At press time, we still haven’t seen the final shape of the legislation that will create a tourism district in Atlantic City under the auspices (we assume) of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. We don’t know if the regulatory reform bill is going to succeed intact or even produce the savings estimated. We don’t know if the casinos are going to have to continue to subsidize the dying (or dead) racing industry in the state. And we don’t know if all these changes will produce any results at all.

But what we do know is that we’re in for a period of transition when there will be uncertainty about how the new district, regulatory structures and even the economic benefits will work. Transition is not a bad thing; it’s just a necessary stage between two realities.

Since I can’t refer to specifics, we’ll just use some generalizations about why I believe Atlantic City has a bright and vibrant future. And I want to start way down south in Miami Beach, where I visited in the early 1990s. I stayed in the Fontainebleau hotel, which at the time was run down and had seen better days. But all of South Beach was run down. The “art deco” look that is today part of that trendy neighborhood was buried under years of grime and decay. But what did it have that no one else had? A beach and a vibrant street lining the ocean.

Sound familiar? Yes, South Beach of today could be Atlantic City of tomorrow. It took commitment from all the stakeholders in Miami to turn it around. There’s no reason that can’t happen here.
 
The gaming market is saturated. Gamblers who want to go to the closest casino or racino don’t bring a lot to a community beyond their gambling budget. They don’t bring personality. They don’t bring enthusiasm. And most of all, they don’t bring disposable income to spread around the business community.

Non-gaming attractions are the way to go. And we’re halfway there. Our shopping, food and beverage and entertainment are second to none. What holds Atlantic City back is simple perception and marketing. And safety and cleanliness, of course, but those are givens.

Atlantic City will rebound. Of that, I have no doubt. I hope it will be because everyone got together and rowed in the same direction. But I believe so strongly in Atlantic City, I think it will happen in spite of any naysayers. But it will take longer with resistance.

So let’s put aside our petty differences. No matter what shape the tourism district takes or how much the regulatory system changes or how long it takes the overall economy to rebound, let’s all accept the tools we have to work with and put everything we have into it. We’ll all benefit.

Another transition we’ll experience in the near future is personal to me. We have decided at Casino Connection to cease publishing our print edition. It has become too difficult to produce a printed magazine every month for a variety of reasons, not to mention the cost and the general trend away from printed publications.

But we’re not going away. We’ll still be available on the web at casinoconnection.com. We believe we will continue to deliver the news and the opinions that have become favorites of so many of our readers. The casino industry is an important part of the future of Atlantic City, and Casino Connection will remain a part of it.

So even though you don’t see us on the newsstands, visit our website on a daily basis. We’ll be offering breaking news, entertainment listings, contests and more. You’ll also see our updates on TV 40 as well as several radio offerings, so join us online and continue to enjoy everything Casino Connection has to offer.

It has been an honor being the one magazine that serves casino employees and executives. I can guarantee we will continue that mission on the internet. See you there!

By Roger Gros

Roger Gros is publisher of Casino Connection and Global Gaming Business, a the industry’s leading gaming trade publication. Prior to joining Global Gaming Business, Gros was president of Inlet Communications, an independent consulting firm. He was vice president of Casino Journal Publishing Group from 1984-2000, and held virtually every editorial title during his tenure. Gros was editor of Casino Journal, the National Gaming Summary and the Atlantic City Insider, and was the founding editor of Casino Player magazine. He was a co-founder of the American Gaming Summit and the Southern Gaming Summit conferences and trade shows. He is the author of the best-selling book, How to Win at Casino Gambling (Carlton Books, 1995), now in its third edition. Gros was named “Businessman of the Year” for 1998 by the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce.