.
   
“I went to the workshops and classes, and to my surprise, I found it all very interesting,” says Diane. “It also reinforced my desire to stick with the program.”
   
She cut out high-fat and high-calorie foods, and noted everything she ate in a food journal, which helped her eliminate mindless eating. Then she stepped up her activity level, walking, then speed walking, then jogging. The next time she saw her doctor, Diane had trimmed down so much he thought she was on a fad diet.
   
“It’s not a fad and it’s not a diet,” Diane told him. “It’s a lifestyle change.”
   
The doctor was more impressed when he checked her cholesterol. “The levels were down,” Diane says. “And though I’m still on medication for diabetes, if I continue on this route, in October I’ll come off it.”
   
To date, Diane has lost 20 pounds, and says, “I’m not done yet. I turned 50 this year, and this is a whole new chapter in my life.”

What Keeps Her Going: “I have to take care of me so I can take care of my family.”
Recognizing the Results: “For some reason, I can’t see my weight loss, but when I went to a family reunion, everybody was commenting.”
Sharing the Inspiration: “I told my team members, ‘The benefit we get is 100 times greater than the company prize. We win our health.’”

Point Guard: Pattie Johnson
   
“ I used to have gray hair and old lady clothes,” says Pattie Johnson, a 27-year veteran of Tropicana’s accounting department. “Now my hair is blonde and I have clothes that fit.” And those size 16 pants—the ones with the stretch waistbands—are long gone.
   
It’s hard to believe, but Pattie—slim as a reed, with the energy of a gazelle—once weighed more than 200 pounds.
   
She attributes her physique not to Olympic will power but to sheer persistence. Weight Watchers first helped her trim down, but over time the pounds began to creep back. Though she hates exercising, Pattie began to walk an hour a day, rain or shine.
   
“I do a half an hour at lunchtime, and another half hour after work,” she says. “I go out in the winter, when it’s freezing. I go out in the nighttime, when it’s dark. Everybody thinks I’m nuts.” She also bought a Gazelle Glider, and unlike so many of us who invest in workout machines, she doesn’t use it as a coat rack. 
   
Pattie’s unrelenting commitment has paid off. Working out and following the Weight Watchers points system—she even carries a calculator to figure the point values of foods—she now weighs 132 pounds.

Metabolic Changes: “Nowadays, it takes me three months to gain two pounds.”
Staying Honest: “I go to a Weight Watchers meeting once a month to weigh in.”
Fill ’Er Up: “Along with pasta, chicken and vegetables, I have a bowl of soup and a salad. It makes a difference.”

Nick of Time: Day and Paul Rogers

“ If not for my husband working out, he would have died.”
   
So says Borgata cocktail server Day Rogers, who joined a gym with her husband to help him lose weight.
   
Knee surgery had put Paul on the disabled list, and after a few idle months, Day suggested they join the gym together. It was there that Paul first experienced chest pain, which he first attributed to indigestion. But the pain persisted. Tests showed he had a 99 percent arterial blockage. Undetected, it could have resulted in a heart attack.
   
“It was a sobering moment,” says Paul, a onetime casino employee whose father died at 39 of coronary disease. But the insertion of a stent has him back on the job, back in the gym, and 45 pounds lighter.
   
Day is grateful for the unexpected intervention, and grateful to her company for its emphasis on health maintenance.
   
“Borgata reimburses every penny of my health club membership,” she says. “That’s nothing but a benefit for me.”

Fitting Advice: “Metabolism slows down 2 to 3 percent every decade,” says Paul. “You have to offset that with more weight training to maintain muscle mass—cardio alone will not do it.”
Fringe Benefits of Healthy Living: “Most people think we’re in our mid-20s and 30s,” says Day. “But I’m 38, Paul is 48 and we have a 21-year-old son.”
Diet Tips: “I’ve cut out all cheeses and white flour, and it’s brought my weight down naturally,” says Paul.

A New Life: Norman Saunders

Norman Saunders, a baggage attendant at Showboat, is better known as Big D, and for years the nickname suited him to a T. At over six-feet-two and 360 pounds, he was always the biggest guy in the room. Though his size didn’t interfere with his job, it wasn’t good for his health. But Norman was never motivated to change until he got up one morning and found he couldn’t breathe. It was the wakeup call he’d been waiting for.
   
“I knew then that I had to get healthy,” Norman says. “I wanted to live.”
   
He joined the gym at Showboat and made fitness a daily fact of life. At first, he was incapable of much exercise. But with the help and encouragement of the fitness staff (“They were marvelous to me,” he says), Norman was soon working out regularly. He started on the treadmill and stationary bike, then began walking for up to an hour at a time on the Boardwalk.
   
The result? “The weight just dropped off,” he says. “In three months, I went from 363 to 296, and now I feel fantastic.”

Tradeoffs: “I’m so proud of myself. But now my uniform’s too big.”
Moderation: “I quit the fried chicken and potato chips and started eating kashi cereal, baked chicken, and more vegetables and fruit.”
Motivation: “I say, ‘Believe in yourself and have a will to live.’”

Gold Rush

Mid-week during the post-summer lull, there’s not usually a lot happening on the beaches of Atlantic City. But on Tuesday, September 16, don’t be surprised to see hundreds of people on the sand in front of Bally’s and Caesars, racing bell carts, tossing eggs, lobbing volleyballs and playing tug-of-war.
   
It’s the second annual Four Property Challenge (better known as the Casino Olympics), showcasing the athletic prowess and competitive steel of employees from Bally’s, Caesars, Showboat and Harrah’s.
   
Showboat GM Jay Snowden brought the games to Atlantic City last year (a past version included workers from every casino).
   
“It’s a great culture-builder and a great event,” says the onetime Harvard Crimson quarterback. “Anybody who wants to get in there can give it their best shot.”
   
Obviously, this is not an employee holiday, but the casinos try to accommodate anyone who wants to participate, says Deb Karver, Harrah’s Entertainment employee relations manager.
   
“Everything slows down this time of year, so we ask the department heads to be flexible with people’s schedules,” she says. A shuttle is available from Harrah’s and Showboat for anyone who wants to compete or watch.
   
Though some people play for the fun of it, others go for the glory, and practice with coaches to prepare for the big games. Last year’s overall winner was Harrah’s, which did “a lot of gloating” when it took home the trophy, Karver says. “We’re trying to play off that competition.”
   
About 500 people were Olympians-for-a-day in 2007; a bigger turnout is expected for the 2008 games, says Snowden.  “The fact that our second year is on the heels of the actual Olympics can only help,” he says.
   
Karver agrees. “There was a great buzz after last year’s event,” she says. “We definitely hope for bigger and better this year.”
   
The Four Property Challenge starts at 8 a.m. and lasts all day. Rain date is Wednesday, September 17.

By Joseph Harrison  

It can be as small as a blender or as big as a Mercedes. Promotional giveaways in Atlantic City casinos have always served as incentives to lure the masses to come, to stay and to play.
   
Today, with increasing competition from Pennsylvania slot parlors, along with a sluggish economy and super-high gas prices, marketing executives spend a lot more time searching for clever enticements. Just because it used to work, they say, doesn’t mean it works anymore.
  
 “Things have definitely changed, and I believe it will get even more expensive and difficult to market and draw players,” says Paula Mauk, vice president of marketing for Trump Entertainment. “Customers are coming; they’re just playing less. We have to be smarter about how to market databases, analyze what we have and give customers what they want.”
  
“The bottom line is that in light of ‘convenience gaming’—the fact that people can walk out of their homes in Pennsylvania and be at a casino in no time—a lot of our old marketing strategies no longer work,” says Phil Juliano, senior vice president of marketing for the Atlantic City Hilton. “The things we used to give people, which were very nice and appreciated and influential a few years ago, don’t have the same value.”
  
 Mary Tindall, vice president of marketing for the Tropicana, agrees. “The whole marketing business has changed for us,” Tindall says. “In a sense, you have to do a lot more for the players if you want them to come back and be loyal.”
   
For Harrah’s Entertainment, the onset of slot parlors has made the company rush to restrategize. “Customers here are looking for something more than the gaming experience, because they can certainly find that closer to home,” says Jennifer Weissman, regional vice president of marketing for Atlantic City Harrah’s Entertainment properties. “There are many more dimensions to the Atlantic City experience than just gaming. We’re looking to really transition the city to a true destination. I see us doing less sweepstakes and promotional items and giveaways and focusing on the overall entertainment experience. Customers want more choices. We are certainly trying to differentiate ourselves from more local convenience offerings.”
   
Brian Cahill, executive director of advertising and media relations for Resorts Atlantic City, says promotions are still essential.
   
“I think the right promotion drives the business,” Cahill says. “At Resorts, we offer a promotion or giveaway or sweepstakes and entertainment seven days a week, 365 days a year. Finding the right promotion is a daily challenge. But when you find the right one, it’s a grand slam.”
   
For many casinos, cash giveaways were the Holy Grail in terms of attracting players. The only problem? Now Pennsylvania is doing the same thing.
   
“In a very smart move by Pennsylvania, they ruled that free slot play will not be taxed, and that was a dagger to Atlantic City,” Juliano says. “They’re giving the same customers we’re trying to attract the same kind of money. For $25, are those customers going to drive down here, use their gas and pay tolls? Or are they going to stay in Pennsylvania where the casinos give them the same kind of money and don’t have to give food and hotel rooms?”
   
That competition is driving Atlantic City to find a whole new identity.
   
“We positioned ourselves as gambling-centric, and we followed that up with great value,” says Juliano. “But when you look at places like Chester and Philly Park, which last month gave away as much coin and slot play as Hilton and Resorts did, you know you have to change. That’s a kick in the teeth. We thought we could outmarket them. We thought we could pay for their gas. Now it’s a push. And you can’t just go and start giving them more money.”
   
“There comes a point where it becomes too much of an expense,” Mauk adds. “The biggest thing we offer right now is the opportunity to come, stay the night, get away and escape. We still have room product, which is something they don’t have.”

Entertainment

The Hilton, like many casinos, is reinventing its marketing platform. The casino drew more than 20,000 people on the beach for a Fourth of July concert with the Beach Boys. It also had a week-long beach-themed event in late August to attract customers.    
   
“We’re going to have do more event-driven promotions,” Juliano says. “How about galas and parties with great entertainment where we spare no expense on food? While we used to be very aggressive with cash and gifts, now we have to be more creative to overcome the convenience and the price of a gallon of gas at the pumps. We need to take advantage of our beach more than ever. That’s one thing the convenience powers can’t do—they can’t have concerts on the beach.”
   
Entertainment is “the absolute key,” says Tindall. “We operate our showroom five or six days a week and take great pride in our revue shows. They’re really for our core customers, but hopefully they attract some new customers along the way.”

Dining

Food also plays a role in promotions. Players routinely receive comps for restaurants based on their play. Now some casinos plan to use special deals at the restaurants to attract players.
   
The Hilton, for example, offered its buffet at less than half price to the public on summer weekends. Trump Plaza, Showboat, Trump Marina and Bally’s will roll out special weekday, prix fixe menus at their gourmet eateries in the off-season. And Harrah’s properties often offer free buffets to good customers on weekdays.
   
“Food always is a big thing,” says Mauk. “We’re opening Il Mulino at the Taj Mahal, and the customers really want that branded restaurant experience. But despite everything going on, even the free and discounted buffets still work.”

Celebrity Appearances

In the last two years, celebrity appearances have played a major role in attracting players as well as non-players.
   
The Hilton, Resorts, Borgata and Trump Taj Mahal all brought in cast members of The Sopranos. The Borgata routinely hosts celebrities, and Harrah’s The Pool booked cast members from The Hills and Entourage.
    
“Celebrity appearances are important,” Juliano says. “We are always looking for the right celebrities. The problem is sometimes they get rock star (fees), but it’s something we want to do more of. The unfortunate part of Atlantic City is that we’ve seen it all.

Everything comes through here. So unless it’s the hottest star of the time, people aren’t going to react. You can’t give them a minor player. They have to be hotter than hot.”
   
Cahill says celebrity appearances have an immediate as well as a long-term impact. “Any time you can have a celebrity, it not only brings in existing players, but it’s a way to introduce new players to your casino,” Cahill said. “It builds the brand of the property while also getting some attention in the media. The key is to have the right timing. When we had The Sopranos, it was right before the final episode, which was perfect. We’ve had some celebrities at Boogie Nights, too. It’s not often that you can walk into a dance club and see David Cassidy.”

Borgata believes so strongly in celebrity power that it was the first casino to bring in celebrity chef restaurants, including Bobby Flay Steak, Wolfgang Puck American Grill, Michael Mina’s Seablue and Michael Schulson’s Izakaya. Even the Water Club’s in-room dining is celebrity-branded by chef Geoffrey Zakarian.

“We’re fortunate at Borgata to have several celebrity chefs as part of our culinary roster, and we often host dinners for our Black Label guests featuring chefs such as Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck,” says Borgata spokeswoman Noel Stevenson. “Our customers really enjoy these types of experiences because they have the rare ability to meet and mingle with Wolfgang Puck up close, then have an amazing meal. They can often draw a few hundred more people than would normally attend such events because of their prominence in the culinary world.”
   
Harrah’s Entertainment may not have celebrity restaurants, but it does believe in the concept. Witness its Celebrity Chef Series, and an entire weekend dedicated to celebrity chefs this summer.
   
“The opportunity to meet, greet and actually cook with chefs like Paula Deen, Anthony Bourdain and Tom Colicchio is an amazing thing,” Weissman says. “And that overall experience is what we’re aiming for, whether it be the Luau at Harrah’s Pool or the chef series.”
   
Weissman adds that monthly celebrity appearances at The Pool have been tremendously successful.
   
“Las Vegas has been staging celebrity appearances for years, and it’s working here, too. The core customer really enjoys meeting and greeting headliners. Young customers especially want to meet celebrities they see on TV or listen to on their iPods.”

Giveaways & Trends

Then, there’s the gifts. Cahill says customers are still enticed by everything from luggage to toasters, “items they can use or they can give to family members and friends.
   
“Every kitchen needs a blender and a toaster. A lot of players actually prefer the gifts to cash. I think they look at it as an extra bonus for their play. The primary reason they come here is for the thrill of casino play; the gift is an added thrill.”
   
Resorts, like most casinos, bases its marketing on what its customers request and what player development says players really want. Sometimes, it doesn’t work.
   
“If something is too ‘niche,’ it won’t have the mass appeal we’re aiming for,” says Cahill. “It may be a great item or a creative thing, but it doesn’t work on a big level … like a comforter with a set pattern. It’s a beautiful item that’s expensive, but if it clashes with someone’s décor at home, it’s not appealing to them.”
  
Promotions always tend to be trendy (it was Cabbage Patch Dolls in the ’80s, Beanie Babies in the ’90s).
   
“Popular culture always plays a major part,” says Cahill. “The recent trend is gift cards and promotions for gas. Resorts and Hilton had a $250,000 gas giveaway in July that was very successful. We awarded 100 people gas for a year.”
   
Trump Entertainment recently concluded a successful promotion that capitalized on the bad economy. Players earned entries into a month-long “Mortgage Sweepstakes,” where people could have their mortgage paid off up to $150,000.
    
“The response was great,” Mauk says. “We are absolutely looking at things differently. We are looking at not only things that the customer wants, but also what he needs—gas, cash, things like that.”
   
Harrah’s is following suit.
   
“We definitely watch trends,” says Weissman. “You have to pay attention to what customers are purchasing. Electronics and name brands are always popular. We often partner with the Pier at Caesars and offer brands like Coach, Apple, Brookstone … Customers want brand names.”
    
Borgata has done “everything from a giveaway promotion with Wolfgang Puck’s cutlery line to a $1 million cash giveaway in a single day,” says Stevenson.
   
In Borgata’s case, the brand is so powerful that its giveaways have ended up in merchandise that the casino actually sells.
   
“We offered a promotion that gave our customers the chance to play for Borgata’s signature items, such as the Bed & Bedding Collection, Gypsy Bar margarita glasses, Old Homestead steak knives and more,” says Stevenson. “Since opening, these items had become so popular among our guests that we launched a website, shopborgata.com, so they could purchase for their home.”
    
The granddaddy of all giveaways, of course, is—as Bob Barker would say—“A brand new car!”
   
“It’s still a big thrill for people to have a chance to win a $60,000 Mercedes,” says Cahill. But even big-ticket giveaways can be groomed to fit modern trends. The Tropicana, for example, recently had a Smart Car giveaway.
   
“People were interested in the Smart Car because it’s new and fun,” says Tindall. “With gas prices the way they are, it drew a lot of interest. Don’t get me wrong, people still want the Mercedes and Cadillacs, but this was something a little different.”
   
Borgata is one of the only casinos to stay away from economy-driven promotions.
   
“Our approach has been business as usual,” says Stevenson. “The type of customer we market to is probably less impacted by changes in the economy.”
   
No matter the economic climate, competition is a new reality in the casino industry, and promotions will remain crucial.

By   Fri, Sep 19, 2008

By David Schwartz   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Atlantic City has experienced many turning points: the moment Jonathan Pitney realized a resort here could be a hit; the construction of the first Boardwalk; the military conversion of the city during World War II; and the 1978 start of casino gaming.
   
Those dates heralded mostly positive changes. A less happy turning point came in August 1964, when the Democratic National Convention focused national attention on the city—to its detriment.
   
Paradoxically, the Democrats were lured to the shore by Republican State Senator Frank S. “Hap” Farley. The ’64 convention was part of Farley’s master plan to lure both parties’ ’68 conventions to town and thus solidify Atlantic City as a convention hub.
   
Though the New York Times had dismissed Atlantic City as “Coney Island with illusions of grandeur,” city boosters hoped the convention would re-introduce the resort to thousands of visitors.     
Construction on the expressway was nearly finished, Convention Hall had a new $2 million air conditioning system, and new motels were ready to open. “Everything possible will be done to encourage lengthy visits,” said a news report of the time, “including politeness on the part of waiters, waitresses, chambermaids, bellhops, taxicab drivers, and other service employees.”
   
More than 80 volunteers greeted arriving delegates at the region's airports, bus stations, and train depots. Throughout the town, hawkers sold candy bars, cuff links and cowboy hats (a nod to President Lyndon Baines Johnson, a Texan), candy jars. Spirits were running high.
   
The convention got off to good start. Though Johnson dominated the proceedings, his predecessor, John F. Kennedy, assassinated just months earlier, was still a presence. New Jersey Governor Richard Hughes had just unveiled a bronze bust of JFK, sculpted by Evangelos Frudakis of Ventnor, on the Boardwalk in front of Convention Hall.
   
A notable moment during the convention was the speech by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy lionizing the slain president, his brother. Before RFK could say a word, the audience erupted in 20 minutes of uninterrupted applause. It was the convention's emotional high point, and a moment that onlookers remembered decades later.
   
The greatest dramas of the convention involved the selection of the vice president (ultimately, Senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota) and a battle over the Mississippi delegation.
   
At that time, the Mississippi Democratic Party was segregated, so black Mississippians formed the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. This integrated political group sent 64 delegates by bus to the national convention, but after the Democrats refused to unseat the “regular” Mississippi delegation, MFDP delegates remained to draw attention to racial inequities.
   
Their appearance was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement; soon the Voting Rights Act—championed by President Johnson—would open the door to greater black participation in politics, which in turn fostered the integration of political parties throughout the South.
   
But it soon became apparent that the convention was not an economic success. A local shopkeeper said business had “dropped like an elevator”; business overall was down by as much as half.
   
Worse, the national media was disenchanted with Atlantic City. Poor accommodations, bad service and high prices infuriated delegates and irritated reporters. One California delegate said her hotel was “dirty and falling apart.” Newspaper and magazine coverage of the convention sent the message that the city was similarly worn.
   
In a sense, the 1964 convention was a necessary step before Atlantic City’s revival. It demonstrated without question that the city had deteriorated and needed to chart a new path. Within a decade, most residents would agree that casino gaming alone could save the resort.  
   
But before the city could head up, it had to reach bottom. So the 1964 Democratic National Convention deserves a place in Atlantic City history alongside those other, happier landmarks

By Dave Bontempo   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Chuck Urban broke the mold this year, obtaining a high-profile award in an often-thankless profession.
    
The Resorts gourmet food server was recognized by the Atlantic City Conven-tion Authority as best server for fine dining in a hotel-casino restaurant.
   
For 20 years, the Absecon resident has served with boundless enthusiasm and compassion. Like all wait staff, he balances two opposing realities: when the meals are excellent, someone else gets the accolades. But when a patron has concerns, the server is on the front line.
    
“You always put yourself in the customers’ shoes,” says Urban, a veteran of Capriccio restaurant. “What’s the best all-around experience you can give that person? The room already speaks for itself. It’s done with Venetian art, concrete pillars—it’s awesome, and the ambience is phenomenal. It’s one of the top restaurants, if not the best restaurant on the East Coast. We also make sure the service is impeccable.”
    
Urban plays his part, punching in food orders, timing them to come out at the right moment and acting as liaison between kitchen and customers. Multiply the details by 200 or more patrons on a given shift and this profession tests one’s ability to handle the public.
     
Over the years, Urban has waited on celebrities like Tom Jones and Don Rickles. Jones was a consummate gentleman; Rickles, the abrasive “Mr. Warmth” on stage, has a different private side.
    
“He’s a caring person,” says Urban. “He would stop and take as many pictures as people wanted.”
   
Urban’s outgoing nature enabled him to meet his future wife Kim, a marketing rep who brought the comp list up to the podium. Now she’s the mother of three children and helped keep an interesting family lineage going. Chuck, his father Charles and son Chazz represent the second, third and fourth generation launched by Urban’s grandfather.
    
“It’s Polish royalty,” he says.
    
They have enjoyed a nice lifestyle, due in great part to Urban’s casino job.
  
“I have so many great things in life because of this job,” he says. “It enabled Kim and I to live well and raise three wonderful children, to buy a house and set us up so that she could become a schoolteacher. I’m grateful for all of that.”
     
Urban’s wife and parents shared the big moment at the awards banquet, where his name was announced, Academy Award-style.
    
“The  nominees’ names were put on a big screen,” he says. “There was a description of what you had done and what the company thought of you. It was humbling. My parents were there to see that, so it was really emotional. I’ve been involved in sports my whole life and am a pretty competitive guy, so to be recognized in the industry is fantastic.”
    
To the player who attended Campbell University (North Carolina) on a baseball scholarship, and whose nephew Andrew Bailey is a star in the Oakland A’s, it was like winning a World Series MVP award.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

The economy has taken its toll, so this month put your entrepreneurial skills to work. Take your hobby and make it pay. (Aren’t you the one who embroiders those great poodle toilet paper cozies?)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

It’s time this month to set new goals for the rest of the year, then share them with a friend and make a plan to achieve them. (It’s easy. Just take the old list and cross out the word “January.”)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

It’s time to finally tell the truth about a family problem. Someone will be hurt, but your honesty will save future embarrassment. (Let’s face it, everyone’s tired of seeing Grandma’s handyman’s crack.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

The tender aspect of your personality has been in hiding, and all because of someone who did you wrong. It’s now safe for your soft side to be revealed again. (But not in that swimsuit! Please!)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Remember you’re not the final arbiter of good and evil. Realize that you don’t always get to steer the ship, and stand aside for the real ruler of the universe. (That’s right, it’s still Miley Cyrus’s turn.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

In the wake of that recent crisis, an aura of peace and tranquility enfolds you. It’s heaven-sent, so enjoy it. (Unless it comes over your boat in a fog—then you’re about to shrink to the size of a thimble.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

They say there are no coincidences, and soon you’ll learn the truth of this aphorism. You may stop at Starbucks for coffee and meet your next big romance. (Next question: Can you live on a barrista’s tips?)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Nagging health concerns will prove to be minor, so get out of bed, get back on the job, and resume your daily life. (Yes, you’ll miss Diamonique Week on QVC, but jeez, be grateful for your health!)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Wow, you’re really hot this month! In the workplace, you’re cookin’. With your colleagues, you’re sizzlin’. And with your sweetheart, you’re a one-person barbecue. (Don’t forget the A-1!)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

You want to get in shape, but it’s tough, because there’s always an emotional payoff for those who overeat. What’s your secret payoff? Comfort? Distraction? (That part-time job every December?)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

A former love will reappear in your life, and you must decide whether to welcome him or run for cover. Either way, your happiness is at stake. (So is your lingerie; he really needs to buy his own this time.)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

There is nothing you cannot do this month if you apply enough energy, determination and sheer grit! So take that long-deferred dream and make it a reality. (Just don’t leave grit all over, okay?)

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Margaret Mitchell wrote just one book in her lifetime, but for readers—and publishers—apparently that wasn’t enough. For a second time, the immortal characters of Gone With the Wind have stepped onto the literary stage, in what purports to be “the other side of the greatest love story ever told.”
   
As one who grew up with Gone With the Wind, then read and abhorred the first “authorized sequel” (that dreadful foolishness called Scarlett by Alexandria Ripley), I was prepared to be disappointed again.
  
 Imagine my astonishment—shock—delight—to come upon Rhett Butler’s People. In this captivating epic, which has all the sweep and grandeur of the original and perhaps a more profound understanding of the Civil War and its people, the charming, cynical opportunist of Mitchell’s book is revealed as a deeply wounded and self-defensive man who is capable of great love, but has been thwarted once too often to trust it.
   
Mitchell hinted at this complexity in GWTW, and McCaig tells the story in full. It starts with Rhett’s father, the intractable Langston, whose cruelty toughens Rhett’s hide, seals his defiant nature, and makes him deeply compassionate, albeit in a very unsentimental way.     
   
Other characters include Rhett’s weak mother, his rebellious sister Rosemary, his tragic slave friend Tunis, and assorted boyhood chums who go on to be pivotal figures in the War Between the States. Belle Watling is a central character, as is her son, Tazewell, who may or may not be Rhett’s bastard son.
   
And then there is Katie Scarlett O’Hara. She first appears on page 89, and readers who know the original novel will marvel at how deftly McCaig recreates scenes from GWTW from a slightly different yet telling perspective.
   
McCaig also wrote Jacob's Ladder, a book the Virginia Quarterly called “the best Civil War novel ever written.” Rhett Butler’s People may not rise to that level, but it is rapturously well written, deeply satisfying, and a worthy companion to Gone With the Wind.

By Joe Legato   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Who would have expected to find Yoda and Darth Vader in a 16th century European town? Namco shows just how close a galaxy far, far away can be as they usher in the latest in the Soul fighting series with Soulcalibur IV.
   
Soulcalibur IV continues the epic tale of the legendary “soul” swords and the fighting melee that determines their ultimate possessor. The swords are called Soul Calibur and Soul Edge, with one being good and one evil, respectively. Each fighter has his or her own reason for pursuing the powerful weapons.
   
The warriors of Soulcalibur IV are so diverse, in fact, that they include a couple Star Wars characters who have traveled great distances to join in the battle.
   
In addition to the standard arcade and story modes, Soulcalibur IV includes a new mode for players called the Tower of Lost Souls. In this mode, players can obtain treasure chests with special weapons and character upgrades by defeating enemies as they climb a tower. The mode adds some single-player action to a game usually played by two or more.
    
Soulcalibur IV also includes an extra game play feature called the Soul Gauge. This gauge changes colors during battle if players simply block moves without ever actually battling. If it flashes red and a gamer continues passively defending, then the opponent will get a chance to do a one-hit super finish to win the battle.
   
Fans will be happy to see Soulcalibur IV finally brings online play to the Soulcalibur series. This long-awaited feature solidifies this game as a hit, as you now have the ability to prove yourself across the globe in one of the most vivid and dazzling fighting games around.
   
Plus, with online play there will likely be updates and downloads released for the game. So, if you find yourself unable to obtain the holy Soul Calibur, you can probably just download a smaller sword from a friend.

By Chris Borino   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Conor Oberst, best known for his work as fronting the indie rock band Bright Eyes, has stepped away from the group to make a solo debut, of sorts. His new self-titled CD was recorded in a mountain villa in Mexico with a small group of musicians, and has the lush and breezy feel of that evocative setting.
   
Oberst has been recording since he was 12, and he’s always been independent—so independent that he canceled shows upon learning that Live Nation (Clear Channel) was associated with some of the concert venues. And when he reached his biggest stage, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, he sang a protest song rather than something with more commercial appeal.
   
It’s difficult to avoid recognizing the similarities between Oberst and Bob Dylan. Both are left leaning politically, despite their Midwestern backgrounds. Both have prolific discographies that cross many genres. Both have voices that are an acquired taste. In Oberst’s case, he overcomes his wobbly delivery with force and conviction. He believes in what he’s singing, and his thoughtful wordplay make him one of the most literate songwriters in American music.
  
Dylan would certainly enjoy Oberst’s “I Don’t Want to Die (in a hospital),” a stand-out track from this CD. The song pleads not for life but rather a more beautiful death. The singer chants, “I don’t give a damn what the doctors say / I don’t wanna spend another lonesome day... They don’t let you smoke and you can’t get drunk... I don’t want to die in a hospital / You gotta take me back outside.”  
   
Call it indie-rock, folk, alternative country—it makes no difference. Oberst has put together his best record to date, an ode to storytelling and all that’s right in music today.

By   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

On the small screen, Sex and the City was a girl’s best friend. It affirmed in witty fashion the value—the absolute necessity—of having people around who care when you cry, rejoice when you win, give advice whether you want it or not, and stick with you when the going gets rough. What woman didn’t want a gaggle of pals like Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte?
  
Then Sex came to the big screen, and fans held their breath. Would it be wonderful, like the TV series (which was only wonderful after its awkward freshman year, but then got better and better)? Or would it be horrible and superfluous, like one of the in-between Rocky movies?
  
Happily, most critics (as well as every woman and gay man I know) agreed that Sex and the City—out on DVD September 23—was a great coda to the HBO series: overly long, yes, but wonderful, so wonderful you really didn’t care that it clocked in at almost two and a half hours.
   
As it opens, we find columnist Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) right where we left her: in New York, in love with Mr. Big (the dreamy Chris Noth) and, for the first time in ages, content in her relationship. He casually proposes marriage, and before you know it, Carrie’s mounting a spectacle not unlike the Barnum & Bailey circus, complete with Vogue layouts and hundreds of guests. It doesn’t go over well with the twice-married Big, who wants to get-hitched-quick at city hall. Complications ensue, along with more misunderstandings for the star-crossed duo.
   
Meanwhile, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) learns her loving husband Steve has strayed; Samantha (Kim Cattrall) realizes monogamy, even with hunky Smith, is just not her style; and Charlotte (Kristen Davis) pines for a baby of her own, to join adopted daughter Lily.
   
Will Big and Carrie finally get to the altar? You’ll be hard-pressed to figure how it will all end. And though the movie doesn’t end for a long, long time, it’s an ending fans will love.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

September 6
Howie Mandel, Resorts

September 7
Celebrity Chef Series: Tom Colicchio, Caesars
Motion City Soundtrack, House of Blues

September 7-12
Debbie Reynolds, Resorts
Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., Hilton

September 7-27
Lynda Carter, Harrah’s

September 12
Lou Neglia’s Ring of Combat XXI, Tropicana

September 13
New Breed Fighters, House of Blues

September 18
Atlantic Bay Symphony, Borgata

September 19-20
The Four Tops, Hilton

September 19-21
Frankie Valli, Borgata
The Temptations, Tropicana

September 20
Celine Dion, Caesars
Robert Klein, Trump Plaza
Sugarland, Taj Mahal

September 21-26
Connie Stevens, Hilton
Johnny Maestro & Brooklyn Bridge, Resorts

September 25
Indigo Girls, House of Blues

September 26
America’s Best Dance Crew, Boardwalk Hall
Weezer, Borgata

September 27
New Kids on the Block, Borgata
Wynonna, Trump Marina
Rocky Horror Picture Show, House of Blues
Willie Nelson, House of Blues
Alanis Morissette, Borgata
Riders on the Storm with Ray Manzarek & Robbie Krieger, Taj Mahal

September 28
Bob Green (Lifestyle Series), Harrah’s

September 28 & 30, October 1-3
Terry Steele, Hilton

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Willie Nelson has been singing, writing and touring for so long that it seems everyone has seen him in concert at least once. But the fans keep coming back for more of Nelson’s signature style.
   
Nelson hit it big in the ’60s with his flair for songcraft. Hit singles from “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” to “Always On My Mind” and “Highwayman” have proved Nelson’s versatility and musicianship. He deftly weaves his way from country to blues to rock to jazz without breaking a sweat.
   
Nelson’s career has been bumpy, to be sure. Back in the day, people weren’t sure what to make of his voice, but they loved his writing, so other vocalists turned his tunes into Top 10 hits (including Patsy Cline with “Crazy”). Nelson eventually transitioned to outlaw country and teamed up with Waylon Jennings to make some of the best records of his career.
    
He’s still notorious for that outlaw lifestyle, and that’s why, decades later, Nelson still entertains an audience like few singers can.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

As country moves from traditional twang to contemporary cool, artists are finding themselves at a crossroads. Many have chosen the Top 40 route, ditching the Southern accents and steel guitars of their predecessors, while others, like Sugarland, struggle to combine the best of both worlds.
   
Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush pen songs that emphasize Nettles’ Georgia drawl but also play up the bluesy, rock ‘n’ roll elements in country music. The duo has achieved crossover success, but they have also stuck to their guns, fighting tooth and nail to record their latest album, Love On the Inside, in Georgia.
   
Sugarland’s songs are catchy enough to tempt even the staunchest of anti-country protesters. “Baby Girl” and the band’s most recent single, “All I Want to Do,” are prime examples of the kind of country-pop that singers like Carrie Underwood champion. But there are also the purely lonesome country songs, like the haunting “Stay,” which call to mind old-school Patsy Cline.
   
As Nettles and Bush rise to the top of the country and mainstream charts, they have not lost the musicianship that landed them there to begin with.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

After five years as Las Vegas’ resident diva, pop icon Celine Dion is taking her show on the road. The legendary songstress developed a taste for the extravagant during her time in Sin City; her new tour has Vegas-style theatrics, including a circular stage design and elaborate technical support.
   
But the drama of her tour’s design cannot hope to match the intensity of Dion’s voice. Even the hardest of hearts is melted by essential ballads like “Because You Loved Me” and “The Power of Love,” and there is no forgetting the Titanic tearjerker, “My Heart Will Go On.”
   
These epic love songs are the reasons why Dion’s international fans are clamoring to see her perform after her long Vegas getaway. The Taking Chances World Tour 2008 is now in its U.S. leg, with a jaunt in Canada to follow toward the end of this year.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Culinary guru Tom Colicchio comes to Atlantic City this month to appear in Caesars’ Celebrity Chef Series. Colicchio is the genius behind upscale restaurants Gramercy Tavern and Craft, but is best known as a star of the cooking reality series Top Chef.
   
Colicchio began his career in the kitchens of New Jersey, so it’s fitting that he return to the Garden State to share his secrets with aspiring chefs. After whetting his appetite as an apprentice of sorts in a seafood restaurant called Evelyn’s, the young chef hopped from a tavern to a hotel eatery and eventually to a four-star New York restaurant called the Quilted Giraffe.
   
With the opening of Gramercy Tavern, hailed by the New York Times as “everything it takes to make a great restaurant,” Colicchio entered the big leagues. Fourteen years later, Gramercy is still billed as one of New York’s culinary gems. Colicchio didn’t rest on his laurels. He is now branching out into the world of steakhouses with the debut of Craftsteak in both Las Vegas and New York. Additions to the Craft brand are being built in cities like Los Angeles and Atlanta.
   
Colicchio will spill plenty of tips and tricks at his show. Book your tickets now to see the real live “Top Chef.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

New Kids on the Block defined the boy band era with their careful choreography and tousled good looks. Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood made Justin Timberlake’s career possible.
   
After years of attempted solo projects (or just plain old retirement), the quintet is back together for a new album and headlining tour that the Kids (Men?) hope will rejuvenate the vocal chords of their grown-up fangirls.
   
