Atlantic City Seeks New Image: Las Vegas's [Archive] - Page 10

acplayer

January 12th, 2009, 05:54 PM

Some A.C. development updates. Good news. It looks like Revel is financed and is going to build both towers.

From Pinky's Corner. As for casino development, I am happy to report that Revel Entertainment has received the revenue necessary to complete its complex. It should be noted that Revel will go ahead with the two towers for a total of 3,800 suites and rooms. Kevin DeSanctis is to be congratulated for putting this deal together and continuing the construction of this magnificent casino-hotel entertainment complex.
This columnist has been told by a reliable source that the purchase of the Trump Marina is set to be completed by May. The financing for the sale is in place. They will now seek the financing necessary to convert the Trump Marina into an a Margaritaville casino-hotel complex. This columnist believes that, within the next few months, the Tropicana will be purchased by the Cordish Company and that Dennis Gomes will take over as the president and chief executive officer. This will return Gomes to the property he helped turn into a winner for the Aztar Corporation, the former owners of the Tropicana. Sad to report that the Curtis Bashaw and Wally Barr casino-hotel project, at Albany Avenue, as well as Pinnacle Entertainment’s site, on the Boardwalk at Indiana Avenue, continue to be on hold until the economic conditions in our area change.
The following condominium projects have the approval of the Atlantic City Planning Board: The Marbella, at St. Catherine Place and Atlantic Avenue, has 306 units; the Breakers, between Annapolis and Richmond avenues, on the Boardwalk, has 150 units; the Landing at Caspian, New Hampshire and Caspian avenues, has 462 units; Atlantic 17, 3850 Atlantic Ave., has 193 units; Blocks 132 and 133, 600–700 Atlantic Avenue, adds 262 units; and the M&J at New Hampshire and Melrose avenues adds 181 units. It is anticipated that they will begin construction when the economic conditions change. Both the pending casinos and condominiums are waiting for their financiers to come up with the funds necessary for construction.

Intheknow

January 12th, 2009, 07:15 PM

Pinky is past his prime and I believe a little senile. That doesn't mean the article is incorrect but don't you think other media outlets would have reported this? Ask Pinky (who is on Boardwalk committee) why they haven't fixed the lighting on the boardwalk he bitched about MONTHS ago, typical AC, all talk no action.

AC officials are petitioning the state to raise taxes for their new 220+ million budget. 220 million for what, 40 some blocks? Beyond outrages.

The boardwalk is now CLOSED in front of the Enclave due to the fact that the two buildings your hero Curtis Bashaw "purchased" are falling onto boardwalk.

Fabrizio

January 13th, 2009, 04:55 AM

I have to agree: if Revel is really going ahead with 2 towers in this economic climate, then that's huge front-page news. Why have we not heard this anywhere else? Let's hope for the best.... but I'll believe it when I see it.

Ninjahedge

January 13th, 2009, 03:20 PM

That is incredibly stupid.

No sane developer builds a project like that in a recession. They build the base, maybe get one tower up, then put a temporary construction on the otehr (make sure the columns and braces are enough for a future development, but seal up the roof like there is no plans for anything in the near futrure).

The economy does a turn around, you can add your second tower to handle the influx, and do it at a small cost as compared to starting anew. Plan ahead!

Buy war bonds!!...oop, wrong era.....

acplayer

January 13th, 2009, 11:31 PM

Fabrizio, the building you were thinking of is the AtlanticCare addition to the hospital. I'm also curious why the Revel news isn't on the front page. As for Ninjahedge, I think, if Revel has the financing, then they should build both towers. Why? #1. It's cheaper for them to contruct both towers at once and guests don't want to hear construction on a second tower. #2. By the time Revel is finished, the economy will be coming out of the recession and people will be ready to spend at the newest casino attraction. #3. An additional tower with 1900 rooms and suites means more comped gamblers staying at the newest casino and losing their money there.

Intheknow

January 14th, 2009, 08:58 AM

Revel may not have full financing. Revel may not be completed. Layoffs are still occuring, see Harrahs. The City of Atlantic City has a bigger budget than all of Atlantic County. Our new Mayor Langford is a blowhard who was unemployed for three years, sued the City for $850,000 and major qualification is that he was once a Casino dealer, no wonder AC is stuck in the mud.

Ninjahedge

January 14th, 2009, 03:00 PM

zipburn

January 14th, 2009, 06:40 PM

Financing does not mean cash-in-hand. It means loans. So if you are going into a recession, it is not a good time to take a large home equity loan to expand your garage into a game room/auto shop/indoor pool area.

Also, I am aware that people do not like construction noise, but buisness wise, you simply do not build what you cannot fill. Having a half empth house will not earn them any more money than a full one with a single tower. Except loan payments would be significantly less.

Hell, they might even be ablt to pay off the politicians enough to get streetlights!

Still trying to understand the point of your post. REVEL is a new company, they were going to need financing no matter whether the state of the economy was in an upswing or downturn. Last I checked the project isn't going to be finished until the last quarter of 2010. So, how does the present state of the economy, in the begining of 2009, translate into how full the casino will be in 2011?

If you didn't know Atlantic City depends on conventions, increasing the stock of available rooms helps to attract more of them. Hence, more cash coming in equals more cash being invested.

ITK: This isn't the municipal government complaint forum, take that crap elsewhere. We all know they suck so stop repeating your tired lines. It would be greatly appreciated. I suggest if your going to degrade people, you should make sure the comment doesn't equally apply to yourself as well.

Intheknow

January 14th, 2009, 07:34 PM

Huh?

Intheknow

January 15th, 2009, 07:35 AM

Fabrizio, todays Press of AC, concerning AC mayor and Philadelphia mayor discussing mural arts program, what a waste of time, what good would that do, lets keep all the walls in the city barren, why help the kids, why beautify any parts of the city, etc..... Have you ever seen the before and after pictures of ghetto walls after the mural arts program was done with them? You should check it out maybe you guys would change your tune.

AC11

January 16th, 2009, 04:35 PM

Stores at the Pier are going to start closing. Eden Gourmet is gone. Sole Mio is now a Sunglass Hut.

Intheknow

January 16th, 2009, 09:52 PM

That's nothing. Casinos on the boardwalk are going to start to close. At least we have new facades.

acplayer

January 17th, 2009, 12:24 AM

Maybe a mural would help.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acmuralpetermax.jpg

Intheknow

January 17th, 2009, 09:33 AM

Although that looks good it would look alot better if it covered the WHOLE wall. Typical AC coming up short again and again and again......

Pinky, our old friend, mentioned in his column this week that the facades will be done in 2010, why so long? He also mentions the CRDA building a 1200 car garage on the boardwalk-sweet. He fails to mention that the lighting is still out on portions of the boardwalk and that the boardwalk is still CLOSED on the North end and in front of the Enclave. Thank God we have a Boardwalk committee.

Intheknow

January 22nd, 2009, 03:30 PM

Breaking Atlantic City development news!!!!! Mrs. Brown of New Hampshire Ave. has finished her birdhouse and it is currently being displayed in her front "yard". She has full financing but forsees declaring bankruptcy next year, just because this is Atlantic City.

It has been reported that Councilman Small tried to shake her down for a free room for his Small Ball, he backed off after hearing it was a birdhouse.

The Bader field debacle continues, getting better everyday. I forsee AC ripping down Bernie Robbins Stadium and the Skate Zone so they can expand their empty lot crusade.

giselehaslice

January 22nd, 2009, 03:45 PM

Can you please just shut up? Thanks <3

Intheknow

January 22nd, 2009, 04:52 PM

I'll shut up when AC opens a new Casino, you know the 5 or 6 you have been getting giddy over for the past years.

Resorts is being taking over by it's creditor.

zipburn

January 22nd, 2009, 09:02 PM

they are starting to put glass on the tower...if they were going to fold the project it would have happened awhile ago...but they aren't that short-sighted like some on here

Fabrizio

January 23rd, 2009, 04:39 AM

Resorts casino defaults on mortgage, faces foreclosure
By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Published: Friday, January 23, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY - Resorts Atlantic City, the fading grande dame of Boardwalk casinos, has defaulted on its mortgage and is facing foreclosure by its chief lender.
Column Financial Inc., a commercial mortgage subsidiary of investment bank Credit Suisse, wants Resorts' owner to voluntarily surrender title to the casino because it has fallen behind in payments on a $360 million loan. If Resorts refuses, Column intends to start foreclosure proceedings in New Jersey Superior Court to take over the casino, the company said in papers filed Thursday with the state Casino Control Commission. Column is seeking the commission's approval to order Resorts to resume making mortgage payments. Another option is to conduct "cash sweeps" at Resorts for the money to pay off the debt. Resorts spokesman Alan C. Marcus said the casino will remain open as usual and its operations will not be interrupted.

"This is a dispute between Resorts and a lender," Marcus said. "There's not a threat to Resorts' customers and employees." Duncan King, a spokesman for Column and Credit Suisse, declined to comment. If it forecloses on the property, Column likely would keep the casino open while searching for a new company to manage or own it, analysts said. Resorts, Atlantic City's first casino, is owned by an affiliate of Colony Capital LLC, a privately held Los Angeles real estate investment firm that bought the gaming hall in 2001 for $140 million. Resorts disclosed in a regulatory filing in November that it missed making a monthly interest payment on the Column loan "due to the extreme impact of the current economic conditions." At that time, Resorts said it was negotiating with Column in an attempt to work out a deal.

Analysts have predicted that Resorts' weak financial performance and heavy debt load likely will force the casino into bankruptcy unless parent Colony Capital gives it a cash infusion. Resorts' balance sheet revealed a net loss of $22.2 million through the first three quarters of 2008. The company burned through $17 million in cash heading into the close of the year, magnifying its financial difficulties. Financial statements indicate the casino's cash flow simply is too little to meet the interest payments on the $360 million of debt. Its debt load is about six times the average rate of the large casino companies, analysts say. For 2008, Resorts had gross gaming revenue of $233.2 million, down 16.3 percent from the previous year and the second-lowest among Atlantic City's 11 casino hotels. Only Trump Marina Hotel Casino raked in less revenue.

Resorts and its sister property, the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort, were the worst financial performers last year. The Hilton, also owned by an affiliate of Colony Capital, saw its gross gaming revenue plunge 18.3 percent to $249.1 million. Through the first nine months of 2008, Resorts' gross operating profits sank 60.5 percent, while the Hilton's were off 59.8 percent. Column Financial's action against Resorts does not involve the Hilton. Marcus, the casino spokesman, said Resorts and Hilton's ownership structure puts them under "a separate transaction," so the Column dispute will not spread to the Hilton. "If I had to compare it to something, Tropicana and Trump continue to operate and Resorts continues to operate," Marcus said. Tropicana Casino and Resort, stripped of its license in December 2007 after mass layoffs and regulatory violations, is under the control of a state-appointed conservator and headed for a bankruptcy auction to find a new owner.

Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc., operator of Donald Trump's three casinos, missed making a $53.1 million interest payment on Dec. 1 and is in negotiations with lenders to try to restructure $1.25 billion of corporate debt. The faltering economy and Atlantic City's casino slump have combined to put intense pressure on the entire gaming industry. Analysts say Resorts, Hilton, Tropicana and the Trump casinos all may land in bankruptcy. Marcus said Resorts and the Hilton are in no danger of closing. "Despite all these rumors going back over a number of months about properties closing, I've never heard of any of that internally," he said.

Resorts transformed Atlantic City into a casino town when it opened on May 26, 1978, under then-owner Resorts International Inc. However, the company fell into turmoil when former chairman James Crosby died in 1986. Donald Trump agreed to buy a controlling interest in Resorts in 1987. Entertainer Merv Griffin mounted a hostile takeover attempt. In 1988 they agreed to split the company, with Trump getting the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort and Griffin getting Resorts. Resorts' parent company filed for bankruptcy in 1989 and 1994 under Griffin's watch. Sun International Hotels Ltd. bought Resorts from Griffin in 1996 for $301 million. Sun took a heavy loss when it unloaded the casino for $140 million to Colony Capital five years later. Colony updated the aging property in the summer of 2004 by opening a new $125 million, 400-room hotel tower.

Intheknow

January 23rd, 2009, 09:10 AM

Has anyone heard of any plans to turn AC around??? Any Casinos doing anything different? AC gov. proposing any action? Maybe the plan is to let half the Casinos in town go bankrupt, maybe this is cost effective? I just can't understand why everyone is sticking to the same old, same old.

AC11

January 23rd, 2009, 10:39 AM

Fabrizio

January 23rd, 2009, 10:48 AM

Yeah right. AC has spent hundreds of thousands on master plans for the city and architectural guidelines for the boardwalk... all chock-full of valid advice.... yet little-to-none of it is being followed.

I'm sure that's just what they're waiting for... some schlepp off the street to tell them how to do things.

Intheknow

January 23rd, 2009, 12:57 PM

ITK.
Why don't you develop all of your ideas of how to change AC, and put it on paper. Break them down into different categories of projects and then take them to city hall, council meetings, the CRDA, SID etc. You obviously have an interest in this city, because you post constantly. So why not offer up some of your ideas to the people in positions of authority. I'm sure if you persisted you would make some headway.

It is very easy to sit on the sidelines and critique, its difficult to get out there and actually do something.

I have and still do, people in City Hall run and hide when they see me coming. Look for me at the next City Council meeting when our new esteemed mayor presents his budget. I am very patient and tenacious when i know I'm right.

I'm guessing no one on this board has heard of ANYTHING the City or Casinos are doing to turn the tide. What do these Casino execs do all day?

giselehaslice

January 23rd, 2009, 03:47 PM

This is pathetic!

ITK, I don't think anyone really reads this board anymore so you can stop posting the same exact thing 6,345,483,283,475,381 times over and over again.

If you have good info to post, please do. But right now, you are providing absolutely nothing to this thread other than brainless banter.

Intheknow

January 23rd, 2009, 04:59 PM

You want good info. Everything you have been professing to be true the last year has come to naught. Keep quoting Casino CEOs wonderboy, look where they have taken the City the last 30 years.

Hows Margaritaville doing? MGM? Pinnacle? Monthly revenues? Bader Field? Bashaw/Barr? The Boardwalk? Why don't you and AGG start an AC fan club maybe that will turn things around. Stick to what your good at-slots.

Intheknow

January 23rd, 2009, 07:34 PM

Well at least the Quarter at trop is having promotions to entice people in, I'll let you know how it was, maybe I'll put in a bid for the place while I'm there. I'm hoping to run into some politicians so they can tell me, once again, that things are in the works. Might even see Pinky, that would be sooooo exciting!

zipburn

January 24th, 2009, 02:50 AM

what is your deal ITK? you finally caught on? its not only the tropicana that is promoting events, harrah's (caesars, showboat, ballys and harrahs) has been promoting their night life with a new website acnightlife.com for awhile now...others have been promoting as well.. the same old plan? does involve the city government like you like to believe but private businesses that keep this city afloat. The master plan, this plan, that plan they are all great but government doesn't create anything but headaches. Just because we (ac11, giesel) have differing opinions doesn't mean we are quoting CEOs. I get my info from people that are above your sources, in which your sources distort the information recieved kind of like that child hood game where you stand in a circle and compare what was said with what is recieved at the end of the line. Saying half of all the casinos will be bankrupt and have their doors closed is beyond ignorant. It sure does take a special person to say such bullshit.

acplayer

January 24th, 2009, 01:51 PM

Although not very optimistic, I have to say ITN is right about half the casinos going bankrupt (Resorts, Hilton & 3 Trump properties) although I don't think the doors will close.

They really need to get back to the basics like a clean attractive city by the beach with lots of funs things to do and see (sand artist) that would attract honeymooners, familys, etc...

Honeymooners 1937

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acbwhoneymoon1937.jpg

Sand Artists
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acbeachartist1941.jpg

Fabrizio

January 24th, 2009, 02:10 PM

The master plan, this plan, that plan they are all great but government doesn't create anything but headaches.

You really should travel a bit.

BTW: The web address acnightlife.com does not work.

----

Some photos of the Dennis and Blenhiem in 1978.

Note the Dennis and how beautiful it was before it's ghetto-style paint job. It looks like the Dakota. This view of the 3 hotels is just exquisite:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/newjerseyatlanticcityennishotel1a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/newjerseyatlanticcityblenheimhotel1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/newjerseyatlanticcityblenheimhotel2.jpg

Intheknow

January 24th, 2009, 11:56 PM

"I'm not that optomistic". True. I own a business that requires huge amounts of credit. I see that it is very difficult for ANYONE to get loans. These casinos are going to feel the cost of doing business getting harder and harder, they are going to start to missing payments ala Resorts, Trump, this will spread to other Casinos ala Borgata, Harrahs. Shit ain't getting better in AC on ANY fronts. Have you seen stock prices of Casino companys? Worse than the financial institutions and they need a bailout. Who's going to bail out the Casnos? I'm not saying they are going to close, but then again who would have thought General Motors, Merrill Lynch, Bank of America!! would be dead or dying?

Fabrizio

January 25th, 2009, 11:15 AM

Lobby of the Blenhiem:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/above.gif

---

Lobby of the Beverly Wilshire on Rodeo Drive:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/losangeles_hotel_002p.jpg

AC11

January 28th, 2009, 09:18 AM

Link for a great article about AC written by an international traveler.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/destinations/usa/article5451935.ece

Also...great pics of the Blenheim. A true crime that ballys now stands where that palace once did.

Intheknow

January 28th, 2009, 04:22 PM

Revel halts work and lays off 400 today. Hmmmmmm.......ACPress. I guess this is normal? Gasol, Zippy, AGG. I guess it's all my fault.

Fabrizio

January 28th, 2009, 04:34 PM

Revel scales back work on $2 billion Atlantic City casino

Published: Wednesday, January 28, 2009

2:48 p.m. Update - ATLANTIC CITY — Revel Entertainment Group laid off about 400 workers today and halted work on the interior of its proposed $2 billion casino hotel while it searches for funding to complete the megaresort. Kevin DeSanctis, Revel’s chief executive officer, said exterior construction will continue on the 46-story hotel tower, the parking garage and structural steel for the casino and other parts of the project.

By halting work on the interior, Revel hopes to space out the construction with the financing it currently has on hand. DeSanctis would not say how much Revel and its investment partner Morgan Stanley have spent so far or would need to complete the casino. Revel had planned to open what would be Atlantic City’s 12th casino in the summer of 2010, but the timetable will be delayed for probably a few months or perhaps more depending on how long it takes the company to secure the financing, DeSanctis said.

Intheknow

January 29th, 2009, 10:29 AM

I assume that AC's glee club has disbanded. With all my ludicrios statements and ignorance and unsubstantiated drivel I've posted here, I guess Zippy, Gasol, AGG, etc.. have gotten sick of my B.S.

Actually with AC seeking to be like Las Vegas we are finally suceeding, we're both going downhill fast.

We still have the Monument.

Fabrizio

January 29th, 2009, 10:59 AM

And to think, just 3 weeks ago Pinky Kravits reported the following:

"As for casino development, I am happy to report that Revel Entertainment has received the revenue necessary to complete its complex. It should be noted that Revel will go ahead with the two towers for a total of 3,800 suites and rooms. Kevin DeSanctis is to be congratulated for putting this deal together and continuing the construction of this magnificent casino-hotel entertainment complex."

http://www.acweekly.com/view.php?id=10009

lofter1

January 29th, 2009, 11:08 AM

... Pinky Kravits ...

:D

In the film version Pinky will be played by Joe Pesci.

Fabrizio

January 29th, 2009, 02:06 PM

Pinky Kravitz and his legendary column "Pinky's Corner" is a hold-over from AC's pre-gambling days... he must be about 105 by now. As you can see... he just sort of makes things up and hopes for the best.

When he goes, expect a statue of him on Garden Pier right next to Mr. Peanut.

Intheknow

January 29th, 2009, 04:30 PM

Well, looking on the bright side, at least Revel will have the beautiful parking garage done.

I wonder if Pinky mentions anything in his weekly column or maybe he forgets what he wrote three weeks ago. Like the boardwalk lighting etc..

giselehaslice

January 29th, 2009, 11:33 PM

lofter1

January 29th, 2009, 11:43 PM

The great film "Atlantic City (http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/film_exhibitions.php?id=2462)" directed by Louis Malle (1981) and starring Burt Lancaster and Susan Sarandon will be playing at MoMA as part of the museum's "Still Moving" series during the last week of February:

Atlantic City. 1981. USA. Directed by Louis Malle. Screenplay by John Guare. With Burt Lancaster, Susan Sarandon, Kate Reid, Michel Piccoli. Gift of Paramount Pictures. 104 min.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009, 1:30 p.m., Theater 3, mezzanine, Education and Research Center

Thursday, February 26, 2009, 1:30 p.m., Theater 3, mezzanine, Education and Research Center

Friday, February 27, 2009, 1:30 p.m., Theater 3, mezzanine, Education and Research Center

Intheknow

January 30th, 2009, 08:52 AM

You people are sickening! How can you talk about somebody like that? (Not just because he's "Pinky", but because he's a human being with a life just like you.)

And if you read the article correctly, they never said that they are HALTING construction, just focusing on finishing the exterior before they start on the interior.

And yes ITK, I am still sick of your BS. I feel stupider every time I read this board!

Gisol, you feel stupider? or is it stupidest? You are in denial like the local and state officials. This is a tremendous blow to this project and to AC. Local officials have already started to spend the taxes from this project and they are about to start spending on Bader field.

What kind of effect will this have on AC when they realize this project is doomed? What if Resorts closes? Hilton? Trump? Maybe these dramatic developments will wake up city officials, I highly doubt it but just maybe.

What about the 56 million the City loaned Revel?

Is Pinky a human? He professes to be on the inside track to info. on AC but when he's wrong he just ignores it. He should concentrate on his role on the Boardwalk committee(which is a complete joke).

Another broken promise for AC.

lofter1

January 30th, 2009, 10:11 AM

Sammy Davis Jr and Pinky Kravitz (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1116/791990549_e1926f0b98.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/89777752%40N00/791990549&usg=__VTtVuvQO88ROmyWYHN2BvaxCxHY=&h=360&w=240&sz=46&hl=en&start=9&sig2=vUWGNSu5imLr2VXR_A9CRA&um=1&tbnid=pePqZA7i5k6mOM:&tbnh=121&tbnw=81&ei=JwqDSamgN5LgM4STwc8D&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522pinky%2Bkravitz%2522%26um%3D1%26 hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den-us%26sa%3DN)

For some reason I thought Pinky would be short ...

Fabrizio

January 30th, 2009, 07:51 PM

You should not feel completely disappointed.... at least he does wear a really bad wig.

----

giselehaslice: Sorry... but there is no reason to have respect for a "journalist" who reports out right lies.

"As for casino development, I am happy to report that Revel Entertainment has received the revenue necessary to complete its complex. It should be noted that Revel will go ahead with the two towers for a total of 3,800 suites and rooms. Kevin DeSanctis is to be congratulated for putting this deal together and continuing the construction of this magnificent casino-hotel entertainment complex."

http://www.acweekly.com/view.php?id=10009

He reported no sources for this. None.

And no news sources reported anything of the kind.

And will you please show us his retraction?

Thanks.

Intheknow

January 30th, 2009, 08:57 PM

Pinky has turned into what all other long time citizens have become-lazy, give me, give me, the Casinos will pay for that, free money, yea! Casino's, screw the city and it's history, where's my check ATTITUDE. Sad but true. Thank God I didn't grow up here.

I hope this City suffers so it's people may one day see the light. It's AC's only hope at this point. Face it, if you haven't learned after 30 years it's probably to late. A good kick in the wallet usually changes people.

I still have hope for this cesspool, but it's fading more and more.

giselehaslice

January 30th, 2009, 11:02 PM

Fabrizio, you don't have to respect him, and I agree that it is rediculous that there was no sources in his article. That however does'nt give you the right to mock and joke about him dying.

ITK, why is this a huge blow to the city of AC when you completely bash Revel hourly (with your every-12-minute posting schedule)? Your "arguments", if you can even consider them valid, are flimsy and change all the time.

lofter1

January 31st, 2009, 12:37 AM

Revel is doing itself adequate damage on its own -- with no help needed from the slim readership who are following the company's travails here at WNY.

acplayer

January 31st, 2009, 02:36 PM

Wow, what a difference 18 months makes. Every single development in A.C. is now dead. What a shame that just a couple of years ago A.C. had so much momentum and projects that I finally thought it was on the cusp of improving. I hope some of these projects move forward in the future.

MGM to consider Atlantic City land sale

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Staff Writer, 609-272-7258

Published: Saturday, January 31, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY - Gaming giant MGM Mirage Inc. says it may sell off 14 acres of waterfront land next to Trump Marina Hotel Casino as it looks to trim its real estate holdings in a recession-fighting move.

The company also said Friday it wouldn't rule out selling a 72-acre parcel adjacent to Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, although that land remains the proposed development site of the now-delayed $5 billion MGM Grand Atlantic City gaming resort.
"We would hope in the future to be able to carry those out," MGM spokesman Gordon Absher said of plans for transforming the property into a casino complex. "However, given the economic situation, were we to receive an offer, we would be obligated to consider it, just like we did with Treasure Island."
MGM, the second-largest gaming company behind Harrah's Entertainment Inc., is selling the Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas to billionaire Phil Ruffin for $775 million. It is also considering the sale of undeveloped land in Las Vegas and Atlantic City as part of plans by its new chief executive officer, Jim Murren, to strengthen its finances. "We, as a corporation, are looking to sell noncore assets. Noncore assets would be typically some of the large real estate holdings our company has," Absher said. "We are best known for our world-famous resort brands. But what is less known is that we are the largest landholder on the Las Vegas Strip and also have strategic holdings elsewhere, including Atlantic City."
MGM has toyed with the idea of developing its own casino in Atlantic City for years, but nothing has materialized. The company jointly owns Borgata with the casino's developer and operator, Boyd Gaming Corp.

Plans for the massive MGM Grand Atlantic City in the resort's Marina District were halted last year because of the deepening recession and global credit crisis. Absher said the company still wants to build the project, but noted that the economic meltdown could change everything.
"We have shelved that project, but not canceled it," he said. "However, the resumption of that project, like everything else, is undetermined because no one knows exactly how long it will take for this economy to turn around."
Less important to MGM is its 14-acre property across the street from Borgata, next to Trump Marina. Despite its scruffy appearance, the waterfront land is a valuable potential development site for a casino, luxury condominiums or a marina.
In 2004, MGM optioned the land to a condo developer for $22 million. The deal collapsed and ignited a court fight between MGM and the developer over ownership of the property. The courts ruled in MGM's favor last year.
Over the years, the land has been the proposed site of at least two casinos. At one point, MGM discussed the possibility of developing a casino there in partnership with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the owner of the Foxwoods casino in Connecticut.
Despite its ownership by MGM, the land is more closely associated with the adjacent Trump Marina Hotel Casino. The property has long been viewed as a potential site for Trump Marina's expansion. Trump Marina, now owned by Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc., is being sold for $270 million to Coastal Marina LLC, a New York gaming group that plans to transform the aging property into a Margaritaville-themed casino in partnership with singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. The sale is expected to close by May, but Coastal Marina has not yet announced how it will finance the deal.

Intheknow

January 31st, 2009, 05:26 PM

All hope is not lost. Mrs. Brown has reportedly obtained the financing for a second birdhouse!! Construction is to be completed by 2012, this being AC it will take 3 1/2 years to get the necessary permits and grease enough palms from here to Trenton.

Intheknow

February 2nd, 2009, 07:24 PM

I wonder what will become of the Bella Condos. They advertised that they will be right near the beautiful, luxurious, Revel Casino. Now these people are stuck in crackville with a skeleton of a casino blocking their view. They may actually become insolvent. What a long strange trip the last 18 months were in AC.

Does anyone have any positive news to report? Besides the fact that Pinky is still alive.

zipburn

February 4th, 2009, 11:34 PM

your still posting on here so I guess not...

Intheknow

February 5th, 2009, 03:18 PM

AC Gateway and the Dunes, are one in the same.. can't hold ac gateway responsible for destroying something that wasn't there, like a neighborhood or anything that was structurally sound... Pinnacle knocked down the sands, which is an improvement but did force the tenants on the boardwalk out... thats about it.. plus you are acting like nothing is going to be built on those lots... and again for the LAST time MS can finance REVEL on its own..

If you say so.

block944

February 5th, 2009, 04:29 PM

Holy COW!! The express train from NYC to Atlantic City is a JOKE! 50 dollars each way and you zig zag from NYC to Newark to Philadelphia back to Atlantic City???? They always had that and its stupid as its over a 2.5 hour ride. I thought they were going to complete the tracks from the NJ coast line all the way down to Atlantic City. Good job NJ another piece of garbage project. What new yorker would spend 100 dollars to take at train when they can rent a car for a weekend for cheaper or take a bus and get cash back to play? Imagine 2 people go? Thats 200 dollars and the atlantic city station does stop at the casinos so you need to take another bus or cab.

Stupid again

Marv95

February 5th, 2009, 06:29 PM

^^For once I agree with you lol.

I mean, at least(?) $100 round trip(with NO casino bonus I might add, at least Metro North has a rail/casino package), who the heck can afford that in this economy? And the bus will get you there quicker than the train! If this train made an extra stop in Philly this would be the biggest wastes of all time. I thought it was gonna be $50 round trip when I first heard about it.

And why start so early? Who's going down there in the middle of winter?

Intheknow

February 5th, 2009, 07:28 PM

Penn National gaming killed it's AC plans for a Casino on Rt. 30 today.

The Bella Condos are now selling for $395,000 for Ocean front, 2 bed 2 bath. Yikes!

acplayer

February 5th, 2009, 07:40 PM

Development will eventually pick up but nothing like the pace of all the pie-in-the-sky proposals of just a couple of years ago.

Route 30 casino plan dies in Atlantic City

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Staff Writer, 609-272-7258

Published: Thursday, February 05, 2009

2:25 p.m. Update - ATLANTIC CITY — In another setback for Atlantic City’s withering casino market, Penn National Gaming Inc. has killed plans to transform a desolate patch of land into a megaresort comparable to Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.

Citing the weak economy, the Pennsylvania-based company announced today that it would not exercise its option to buy the proposed 23-acre development site along the Route 30 corridor on the outskirts of town.
City Council approved a zoning change in September to allow casino development at the site, despite complaints from a community group that the project would overwhelm the surrounding neighborhoods with traffic congestion. Penn National said earlier it wanted to build a casino that would be “Borgata-like” in its scope. Penn now joins the developers of three other proposed Atlantic City casinos that have shelved their projects because of the recession and global credit crisis.
Route 30 casino plan dies in Atlantic City

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Staff Writer, 609-272-7258

Published: Thursday, February 05, 2009

zipburn

February 5th, 2009, 07:45 PM

The train is marketed for higher level players. It clearly states that in multiple press releases, infact its in almost every article. It clearly states that it is for people who don't have a car and don't want to ride on the bus with the rest of the low lifes who need the 10 dollar coupon. I don't know how people missed it, its in basically every god damn article they ever printed.

ITK, "if you say so.." please why does it take so many posts, and it still flys over your head?

Fabrizio

February 5th, 2009, 07:59 PM

The train ride time is absurdly long in this day and age (amazing how the US has become an infrastructure backwater compared to the rest of the world) ... but 50 bucks one-way for that distance on first-class, is not a bad deal.

Busses on the other hand are supposed to be cheap. But I'd pay the 50 bucks and take the train.

--

Intheknow

February 5th, 2009, 09:25 PM

Zippy, if Morgan Stanley can finance the Revel project why aren't they stepping up to the plate and saying we're moving full steam ahead? Can you even comprehend what you write?

The train is $75.00 for first class not $50.00. Having said that, I'd much rather take to the rails than any other mode of transportation.

The Hilton is starting to expand rather than retract under the new CEO.

giselehaslice

February 6th, 2009, 12:02 AM

^Obviously they are not trying to rush the opening of the Casino, the economy is in the toilet. Why would they rush to open the place up when almost nobody will be spending any money?

Oh well, like it's been said, some people will never get it.

zipburn

February 6th, 2009, 05:41 AM

Zippy, if Morgan Stanley can finance the Revel project why aren't they stepping up to the plate and saying we're moving full steam ahead? Can you even comprehend what you write?

So, lets get this straight... you have been here all but 3 years(the fastest growth during this time). Now, you believe that Morgan Stanley will eat over $300 million dollars in investment, and risk defaulting on the $65 million city bond that was recieved, effectively taking away the land they acquired. I'm sorry but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure this one out.

^Obviously they are not trying to rush the opening of the Casino, the economy is in the toilet. Why would they rush to open the place up when almost nobody will be spending any money?

Oh well, like it's been said, some people will never get it.

OMG, if you were/are a girl i'd marry you.... I have been concerned about their opening in late 2010, considering only the NATT's post now they wouldn't get how that would be a positive. It's nice to see someone who gets it!

Fabrizio

February 6th, 2009, 06:06 AM

Yes, some people don't get it indeed.

Casinos are still opening in the US and more are planned. Actually the rush for legalizing gambling is happening now... in this downturn.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090126/ap_on_bi_ge/states_gambling_on_gambling

And if every article about AC mentions the "stiff competition" from Pennsylvania slots, obviously somebody is playing.

AC needs the Revel now. People on the East coast, in the meantime, are turning to resorts like Foxwoods in Conn.... the world's 3rd largest Casino.

The MGM at Foxwoods (opened this past summer):

http://www.mgmatfoxwoods.com/index.aspx

The problems in AC are greater than just this bad economy... and by the time Revel is opened, AC (the city) will be in even worse shape than it is now... making it even less competitive. 20 years ago AC had the market cornered... it no longer does.
Revenues are down for every body, but who is in the best shape to weather the storm? Who has the most attractive goods to sell in a buyers market? Does AC?

From today's ACPress

Plans die for another Atlantic City casino
Published: Friday, February 06, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY - This gambling town is the home of the famous board game Monopoly. But its casino industry is starting to look more like the game of dominoes. As one project falls, it is followed by another and another and another. The latest casino to go by the wayside is a proposed megaresort by Penn National Gaming Inc., the Pennsylvania-based company that was granted a zoning change only five months ago to develop the project.

Blaming the recession and Atlantic City's withering casino market, Penn said Thursday it is scrapping plans to build on a 23-acre site along the Route 30 corridor, far away from the existing casinos. "I think as we've watched New Jersey, sadly, that's a market at the moment that is significantly less appealing to us, and that shouldn't be a surprise," said Peter M. Carlino, Penn's chairman and chief executive officer. "There is much more bad news coming."

Carlino noted that Atlantic City is mired in a prolonged slump and will face extra competition from Pennsylvania's gaming industry when a new slots parlor opens in Bethlehem in May. Competition will become even more intense when Philadelphia's two proposed casinos open in the next few years, he added.

"That's nothing but bad, bad, bad news for Atlantic City," Carlino said in a conference call Thursday with analysts. "It's going to be a while, and maybe a long while, before the picture changes in Atlantic City. It's not a pretty picture." Penn's involvement in Atlantic City is critical because the company is also a potential developer for Bader Field, the 140-acre former airport that may be transformed into a multi-casino site. Penn originally offered to buy Bader Field last year for $800 million, but the proposal was turned down in favor of a competitive bidding process. The first round of bidding produced no offers, so city officials agreed last month to push back the deadline for formal development proposals until June 30. Penn said it will study its options for Bader Field.

"As far as Bader is concerned, we will evaluate the opportunity once the process begins again," said Eric Schippers, Penn's senior vice president of public affairs. "We did not proceed with Route 30 given the current state of the economy and downward trend we're seeing in Atlantic City right now."

Penn originally had wanted to build what it touted as a "Borgata-like" casino along Route 30, on the outskirts of town. City Council approved a zoning change in September to allow casino development at the site, despite complaints from a community group that the project would overwhelm the surrounding Venice Park neighborhood with traffic congestion.

"While pulling out of the project right there on Route 30 is consistent with the wishes of the neighbors of Venice Park, I would hope they are not pulling out of Atlantic City altogether," Anthony Cox, president of the Venice Park Civic Association, said of prospects of Penn finding another casino site. Penn now joins the developers of three other proposed casinos that have shelved their projects because of the economic meltdown and global credit crisis.

MGM Mirage Inc. has indefinitely delayed plans for a massive $5 billion gaming complex that would rise next to Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. is waiting out the recession before starting work on a $1.5 billion casino at the former Sands Casino Hotel site. Another development group, headed by Cape May hotelier Curtis Bashaw, has put its proposed $1.5 billion to $2 billion casino at the foot of Route 40 in hibernation for two years.

George Miller, an Atlantic City attorney who represents Penn National, complained that petty turf battles have blinded New Jersey's political leaders to the threat posed by Pennsylvania's slot parlors. Miller, coincidentally, is a co-owner of one of those slot parlors, the Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack. "I met with politicians galore in Atlantic City and showed them what we were going through and nobody wanted to hear it," Miller said. "They didn't want to believe me. They thought it wasn't going to happen."

Miller called on city officials to "get creative" with their economic assistance to stimulate construction of thousands of new hotel rooms to support the casinos and the Atlantic City Convention Center. "I tried to explain that two years ago, but everybody thought that Atlantic City was insulated from the rest of the world," he said. "I think someone has to stop the parochial bickering and begin to organize the labor unions, the city and the state."

--

Intheknow

February 6th, 2009, 09:16 AM

Ziipy, Gasil. Do you know the ramifications of shutting down a project mid-stream? Both financially and physically?? First thing that is going to happen is the engineering firm who designed building will no longer be responsible, they will sign off on the project!! It goes way down hill from there. Do I think MS will write off project? Yes.

giselehaslice

February 6th, 2009, 03:40 PM

In response to Fabrizio, yes there are still some casinos opening in the US, but for the most part, they were planned and/or under construction far in advance to when Revel was even in the planning stages. And plus, I find it funny that you would mention these projects, especially when you are such an architecture conoisseur, which are literally BOXES with slot machines in them. All the new projects within AC have been 1,000 times better than these (ahem...Sands in Bethlehem PA, very classy and hip indeed.)

ITK, if a project is built correctly is should'nt have problems sitting for a few months if not years (hopefully not in Revel's case.)

Fabrizio

February 6th, 2009, 04:19 PM

Gisel... your lack of reading comprehension is trying.

Am I praising those boxes with slot machines?

The fact that those tacky boxes with slots in them are taking away business from the tacky boxes in AC is sad but rather predictable.... and that's the point: if AC had gone in a truly upscale, well designed direction, with casino/hotels that contributed to the city's ambience (rather than turning their back) AC would be in a better position as an inviting place. Instead, cheap tacky slot parlours are actually seen as a threat .... and that's pathetic. But that's AC: all of it's treasures torn down, empty lots, beach-blocks given over to blank walls and parking garages, desolate streets, ghetto shacks and other crap... so it's no wonder going to slot parlours in Pennsylvania is more inviting than coming into Atlantic City.

And about planned projects: read the link I posted.

--

giselehaslice

February 6th, 2009, 05:52 PM

I never said you were praising them, just found it interesting (and predictable) that you would post something anti-Atlantic City. Especially if it is for some boxy arcade/casino/bowling alley thing in the Lehigh Valley or wherever it may be. Don't even get me started on comparing Atlantic City Casinos to slot parlors. There is nothing remotely similar between the two. This really makes me question if you have really even been to Atlantic City within the past 4/5 years.

If you want to make your side relevant, you need to talk about Boyd Gaming halting their couple billion dollar resort in Las Vegas, not a slot parlor.

The past is gone forever, we need to focus on the future. That's what really is important now, not crying about how things were demolished 30 years ago.

Fabrizio

February 6th, 2009, 06:37 PM

*sigh*

It is the ARTICLE which appeared in the ATLANTIC CITY press that brings up the subject of slot parlours... BTW I did not write the article : "Carlino noted that Atlantic City is mired in a prolonged slump and will face extra competition from Pennsylvania's gaming industry when a new slots parlor opens in Bethlehem in May."

"George Miller, an Atlantic City attorney who represents Penn National, complained that petty turf battles have blinded New Jersey's political leaders to the threat posed by Pennsylvania's slot parlors.

Intheknow

February 6th, 2009, 08:11 PM

zipburn

February 8th, 2009, 05:20 AM

What's ACs future Gosal? Half built Casinos, blown up Casinos, 5 Casinos bankrupt, deficit shortfalls feeding the drain on the City?

MGM, Pinnacle, Penn National hoping to get out, Revel wishing they never got involved, Tropicana unable to sell. You're right, in the PAST Casinos were fighting to enter AC,, in the FUTURE it will probably look like a scene from the Planet of the Apes.

Half built casinos? there is only one current casino being built and sorry to inform you they are still working on it..blown up casinos? there was only one and that was the sands...obviously by your own admissions you never ventured into that shit hole... it need to be demolished, it was grade a trash! LAST i checked not one Atlantic City Casino is in bankruptcy protection... so again were is your substance? sounds like typical flithadelphia bullshit.....

"MGM, Pinnacle, Penn National hoping to get out, Revel wishing they never got involved, Tropicana unable to sell."

MGM, looking to sell land that they went to court for which borders the inlet and trump marina..sounds like looking to get out to me...? God you make me want to puke with your utter ignorance......you just pull shit out of your ass and post on here, don't you? Tropicana isn't selling because THE STATE OF NJ'S GOVERNMENT(yeah fabrizio, the great government, your hero's) put a retired judge who was making $150,000 a year from the taxpayers of NJ as a pension. He is now getting free limo service, high roller treatment in the casino, and has already grossed over $3 million dollars from the tropicana. Why would he want to make a deal and sell the place? He is making big money while private business is suffering...

Fabrizio

February 8th, 2009, 08:29 AM

Isn't it ridiculous that an elegant old hotel like the Claridge should host something like the pathetic "Pennyville Parlor"?

In any other top-notch city in the world, a structure like the Claridge would be reserved as a super high-end luxury property.

From todays ACPress:

Economy overwhelms fantasy at the Claridge Pennyville parlor

ATLANTIC CITY - June Meyer got lost on her way to Pennyville.
Actually, you might say Pennyville is lost. "I'm confused," Meyer, a gambler from West Deptford, Gloucester County, said while gazing at unfamiliar surroundings. "I didn't know Pennyville was gone. It was here a month ago."

The "town" that featured Penny Lane as its main street and a mustachioed, top hat-wearing mayor who bore a strong resemblance to Rich Uncle Pennybags of Monopoly fame has vanished off the casino map. Although Pennyville was a fantasy world of penny slot machines and whimsical characters in the Claridge Tower at Bally's Atlantic City, its demise reflects the harsh realities of the recession-ravaged casino industry.

Harrah's Entertainment Inc., parent company of Bally's, has shut down Pennyville and most of the other casino space in the Claridge because of declining business. It has also scaled back operations at the Wild Wild West Casino, the old frontier-themed gambling parlor that is another part of the Bally's complex.

"As we continue to see the impact on our businesses from the current economic conditions, our analysis indicates that we have an oversupply situation with slot units," Harrah's said in a statement explaining the downsizing. In other words, Pennyville no longer makes sense in an industry that is going through convulsions right now. In the past year, Atlantic City has been jolted by declining revenue, thousands of job cuts, the delay or loss of four proposed casinos, and intense competition from Pennsylvania's slot parlors.

Harrah's has taken 900 slot machines out of service at the Claridge and Wild Wild West, leaving Bally's with 3,900 slots now. In its statement, Harrah's said parts of the Claridge and Wild Wild West would remain temporarily closed, but it did not give a timetable for when they will reopen.

Most noticeable are the changes to the Claridge, the stately, Depression-era hotel that doubles as a casino. Only the second floor of the formerly three-level casino remains open. Even parts of the second floor have been sealed off by newly erected walls. Such dramatic changes have prompted fears that the Claridge could be the next Sands Casino Hotel, the undersized gaming hall that was imploded in 2007 to make room for a proposed new casino that never materialized because of the economic meltdown.

"It's a pang to think that anything could happen to the Claridge," said Vicki Gold Levy, an Atlantic City historian. "I hope that whatever they do, they're going to keep it. It's just a beautiful, beautiful hotel."