The reunion record, aptly titled The Block, was released September 2. The lead single, “Summertime,” is a sweet, mid-tempo number that indicates the band’s maturity—gone are the bouncing rhythms and teenage swagger of NKOTB’s
early days.
   
But it wouldn’t be a New Kids concert without the hits that drove their fans wild, so expect to hear “You Got It (The Right Stuff),” “Hangin’ Tough,” “Step by Step” and many more of the Top 10 singles that made them stars.

By   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Debbie Reynolds became a star at the height of Hollywood’s Golden Age, and at 76, she hasn’t slowed down.
   
During the ’50s and ’60s, Reynolds brought her musical comedy talents and girl-next-door appeal to blockbusters like Singin’ In the Rain (which comically chronicled the advent of talking pictures) and The Unsinkable Molly Brown (about a colorful socialite who survived the Titanic disaster).
   
The mother of writer-actress Carrie Fisher, Reynolds has survived her share of personal and professional heartache, including the scandalous end of her marriage to Eddie Fisher, bankruptcy, and the failure of a Las Vegas casino venture.
   
But the Oscar-nominated actress always comes smiling through. In addition to her stage show, she has single-handedly amassed one of the world’s largest collections of Hollywood memorabilia, and founded a museum to house it.
   
Casino Connection caught up with Debbie Reynolds during a cross-country tour of the nightclub show she will bring to Resorts for a weeklong engagement starting on Sunday, September 7.

Casino Connection: Debbie, tell us about your stage show.

DR: It’s a variety show, with a little bit of everything. For anyone out there under 50, I do a “memory lane” kind of thing with the hits from Molly Brown, Singin’ in the Rain, Tammy, The Tender Trap ... I also do impressions: Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Mae West, Barbra Streisand, and a new one with Paris Hilton talking to her great-aunt Zsa Zsa Gabor. Since Zsa Zsa was famous for slapping a cop, she advises Paris on how to do the same.

That’s several generations of notorious blondes.

It’s an amusing alignment. Zsa Zsa was married to Conrad Hilton, who started the hotel chain; like Paris, she got into a lot of trouble in her day. I guess it’s in the genes.

What do you like best about being onstage?

It’s very exciting. The people are right there, so you can tell: Do they love you? Do they hate you? Are you giving of yourself? Are they having a good time? There’s nothing like it. That’s why I no longer do TV. I did seven episodes of Will & Grace (playing Debra Messing’s mother) and they wanted more, but if you do a series, then you can’t perform live.

You first learned to dance for Singin’ In the Rain . Do you dance in your show?

Well, I don’t do back flips and splits! Just some soft shoe and a little tap here and there.

You’ve taken your show around the country.

Oh, yes, I work 42 weeks a year all over the United States, in every town you can name. I’ve come back to Atlantic City every year since (the casinos) first opened. It’s a life that takes some getting used to, with packing and unpacking and makeup and being backstage. Carrie is doing it now too. Her show, Wishful Drinking, is all about living the Hollywood life, being born of Debbie and Eddie, and surviving that kind of life.

You’re quite a survivor yourself. Would you say you have Molly Brown’s kind of pluck?

I ain’t down yet! I take that as my motto. I never quit the fight. They’ll have to stomp on me and throw me out of the ring.

What is the status of your Hollywood Motion Picture Museum?

It’s being built right now in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and we should be open by April of next year. It’s very exciting, and very scary; I’m so nervous about it. The place is huge, 40,000 square feet, and I’ve worked on it since the 1970s. I first had it in Las Vegas until my husband lost it; that was another disaster. But onward! This is my last chance and I’m praying it will succeed.

Of all the things you’ve collected, what's your favorite?

Marilyn Monroe’s subway dress from The Seven Year Itch, Judy Garland’s gingham dress and ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, Laurel and Hardy’s car … There are 40,000 costumes, including Clark Gable’s and Vivien Leigh’s from Gone with the Wind. It’s absolutely marvelous.

People know you as a singer, dancer and actress. If you had to choose, what do you like to do best?

I am an entertainer. I call my show a vaudeville show, like Bob Hope used to do, and Jack Benny and George Burns. It’s a little bit of everything. It’s show business!

Debbie Reynolds will appear Sunday, September 7, and Tuesday through Friday, September 9-12, at Resorts Atlantic City. Tickets are $40.

By Michael Bruckler   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

September may be the best time to be at the shore, with so many festivals, special events, shows, golf tournaments and more.
   
At the Ocean City Music Pier Tuesday and Wednesday, September 2 and 3, the acclaimed Ocean City Theater Company and the OC Pops join forces to present the comic musical
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Set in ancient Rome, the Broadway hit is sure to please (caution: some of the subject matter is slightly bawdy!). For tickets, call 609-525-9248 or visit ocnj.us.
    
The Atlantic City In-Water Power Boat Show, Thursday, September 4 through Sunday, September 7 at the Frank S. Farley Marina, is second only to Fort Lauderdale as the largest U.S. in-water power boat show. With 400 boats in the water and 300 on land, the show has the hottest sport and motor yachts, sport fishing yachts and performance boats from 18 to 85 feet. Admission is $20 for adults and $5 for children under 12. For information, visit www.acinwaterboatshow.com.
   
The Antique & Classic Boat Show at Tuckerton Seaport, Saturday and Sunday, September 6 and 7, features skiffs, wooden classics and antique outboards, most privately owned. Free with paid admission to the seaport: $8 adults, $6 seniors, $3 children 6-12. For information, call 609-296-8868 or visit www.tuckertonseaport.org.
   
On Friday, September 12, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center holds its 12th Annual Golf Tournament at the Vineyards at Renault Winery. Registration begins at 11 a.m. with shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit the stranding center, a non-profit organization that has helped more than 3,300 stranded whales, dolphins, seals and sea turtles in the past 29 years. Fee of $145 per person includes greens fees, golf cart, box lunch, awards reception, door prizes and a welcome bag. Anyone who hits a hole-in-one will have the chance to win a new car. For more information, call 609-266-0538 or visit www.mmsc.org.  
   
Atlantic City’s Absecon Lighthouse hosts a Murder Mystery Saturday, September 20 at 6:30 p.m. $20 includes light refreshments. For information, call 609-449-1360.
   
Celebrate South Jersey’s coastal heritage at the 26th Annual Wings ’n Water Festival, Saturday and Sunday, September 20 and 21 at locations in Stone Harbor, Middle Township and Avalon. A two-day admission ticket is $12 for adults ($10 until September 6) and $5 for children 2 to 12.  For information, call 609-368-1211 or visit www.wetlandsinstitute.org.
   
Music, magic and carnival games will mark the Atlantic City Library Family Fun Festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, September 27, on Tennessee Avenue between Atlantic and Arctic avenues. The Gina Roché Quartet and Hassan Abdullah Quintet will perform. For more information, visit www.atlanticcityfestival.org  or call 609-345-2269, ext. 3112.
   
For a complete listing of events throughout the city, visit www.atlanticcitynj.com.

Community Events

September 1 Atlantic City Surf vs. Sussex Skyhawks
7 p.m., Bernie Robbins Stadium, 545 North Albany Ave.
Atlantic City • www.acsurf.com • 609-344-7873
 
September 4-7 Atlantic City In-Water Power Boat Show
10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Frank S. Farley Marina, Atlantic City
215-732-8001 • www.acinwaterboatshow.com

September 4-7 Roar to the Shore Motorcycle Rally
Wildwoods Convention Center parking lots, Wildwood Crest
609-729-8870 • www.roartotheshoreonline.com

September 5 Somers Point Beach Concert
7 p.m. - 9 p.m., New Jersey & Bay Ave., Somers Point
www.debbiedavies.com

September 5-7 Street Rod Weekend
12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Sports & Civic Center
Boardwalk at Sixth St., Ocean City • 609-525-9300

September 6 Soul Food Gospel Fest
6 p.m., Pleasantville Middle School
801 Mill Rd., Pleasantville • 609-909-8729

September 6 Somers Point Good Old Days Festival
11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Kennedy Park, Somers Point
609-927-3628 • www.spgoodolddays.com

September 6 13th Annual Nun’s Beach Surf Invitational
7:30 a.m., 111th St. & Beach, Stone Harbor • 609-368-3621

September 6-7 Antique & Classic Boat Show, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuckerton Seaport, Tuckerton • 609-296-8868 • www.tuckertonseaport.org

September 6-7 Mummers String Band Weekend, 4 p.m.
Olde New Jersey Ave.,  Wildwood Crest
609-522-7722 • www.wildwoodsnj.com/calendar.com

September 6-7 Revolutionary War Encampment Weekend,
10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Cold Spring Village, Cape May
609-898-2300 • www.hcsv.org

September 7 Chamber of Commerce Street Faire, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
30th Street between Dune and Ocean, Avalon
609-967-3936 • www.avalonbeach.com

September 7-9 Philadelphia National Candy Gift & Gourmet Show
10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Atlantic City Convention Center
888-CANDY-89 • www.phillycandyshow.com

September 7-13 The Decorative Arts Show
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Atlantic City Convention Center • www.nbm.com

September 13 Harrah’s Cigar Gala, 2 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Harrah’s Resort & Casino, Atlantic City • www.harrahsresort.com

September 13-14 Fall Family Festival Weekend, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sea Isle City • 609-263-TOUR • www.seaisletourism.org

September 13-14 Civil War Weekend, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.,
Cold Spring Village, 720 Rt. 9 South, Cape May
609-898-2300 • www.hcsv.org/calendar

September 14 Boardwalk Air Show
1 p.m., 11th St. & Boardwalk, Ocean City
609-525-9300 • www.schultzairshows.com

September 18-21 Irish Fall Festival / Classic Boardwalk Car Show
Wildwood Boardwalk, N. Wildwood • www.visitnjshore.com

September 20 Absecon Lighthouse Murder Mystery
6:30 p.m., 31 S Rhode Island Ave., Atlantic City
609-449-1360 • www.abseconlighthouse.org

September 20 Delaware Bay Lighthouse Adventures
10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Cape May Whale Watcher, 2nd Ave. and Wilson Dr.,
Cape May  • 800-275-4278 • www.capemaymac.org

September 20-21 Wings ‘n Water Festival
The Wetlands Institute, Stone Harbor
609-368-1211 • www.wetlandsinstitute.org

September 20-25 12th Annual Cape May Food & Wine Festival
Cape May • 609- 884-5404 ext. 153 • www.capemaymac.org

September 21 Ocean City Corvette Show
6th & 10th St. Boardwalk, Ocean City
609-457-0081 • www.ocfrank.com/events

September 25-28 2nd Annual Wildwood by the Sea Film Festival
Wildwoods Convention Center, Wildwood
609- 522-4546 • www.soiwildwoods.com

September 26-27 Olde Time Italian Festival
Fox Park at Ocean Ave., Wildwood
609- 374-0016 • www.wildwoodbytheseafilmfest.com

September 27 Atlantic City Library Family Fun Festival
10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tennessee Ave. between Atlantic and Arctic,
Atlantic City • 609- 345-2269, ext. 3112 • www.atlanticcityfestival.org

September 27-28 Margate Fall Funfest
10a.m. - 7p.m., Amherst Ave. & the Bay, Margate
609-704-8166 • www.marvelousmargate.com

By Dave Bontempo   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Don King once labeled Atlantic City “a fight town pregnant with potential.” King became one of the sport’s most flamboyant and successful promoters. He delivered some Mike Tyson bouts here and has a street named after him.
     
Bob Arum brought weekly top rank ESPN boxing to several properties in the 1980s and ’90s. It was an innovative program that launched future stars and gave fighters worldwide notoriety. Champions like Donald Curry, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns and Ray Mercer fought here under Arum’s banner. He continues to supply major events, including the October 18 Bernard Hopkins-Kelly Pavlik bout at Boardwalk Hall.
    
It seems fitting, therefore, that two pioneers who enabled Atlantic City to once flourish as the world’s boxing capital enjoy simultaneous recognition. King and Arum will be inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame September 16 in Las Vegas, which they also turned into a multi-million-dollar boxing city.
     
The promoting duo, now in their 70s and mellowed, remains active. Their influence has not been lost on major boxing officials like Ken Condon, the former Bally’s Atlantic City president and current boxing consultant for Harrah’s properties.
  
“While boxing and casinos have always gone together, these two guys have taken it to a different level,” says Condon. “They’re the two power heavyweights when it comes to the boxing promoters of the world. Don King is a star onto himself. There was one fight in Las Vegas where he did his daily promoting duties, then flew to California every night to be on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. The publicity he generated was priceless.
   
“Bob I’ve known since the early days of Resorts,” Condon says. “He’s a class act. He’s always been fair and he’s helping to keep us going right now with fighters like Pavlik and Miguel Cotto.”
     
Arum and King were at the forefront of several boxing eras: closed-circuit theater revenue in the 1970s, casino site fees in the 1980s, pay-per-view in the 1990s and internet distribution now. They later battled, often bitterly, for control of the unregulated industry. In courtrooms, podiums and on television, they jockeyed for fighters, casino commitments and network dates.
    
Their opposite backgrounds caused more conflict. King was educated on the streets of Cleveland. Arum graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School and once served under U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Their demeanor provided more contrast. Arum is low-key, while King flashed the big hair, jewelry, loud laugh and third-person personification: “Only in America could a Don King happen.”
      
Although they fought with each other, both maintained integrity within their casino sphere.
    
“There is always this sense of distrust in the public eye when it comes to boxing promoters,” Condon says. “I never experienced it. Once they make a deal, they stick to it and live by it. There was never a situation where they would renege or change something in the mainstream.”
   
In the boxing world, that’s a colossal statement.
   
Arum and will be inducted along with Emeril Lagasse and Bennie Goldstein, the father of riverboat gaming. To commemorate their award, here are some comments from both inductees:

ARUM:

“It’s an honor to be included with so many gaming moguls. You know, Steve Wynn, Donald Trump, the list goes on. It’s wonderful.”

On being inducted along with King: “It’s appropriate for Don and I to go in together; you really could not have one of us without the other. Besides, you get to a point where you’re too old to fight.”

On Atlantic City: “We have always loved putting fights in Atlantic City. What Ken Condon has done, getting multiple casinos involved, is great. It is always a pleasure for me to go back there and do business with Ken.”
 
On doing business now compared to the past: “It’s become a lot more corporate .... Instead of business being done at a gut level, the way it was, now you have all the bean counters involved. What’s also changed is that in Las Vegas, for instance, you have a virtual monopoly with one company controlling the two big arenas (MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay). That puts a damper on things in a way.”

KING:

On his “gambling” background: “I would have to say, humbly, that gaming has been a way of life for me …  Before ever going to Las Vegas, we had these after-hours joints, you could call it Las Vegas in the neighborhood. We had the players, the hustlers, the blackjack, and all types of gamblers. I ran those types of operations. We had gambling, just like Caesars Palace.
   
“Back then, it was an outlaw industry. It was looked on with disdain, almost like robbing from the poor. Now it’s an in-law industry. There is a community involving boxing and the gaming institutions. They recognize your ability and capability in the human arena and you enhance them in their business community. What was once an outcast industry is now welcomed into the family fold.”
   
On what promoters brought to Atlantic City: “It has made their hotels better, their goods and services better. The cab driver, the bus boys, the boutiques, the restaurants—everybody benefits. Our contribution over the years is hundreds of billions of dollars. You look at how all the new properties went up, all on people’s caprices, whims and dreams. As promoters of boxing, we could bring them that. We made casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City household words around the world. We brought boxing from every nook and cranny to every shanty.”

On the rivalry with Arum: “Even when it was intense, I always appreciated his never-say-die attitude. I respect his perseverance. I think Bob is a great guy. If it wasn’t for Bob Arum, I would never have known how good Don King could be.”

By Dave Bontempo   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

“ No is not an option” is a phrase that fills locker rooms, meetings and promotional videos. It is a call to arms that inspires unity and team commitment.
    
Bob Marshall recalls one night the phrase paid off. The former Sands assistant director of operations, now a senior vice president for Aramark’s parks and destination division, witnessed one of the greatest employee comebacks in casino history.
    
It was a blustery, storm-ravaged December night. A noreaster blew in, wreaking havoc. That’s when Marshall saw the gaming version of a come-from-behind victory.
    
“I get this call about 2 a.m. from the operator, who sounded a little nervous,” he says. “I went into the place and it looked like a tornado had hit part of the building. Flooding was everywhere. The storm had come crashing down on the glass enclosure. We just had water every place you looked.
    
“It was a big Friday. We had entertainment coming in and this looked really bad. But by six o’clock the next evening, we had drained the pool, put a rooftop back, repaired ceilings—you name it. When you think about the workforce that accomplished this, it was pretty amazing. If it had been any business other than a casino, we would have shut down for a week or two. That was quite a performance by people in the gaming industry.”
    
Marshall first observed gaming from a distance, attending Mainland High School and the Atlantic City Community College culinary program. He worked as a dishwasher at Greate Bay Country Club, which the Sands later purchased and operated.
    
After finishing Widener’s hotel management program, he was coaxed back here when his wife found a teaching job. From 1988 to 1993, he saw the Sands become a slot kingpin.
   
“The biggest change was the migration toward the slot customer,” he says. “There was so much excitement going on. We’d often have a major party in a 4,200-square-foot suite and tear it down to have it ready for a customer an hour later.”
    
Marshall later helped Wheeling Island Casino in West Virginia obtain a full table-games license before going to Philadelphia-based Aramark.
      
“After managing a lot of different businesses, what strikes me is that they are all similar,” Marshall says. “You need customers, you need a high-quality product, and you need to show leadership in getting your employees to work hard for you. In a hotel, you study the ADR (average daily rate). In the casino, it’s the win-per-unit. We become generalists as our careers go higher and higher. Each operation is different, but the things you need are the same. It’s management leading people.”
    
Marshall now has more than 3,000 people reporting to him.
    
“In whatever job, it’s been important for me to be in the field, out there saying hello to people,” he says. “It’s all about leadership. It’s how we talk to people. It’s how we deal with people, how we go about rallying the troops. At the end of the day, you need a transparent relationship with employees in order for them to believe you and get behind you.”
    
Marshall’s new company provides property management, hospitality services and recreational support to specialty hotels, resorts, national and state parks, national forest service and other tourist destinations throughout the United States. In Fortune magazine’s 2008 list of America’s Most Admired Companies, Aramark was No. 1 in the industry of diversified outsourcing services.
    
For Marshall, it’s a perfect fit, and yet another example that the phrase “No is not an option” never wears out.

Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Rising energy costs have caused an economic slowdown. Energy supplies must be increased, but due to political opposition, offshore drilling has no immediate future in New Jersey.
   
Atlantic City has jumped out in front as New Jersey’s leader in alternative energy. The only urban wind farm in the world is located at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority Wastewater Treatment Facility. In addition to the windmills, the ACUA is powered by 2,700 solar panels spread among five arrays, but they do not have the ability to sell excess electricity back to the power company’s grid.
   
Producing electricity from renewable means is good for everyone; it’s also good to diversify energy sources. Yet too often, taxpayers and consumers do not see a benefit from the projects they have to pay for.
  
The Board of Public Utilities is prepared to fund New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm—possibly off the Atlantic City coast—with your hard-earned money. The funds are skimmed from electric bills through hidden fees like the “societal benefit fee” and the “non-utility generation fee.” If this is such a great idea, why aren’t private developers paying for it?
   
At the Convention Center, Pepco Energy is installing a system to provide 26 percent of the center’s electricity. The solar array has the ability to sell unused energy back to the electric company for public use and will be the nation’s largest single-rooftop solar array. These solar and wind projects are run by county and state agencies.
   
Republican John McQueen is the only mayoral candidate campaigning on alternative fuels. What distinguishes McQueen is that he is friendly to the green in our wallets. He began studying alternative energy during the energy crisis of the 1970s. “If America had been committed to energy solutions since the ’70s,” he says, “we would not be paying $4 dollars a gallon. Atlantic City is only 48 blocks long. Why are there SUVs to transport a single government employee?”
   
The ACUA buys biodiesel fuel from Woodruff Energy in Bridgeton, which buys its supply from the West Coast. McQueen says local biodiesel production would generate up to $3 million for city coffers. The fuel would be used in government vehicles and sold to both neighboring communities and the county.  
   
Geothermal power stations and harnessing ocean wave power are more alternatives that have not been explored. Alternative energy should be developed but citizens should not be forced to pay for it. Let developers like Pepco pay for these green technology projects and make money back from their own investments.   
   
It was government that prevented the creation of new nuclear plants, oil refineries and drilling over the past 30 years. Government regulations got us into today’s energy shortage. And government energy policy is yet another example of political elites being out of touch with you and me.   
   
So go green! Let innovation flourish and alternative energy solutions be explored. Just stop forcing taxpayers to fund these alternative energy experiments.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Anyone who’s ever played Monopoly has heard of the Luxury Tax. On the famous game board, a sparkling diamond ring illustrates the square, and anyone who lands on it must pay $75 to the banker.

As it turns out, a portion of Atlantic City’s luxury tax—imposed on things like hotel rooms, amusement rides and alcohol—now helps fund what for most of us is neither a luxury nor a necessity, but certainly a heartfelt desire: home ownership.
   
A new program from the Atlantic County Improvement Authority offers up to $30,000 in down payment assistance to buy a single-family home in Atlantic City. The program will provide up to 10 percent of the purchase price and as much as $5,000 towards eligible closing costs on a fixed-rate mortgage.
   
Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson calls the program a natural for casino employees, whose numbers are expected to swell as future projects like Revel and Pinnacle are completed.     
   
“Casino investment here is no longer in the hundreds of millions; people are spending one, two and three billion dollars for hotel casinos,” Levinson says. “Those places need a steady and secure work force; that work force needs a place to live.”
   
Applicants must have lived here for at least a year and have an annual household income between $36,500 and $100,000. Prospective buyers, who cannot have owned another home for two years, must be pre-approved by a mortgage lender sanctioned by the New Jersey Mortgage Finance Agency. Home prices cannot exceed $350,000.
   
John Lamey, executive director of the ACIA, says the program should appeal to families who can swing a monthly mortgage payment, but find it hard to come up with a down payment.
   
“It’s tough for working class people to accumulate that kind of money,” Lamey says. “Right now we have $3 million available, and we’re hoping to fund 100 home purchases. If there’s a need for it in future years, we could put more money into it.”
   
The long-term benefits for the city are apparent. “Home ownership leads to stability in the neighborhoods, and when people are stakeholders, they tend to take care of their properties,” Lamey says. “There is less turnover. It just makes for stronger communities.”
   
All down payment and closing cost assistance is offered to the homebuyer as a deferred no-interest loan, secured by a mortgage, to be repaid to the program based on the proceeds from resale, refinance or any changes in title and a portion of the appreciation. The percentage of appreciation shared by the ACIA when the house is sold decreases over time, encouraging long-term ownership.
   
“Working people should take advantage of it,” says Levinson. “It gives them a leg up.”
   
For a list of income eligibility guidelines and approved lenders, call 609-645-5838 or visit www.atlanticcountyimprovementauthority.org.

Bright Lights, Big City

A mericans, tired of car-based living and suburban sprawl, are reconsidering urban life.

This could be just the time to repopulate Atlantic City. Multiple reports by news media and the real estate industry indicate that the once-pervasive trend toward suburban developments made up of close-set, vinyl-sided McMansions may be going the way of Levittowns and split-levels. 
   
Americans are disillusioned with “the sprawl and stupor that sometimes characterize suburban life,” according to the March issue of the Atlantic. And though the suburbs continue to sprawl, urban life—close to nightlife, shopping, fine dining and cultural attractions—has taken on a new luster. With fuel at record levels, close proximity to work and play are suddenly very, very important to Americans living on a budget.
   
According to a June survey by Coldwell Banker, 81 percent of homebuyers polled said they would consider moving to the city to cut their daily commute. Three-quarters said they like the idea of walking to work.
   
The trend could be an important one for Atlantic City, which needs a vibrant residential infrastructure to support grocery stores, movie theaters and a thriving community citywide.

The Ins and Outs of Home Desig n

It’s the nature of trends to be “here today, gone tomorrow.” Outdated features in the home can be a big drawback if you decide to sell. Let’s look back at some once-trendy design fads, and what’s considered cool today (keeping in mind that these trends, too, must pass).