Rumors began swirling last year that the Claridge might not survive an extensive redevelopment plan that Harrah's has been discussing for Bally's. Harrah's statement did not address Claridge's long-term future, but company spokeswoman Alyce Parker said the casino cutbacks were prompted by declining business, not by any redevelopment plans.

Dubbed the "skyscraper by the sea" when it opened in 1929, the 24-story Claridge was a relative latecomer to the posh hotels that embellished the Boardwalk early in the 20th century. "At one time, it was also called the 'baby of the Boardwalk' because it was the last of the great hotels to be built," Levy said. "The Claridge was the most modern hotel when it was built. It had beautiful fountains and famous people stayed there."

The red-brick hotel began a second life as a casino in 1981. The Claridge Casino Hotel was once a stand-alone gaming hall before it was folded into the colossal Bally's complex in 2002 after an ownership change. Now it is officially known as the Claridge Tower at Bally's, although the name Claridge Casino Hotel is still boldly spelled out in big red letters at the entrance overlooking Brighton Park.

These days, the Claridge's hotel lobby is a virtual ghost town. The hotel check-in counter, casino cash booth and valet parking stand are deserted on the first floor. Few people walk on the lobby's glossy marble floors now.
Guests staying in Claridge's 500-room tower check in at the Bally's lobby. Despite the downsizing of Claridge's casino operations, the hotel remains in use and was booked solid during the Lunar New Year celebration last weekend, Parker said.

Intheknow

February 8th, 2009, 09:56 AM

MGM is considering selling their land, it was in the paper last week. My utter ignorance fails to remember the date it was published.

Every week there is a story like the one above coming out. I'm telling you Zippy, you haven't seen the worst of ACs troubles.

giselehaslice

February 8th, 2009, 11:59 AM

Fabrizio, are you joking? Claridge is hardly a beautiful property. Have you seen Hotel Pennsylvania in Midtown? It's along the same lines of Claridge and is a complete DUMP. It is a good thing though that the "Pennyville Parlor" is dead.

Fabrizio

February 8th, 2009, 12:32 PM

Honestly Gisel.... do have a hard time with English?

Yes, the Claridge under Bally's management is a dump.

Reread my comments. Read them slowly.... word by word... and let's see if you can get it.

I know this is a rather "high concept" idea for you... but dumps are often restored to their original slendor. It happens all the time.

giselehaslice

February 8th, 2009, 02:42 PM

Actually, its seems like you are the one with the problem with reading comprehension. Do you understand what I said about the Hotel Pennsylvania across from Penn Station? It's located in a world-class city, and according to what you are saying, because it is in a world-class city, it should be super luxury.

And critisizing my English is pretty funny, considering you can't spell splendor correctly.

Intheknow

February 8th, 2009, 05:47 PM

Gasol, you sound dumberer every time you write something here.

Fabrizio

February 8th, 2009, 05:53 PM

Gisel: I silled orange juice on my keyboard and a few keys are sticking and it's like imossible to get fixed, so get used to it.

And by the way: it's selled "criticizing" and not "critisizing".

Intheknow

February 9th, 2009, 02:26 PM

According to todays AC Press the only development to be finished this year is the wedding chapel inside the pier. We're moving right along.

The Bella Condos (which I looked at yesterday) are doomed.

Fabrizio

February 9th, 2009, 05:49 PM

I can understand getting married in Atlantic City if you're drunk out of your mind, and don't really know what you're doing.... but actually planning a wedding there? On the pier above a shopping mall?

Intheknow

February 9th, 2009, 06:41 PM

I think Zippy and Gesal mentioned something about getting married......

The odd thing is, it's taking THREE years and counting to get this Chapel up and runniing. What ever happened to all the "Times Square" lighting that was supposed to adorn the pier?

Intheknow

February 10th, 2009, 03:44 PM

FYI- AC Casino win down over 9% in January. Is PA contracting also?

Fabrizio

February 10th, 2009, 07:35 PM

The web site of the Sands Casino to open in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. This is quite a project with the Sands Las Vegas building the casino and the city of Bethleham behind the rest. Opening is for May 2009.

Be sure to click on "Master Plan" and read the text. Look at "News".

http://www.sandsbethworks.com/index.html

More from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sands_BethWorks

Intheknow

February 10th, 2009, 08:06 PM

Bethlehem is a beautiful little town, or was, putting a Casino in your town is a quick way to make a buck, but at what cost? Just look at Atlantic City.

Fabrizio

February 10th, 2009, 08:15 PM

Of course it's only one casino but note the web-site text... it looks like they're learning from the failures of AC... :

"It is now commonly recognized by planners, policy makers, and downtown stakeholders that there is a new commitment to urbanism. The Master Plan for the site is for a variety of preservation and adaptive re-use for the most significant of Bethlehem Steel structures."

"Cultural institutions that are tourist attractions combined with housing, service retail, destination retail, and entertainment will ultimately help promote a vibrant city center."

"The Sands Bethlehem's development process and final master plan will be respectful of, and be compatible with, the existing community, businesses, and neighborhoods."

"The importance of respecting the history of the site by maintaining its unique industrial setting is among the chief goals of the Las Vegas Sands Corp. development team."

"Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem will be a mix of old and new. It is being built on the site of the historic Bethlehem Steel, and will incorporate many of the remaining historical elements of the famed plant. For example, the massive ore crane will be part of the casino design and will serve as a reminder of the “old days” past when visitors drive under it as they approach the brick, steel, and glass porte cochere."

Aren't those all of things I've been suggesting for AC?

ZippyTheChimp

February 10th, 2009, 08:33 PM

Bethlehem Steel Works

http://www.pbase.com/ckuhn55/bethlehem_pa

http://www.pbase.com/transposure/bethlehem_steel_plant

Intheknow

February 10th, 2009, 10:00 PM

Writing a master plan and adhering to it are two different things, see AC master plan. I'm sure the citizens of Bethlehem will not roll over like those in AC.

At least they are utilizing Bethlehem steel works, I stll have misgivings of a Casino.

Fabrizio

February 11th, 2009, 05:23 AM

From today's AC Press:

Run of bad luck continues at Atlantic City casinos

Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY - Casino revenue declined by a nearly double-digit margin in January, an ominous start in 2009 for a gambling town that continues to be battered by the recession and competition from Pennsylvania slot parlors. In what may be a harbinger for Atlantic City for the entire year, revenue sank 9.4 percent compared with January 2008, according to figures released Tuesday by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. Slot winnings were down 9.6 percent, to $211.6 million, and revenue from table games skidded 9.1 percent, to $109.8 million, for an overall take of $321.4 million for the 11 casinos.

The casino industry is in the midst of a dubious streak of five straight months of declining revenue. With the recession deepening and competition from Pennsylvania getting more intense, one gaming analyst believes the outlook for 2009 is bleak. "We do think it's going to be negative growth and not just slightly negative. We think the numbers for the first six to nine months of the year will be significantly negative," said Cory H. Morowitz, chairman of Morowitz Gaming Advisors LLC. Joe Domenico, senior vice president and general manager of Bally's Atlantic City, characterized the slumping market as "a new world" that shows no signs of a quick rebound. "All I can say is, I think it will be a challenge for the balance of 2009," Domenico said.
Morowitz noted that no new casino hotel towers or other major expansion projects will open this year to stimulate growth at a time when customers are cutting back on their gambling budgets.

"I can't think of any positive catalysts for Atlantic City this year," he said. "There's really nothing you can point to that would drive positive growth."
In January, the casinos failed to capitalize on a favorable calendar that gave them two more weekend days than the same month in 2008. Domenico said harsh winter weather partly negated the lucky calendar.

Every property in town except for Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort suffered a revenue decline for the month. The Taj Mahal's table game revenue surged nearly 22 percent and slot winnings were up 1.6 percent, for a 9.8 percent gain overall. Donald Trump's flagship casino has been helped in recent months by the opening of a new 40-story hotel tower and the new gamblers it has attracted. Resorts Atlantic City, the oldest casino in town, posted a 25.4 percent revenue drop to lead January's losers. Showboat Casino Hotel wasn't far behind with a 21.8 percent decline and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino followed with a 21.3 percent decrease in revenue. Also hit with big declines were the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort, off 19.1 percent, and Bally's, down 16.9 percent.
Declining business has prompted Bally's to take a total of 900 slot machines out of service in the Claridge Tower and Wild Wild West Casino, which are part of the sprawling, multi-themed Bally's gaming complex. Domenico said the weak economy and lack of consumer spending prevented him from predicting when those machines might go back online. "From a consumer's standpoint, it seems somewhat down in visitation," he said of a drop in Atlantic City tourism. "And what we're really seeing go down is individual spending right now."

While Atlantic City continues to struggle, the rival Pennsylvania casino market is going strong. In January, revenue generated by Pennsylvania's seven slot parlors jumped 23.1 percent, to $132.3 million. Giving Pennsylvania a boost was last February's grand opening of the $310 million Hollywood Casino outside Harrisburg. Come May, the opening of the new $743 million Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pa., will create even more competition for Atlantic City.
"I think that will have an impact on Atlantic City," Morowitz said of the Sands casino and its 3,000 slot machines.

--------------

And you guys really think the Revel delay is good strategy?

Intheknow

February 11th, 2009, 08:18 AM

The Revel delay is not a strategy it's a neccessity. You can't spend what you don't have. Morgan Stanley stock price dropped something like 10% yesterday, they're looking to merge before the ship sinks.

Atlantic City officials (gov. and casino execs) have yet to offer any plans to stop the continuing downfall, goes to show that our leaders are not the brightest bunch of thieves. February in AC has looked even more desolate, if that is possible.

zipburn

February 12th, 2009, 12:32 AM

wow $348 million and $750, big spenders! Works really well when the people in the surrounding areas recently lost their jobs! People from VA, DC, MD, DE, NY, MA, CT will all come to Atlantic City..they won't go to a glorified slot parlor in east bumblef*ck, pa..who wants to go where it smells like cowshit in the summer? Sounds like HIGHROLLERS to me!!!!

as far as jan. numbers are concerned down less than 10% is pretty good given the current situation....I was expecting alot worse!

Again I ask, ITK please stop posting about how busy the city is, you are obviously lying and have no backing for your constant fabrications...

Fab, the Claridge is a dump, it was a dump before harrahs bought it, it needs major renovations. The floor plan doesn't work well as a casino. If you do go in there you will find quite a few table game players though. In my opinion they should fully revamp the place as a high class boutique hotel with table games as their major selling point... it won't happen anytime soon though because they have a giant empty lot right next door and because of historic preservation complaints half the building is a different color, so much for sprucing up the exterior.

Fabrizio

February 12th, 2009, 02:43 AM

Intheknow

February 12th, 2009, 09:15 AM

[quote=zipburn;274012]it won't happen anytime soon though because they have a giant empty lot right next door

Revel is surrounded by empty lots. I honestly think you are mentally impaired, that's not a personal insult, I have a friend that is mentally impaired, real nice guy.

zipburn

February 12th, 2009, 08:56 PM

^^ coming from the guy who can't perform a simple task such as quoting......

You have no foresight, your posts are old and tired, and you provide little to any substance. Keep up with insults, you just sound more and more ignorant. I guess you can't expect much more than trash when it comes to filthadelphia.

zipburn

February 12th, 2009, 09:08 PM

^"...and because of historic preservation complaints half the building is a different color, so much for sprucing up the exterior."

I don't understand what you are saying here, could you explain further? Thanks.

Harrah's Ent. wanted to do work on the exterior to because it was quite dirty and they wanted to protect the building from weathering. Well prior to starting that asked for all kinds of input from the preservation groups as to what was the best way to accomplish this. They found this coating that would accomplish both things, keep the preservation people happy and clean up the exterior. Well after they started coating the building (they started on the add on first), some people from the historic preservation started bitching, so harrah's stopped work. If you look at the claridge from pacific ave you can see where they started and stopped.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_SoWxWSgkgjQ/SGvH7jHXM9I/AAAAAAAAAzY/jVkL_FwQvkM/s912/Girish%20USA%20Photos%20166.JPG

Intheknow

February 13th, 2009, 09:55 AM

It wasn't an insult, it is the truth. Please be specific when stating I am fabricating in my posts.

NYatKNIGHT

February 13th, 2009, 03:41 PM

Whether you think it's true or not is besides the point. Calling someone mentally impaired isn't allowed and if you do it again you'll take a week off.

giselehaslice

February 13th, 2009, 04:02 PM

Why not just ban him full time? Just kidding ITK... LOVE YA <3

Fabrizio

February 13th, 2009, 04:10 PM

I haven't checked the forum rules, but isn't there an exemption for the Atlantic City thread? This is South Jersey. We all know each other as "a$$hole".

Intheknow

February 13th, 2009, 04:22 PM

I apologize. What can I call him?

Anyone who wants to insult me, feel free. I can handle it.

NYatKNIGHT

February 13th, 2009, 04:44 PM

Well, I've always given leeway to this thread - the arguments are almost part of its charm - but insults are rarely brushed off here, they seem to spiral upward. That we can't have - the other threads will get jealous. Notice I let the initial insult pass at first, but then ITK, you seemed to revel in it. (How's that for bringning us back on topic?)

Intheknow

February 13th, 2009, 05:17 PM

Good job Mr. Moderator.

As I was saying, Revel STILL does not have full financing. My unscientific knowledge of the economy-it's going to get a whole lot worse, look who's hands it's in, the financial institutions and the government, do any of you have faith in these entities?

As for AC, it's going to take a pounding the next couple of years but it should rebound for the better. That's if the local government gets indicted, the sooner the better.

giselehaslice

February 13th, 2009, 06:24 PM

InTheKnow, you certainly are growing on me! My mouth
d r o p p e d open when you actually showed some (dare I say it...) HOPE for the future!!!!

Intheknow

February 13th, 2009, 06:46 PM

The main reason for hope is because AC only receives a small percentage of Casino revenue where as PA takes a huge cut (I don't have exact #'s) you would be foolish not to want to own a casino in AC over PA or anywhere else.

Bader field- The NJ EPA is trying to change the regulations to make it easier to develop at Bader. I say tell the developers here's what you have to work with if you don't like it go build a slot parlour in PA. This is one of the main reasons AC is the slum it is today. NJ puts ratables over the environment, citizens, neighborhoods etc......

Fabrizio

February 13th, 2009, 06:52 PM

I doubt that Atlantic City's grand visions for itself will come to pass anytime soon.

We missed this Valentine that appeared in the New York Times on January 2nd:

ATLANTIC CITY : All That Glitters, Not Quite Golden

By CAREN CHESLER
Published: January 2, 2009

CHAD Minnes, a 25-year-old bellman at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, has his own barometer to tell him how the casino industry is faring as he goes about his job.