TODAY                                                   SO YESTERDAY
• Wrought iron fences                             • Picket fences
• Cathedral ceilings in the foyer             • A “cottage look” with lower ceilings
• Water closets                                        • Free-standing toilets
• Purple and gray, black and white         • Blue and brown
• Granite countertops                              • Soapstone or concrete countertops
• Flat screen TVs                                    • Massive entertainment centers
• Dedicated hobby or game rooms         • Dedicated living rooms
• Wood-burning fireplaces or stoves      • Gas fireplaces with fake logs

By   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Julie Miller of Margate was one satisfied customer. As the self-described “foodie” left Manna restaurant on a recent evening, she rhapsodized about the paella (“very, very fresh-outstanding-better than I’ve had in Spain”), the corn and potato chowder (“so good”) and the chocolate coconut sorbet (“yummy, amazing”). Her friends were equally rapturous.
   
With word-of-mouth like that, no wonder Manna’s a hit in downtown Margate. With the motto “Feed Your Body, Nourish Your Soul,” the restaurant at the juncture of busy Ventnor and Jerome avenues offers superior New American cuisine in an intimate, friendly setting. Make your reservations now.
   
Restaurateurs John and Victoria Merlino met in the kitchen at Mojo, where he was executive chef. They married and had three children, and opened at the Margate location in December.
   
The Merlinos deliberately limited the menu, offering nothing but their favorite dishes. Among them: a “true organic” herb-marinated Amish chicken breast, served with grilled romaine hearts and prosciutto in a caramelized onion-balsamic dressing; jumbo lump crab cakes with chipotle aioli, mango salsa and crispy plantain chips; and the smoky char-grilled flank steak: 12 succulent ounces in a soy-Dijon marinade, accompanied by creamy garlic spinach and gratin potatoes.
   
“We put new twists on old classics,” says John, also the former top chef at Sails. For the traditional tomato bruschetta, he substitutes a wild mushroom variety. Big, crusty slices of bread are piled high with sautéed crimini and shitake mushrooms, then spread with Boursin garlic herb cheese, topped with parmigiana and reggiano cheeses, and drizzled with truffle oil and a balsamic reduction.
   
The traditional Cobb salad gets a new spin here too, served up with sharp cheddar cheese, tortillas and a smoked tomato dressing (made with tomatoes from the Merlino’s own garden).
   
In season, John recommends the white Scottish salmon in peach bourbon barbecue sauce served with rice and red mustard greens (a creation of cook Dan McManus), or deep-fried, panko-crusted goat cheese, served with citrus-marinated pears, cashews and golden raisins on baby arugula.
   
Our favorite was the wasabi two-pepper shrimp, a truly heavenly blend of sweet-tart shrimp and cold chopped salad in walnut-bleu cheese dressing.
   
For dessert, it’s homemade all the way, from Victoria’s banana cake to delicious mini-pecan pies made by John’s mother, Chris Philippou. The dessert menu, too, changes in season: during the summer, the Merlinos raided local farmer’s markets to get the ingredients for peach raspberry upside-down cake.
   
Manna’s cherrywood tables, black-draped alcoves, orange velvet banquettes and pendant lighting make for a decor that is “modern, but not cold or uncomfortable,” says Victoria; with fat white candles on mirrored sconces, lots of orchids, and a baby grand piano at the front door, the effect is fresh and welcoming.
   
“For us, the love of food turned into a love of service,” says John. “We like seeing people enjoying themselves.”
   
With a menu like this, enjoyment is inevitable. Ask anyone.

CHEF’S CORNER

Our Paella

Manna's paella eschews the crusty bottom of standard paellas. That said, it is rich and tomato-y, with a top note of saffron.

1/2 cup raw peeled and chopped chorizo (spicy Spanish sausage)
10 clams
6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup cooked and picked chicken thighs
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. saffron
2 cups cooked Arborio rice (packed)
1/2 cup plum tomatoes, peeled and julienned
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup clam juice or shellfish stock
1/2 cup jumbo lump crabmeat
salt and pepper to taste
12 inch heavy bottom sauté pan or
paella pan with lid

Place pan on medium heat. Brown chorizo. Drain some fat. Add clams, shrimp, chicken, garlic and saffron. Cover for two minutes, allowing ingredients to steam. Add cooked rice, tomatoes, white wine and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
   
Cover and cook until just about all the liquid is absorbed and clams are open. Add more stock if it’s too dry. Add crab and stir. Serve hot.
   
Suggested wines: Rioja Reserve red or Rueda white.

By Casino Connection Staff  

The opening of the Water Club at the Borgata in June just added to the unique amenities and standout facilities offered at that hotel. Already one of Atlantic City's most successful casino resorts, the non-gaming Water Club has elevated the Borgata to yet another level. Hotel President Larry Mullin explains what it has meant to introduce a new product to the market and why he believes it will help ensure the success of the Borgata during difficult times. Mullin took over as president of the Borgata from its original leader, Bob Boughner, in 2005. His previous experience include time at the Trump organization, which ended when he was president of Trump Marina, prior to joining the Borgata. He spoke with Casino Connection Publisher Roger Gros, at the Water Club in August. To hear a podcast of the full interview, visit www.casinoconnectionac.com and click on the Boardwalk Podcast button.

Casino Connection: What demographic are you targeting with the Water Club?

Mullin: We’re looking for the customer who’s looking for a trade-up experience. Atlantic City has made some great strides upgrading its product, but there’s much more competition. Now daytrippers have a choice between New York, Atlantic City or Pennsylvania, but that convenience doesn’t include what we offer in retail, restaurants, nightlife and entertainment, as well as great hotels. We’re not necessarily reaching out for the most price-sensitive customer here. We tend to have younger customers with a lot more discretionary income who are looking for a new experience.
 
Why did you dedicate so much space and valuable real estate to the Water Club’s the 32nd-floor spa and pool?

We could have taken that space and just added more rooms, but the notion was to offer someplace special. That spa area, with 16 treatment rooms, a workout facility and the pools, says loud and clear, this is something you would not normally be offered.
   
The opening had to give you a little bump over the summer.

It’s been a great reason to make another visit to the Borgata. We’ve been open five years; it’s no secret that convenience is a premium for people trying to stretch their dollar. To make a decision to come out to the Water Club, you need something compelling like this. It’s been great for us.

Will the total smoking ban in October and the economy affect price points?

So far we haven’t seen too much resistance to our rates. Like any business, you have your ups and downs and at times you adjust your pricing. We could offer a lot more for a lot less, but at some point we’d have to compromise on what we’ve put in here, and we see that as detrimental to the design and positioning of this new hotel.

What’s the overall significance of the Water Club to the future of Atlantic City?

The fact you can invest in a quality product like this and get a decent return on it. We don’t measure our return on the first quarter or month or on the first year. It will be defined in the next few years, as it was with Borgata. But if you don’t have a product like this, you run the risk of being run out of business. People are looking for quality and value, and I think we offer both.

Before the Water Club, there was an expansion to Borgata that included restaurants by Bobby Flay and Michael Mina, and the poker room, which was a major step up. Are those the sorts of things you need to dominate the market?

You need everything. The market is not as vibrant as it was a few years ago, I think because of the economy, and not what we see competitively. In the last 40 years, the economy has been down six times, and it does come back. The challenges now are unlike anything before because of the credit market, which doesn’t give people a lot of confidence to invest. We’ll be measured in years to come by the return we show. People will say, “How did the Borgata and Water Club make their mark, and what do we do to meet that bar?”

Do you think Atlantic City is actually in a pretty good position to come back as the economy rebounds?

I think Atlantic City’s position is as good as anybody’s, if not the best for the short-term and mid-term. We have a new train service coming on at the end of the year from New York City.

We have three nice new hotels in place—the Water Club, Harrah’s and the Taj Mahal’s second tower—and the biggest thing missing here has been the ability to have guests stay longer than a day trip.
    
At the same time, we’ve got great restaurants. We just opened (the Japanese sushi restaurant) Izakaya, and it’s been tremendously received. People who invest in convenience markets, unless they’re willing to invest at the rate you see here, will have challenges over the long term. Right now, they’re bottom feeding.

Harrah's did a great job repositioning itself with the Pool and its retail. Trump Marina may be repositioned as a Margaritaville. Are you excited about that?

I’m excited about all of that. Again, it’s new investment, new ideas, new things to bring people to this marketplace, which has always been great. I think the biggest challenge Atlantic City has faced has been its reputation. We’ve worked hard at Borgata and Atlantic City has worked hard to change that, bringing in product like you see in Las Vegas and at great resorts--the kind of dining, entertainment and nightlife that give people a reason to be excited about coming.

This is New Jersey, after all, and the state government has a lot of budget issues. Are you fearful that government will again look to the gaming industry for more taxes, or do something more harmful like put slots at racetracks?

I’m always fearful of that. We live in a state that has challenges. But I believe the senior leaders, who have been here quite often, understand what’s going on.

But if any of those things happen, I believe you’ve killed the golden goose. And although you may see as the other forms of gambling and more convenience, at end of day we are in the tourism business. And even though gambling is very important, it’s a partnership and we hope to grow with them and that will be determined by how well we execute here.

Neither one of us is an economic expert, but do you have a sense about how long the economic downturn will last and what will be the catalyst for change?

For one thing, it’s larger than Atlantic City. It’s a world issue and the U.S. is still the leader. I think it comes down to the election; a lot of eyes are on the election and a lot of money will come back to the market based on the outcome. That’s the first thing that will change. The other big thing, obviously, is oil. Our industry, like every other, is dependent on oil, but we’re not dependent on air travel. There will be a willingness to spend a little more to drive to a destination like this. So I’m optimistic that, longer term, Atlantic City  will be something to be reckoned with.

The main competition for Atlantic City right now is Pennsylvania. Are you concerned about the slot parlor hotels that are planned for Philadelphia?

I think there will be a cannibalization within Pennsylvania. At some point, it will start leveling off; its already happening. Make no mistake, it’s a big business up there--they’re doing $120 million a month, and that’s a lot of market that would otherwise be in Atlantic City here. But if they don’t continue to improve the product, like we did, people will eventually move to where they find the best value. Price is a part of it, and convenience is a part of it. But at the end of the day, it comes down to the whole package.

By Casino Connection Staff  

Pittsburgh’s a ‘go’

Neil Bluhm is saving the Pittsburgh slot casino after all. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board last month approved the transfer of Pittsburgh’s sole casino license from Detroit developer Don Barden to Chicago billionaire Bluhm and his Walton Street Capital investment group.

Construction on the casino, which originally was to be called Majestic Star, resumed immediately.  Barden struggled to find financing for the $780 million project and faced the prospect of bankruptcy after defaulting on a $200 million bridge loan used to start construction.
   
Bluhm, who also is the lead investor in the stalled SugarHouse casino project in Philadelphia, offered to assume the project’s debt, pay Barden’s obligations to the community (like partial funding for a new Pittsburgh Penguins arena, and development money for a depressed city neighborhood), and make an equity investment of more than $200 million for a 75 percent stake in the project (it eventually grew to 80 percent). Barden will retain 20 percent, which will be renamed--possibly through a public contest.

Illinois Gov: No new casinos, so lease lottery

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, conceding that past attempts to get new casinos and racetrack slots past state House Speaker Michael J. Madigan were a failure, now wants to lease out the Illinois Lottery to help fund his latest capital improvement program.
   
Without new casinos, Blagojevich has downsized the budget for roads, schools and other infrastructure from $34 billion to $25 billion. Illinois hasn’t had a capital-improvements budget for a decade, partly because lawmakers worry about raising taxes to fund one.
   
The Daily Herald of Arlington Heights says Blagojevich pursued casinos for taxes, not because he favors more gambling. In an extensive series, the paper reported that casinos are tightening slot payouts to maintain profits as play slacks off in the current economy. It says Illinois ranks low in the Midwest for gambling addiction programs.

Ohio gaming to go to referendum

An Ohio casino advocacy group says it’s come up with more than twice the number of signatures needed to put a $600 million casino project on the November ballot.
  