“Some guests are carrying their own luggage now, and the guests who do use our service aren’t tipping the way they used to,” Mr. Minnes said. “The staff is definitely getting depressed. People aren’t making as much money, and there’s all this uncertainty about what will happen next week or tomorrow.”

Mr. Minnes’s unscientific gauge is not too far off. Atlantic City, New Jersey’s gambling mecca, rang in the new year facing myriad problems. The casino industry, the town’s biggest employer, is in a slump, with revenues down for the third straight quarter, according to the state Casino Control Commission. The municipal government is suffering as well. In November, the city elected its fourth mayor in just two years, at a time when the city is grappling with one of the worst budgets in a quarter century.

The fates of Atlantic City and its casinos have always been inextricably linked. The 11 casinos here employ about 40,000 people — including around one-third of Atlantic City’s population — and finance about 75 percent of the city’s budget through property taxes.

The industry has already laid off 1,000 employees, and further cuts may be coming, industry officials said. In turn, that trickles down to the rest of the community, from the companies that supply the casinos with meat, to the cab drivers who transport their patrons, to the people who tote baggage for resort guests.

“Atlantic City is at a critical point in its history,” said Damon G. Tyner, a lawyer at Parker McCay who specializes in real estate development. “Never have there been so many factors threatening revenues as there are now.”

As go the casinos, so go the city’s fortunes. A smoking ban imposed by the City Council illustrates the symbiotic relationship.

The Council passed a ban that would have extended the existing prohibition on smoking from 75 percent to 100 percent of the casino floors, allowing smoking only in sealed-off lounges where gambling was not permitted. But after the casino industry — and some of the very employees the ban was meant to protect — loudly complained that the ban would make them lose business, the Council voted to postpone a total ban at least for a year.

“This is not the time to play around with those kind of dynamics,” said Robert McDevitt, president of Unite-Here Local 54, which represents hotel, food and beverage workers, some of whom feared a ban would cost jobs.

During the debate on the ban, some workers wore orange T-shirts that read, “I don’t want to work in an ashtray”; others wore red T-shirts that read, “I don’t want to work in an ashtray, but I want to work.”

The casino industry is being hit by what many are calling the perfect storm: a national recession just as competition from slot parlors in Pennsylvania and New York has heightened. In November, at the same time that Atlantic City casinos were experiencing a downturn, six of seven casinos in Pennsylvania had an increase in revenue of nearly 13 percent. Some of that increase comes from midweek “convenience gamblers,” who might otherwise have gone to Atlantic City, according to industry experts.

For the city government, preliminary figures show a $15 million budget gap, a situation that the city’s new budget consultant, Arthur Bunting Jr., blames on the city’s two previous administrations. Mr. Bunting says they prepared budgets using revenues they knew they would never get, gave lucrative 4 percent pay raises to city employees, and then used up nearly every penny of the city’s surplus.

“They will finish this year with the lowest surplus the city has seen in decades,” Mr. Bunting said.

But in a city where mayors often do not get to finish their terms, it is hard to lay blame for a budget crisis on any one administration. Robert W. Levy resigned in October 2007 after serving just over a year. He left office amid health problems and a federal investigation into veteran’s disability payments he received.

The City Council president, William Marsh, filled in for a month before Councilman Scott Evans was appointed by the local Democratic Committee to serve until a special election could be held. Former Mayor Lorenzo Langford won that election in November and is now serving the last year of Mr. Levy’s term.

Half of the eight mayors who served before Mr. Levy were either convicted or pleaded guilty to bribery or election fraud.

To those familiar with Atlantic City politics, the city’s budgetary woes are sadly familiar. There have always been questions about how a small city with 36,000 people that has such few amenities — it does not even have a supermarket — can have a budget as high as $200 million and can afford to pay its lifeguards a pension.

Mr. Langford has his work cut out for him. He just got into office, and he already faces a primary challenge in June and an election in November — if he runs, which most say is likely.

City officials were looking forward to the tax revenues they would have reaped from several multibillion-dollar casino projects now suspended at least temporarily. While casino owners still pay property taxes on the vacant land, the figure would have risen exponentially if the properties had buildings on them. But with credit dried up, MGM Mirage’s $5 billion hotel next to the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa and separate $2 billion projects by Pinnacle Entertainment and the hotel developer Curtis Bashaw have been postponed indefinitely.

“Do I have a magic wand to fix the region’s economy? No,” Mr. Langford said. “Our role is to be accommodating when they come.”

With those projects on hold, city officials are now hanging their hopes on selling Bader Field, a 143-acre tract of city-owned land that was once an airport and is now considered one of the last buildable casino lots available. But after receiving no bids the first time, the city recently had to extend the deadline.

“Bader Field is the local equivalent of the bailout that’s going on at the national level,” said Councilman Marty Small.

While the casino projects — and, potentially, the sale of Bader Field — have been derailed by the economy, developers say a revolving door on the mayor’s office and the city’s reputation for municipal malfeasance have not helped business.

“You have council people going to jail, a mayor resigning, an acting mayor for a month, and an interim mayor, and now that mayor is facing another election. Clearly, that instability is not a good thing,” said State Senator James Whelan, an Atlantic County Democrat who served as the city’s mayor from 1990 to 2001.

In the end, many say, it is the state, not local officials, that controls much of what goes on here. The casinos are regulated by the Casino Control Commission, the city’s expressway and airport are run by the South Jersey Transportation Authority, the two convention halls are operated by the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority, and much of the land here is held by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, all of which are state agencies. Even the sale or lease of Bader Field must be approved by the state’s Local Finance Board.

“The mayor pretty much just sits back and counts the money and makes sure the city has adequate police and fire,” said Mr. Tyner, the lawyer.

But Councilman Small, who plans to challenge Mr. Langford in the June primary, thinks state officials are unfairly tarring all city officials with the same brush.

“Everyone here wants what’s best for Atlantic City,” Mr. Small said. “People have to realize we’re elected officials, but we pay taxes just like everyone else.”

giselehaslice

February 13th, 2009, 08:33 PM

Thanks sooo much for that very important information Fabrizio, not that you post stories just like this every day or anything. Good to deviate from the normal, extremely cheery, happy and generally positive tone of your writing.

acplayer

February 13th, 2009, 10:26 PM

Giselehaslice said this. "Fabrizio, are you joking? Claridge is hardly a beautiful property."

Are you joking Gisel? What newer building along the Boardwalk, other than the Ritz Carlton or Dennis, is more beautiful than the Claridge? Are you blind? (I hope that's all right Moderator, it's not like I called him a jagoff or mentally impaired;)

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acclaridgefountain2008.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acclaridgehotel.jpg

Intheknow

February 14th, 2009, 11:05 AM

Pinnacle accused of allowing hotel to rot. Todays Press, someone may want to post article here.

This is what continues to be wrong with Atlantic City.

So now that the City is aware of the problem let's sit by and watch them do nothing. Another masterpiece turned into an empty lot.

Intheknow

February 14th, 2009, 12:57 PM

"Pinnacle is facing allegations it deliberately allowed a luxery hotel to deteriorate so it could "buy it on the cheap" to create more space for it's proposed $1.5 billion dollar casino."

They are talking about the Madison Hotel. Two months ago Pinnacle said they were going to utilize it for foreign student housing.

The last sentence of article- "The Madison is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, giving it protected status but hardly an ironclad guarantee it will be saved from demoilition." In other words, this is Atlantic City ratables over history, parking garages over class.

Pinnacle chairman Dan Lee is playing AC for a fool.

Scruffy88

February 15th, 2009, 12:39 AM

Did Pinnacle ever release a render of what they planned to build on the sands site?

Intheknow

February 15th, 2009, 07:59 AM

I think they showed the City and State officials early renderings of Disney World and the City liked everything but Space Mountain.

Intheknow

February 16th, 2009, 07:50 PM

Bloomberg reports that Trump Marina deal is in jeopardy when the Donald stepped down. In other words, the deal is dead.

Resorts is fighting for it's life, haven't made a mortgage payment since October.

I really wish I could report some good news, ummm...spring is around the corner!!

Intheknow

February 17th, 2009, 12:48 PM

Well Trump filed for bankruptcy, again. Rumor has it that AC officials are considering selling the city back to the Lenepe Indians.

Any positive news out there Gosel? Zippy?

Fabrizio

February 17th, 2009, 01:12 PM

From today's Press:

Trump Entertainment files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009

9:10 a.m. Update - ATLANTIC CITY - Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc, Donald Trump's casino group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, court documents show. The casino operator had assets of about $2.1 billion and total debts of about $1.74 billion on Dec. 31, 2008, it said in its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. Nine affiliates of the casino operator including Trump Plaza Associates, Trump Plaza Associates, Trump Marina Associates and Trump Taj Mahal Associates simultaneously sought protection, according to the filing. The company missed a $53.1 million bond interest payment due on Dec. 1 as a sharp downturn in consumer spending hit casino revenues.

Frustrated that bondholders spurned his offer to buy the company, Trump resigned as chairman Friday. He was joined by his daughter, Ivanka Trump, in quitting the company's board of directors. "I no longer wish to remain a member of the board of directors of a company that is controlled by representatives of the bondholders," Trump said in a statement released Friday night.

His resignation changes the dynamics of the negotiations. No longer a company director or officer, Trump now joins Trump Entertainment's vendors, shareholders and other "unsecured creditors" at a low level in the bankruptcy hierarchy. Bondholders, on the other hand, are in a stronger position as "secured creditors."

However, Trump is not expected to go away quietly if the company is forced into Chapter 11 bankruptcy by bondholders. He has already indicated he may sue to have his name removed from the Trump casinos. For now, Trump Entertainment holds exclusive rights to the Trump name and image for the casino business. "I will have certain ongoing contractual relationships with the company for a time, which I intend to abide by, and will monitor the situation and protect my rights as required," Trump said in his statement.

Trump's departure could jeopardize the proposed $270 million sale of Trump Marina Hotel Casino to his former protege, businessman Richard T. Fields. As part of the Trump Marina deal, Trump has agreed to end an unrelated lawsuit that accused Fields of cheating him out of developing two Hard Rock casinos with the Seminole Tribe in Florida. With Trump no longer with Trump Entertainment, bondholders may be forced into working out a new settlement with Fields and his Coastal Marina LLC gaming group.

Trump also has some extraordinary personal perks that would give him additional clout in a bankruptcy showdown with bondholders this time around. They were given to him when his casinos went through a bankruptcy restructuring in 2005 and reportedly still remain in effect.
Among them, the company is obligated to pay up to $100 million of Trump's personal tax liabilities if the casinos are sold. He was also given veto power over the sale of the Trump properties.

Trump also remains the company's largest single stockholder, controlling 28 percent of the shares, according to regulatory filings. His casino holdings are separate from his Trump Organization real estate portfolio of hotels, luxury condominiums, office buildings and golf courses.

"(The) company has represented for quite some time substantially less than 1 percent of my net worth, and my investment in it is worthless to me now," Trump complained about his ownership in Trump Entertainment. The bondholders are largely a collection of hedge funds and investment groups that bought Trump casino bonds for pennies on the dollar when prices plummeted. Trump blasted the bondholders' representatives for "a series of bad decisions" that allegedly caused turmoil within the company.

zipburn

February 17th, 2009, 08:06 PM

Positive? Meaning like the city has been weekend-type busy since last tuesday and it hasn't stopped? Or how it was July 4th level busy FRI thru SUN? Donald is off the board now, isn't that considered a positive? They recently put up signs advertising an office complex next to the county courthouse;of course like others this is typically done to test the market. If it doesnt come to fruition, I know I can count on you to say how I was wrong and you can go on your usual temper tantrum like a little child. The train is running this city is busy, and your happy posting stuff that you read in the paper. It's time for a name change, you know little if anything that you don't read in the paper. The classic car show is in this weekend should continue with the crowds. Over this past weekend I overheard hotel guests that haven't been here in 10 years and couldn't tell if the borgata was owned by caesars. If you couldn't tell, i know comprehension isn't your thing, they came on the train.

Intheknow

February 18th, 2009, 09:21 AM

Huh??? Here's something you'll never read in the paper. Morgan Stanley is holding alot of toxic assets one of them being REVEL. It will not be completed unless a miracle occurs. Now, you'll say I'm pulling this out of my ass since I don't give a source, well YOU'LL see in a few short months. Someone more credible than a waitress has told me this.

It's funny how you're always saying how busy the city is, yet when the monthly numbers come out they are always lower than the year before, significantly lower.

giselehaslice

February 18th, 2009, 04:11 PM

Just because gaming revenues are down does not mean that the entire city and economy of the city is going to collapse.

Everytime I'm in AC (about every month or so), It is really busy and there are still 2 1/2 hour waits to get into the popular restaurants. The casinos are taking a beating right now, but non-gaming attractions are doing well considering what the economy is right now.

AC11

February 18th, 2009, 04:15 PM

The city was packed this past weekend. I was at the Chelsea on Friday and Sat night and there were good crowds both nights.

Also, the SJTA reported that traffic into AC was up this past year over 07.

People just aren't spending as much, and the midweek players are way down.

zipburn

February 18th, 2009, 08:45 PM

As the windows continue to rise, the trucks line up along the street, its such ashame the project will just fold in a few short months because IT claims it is now a toxic asset....

You keep referencing gaming only numbers, I'd thought you understand there was a difference...

Didn't you post a few weeks ago that your "credible source" said that Revel had full financing and would announce it shortly?

Maybe it's time for you to get a new source because its obvious neither your nor him know what they are talking about....

Intheknow

February 18th, 2009, 09:38 PM

Mr. Moderator, you mentioned I would be suspended for a week, is that with or without pay?

I'm speechless.

zipburn

February 19th, 2009, 03:20 AM

OK....... lets hear how you learned what your father told you......pass it on to us so maybe we could be soo intelligent and informed so we can invest in a city on a cyclical downturn. All common logic would suggest that is a stupid move, but hey it worked for you right? I also want to learn the art of claiming to be something i am not. I find interesting that someone could know so little, tell others that they actually know something then claim to be "in the know" because they talk to chair pushers on the boardwalk or union banquet servers. There is a reason people think philadelphia is such a shithole. Its not the projects, its not the trash, its not the smell, it is the people!

acplayer

February 19th, 2009, 02:11 PM

Actually Zip it is the projects, trash, smell and the people that make much of Philly a turn off although, you could almost say the same thing about A.C. Also, that was my post where Pinky said Revel had full financing.

Here's what the CEO had to say recently, In an Associated Press report, Revel CEO Kevin DeSanctis expressed mingled optimism and reserve as he talked about the Boardwalk casino.

“Should we acquire the financing to complete the project, we'll restart the interior," DeSanctis said. "But in today's world, there's no guarantee of anything.”

Intheknow

February 19th, 2009, 11:05 PM

The economy has yet to spiral out of control, but it's getting started.

I'm getting even more pessimistic on AC. It won't die but it will come close.