 MyOhioNow presented 800,000 signatures to Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. The signatures, reportedly from 80 of 88 Ohio counties, must now be verified.
   
Minneapolis-based Lakes Entertainment Inc. wants to build a casino resort in Clinton County near the cities of Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati. It would include a 220,000-square-foot casino hotel with up to 5,000 slot machines and 100 gaming tables.
   
“We look forward to a positive and honest campaign to get the support of Ohio voters,” said MyOhioNow’s Rick Lertzman, saying the casino could create 5,000 permanent jobs and employ thousands of people during the construction phase. The group says the casino would return 30 percent of revenue to Ohio counties on a per-capita basis.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Construction reached an important milestone on the $1 billion M Resort, Spa and Casino in Las Vegas that was marked with a topping-off ceremony.
   
“This is a major milestone in our construction process,” said Anthony Marnell III, M Resort CEO and chairman. “We anticipate completing the M Resort on time and on budget and are excited to debut the new property in March 2009.”
   
Following the traditional hoisting of the evergreen tree to the top of the building, Marnell, flanked by members of the local and national media, led hard-hat tour of the property.
   
Marnell showed off the views of the Las Vegas Strip that the north-facing building front will have. There is still a lot of work to be done, however, as the 92,000 square feet where the casino—1,846 slots and 64 tables—will be remains a collection of bare concrete and exposed conduit.
   
Once completed, the property will have 390 rooms, nine restaurants, 60,000 square feet of meeting space and a 100,000-square-foot pool. M Resort is also partnering with Taubman Center on a 1 million-square-foot retail component for the property.
   
Company officials announced in July that Cantor Gaming will supply mobile gaming technology on the casino floor as well as the race and sports book. Guests at M Resort will not only be able to play on hand-held devices in designated areas throughout the resort but will be able to bet in unique ways in the resort’s race and sports book.
   
“Cantor Gaming is an industry leader in the mobile gaming market and shares in our commitment to provide guests with an unparalleled gaming experience,” said Joe Magliarditi, M Resort executive vice president and COO.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

In a surprise decision last month, Boyd Gaming announced that it would halt construction on its $5 billion Echelon project on the Las Vegas Strip across from Wynn Las Vegas and its companion hotel, the new Encore, slated to open at the end of this year. Boyd officials blamed the slumping credit markets for the decision.
   
Echelon is being built on the site of the old Stardust and will contain several independent hotels, including the Delano and the Mondrian, as well as shopping and extensive meeting space.
   
Boyd had insisted for over a year, since the implosion of the Stardust in the spring of 2007, that it had sources for the funding of Echelon. But as credit becomes tighter and interest rates soar even higher, company officials had no choice.
   
“We have decided to delay construction of our Echelon project on the Las Vegas Strip due to the difficult environment surrounding today’s capital markets and the challenging economic conditions that currently exist,” the company said in a press release accompanying its second-quarter earnings report. “We expect to resume construction when credit market conditions and the overall outlook for the economy improve.”
   
Boyd Gaming CEO Keith Smith said the company hoped to resume construction in 2009, with the official debut of the property pushed back a year to 2011.
   
Meanwhile, MGM Mirage downplayed reports that it was having trouble finalizing funding for its CityCenter project in Las Vegas. While admitting that financing has not been finalized, MGM Mirage CFO Dan D’Arrigo expects no delays in construction and the expected late 2009 opening of CityCenter.
   
“I don’t think it’s any surprise to anyone that the financial markets are not what they once were,” D’Arrigo said. “The credit crunch is real and it’s one that we-like any other company out there looking to raise capital-have to deal with.”
   
He said the company has approached about a dozen banks to participate in the financing and over half of them have agreed to sign up.
   
Though MGM Mirage posted a loss, the news about CityCenter and changes in its slumping Macau operation were seen as a positive, sending company stock upward after the call.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Fight fans, cheer on heavyweight Bruce Seldon (r.) as he dukes it out with unbeaten contender Kevin Johnson at Bally’s, Friday, September 4. Seldon, 41, of Atlantic City, lost a title bout to Mike Tyson in 1996 and has been trying ever since to regain elite status. His 28-year-old opponent is ranked No. 7 by the WBA and No. 15 by the WBC. For information, visit www.harrahs.com.

It’s as close to Muscle Beach as you’ll get in South Jersey: the 2008 IFBB Atlantic City Pro Bodybuilding Fitness and Figure Championships, Friday and Saturday, September 12 and 13 at Trump Marina. For information on the region’s most muscular exhibition of flesh, form and male pulchritude, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Twelve lucky college freshmen were awarded $2,500 scholarships last month, courtesy of the Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts. Each recipient is the child of a Hilton or Resorts employee.
   
“These students are a part of the Resorts and Hilton family, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements,” says Patty Rocco, regional vice president of human resources.
   
The winners scored a combined average SAT score of 1788 (the national average is 1500) and an average GPA of 3.725 and combined to participate in more than 100 extracurricular activities.
   
Hilton’s winners are: Brian Capoferri, son of Brian Capoferri, relief cook; Corey Hafner, son of John Hafner, IT; Adil Malik, son of Ijaz Malik, security officer; Suzanne Mooney, daughter of William Mooney, cook; Rachael Weiss, daughter of Harris Weiss, pit manager; and Andrew Villiez, son of Paul Villiez, dealer.
   
Resorts’ winners are: Andrew Cheung, son of Rick Cheung, dealer; William Gonnelly, son of Suzanne Jones, cocktail server; Sualeh Hafeez, son of Chaudhry Hafeez, slot attendant; Nipa Patel, daughter of Paresh Patel, housekeeping; Sunita Yadavalli, daughter of Vara Yadavalli, casino cashier; and Clarie-Ann Henriques, daughter of John Henriques, dealer.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

As Donald Trump prepares to sell one of his three Atlantic City casinos, he is following through on a stated plan to invest in other markets. 

Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. is currently in negotiations to build a $400 million casino resort on the Pacific Ocean in Panama City, Panama. If the deal goes through, it will be Trump’s first casino property outside the U.S, though the famous Trump name is on display at many international hotels, condos and golf courses.

The Trump Ocean Club International Hotel & Tower is a joint project of Trump and the K Group, a Panamanian development company. Trump Entertainment would run the casino through a lease agreement that would give the K Group a piece of the gaming pie.
   
“It gives us the flexibility of spreading out in a lot of different directions without investing a lot of capital,” says Trump Entertainment CEO Mark Juliano, adding that the organization is also looking at opportunities in the Philippines, Uruguay and Kiev in the Ukraine.
   
Panama is enjoying a real estate boom and a spike in tourism, due in part to the planned expansion of the Panama Canal.
   
Trump has previously operated in other markets, including an Indian casino in California and a riverboat in Gary, Indiana. The company withdrew from those markets to concentrate on Atlantic City. The Panama and other international ventures are more favorable for Trump because they don’t require upfront investment.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Racetrack and casino owner Penn National Gaming, awash in ready capital due to a $225 million cash breakup fee and $1.25 billion interest-free loan, continues to woo Atlantic City for the rezone of a 23-acre parcel of land on Route 30 at the city’s gateway.
   
As other gaming companies grapple with a poor economy and tight credit market, “Penn National has one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry,” company spokesman Eric Schippers says. “It certainly positions us well to take a hard look at existing projects and potential projects, whether they be in Kansas, Atlantic City or Maryland.”
   
The company just saw slightly lower second-quarter profits: $37 million, or 42 cents a share, compared to $38.3 million, or 43 cents a share in second quarter 2007. But when a planned buyout by Fortress Investment Group and Centerbridge Partners fell apart, Penn walked away with a total of $1.475 billion, including the breakup fee and a $1.25 billion equity investment by the two firms, due in 2015 or repayable by an equivalent amount of stock. Penn National is now the nation’s third largest gaming company.
   
Though the development site is unimpressive today—it’s an industrial highway with a storage facility and a sewage treatment plant—company officials note that Borgata, built on a former landfill, rose above its lowly origins to become the city’s best-performing gaming hall.
   
The company foresees a second-generation casino destination on the Route 30 site, with 100,000 square feet of casino space and about 1,500 guest rooms.
   
Penn National currently has 19 casinos, racetracks and riverboats in the Midwest and South, and previously offered $800 million for city-owned Bader Field, which it wants to subdivide for several massive casino projects.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Every day’s Earth Day at the Tropicana Casino and Resort, which will hold its $100,000 Keep it Green Giveaway from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, September 14.
   
“Environmental conservation is on everyone’s priority list these days,” says Trop President Mark Giannantonio. “While going green has multiple benefits, it also has its costs, and many people don’t know where to start.” The Keep it Green Giveaway will give away a total of $100,000 in cash to 40 winners.
   
Prizes will be awarded throughout the day, with$10,000 given away at noon, $25,000 given away at 2 p.m., and $15,000 in cash distributed at 4 p.m. At 6 p.m., one lucky player will receive the $50,000 grand prize.
   
The Tropicana’s Keep it Green Giveaway is open to all Diamond Club members. Entries can be earned now through September 13 by playing Tropicana slots and table games with the Diamond Club card.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Cigar aficionados will get a little taste of heaven at the 2008 Cigar Gala, Saturday, September 13, outside the Brigantine entrance of Harrah’s Resort.
   
Attendees can sample cigars from 20 premium manufacturers including Zino Platinum, Nat Sherman, Davidoff, Ashton, Cusano, Carlos Tarano, Heavenly, Drew Estates, Padron, Johnny Haye, Crown David, CAO, Gurka, Avo, Rocky Patel and Padilla.
   
Guests also will enjoy a cigar-friendly wine station, craft beer tasting, live jazz, upscale food, raffles and giveaways. There will even be a cigar-rolling clinic for do-it-yourselfers.
   
“A cigar is a work of art, just like a fine vintage or top-drawer single malt whiskey,” says Harrah’s GM R. Scott Barber. “This Cigar Gala offers connoisseurs an incredible day of  smoking, eating, drinking, camaraderie and all-around indulgence.”
   
Admission is $125 per person for one of two sessions: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

As New York investor Joseph Palladino considered withdrawing his $950 million bid for the Tropicana last month, the casino’s state-appointed conservator said Palladino’s investment group hasn’t yet disclosed a financing plan.

Michael Stein, attorney and son of Tropicana conservator Gary Stein, said Palladino promised to come forward with financing, but never did. The other bidders are Planet Hollywood, Cordish Co., and Colony Capital, which owns the Atlantic City Hilton and its sister property, Resorts.
   
Meanwhile, a real estate broker for Palladino said the investor will back out of the process altogether unless the conservator names a price instead of taking competitive bids.
   
“What bidding process doesn’t have a price?” Haberle asked.
   
Stein is the retired New Jersey Supreme Court justice in charge of running Tropicana since it lost its license last December. He is also in charge of the sale, but says the foundering economy, credit crunch and “unreasonably low bids” for Tropicana in the first round have stalled the sale process.
   
Stein now has until October to find a buyer, and has said that a bankruptcy auction might be the best way to increase the offers, resolve numerous legal and financial entanglements hampering the sale, and guarantee that the buyer gets full, undisputed title to Tropicana and its assets. Haberle disputed that notion, saying Tropicana’s value would plummet 30 percent to 40 percent in a bankruptcy sale.
   
Tropicana Entertainment lost operations of two of its three largest casinos last year and faces further scrutiny by Nevada regulators for handing out big executive perks even as the company faltered. A report in the Las Vegas Review Journal cited bonuses from $50,000 to $120,000 for several vice presidents no longer with the company. Theodore Mitchel, former senior vice president and CFO, received a base salary of $212,000 with a bonus of $100,000, even though he worked less than eight months for Tropicana Entertainment.
  
 The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Despite the slowing economy, which prompted several gaming companies to put the brakes on expansion in Atlantic City, Councilman Dennis Mason says development of the city’s most coveted tract of land is “way behind schedule.”

Mason and other city officials have laid out a timetable for the development of Bader Field, valued at approximately $1 billion.

A history of corruption surrounding Bader Field led to state involvement with the deal. New Jersey businessman Frank Barbera admitted last year that he paid former City Council President Craig Callaway $5,000 to get the inside track on the rights to develop the 140-acre former airport, which has often been touted as the perfect location for several casinos. Both men are now serving prison time.
   