Revel is done. Time will tell.

I'm going to Philly to shoot some cops, score some crack, and piss in the el.

Fabrizio

February 20th, 2009, 07:05 PM

Headline in todays Press for their Sunday Edition:

COMING SUNDAY: Atlantic City's casino industry could be headed for a shakeout

Published: Friday, February 20, 2009

Bankruptcy. Foreclosure. Default. Layoffs.
These are the buzzwords of the faltering casino industry these days. Atlantic City’s economic engine is heading for a shakeout that could result in as many as three casinos closing down in the next year or two. The recession, global credit crisis, competition from Pennsylvania slot parlors and a partial casino smoking ban have created what one gaming executive calls “a thousand year, once-in-a-lifetime perfect storm.”

Intheknow

February 20th, 2009, 08:05 PM

The Trump Marina deal is dead, the buyer has yet to obtain financing. What does that tell you about Revel?

My father told me this and a chairpusher confirmed it while I was riding in his chair with a waitress from Tiplitzkys.

acplayer

February 24th, 2009, 11:45 PM

Regarding the Madison, I don't understand why Revel, as a sign of good faith and even for business purposes, doesn't upgrade and open the Madison Hotel as an upscale botique hotel? Attract a celebrity restuarant as an anchor with a penthouse bar/club.

Madison Hotel rooftop scene
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acmadisonhotelrooftop1936.jpg

acplayer

February 24th, 2009, 11:47 PM

Opposing points of view on South Inlet high-rises

By MICHAEL CLARK Staff Writer, 609-272-7204

Published: Saturday, February 21, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY - Revel Entertainment Group's $2 billion casino project in the city's South Inlet has attracted at least one new developer to the same troubled city section. But it's not getting a warm welcome from its next-door neighbor.

The developer, Lazocean, is facing resistance on its proposal to build a residential high-rise at Metropolitan Avenue and the Boardwalk that would be 44,594 square feet and reach 30 stories high.
City Planning Director William Crane said Revel has voiced opposition to the structure because it creates a "visual impediment." The building would block the line of sight from parts of the 46-story Revel to the ocean, a feature that casino officials hope will help attract visitors.
Attorney Lloyd D. Levenson, CEO of the law firm representing Revel, declined comment Friday. However, he did say that there were land-use laws that might create conflicts. Officials with Lazocean could not be reached for comment.

Crane said the city is not opposed to the development, which likely will be up for preliminary approval next week.

According to city documents, the proposed building would consist of 152 residential units, accompanied by retail stores, a restaurant, indoor and outdoor recreation areas and a 310-lot parking garage. The proposal could represent signs that Revel's construction is attracting developers to the South Inlet area.

Intheknow

February 27th, 2009, 07:14 PM

I'm going to the classic car show at the convention center!! Wait a minute, it's been cancelled? It's getting so bad that AC officials are not even announcing cancellations of weekend long shows.

That sound you hear is not Jamal sucking on a crack pipe, it's the slow release of AC's continuing demise.

The Madison is destined to become an empty lot, wait and see.

AC11

February 28th, 2009, 02:48 PM

Intheknow

February 28th, 2009, 04:49 PM

You're right, I didn't see an advertisment until this morning. I hope the Chalfont survives.

acplayer

March 4th, 2009, 12:41 AM

http://www.njcrda.com/documents/CRDANewsWave-Garage-2009.pdf

Finally, a parking garage with some curb appeal

ATLANTIC CITY - Parking garages are usually the "Ugly Betty" of the architectural world.

But a $38.4 million garage planned at the foot of the Atlantic City Expressway may shatter some design stereotypes that boxy, steel-and-concrete structures can't be aesthetically pleasing.
Special lighting features and a wavelike facade evoking a seashore theme will give it some curb appeal.
This baby had better turn heads, instead of turning stomachs. Its prominent location ensures it will be the first thing millions of visitors see when they enter town on the city's main entryway. "Because it will be the first and last thing you see entering and exiting Atlantic City, we felt it should make a lasting impression," said Thomas J. Meehan, director of development for the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the state agency overseeing the project.

With designs nearing completion, the CRDA plans to award the construction contract in July and break ground the following month. A grand opening is targeted for December 2010.

Meehan stressed the importance of the project for the city's tourist trade and construction industry during the recession. The garage will create 250 construction jobs at a time when trade unions are scrambling to find work amid a dramatic slowdown in casino projects.
When it rises at the corner of Fairmount and Mississippi avenues, the garage will provide convenient parking for customers shopping at The Walk, the outdoor retail and entertainment district that dominates the blocks at the base of the expressway. Discussions are being held between the CRDA and The Walk's developer, the Cordish Co., about a possible third phase of expansion for the shopping district, Meehan said.
Other garage users will include customers at the restaurants and stores in the surrounding Ducktown neighborhood, as well as spectators at the concerts and sports events at Boardwalk Hall.
"This will bring more people to that block, that area, than anything else before it," Meehan said. "We expect this to be a magnet."
Parking rates haven't been set yet, but the CRDA intends to make the facility competitive with the casino garages that crowd the city.
"We're not fleecing anybody," said Daniel J. Douglas, an authority spokesman.
Parking revenue will go toward paying off the CRDA bonds that help finance the project. Additional revenue will be generated by large LED advertising screens on the Fairmount Avenue and Christopher Columbus Boulevard sides of the garage.
The CRDA also will derive revenue from a "power purchase agreement" that taps energy from solar panels installed on the garage roof - in effect, making the parking facility an environmentally friendly "green" building.
Other features on the Fairmount Avenue side, facing the expressway, will help make the garage more visually appealing than the typical concrete parking caverns in town. A metal screen featuring a wave-like design will provide the backdrop for a special lighting display of green and blue hues during the day. At night, the building will come alive with other colors.
"It will be any color that you want," Meehan said. "For instance, green and red for Christmas, red for Valentine's Day or green for St. Paddy's Day."
A cluster of retail shops fronting Mississippi Avenue on the first floor of the six-story garage will be another feature distinguishing it from ordinary parking facilities. The CRDA will select the retail tenants later. CRDA-owned property on Arctic Avenue next to the garage would allow the authority to add an office complex if there is demand for it in the future. However, the agency has ruled out any expansion plans that might include a hotel on top of the garage, Meehan said.

Intheknow

March 4th, 2009, 02:42 PM

I could think of 38 million other ways to spend $38 million dollars for a parking garage in AC.

Waste, waste, and more waste.

Intheknow

March 4th, 2009, 07:07 PM

Resorts is officially going into forclosure. 1 down.

MGM may have to seek bankruptcy.

Source: My ass

giselehaslice

March 4th, 2009, 07:32 PM

Yeah, 1 down, 10 more to go. Mark my words, every single one of 'em will be abandoned and sold to the crack addicts. Borgata will be more upscale though, and will be ruled by the heroin thin ""chic" people. Source: the cat piss I'm wiping up off my floor right now.

Fabrizio

March 5th, 2009, 04:37 AM

From today's Press:

Lender can foreclose on Resorts casino
Published: Thursday, March 05, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY - Resorts Atlantic City may face the same plight as millions of homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments during the recession - foreclosure. New Jersey gaming regulators Wednesday cleared the way for lender Column Financial Inc. to begin foreclosure proceedings against Atlantic City's oldest casino after it defaulted on its
$360 million mortgage.

Nicholas L. Ribis, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Resorts, vowed to fight to maintain ownership of the casino, but also said he is willing to negotiate a deal with Column Financial to stave off foreclosure.
"We're still available, and we are able to negotiate in an amicable way so that the owners and lenders and the customers and employees all end up in a better place," Ribis said. Ribis also said Resorts has no plans to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a strategy that could keep creditors at bay while the casino tries to restructure its debts under court supervision. Arguing against bankruptcy, Ribis and his attorneys said Chapter 11 proceedings would drain millions of dollars in legal and financial fees from the company.

"We have no intention to file for bankruptcy," Ribis said. "We intend to negotiate an agreement with our lenders that's good for the lenders and the owners." In the 31-year history of gaming in Atlantic City, there has never been a foreclosure on a casino hotel. Resorts became vulnerable to foreclosure when it stopped making payments on its mortgage in November.
By a 4-0 vote Wednesday, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission gave Column Financial approval to initiate foreclosure proceedings. But the commission also ruled that Column and its loan agents can't take over the property and the casino's cash flow until it decides whether they need to obtain a state gaming license. "What happened today, the commission said you have to get a license to control the operations and the accounts," Ribis said.

Paul M. O'Gara, Column's attorney, said the lenders could begin foreclosure proceedings in state Superior Court within several days. But he added that it could take months before the courts rule on the dispute, giving Resorts more time to save the property. O'Gara stressed that foreclosure is just one option Column has at its disposal. He also raised the possibility of negotiations to have Resorts resume payments on the mortgage.

Linda M. Kassekert, the commission's chair, urged both sides to work out an agreement that would maintain Resorts' financial stability and preserve more than 2,000 casino jobs. "I strongly encourage the parties, as they continue to discuss their issues, that they be mindful that the success of the Atlantic City casino industry is vital to the success of New Jersey," Kassekert said.

For the time being, the casino will remain under Resorts' control and normal operations are expected to continue. As a safety net, Resorts has agreed to create a $15 million reserve fund to ensure it has enough money on hand to finance its daily operations.

Resorts, which opened as Atlantic City's first casino in May 1978, is struggling to survive amid the economic meltdown and fierce competition from slot parlors in Pennsylvania and New York. In 2008, Resorts had gross gaming revenue of $233.2 million, down 16.3 percent from the previous year and the second-lowest among Atlantic City's 11 casinos.

Resorts is owned by an affiliate of Colony Capital LLC, a private real estate investment firm based in Los Angeles. Colony Capital also owns the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort through a different affiliate and separate financial agreements. The Hilton is not affected by the foreclosure fight, but is facing its own financial difficulties caused by plummeting revenue and profits.
Although Resorts hopes to stay away from bankruptcy, one of its lawyers, Gilbert L. Brooks, told the Casino Control Commission that Chapter 11 has not been ruled out. "Is it a possibility? Yes, it's a possibility. But Resorts is making every effort to avoid that," Brooks said.

After the commission meeting, Brooks noted the challenges of trying to negotiate a new agreement with Column and its agents as the economy continues to falter. "Hopefully, the economic conditions improve and that can be done," he said.

Resorts gamblers Mark and Barbara Thompson, of Ocean City, said it doesn't make any sense to them that Column is looking to foreclose on Resorts, because the company has no experience running a casino. The casino and regulators should make a deal to keep Resorts open so that employees can keep their jobs, Barbara Thompson said. From their view on the gaming floor, the Thompsons said they didn't notice much difference in casino operations. "It's empty, but that's because of the economy," Barbara Thompson said. If Resorts closed its doors, Mark Thompson said he would either give up gambling or check out the new casinos in Pennsylvania.
"I'm not happy with any of the other managers (in Atlantic City) and how they treat the player," Mark Thompson said.

Martha Augmon, a tourist from Raleigh, N.C., who was visiting relatives in New Jersey, said she noticed Resorts is giving gamblers fewer promotional perks and other bonuses. "They're offering fewer incentives," Augmon said. "If I'm going to travel, go out of my way to spend money, I should get more than the dissatisfaction of the (slot) machine eating it up." If Resorts shuts down, Augmon said she would take her business to the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa or one of the three gaming halls owned by Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc.

Blaming the fractured economy, Trump Entertainment became the first Atlantic City gaming company this year to file for bankruptcy, in February. Trump hopes to restructure its suffocating debt under Chapter 11 protection.
Tropicana Casino and Resort is expected to enter Chapter 11 in coming weeks as part of a bankruptcy auction that will give it new ownership. Tropicana has been on the market and under the control of a state-appointed conservator since December 2007, when its previous owner was stripped of its license following mass layoffs and regulatory violations.

Intheknow

March 5th, 2009, 08:22 AM

Bella Condos, less than a year ago-$775,999. Today $340,000. Ouch.

Boardwalk is still closed on North End, oh well, let's invest in a new parking garage. The thought process of the CRDA baffles me, indictments should be coming within a year.

Scrap steel can be had at the Revel site.

The economy has a ways to go before it hits bottom, prepare yourselves.

giselehaslice

March 5th, 2009, 04:03 PM

Fabrizio

March 5th, 2009, 06:24 PM

It is pretty amazing that the Bella Condos are now being advertised at 50% off... like an end of season winter coat.

I wonder how the folks who paid full price feel.

In this economy, it's normal to see reductions... but this steep? 50%? And they sure aren't trying to be subtle about it... the headline fairly screams:

http://www.bellacondos.com/

One would think that with the Revel rising nearby, this building would become more desirable... not less.

Intheknow

March 5th, 2009, 09:59 PM

Revel is not rising, it's stalled. I say it's dead and it appears that many other people feel the same way or Bella prices would be holding or increasing. Buyers bet and lost.

Gessal did you say something mean about me? Mr. Moderator, I can handle an insult, doesn't faze me.

AC11

March 6th, 2009, 09:19 AM

Revel is not rising.

Wrong.

Intheknow

March 6th, 2009, 02:36 PM

Revels parking garage is rising.

Pinnacle pulls out of AC looks to sell land. Another developer trashes the City and leaves an empty lot.

Fabrizio

March 6th, 2009, 04:44 PM

From today's Press:

Pinnacle Entertainment backs away from Atlantic City project

Published: Friday, March 06, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY — After flirting with Atlantic City for more than two years, Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. said today that its proposed casino project is all but dead and it will probably look to sell the oceanfront land.

“Someday, hopefully, it’s a better world or somebody shows up and gives us a good price,” Dan Lee, Pinnacle’s chairman and chief executive officer, said of the property during a conference call with analysts.

Pinnacle imploded the old Sands Casino Hotel in fall 2006 to create space for what was supposed to be a $1.5 billion, Las Vegas-style casino that would be among a new generation of Atlantic City megaresorts. However, Pinnacle put the project on hold months ago because of the recession and global credit crisis.

Lee’s comments today cast doubt that Pinnacle would resurrect the project when the economy recovers and the frozen credit markets finally thaw out.

“Obviously with 20-20 hindsight, I wish we didn’t buy the land in Atlantic City,” he said.

----

Imagine that: The "Las Vegas of the East".... ocean front land ...in the very center of town ... and yet they are sorry they bought it.

block944

March 6th, 2009, 06:03 PM

Pinnacle says Atlantic City casino-hotel not possible right now

by The Associated Press Friday March 06, 2009, 2:28 PM

Pinnacle Entertainment today said building the $2 billion casino-hotel it had envisioned for the Atlantic City Boardwalk is just not possible right now.
Company chairman Dan Lee said today the beach house-themed casino on land where the Sands Casino Hotel once stood is just a "dream" at this point. Whether that dream becomes reality is looking more uncertain than ever.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/03/large_Sands%20Garage%20Implosion.JPGAP Photo via Atlantic City Press/Anthony SmedileA 2008 photo of the implosion of the Sand's Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Pinnacle Entertainment, who bought and demolished the Sands, said the new mega-casino planned for the site cannot be built if economic conditions continue to worsen.
The Las Vegas-based company put the project on indefinite hold last fall. It says it will either wait until the economy improves, or will sell the land if someone makes a decent offer.
"To build what we had hoped to build in Atlantic City takes an era of dreaming," he said on a conference call to discuss fourth-quarter earnings. "It takes an era where greed is good, we should all have a good time.
"We seem to be transported to Scandinavia: We have to hide our wealth, drive modest cars, conspicuous consumption is out," he said. "We live in an era where it's just not possible to build what we had anticipated in Atlantic City. Someday, hopefully it's a better world, or somebody shows up and offers us a better deal."
And even that looks iffy. Lee said the economic crisis has made it difficult if not impossible to accurately determine the value of land Pinnacle owns on and near the Boardwalk.
"If we had an auction on that land, I'm not sure anybody would show up," he said. "The city held an auction for Bader Field, and nobody bid."
The city has been seeking developers to build as many as three casinos on the former 150-acre airport property along the southern entrance to Atlantic City. The site is best known for coining the term "airport," a description first applied to Bader Field when a local reporter used the word in a 1919 article.
Lee also reiterated the company's stance that allowing casino development at the Bader Field site would cause Pinnacle to scrap its Atlantic City plans.
"We thought that (casinos development at) Bader Field was a deal-stopper," Lee said. "We couldn't have been more straightforward about that. One or more casinos at Bader Field would cut off traffic to the Boardwalk.
"As long as they're mucking around with Bader Field, you'd be insane to build on the Boardwalk," Lee said.
The city has extended the deadline for developers to bid on Bader Field through June. The site is widely considered to be one of the most desirable development sites along the entire East Coast; Pinnacle had considered making an offer for the land in 2007 but backed off when the economy soured.
Pinnacle bought and demolished the Sands in 2007 but has been unable to start construction there. It owns casinos in Nevada, Louisiana, Indiana, Missouri and Argentina.
The company is one of three whose casino plans in Atlantic City have been derailed by the nationwide recession.

Intheknow

March 6th, 2009, 07:39 PM

2 down.

acplayer

March 7th, 2009, 01:55 PM

Dan Lee is just makes an ass of himself when he speaks. As far as his Scandanavia comment, "We seem to be transported to Scandinavia: We have to hide our wealth, drive modest cars, conspicuous consumption is out," he said. Maybe that's not such a bad thing since a worldwide ranking of the most happiest countries include several in the top 10 such as Sweden, Finland, etc...On the other hand you have Vegas (conspicuous consumption anyone) that ranks #7 out of the 10 unhappiest U.S. cities.

Finland #6
It's dark and cold in the winter and has some of the highest taxes in Europe. But that doesn't get in the way of Finns' overall happiness. High quality medical care — at little to no cost — contributes to the country's high average life expectancy. The country's free educational system is one of the best, resulting in a 100% literacy rate. Poverty is rare; so too, is extreme wealth. “Our beloved government makes sure that taxes are high enough to prevent easy ways to riches,” says Jaakko Lehtonen, director-general of the Finnish Tourism Board. “Finns think a good salary is two cents higher than your neighbor's; it's enough to make you feel wealthy and subsequently, happy,” he says.

America's top 10 unhappiest cities

7. Las Vegas

Overall rank: 7
Depression rank: 42
Suicide rank: 1
Crime (property and violent) rank: 9
Divorce rate rank: 6
Cloudy days: 73
Unemployment rate (December 2008): 9%

Fabrizio

March 7th, 2009, 05:27 PM

I also found the Scandanavia comment hilarious.

Scandanavia also includes Norway:

"Norwegians enjoy the second highest GDP per-capita (after Luxembourg) and third highest GDP (PPP) per-capita in the world."

"Norway has maintained first place in the world in the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) for six consecutive years."

"The country is richly endowed with natural resources including petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals. Large reserves of petroleum and natural gas were discovered in the 1960s, which led to a continuing boom in the economy. Norway has obtained one of the highest standards of living in the world in part by having a large amount of natural resources compared to the size of the population. The income from natural resources includes a significant contribution from petroleum production and the substantial and well-managed income related to this sector. Norway also has a very low unemployment rate, currently below 2% (June 2007). The hourly productivity levels, as well as average hourly wages in Norway are among the highest in the world."

The 2008 United States CIA ranking shows Norway's individual purchasing power at 5th in the world:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/oo1.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway

I just think it's so funny that a-hole is talking from Atlantic City... a squalid, crime infested dump of a town that could never exist in a Scandanavian country.

Intheknow

March 7th, 2009, 06:57 PM

All these guys are from the same mold except for Steve Wynn. Is doesn't take a genious to run a Casino. The danger with Pinnacle, going forward, is the fate of the Madison hotel.

On happiness- A friend told me years ago, when we were walking through a Casino, to notice how many people were smiling while gambling. You can count them on one hand. Next time you're on a Casino floor check for yourselves.

Is Atlantic City even on the happiness scale?

blackdragon905

March 8th, 2009, 08:17 AM

Real shame regarding Pinnacle. I really wanted to see their designs at the very least. They were supposed to come out Spring of 08 but never did. Did they ever come out? I believe they said it was going to have a beach theme. They made it sound like it was going to be out-of-this-world with all the billboards and the way they talked about it.

Fabrizio

March 8th, 2009, 11:44 AM

From today's Inquirer

Pa.'s tax-free casino comps luring locals away from A.C.

A mailer arrives at Kayanne Neil's house in Northeast Philadelphia at the end of every month, alerting her to special promotions for free slot credits at PhiladelphiaPark Casino & Racetrack. She went last week on "Shamrock Thursday," part of the casino's St. Patrick's Day-themed promotions for March, to claim her prize - $45 worth of free slot play. "Oh, yeah, I play with their money," Neil said as the credit was automatically downloaded on her PhillyPark player card, allowing her to begin working a nickel machine.

But for Pennsylvania's seven slots parlors, giving away tax-free credits - $21.1 million worth in January alone - is more than just a marketing tool. Gaming operators here say it has become one of their most powerful weapons for siphoning business away from Atlantic City's casinos. The New Jersey Legislature decided in 2004 to phase out the tax on complimentaries, and it expires June 30, said state Casino Control Commission spokesman Dan Heneghan. The change cannot come soon enough for Atlantic City, as all of Pennsylvania's gambling halls, from Mohegan Sun in Wilkes-Barre to Mount Airy Casino Resort in the Poconos, are ramping up free slot play heavily this year. Look for the Pennsylvania comps to come even more fast and furious after June.

The most generous giver, PhillyPark, is spending $70 million in 2009 on free slot play, double what it spent last year, to keep regulars like Neil coming back. "It gives our customers what they are looking for . . . more time on the devices, instead of giving them trips to the Bahamas and fancy dinners," said PhillyPark president Dave Jonas.

Casino operators here say the slot credits' tax-free status in Pennsylvania is a huge advantage over Atlantic City's casinos, which are required to pay a 4.25 percent tax on "comps" - the freebie hotel rooms, meals, or gaming credits they shower on their most loyal customers. The tax write-off, they say, helps compensate for Pennsylvania's high tax on gaming proceeds. The state's slots parlors pay a 55 percent tax on gross slots revenue; New Jersey casinos pay 9.25 percent.

"The higher tax rate greatly impacts the amount of revenue Mount Airy Casino Resort has to market itself and remain competitive with casinos in Atlantic City, making free slots play a vital piece of our . . . efforts," said spokesman Pete Peterson. Use of free slot play at Mount Airy, which debuted in October 2007, jumped 303 percent last month from February 2008. "It's huge," PhillyPark's Jonas said. "We never could have moved business from Atlantic City like we have, at the rate we have, without it." Free-play expenses are deducted from gross slots revenue before taxes are paid, he said. "That's really allowed us to grow our business. It's almost a one-to-one ratio. The more free play we throw out, the more we increase our gross slots revenue."

Last month, free slot play at PhillyPark more than doubled, to $5.8 million from $2.4 million in February 2008. At Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack, it rose from $2.6 million to $4.4 million. Strategic use of free slot play has helped Pennsylvania's gambling revenue grow despite the weak economy, analysts say. Figures released Thursday by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board confirm that. Gross slots revenue last month at the six casinos that were also open in February 2008 rose 14.3 percent - they generated $125.9 million last month, compared with $110.2 million the previous year. (The seventh casino, Hollywood Casino in Grantville, which opened mid-Febuary 2008, was not included in the mix.)

These days, gambling analyst Jacob Oberman said, the financially challenged gambler is staying closer to home and spending less - making free slot credits much more of an enticement, to the detriment of Atlantic City's casinos. "It's accelerated the loss of Atlantic City's portion of convenience-based gambling," said Oberman, of DB Richard Ellis' Global Gaming Group in Las Vegas. "People who just want to play slots are staying in Pennsylvania.

"In turn, it's resulted in a loss of revenue for Atlantic City and a loss of comps given out," he said.

Atlantic City's 11 casinos saw a 9.4 decrease in gross gaming revenue in January 2009 compared with January 2008. Overall comps awarded by the casinos decreased 3.2 percent in that same period. "Comps are generated based on casino play," said Brian Cahill, spokesman for Resorts Atlantic City casino. "The more someone plays, the more comps are earned." On any given day, an average of 200 Atlantic City customers sign up for a PhillyPark player card, said Darlene Monzo, the casino's vice president of marketing. She tracks such mini-defections by the minute on her BlackBerry.

Ron Ensana, 68, was among them last week. He stood in one of the long lines at the front lobby desk with his daughter to sign up for a PhillyPark card and take part in a free drawing for additional slot play. After showing his player card from Harrah's Entertainment in Atlantic City, Ensana was awarded $25 in free slot play - determined by his level of play at Showboat there and downloaded immediately on his new card. "I'll still go to Atlantic City for the Boardwalk and comps for rooms," said Ensana, a retiree from Southampton, Burlington County. "But for slots, this is still more convenient."

Intheknow

March 9th, 2009, 11:15 PM

Well the Las Vegas Sands CEO resigns. The Casino industry is in deep shit and I see it getting alot worse. Is there even one positive note coming out of Las Vegas or AC?

I guess AC is getting it's wish of being the image of Vegas.

Intheknow

March 10th, 2009, 05:27 PM

AC Casinos report BIGGEST EVER monthly revenue decline. Almost 20%. I can't even believe it.

It's O.K., the City is really packed.

giselehaslice

March 10th, 2009, 06:14 PM

Yeah, it is really bad. Luckily summers around the corner, not that it will fix everything miraculously, but it will improve things.

But, (like I have said many times before) just because gaming revenue is down, does not mean that everything is doomed. When I go to AC, I never play any games--at all. I do spend over between 150 and 200 dollars on dinner when I am just going for the night. This is where the real money is, and the direction that Atlantic City should be and is moving in.

Intheknow

March 10th, 2009, 07:40 PM

Gosal, the Casino's and the City make their money from gambling, it's not even a contest with restaurant and entertainment dollars. The Casinos only have restaurants because people do have to eat and they don't want customers leaving the Casino. You can lose $200.00 in five minutes gambling and you don't even get dessert.

The mood is very bleak in AC today. It will probably be national news by morning.

giselehaslice

March 10th, 2009, 08:26 PM

No, no no. Las Vegas makes MUCH more money in non-gaming revenue than gaming revenue. I don't see why AC can't do the same, considering it's in the wealthiest area in the country. Yeah, CASINOS are built to make money, but if you notice in the newer projects are designed like a resort with a casino, rather than a casino with a hotel.

And yes, I'm sure the mood in AC is bleak today...although according to you, the place is bleak and dead everyday.

Just thought that I would share that I read an article the other day that said optomistic people live on average 5 years longer than pessimests. Looks like I'll be alive alot longer then half of this board!

Fabrizio

March 12th, 2009, 07:02 AM

From today's Press

Water Club shutters its rooms during midweek

Published: Wednesday, March 11, 2009

ATLANTIC CITY The Water Club, the boutique hotel at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa that brought ultraluxe lodgings to Atlantic City right before the recession hit, is the latest casualty of the economic meltdown. Borgata will take most of the Water Club’s 800 rooms out of service during slower midweek days in response to declining business, The Press of Atlantic City has learned.

Rooms will be closed on most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thurs-days starting next week and continuing through April, according to Rob Stillwell, a spokesman for Borgata’s parent company, Boyd Gaming Corp. “One of the things we’ve noticed in this difficult economic environment is that guests are having shorter booking windows,” Stillwell said of advance hotel reservations. “We have less visibility into the future. That’s why we can’t speak beyond next month.” Guests who had previously been booked for midweek stays at the Water Club will be switched to Borgata’s 2,000-room main tower.

Stillwell said Borgata hopes to resume full bookings at the Water Club in May, when the Atlantic City market normally shifts into high gear for the start of the peak summer tourism season. Stillwell said that although most rooms will be taken offline during midweek, the hotel and its amenities will remain open for guests staying in suites, as well as for group business and special events. “It’s not closed,” he said. “It’s an adjustment to our guest-room availability.”

Considered Manhattan chic, the $400 million hotel opened last summer just as the faltering economy was lurching closer to a full-blown recession. Room rates began at $300 to $329 per night for midweek stays and between $500 and $700 for weekends, but Borgata has since slashed those prices, according to the hotel reservation Web site. Jeffrey Vasser, president of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, did not know of any other casinos in town that have taken so many rooms out of service. But he noted that casino hotels have been reducing rates industrywide to attract price-sensitive customers during the economic crisis. “You’ve seen all winter long that hotels have been conscious about value,” Vasser said. “It’s no secret that the economy is tough and rates are down.”

Atlantic City’s gaming industry has been battered in recent months by the recession and competition from Pennsylvania slot parlors. The three casinos operated by Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. filed for bankruptcy last month, Resorts Atlantic City is fighting against foreclosure after defaulting on its mortgage, and Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. just announced that its proposed $1.5 billion megaresort probably will never be built.

Gaming revenue generated by the 11 casinos plunged 19.2 percent in February, marking the biggest monthly decline ever in the city’s 31-year history of legalized gambling. Revenue fell 7.6 percent, to $4.55 billion, in 2008 and has been down the past six months in a row. Casinos have cut 2,700 jobs in the past 12 months.

When the Water Club opened its doors in June, the hotel had 800 employees — one for each room — while boasting of superior customer service. Stillwell declined to say whether the hotel staff was cut back as part of hundreds of layoffs Borgata has made in recent months amid the casino slump.

Wrapped in shimmering gold-hued glass, the Water Club symbolizes Atlantic City’s push to become a higher-end tourist destination featuring posh hotel towers and an array of upscale retail shops, restaurants and nightclubs.
Stillwell said Borgata remains confident the hotel will be a magnet for guests wanting luxury accommodations.