The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, a state agency, initially wanted to oversee the sale, a right the city claimed as its own. When the city considered selling to Penn National in January—a no-bid deal that included $800 million for the land plus $100 million up front for quick property tax relief—CRDA Director Tom Carver called the deal “a scam” and an attempt to “steal Bader Field.”
   
The city then hired Philadelphia-based firm Jones Lang LaSalle Americas to shape the bid proposal, and Carver was mollified. The CRDA had initially retained Jones Lang LaSalle to help with Bader Field.
   
Bidders were given 60 days to submit their proposals. Mason says the city could choose a developer as early as November.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Atlantic City Council voted 6-1 in August to issue $56 million in bonds to help fund road improvements around the $2 billion Revel Entertainment casino project, now under construction on the Boardwalk.
   
The city’s role is to deliver lower interest rates from private lenders. Revel gets up to 30 years to repay; in the event of a default, the bondholders can put a lien on the 20-acre property and reacquire it for about a quarter of its value.
   
Councilman Timothy Mancuso, who voted in favor of the ordinance, nevertheless griped that the city was strong-armed by Revel when CEO Kevin DeSanctis said the casino would not succeed without improved access.
  
“I don't like being told we’re under the gun and being held hostage,” Mancuso said. But Joe Kelly, president of the Atlantic City Regional Mainland Chamber of Commerce, likes the measure.

“The economy is challenged and Revel has continued to invest in this city,” Kelly told council. “We need that investment.”

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Almost a year after the bang-up implosion of the old Sands casino, which was razed to make way for a new Pinnacle Entertainment resort, the credit crunch that’s locked up financing throughout the industry is keeping those big plans on hold.

For a time, discouraging words from CEO Dan Lee made the project seem tentative, at best. In May, Lee said the odds were 50-50 that the mega-resort would be built at all.
  
But late last month, Lee was talking about the project like it’s a sure thing. In testimony before the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, Lee sought to counter the doom-and-gloom predictions that have been prevalent in the media. He told New Jersey gaming regulators that, with more than $350 million already invested in Atlantic City, plus a great location and an emerging design theme, Pinnacle is determined to build the 3,000-room mega-resort. It is expected to cost “in the billons,” Lee said, and will feature a beach theme.

By Casino Connection Staff   Thu, Aug 28, 2008

On Thursday, September 18, Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and assorted luminaries including Governor Jon Corzine and Trump CEO Mark Juliano will cut the ribbon that officially opens the Chairman Tower at Trump Taj Mahal.
  
The 782-room, $255 million tower is another elegant addition to the Atlantic City skyline, and it was designed to dazzle. Like the Waterfront Tower at Harrah’s, which debuted in March, and the Water Club at Borgata, which opened in July, the Chairman Tower was created with the higher-end business and leisure traveler in mind, offering sophisticated comfort with all the conveniences.
   
Larger hotel rooms feature high ceilings, ultra-modern baths, double sinks recessed into Brazilian granite countertops, oversized walk-in showers, “smart beds” with pillow-top mattresses and premium linens, refrigerators and coffee stations, and safes.
   
Each room is also equipped with a 50-inch hi-def plasma TV, iPod docking station and wireless internet access. A total of 74 sumptuous suites also will be available.
   
The Chairman Tower—named for The Donald himself, of course—will connect to the Taj at the Spice Road level.
   
All the new towers represent a new direction for Atlantic City, which has set an ambitious goal to become the East Coast’s premiere destination resort, with the finest shopping, dining and hotels in addition to gambling.

Thu, Aug 28, 2008

As summer cools down, the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall heat up with an eclectic mix of entertainment, headliners and public shows for all to enjoy.

Celine Dion makes her debut at Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, September 20, as part of her Taking Chances World Tour. While many know her from the hit song “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic, Dion first gained international acclaim in the 1980s with the breakthrough theme of Disney’s animated movie Beauty and the Beast. The song reached No. 1 and won both a Grammy and an Academy Award. Dion takes the stage at 8 p.m. Tickets are $225, $150, $95 and $55.

On Saturday, November 22, Madonna returns to Boardwalk Hall with her Sticky & Sweet Tour, expected to surpass her sold-out Confessions Tour in terms of production, visual enhancement, technology, dancing and costumes. A special stage is being created to showcase Madonna, her band and a troop of dancers, promising a great experience for those in attendance at Boardwalk Hall. The Sticky & Sweet Tour is produced by Live Nation and presented by Caesars Atlantic City. Tickets are $350, $250, $150, and $50.

For tickets to either Celine Dion or Madonna, contact the Boardwalk Hall Ticket Office at 609-348-7000 or Ticketmaster at 800-736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

If you love food—and who doesn’t?—don’t miss the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, Friday, October 17 through Sunday, October 19 at the Convention Center. The show features demonstrations by celebrity chefs and hundreds of food and gift vendors. Visitors can sample gourmet foods, wines and spirits, and purchase gifts, kitchen appliances, cookbooks, spices, sauces and more.

Hours 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. Tickets to the Food & Gourmet Marketplace are $15 in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets to the Wine & Spirits Pavilion are $35 in advance and $50 at the door.  Tickets to both are $45 in advance and $65 at the door. Guests must be 21 years old in order to consume alcohol. For more information, call 609-398-4450 or visit www.gourmetshows.com.

The world’s largest indoor antiques and collectible show, Atlantique City, returns to the Convention Center Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19.

Visitors can expect to see Tiffany lamps, metal work, 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 the Asia.

Complimentary appraisals will be provided from noon to 4 p.m. Paid parking and free shuttle service to the show are available from Bernie Robbins Stadium and from the Boardwalk near Boardwalk Hall.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Advance show tickets, which include a reduced admission fee and early entry on Saturday, are available. For more information call 1-800-526-2724 or visit www.atlantiquecity.com.

The best place to explore the RV lifestyle is at the annual Fall South Jersey RV Show, Friday, October 31 through Sunday, November 2. The show will feature over 250 RVs and more than 90 manufacturer brands. From Class A, B and C motor homes to travel trailers, fifth wheel models, folding trailers and park models, this show offers comparison shopping for every travel budget.

Show hours are Friday noon to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for children 12-17 and seniors, free for children 11 and under. For more information, call 800-332-3976 or visit www.macevents.com.

Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Casino operators sometimes feel like ship captains: scanning the horizon, looking for land, but warning the crew that rough seas are still ahead. Though we know there’s a bright future in stire for Atlantic City, we also know that we must navigate some rough patches along the way.

As an industry, do we focus on a long-term strategy at the expense of the short-term, or work on short-term issues at the expense of our long-term success and transformation?  Actually, these concepts are not mutually exclusive. We must not only address the immediate challenges confronting us, but develop long-range strategies that will transform Atlantic City into a true destination resort.
   
First, let’s bring some balance to the sensationalism and gloom-and-doom that’s currently pervasive. While it’s true that we’ve experienced revenue declines over the past year and a half, let’s not lose sight of the fact that we have by far exceeded every reasonable expectation for casino gambling in Atlantic City.
   
The revenue the industry generates is huge; it in turn generates incredible economic returns for our region and the state. While we currently face many challenges—competition from Pennsylvania, a weakening economy and consumer confidence, rising gas prices, and the impending full smoking ban—let’s not lose sight of the fact that we are an extremely successful industry.
   
Five years ago, who could have anticipated the entertainment lineups we now take for granted (like Elton John and the Eagles performing simultaneously on a Saturday night in July)? Who would have believed luxury hotels would adorn Atlantic City (like Harrah’s Waterfront Tower, the Water Club and the soon-to-open Trump Chairman Tower)?
   
Who would have ever thought the old Holiday Inn and Howard Johnson’s would be transformed into a non-casino upscale hotel? Who would have envisioned the stellar culinary lineup we now enjoy in Atlantic City?
   
That said, we’re still a couple of years from the next new entrant, Revel, and at least several years more from the next resort after that. Many projects will not get back on track until the credit crunch ends.   
   
In the meantime, leaders of labor, business, government and our industry must work to ensure that when the credit crunch eases, we’re prepared for new casinos and casino expansions, tens of thousands of new employees, and millions of new visitors.
   
We must:

• Anticipate and address the current and future transportation infrastructure needs of Atlantic City and the region
• Increase the labor supply and address the workforce housing needs
• Streamline the process for new construction and renovation
• Work together with our regulators to eliminate needless casino regulation and the attendant costs
• Ensure that the city efficiently utilizes the hundreds of millions of tax dollars generated by our casinos
• Improve the overall image of Atlantic City
• Develop programs to promote Atlantic City as a destination, particularly mid-week

Though our revenues are down and the credit crunch has temporarily delayed new projects, we have an opportunity to methodically and persistently plan so that when this economic downturn is over, we have positioned ourselves to realize our potential.  

As ship captains long ago understood, we need to weather the current storm as we prepare for the promised land before us.

Thu, Aug 28, 2008

Atlantic City has a reputation for shooting itself in the foot, whether it’s in the gaming world or the political sphere. When you combine the two, the city outdoes itself for lunacy.

Members of City Council recently expressed urgency in the selling of Bader Field. I’ve wondered repeatedly why there is such a rush, given several facts:

• There are significant pieces of casino-zoned land—even on the Boardwalk—that have yet to be developed. These empty plots in the center of town contribute to Atlantic City’s image of “slums surrounded by casino palaces,” and developing them should be a priority.
   
• The recent scandals in Atlantic City, most notably the arrest and conviction of the former City Council president, were tied to Bader Field. Craig Callaway apparently solicited bribes connected to the development of the airport for more than two years before being brought up on charges. So any unseemly rush to sell Bader Field is therefore suspicious, and should be vetted completely.
   
• People involved in the process claim that any development will take at least 10 years to complete. They point to the Marina District, which took almost 10 years from inception to the opening of the Borgata. So the “rush” to sell the land is actually a “rush” to get it developed in a decade. That’s a long time. What’s another year or two in the big scheme? If it will get the city a couple of hundred million extra dollars (a plausible result), let’s take that extra time and do it right.
   
• A panel of experts—casino executives, state and local officials, land-use professionals, traffic and infrastructure authorities, interested residents—should be convened so all possibilities for Bader Field are evaluated. This will ensure transparency, which is rare in Atlantic City.
   
• The economy has tanked. City officials have a responsibility to get the most for Bader Field, and selling it in this distressed environment means that won’t happen. Look at Pinnacle Entertainment, which owns the property where the former Sands was located; the economy has forced that significant company to re-think its $2 billion plans. Colony Capital, owner of Resorts and the Atlantic City Hilton, has shelved plans for a $1 billion expansion at the Hilton.
   
Revel Entertainment is progressing in its Boardwalk development, but it’s no secret that it has yet to complete the financing on that $2 billion-plus development. And MGM Mirage, arguably the healthiest gaming company, financially speaking, may postpone its $5 billion CityCenter East development next to the Borgata.
   
Anyone who thinks the sale of Bader Field is going to solve Atlantic City’s economic problems hasn’t been paying attention. I’ve lived here more than 30 years and I can attest that Bader Field will play an important role in solving these problems only if we get the most money possible, then apply it to city finances in a responsible manner, reducing property taxes and encouraging spending cuts by city government.
   
Given the bad economy, the track record of Atlantic City and an unseemly rush to judgment, the sale of Bader Field must be put on the back burner. Let’s stop this train before it gets started.

By Frank Legato   Thu, Jun 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 19, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, May 12, 2008

By Roger Gros   Mon, Mar 10, 2008

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Roger Gros   Wed, May 23, 2007

By Frank Legato   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Roger Gros   Tue, May 22, 2007

By Frank Legato   Thu, Mar 01, 2007

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Feb 02, 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Jan 29, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Jan 22, 2010

By NBC 40 WMGM   Thu, Jan 21, 2010

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

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

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

By NBC 40 WMGM   Wed, Dec 02, 2009

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

 

By NBC 40 WMGM   Wed, Sep 30, 2009

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Sep 22, 2009

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By NBC 40 WMGM   Tue, Sep 22, 2009

By NBC 40 WMGM   Mon, Sep 21, 2009

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

 

By NBC 40 WMGM   Fri, Sep 11, 2009

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