“The Water Club has been a great addition to Borgata and there is no question in our mind relative to that addition,” he said. In anticipation of stronger summer business, Borgata plans to make the Water Club more attractive by adding 5,000 square feet of deck space and bars to an outdoor pool area, Stillwell said. The Water Club is so-named because of its five heated indoor and outdoor pools and a lavish “spa in the sky” offering panoramic views of the city and ocean from its perch on the 32nd floor.

Intheknow

March 12th, 2009, 09:39 AM

Maybe they should shutter the whole City during the week.

There is not an ounce of development going on in AC currently, except for Revel weather proofing their skeleton.

I wonder what will become of the old post office now that Pinnacle backed out. How about all those businesses that were taken by eminent domain, you know, the ones all you posers said were asking to much $$$ and were bad for the city etc....

block944

March 13th, 2009, 07:37 AM

N.J. senator plans push to legalize sports betting

by Mark Mueller (mmueller@starledger.com)/The Star-Ledger Friday March 13, 2009, 5:07 AM

http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/03/large_SportsBettinginNJ.JPGFrank H. Conlon/The Star-LedgerEd Ruberto, of Bound Brook, watches a horse race at Favorite,s an Off Track Wagering(OTW) facility in the Fords section of Woodbridge in an October 2007 photo. Sen. Ray Lesniak plans to push for legalized sports betting at OTW facilities, race tracks and Atlantic City casinos.
Seeking another source of cash for New Jersey at a time of severe economic pain, a prominent state senator said Thursday he plans to sue the federal government in a bid to overturn a 17-year-old ban on sports betting.
Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), who has long pushed for an expansion of wagering to drive up state revenues, said he will file the lawsuit in federal district court within the next two weeks.
"Billions of dollars are being bet offshore through the Internet or through organized crime, and those are revenues that could be going to New Jersey," Lesniak said.
"People are doing it," he said. "They're doing it every day. They're doing it for the NCAA tournament. They're doing it for the Super Bowl and professional football. But we can't regulate it and run it in the state of New Jersey, and that's just unfair."
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/03/large_Lesniaksportsbetting.JPGNOAH ADDIS/THE STAR-LEDGERN.J. state Senator Raymond Lesniak at his home in Elizabeth in a March 2008 file photo
In Lesniak's view, sports betting should be permitted not only in Atlantic City's casinos, but at the state's three ailing horse-racing tracks, at off-track betting locations and over the Internet.
The push to extend gambling to sporting events isn't new -- proponents have spoken of it on and off for more than a decade -- but both Lesniak and a spokeswoman for the American Gaming Association, an industry group in Washington, D.C., said they were unaware of anyone before challenging the federal ban in court.
The measure, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, went into effect in 1992. At the time, four states already had laws on their books allowing sports betting. Those states -- Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware -- were exempted, though betting is conducted only in Nevada.
In a nod to New Jersey's casino industry, federal officials gave the state a last-chance opportunity to legalize sports betting in 1993. State lawmakers declined.
Lesniak said he plans to introduce legislation in the Senate and sponsor a constitutional amendment to permit sports wagering.
Three times in the past five years, the Assembly passed legislation authorizing a referendum to gauge the public's appetite for sports betting. Each time, the Senate declined to take up the cause. State Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex), who has opposed changing New Jersey's law as long as the federal ban is in place, could not be reached for comment today.
Lesniak's initiative comes as Delaware, one of the states exempt from the federal ban, prepares to consider sports betting anew to fill a gaping budget hole. Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, who raised the issue repeatedly as a candidate last fall, plans an announcement on sports betting next week, said Joe Rogalsky, a spokesman for Markell.
"Delaware is a gaming state, and we need to protect our gaming interests," Rogalsky said. "Sports betting is a unique advantage we have right now."
If sports betting is enacted in Delaware, it would be yet another blow to Atlantic City's casinos, now in the third year of a devastating slowdown. Last month, the city's 11 casinos posted a 19.2 percent decline in revenue over the same period last year, the biggest drop since wagering came to the resort three decades ago.
Lesniak suggests sports betting will be a boon for the Garden State's casinos, racetracks and bottom line. He said his research shows New Jersey could take in more than $100 million a year from sports betting, based on the state's 8 percent tax imposed on gaming revenues.
Gaming analyst Joseph Weinert, a senior vice president with Spectrum Gaming Group, a casino consulting firm, calls Lesniak's revenue forecast wildly optimistic.
"New Jersey would have to be the only place in the world with sports betting to achieve that number," Weinert said.
In the 12 months ending Jan. 31, the 24 biggest casinos in Las Vegas generated just $50.6 million in sports book revenue, or about 1 percent of total gaming revenues. For New Jersey to generate $100 million in cash from the state tax, sports betting revenue across the state would have to top $1.2 billion.
"I submit that ain't gonna happen," Weinert said.

Fabrizio

March 13th, 2009, 11:39 AM

Blah, blah and blah, blah, blah....

The only thing that will save AC is making the city a pleasant place to be.

blackdragon905

March 13th, 2009, 05:48 PM

Some Revel videos. I believe the first one is the most recent, however, I'm not 100 percent sure.

http://www.revelinac.com/video-spotlight.html

Intheknow

March 13th, 2009, 06:29 PM

Well, at least the State Attorney Generals office is starting to get their indictments underway. So far we have the current mayor, two or three sitting councilmen, ex-councilmen being scrutinized. Today the "planning" board was dragged into the fray. The "planning" board was/is nothing but yes men to what ever the Casino developers want. I hope they all go to prison, it would be the best thing to happen to AC since the Borgata.

Should be quite exciting. One could only hope that half the population of AC gets sent away and that the Italians, Irish, Jews, etc. would re-invest and make this City what it once was. One can only dream.

Fabrizio

March 13th, 2009, 06:33 PM

Make that: Jews, Italians and gays.

AC11

March 17th, 2009, 05:01 PM

DJ AM is opening a club at Caesars in the old Planet Hollywood space called Dusk.

Intheknow

March 18th, 2009, 08:16 PM

I'll bet DJ AM isn't flying into town.

Trump Entertaiment- Analysts do not see it continuing as a viable company for long. What shall become of the three Trump properties?

Work is being done on boardwalk in front of boardwalk hall, 30 city workers. Should be complete by 2015.

acplayer

March 18th, 2009, 11:56 PM

Hey Fabrizio, what's wrong with the Irish? "Make that: Jews, Italians and gays."

On another note, with the right lighting and from certain angles, A.C. can look nice.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acnightshot2009.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acbeachmom.jpg

JCMAN320

March 19th, 2009, 03:05 PM

^^^The last one is the the best angle :D

JCMAN320

March 20th, 2009, 07:09 PM

Operator looks to develop hotel near AC airport
Associated Press • March 20, 2009

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - The operator of Atlantic City International Airport is in talks with a developer to build a hotel and conference center near the facility.

The South Jersey Transportation Authority, which runs the airport, says it is in negotiations with a developer it would not name to build a hotel on a 13-acre site in Egg Harbor Township near the airport.

The hotel would prove helpful if the airport succeeds in attracting a second carrier. Currently, only Spirit Airlines runs daily service from the airport.

Intheknow

March 20th, 2009, 09:42 PM

Not an intelligent idea. Over 100 hotels/motels are getting killed less than 10 miles away in the City of Atlantic City. Stupidity abounds in Jersey.

Is Revel open yet?

giselehaslice

March 21st, 2009, 12:03 PM

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm more than okay with the Motels in AC closing. I'd much rather them be closed down than play host to prostitution and drugs.

And I highly doubt there are even 100 hotels in Atlantic County let alone Atlantic City!

Intheknow

March 22nd, 2009, 05:49 PM

Atlantic City update- No development occuring. Will keep you posted.

In a poll in AC Press they ask what are the biggest eyesores in Atlantic County. One of the choices is the Flanders Hotel. Way to preserve history AC!

There are over 100 motels and hotels in AC.

STT757

March 23rd, 2009, 01:26 AM

The airport hotel development makes perfect sense, there's the huge FAA technical research and training facility. Lot's of government and civilian contract employees are coming and going from the FAA tech center at ACY, an airport hotel like a Courtyard Marriott on the airport grounds would be a welcome place to workers on short visits to the FAA center, the hotel also offers a place to host conferences for the FAA.

Besides the FAA there's also the NJ Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing, Reservists who travel more than 100 miles for drills (many do) get put up at local hotels. Again having something like a Courtyard Marriott on the Grounds of the airport provides a better alternative to Reservists on duty vs the current options.

There's also Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, again the hotel offers temporary quarters to those either on temporary assignment or processing into the Station.

And finally there's the airport, it's not just the current or proposed air services that have the opportunity to use the airport hotel should inclement weather force cancellations but also several potential diversions heading to EWR, JFK, LGA, PHL etc.. Atlantic City is one of the most widely used diversion airports in the Northeast, when the Weather forces diversions for EWR, JFK and LGA many of them wide up at ACY. They either wait at ACY until they are clear to proceed to their final destination or they wait until the next day to continue the flight.

Intheknow

March 23rd, 2009, 12:27 PM

Well, the wedding chapel at the pier has now been delayed. Officially there is no new development in AC for '09.

Murder at the Irish Pub this weekend, just plain nasty. For a tourist destination AC sure has alot of murders, sexual assaults and robberies. I guess if you're in law enforcement it wouldn't be a bad vacation spot.

STT757

March 23rd, 2009, 12:36 PM

AirTran Airways Hits the Jackpot with New Service in Atlantic City, N.J.
Monday March 23, 2009, 11:00 am EDT

- Airline Will Bring the Boardwalk to Peachtree -

ORLANDO, Fla., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI - News), today announced plans to begin service in Atlantic City, N.J., effective June 11, 2009. The expanding low-fare carrier will offer roundtrip nonstop flights between Atlantic City International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

"In 2009, AirTran Airways is continuing to expand into new or underserved routes that our customers have expressed interest in," said Bob Fornaro, chairman, president and CEO for AirTran Airways. "Atlantic City now becomes the 59th destination for AirTran Airways. The reach and convenience of our Atlanta hub will make it easier for residents from the Jersey shore to connect with many other business and leisure destinations. Passengers will enjoy traveling on America's newest all-Boeing fleet and experiencing our award-winning service."

"We could not be more pleased that AirTran will be providing air service out of the Atlantic City International Airport," said New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. "The dynamic environment in Atlantic City and ongoing economic opportunity development throughout South Jersey has created the opportunity for AirTran to serve a market that has been eager for more convenient access to national air service. This new addition is a real boost for commerce and tourism in the Garden State."

In addition to the nonstop flights, AirTran Airways connects to more than 35 destinations through Atlanta, including Orlando, Fla., Los Angeles, Calif., and Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas.

The following nonstop flights between Atlantic City and Atlanta will be available beginning June 11, 2009.

Nonstop Service Between Atlantic City and Atlanta

From To Flight Departs Arrives Frequency
---- -- ------ ------- ------- ---------
Atlanta Atlantic City 962 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Daily
Atlanta Atlantic City 964 4:20 p.m. 6:20 p.m. Daily
Atlantic City Atlanta 963 1:35 p.m. 3:35 p.m. Daily
Atlantic City Atlanta 965 6:55 p.m. 8:55 p.m. Daily

Following is a sample of fares* AirTran Airways will offer for its new flights to/from Atlantic City, New Jersey. Fares listed are one way, available daily and are valid in either direction:

Destination Introductory Lowest Lowest Business
Fare Walk-up Class
Atlanta $69 $249 $298

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI - News), a Fortune 1000 company, is ranked number one in the 2008 Airline Quality Rating study. The airline offers coast-to-coast flights, North America's newest all-Boeing fleet, friendly service and Business Class and complimentary XM Satellite Radio on every flight. To book a flight, visit http://www.airtran.com.

* All fares are one-way. Introductory sale fare and lowest walk-up fare are non-refundable, and a $75 fee per person applies to any change made after purchase plus any applicable increase in airfare. Seats are limited subject to availability and may not be available on all flights. Introductory sale fares must be purchased by April 16, 2009 and travel must be completed by June 25, 2009. A first bag may be checked for a fee of up to $15 per person and a second bag may be checked for a fee of up to $25 per person. Reservations may be obtained or changed through an AirTran Airways Telephone Reservations Center for an additional $15.00 per person. Fares, routes, and schedules are subject to change without notice. Fares do not include per-segment tax of $3.60. A segment is defined as one takeoff and one landing. The September 11th security fee of up to $10 is not included. Airport Passenger Facility Charges of up to $18 are not included.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/AirTran-Airways-Hits-the-prnews-14715988.html

giselehaslice

March 23rd, 2009, 09:28 PM

For a tourist destination AC sure has alot of murders, sexual assaults and robberies. I guess if you're in law enforcement it wouldn't be a bad vacation spot.

Well actually, violent crime in Atlantic City is relatively low. Can't even be compared to other cities, but if you want to take it to that level, Philadelphia has AT LEAST 1 murder a day. During the summer when everyone is hot and bothered, there are MUCH more than that. I wouldnt be surprised if it were at least 3 or 4 a day.

Intheknow

March 23rd, 2009, 11:28 PM

Thank you Gousail. We Philadelphians are proud of our murder rate. You should count the daily rate when we're hot, bothered, and thirsty.

Philadelphia does not market itself as a "destination resort". The murders you and other posters speak of are mostly in North Philadelphia, not the City center.

If you've never been to North Philadelphia, think of Atlantic City without the beach, ocean and boardwalk, that's North Philly.

giselehaslice

March 23rd, 2009, 11:54 PM

ITK, your attemps at making jokes are painful. Could you please just try to be a bit serious....for once?

True, Atlantic City markets itself as a destination. Las Vegas markets itself as a destination. Orlando Markets itself as a destination. Miami markets itself as a destination. All of these other destinations have much higher instances of murder and all other violent crimes.

Philadelphia is probably worse than all of the above combined. So what though, it's not marketed as a destination. That makes it okay.

Also as for the North Philadelphia comment. No. North Philly has absolutely no economic activity whatsoever. Atlantic City is far, far, FAR ahead of North Philadelphia. Maybe you have not been there in a few years, but I'll tell you from experience myself it's worse than any favela I've been to.

STT757

March 24th, 2009, 12:53 AM

Actually Las Vegas is far more dangerous than Atlantic City, in fact Nevada is ranked the most dangerous State in the Nation according to crime records.

http://www.walletpop.com/insurance/most-dangerous-states

Most Dangerous States:

1.) Nevada
2.) Louisiana
3.) South Carolina
4.) New Mexico
5.) Florida
6.) Tennessee
7.) Alaska (#1 for rapes)
8.) Arizona
9.) Maryland
10.) Michigan

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 05:11 AM

^why are you talking states? The discussion is cities. And you must look at averages (because of population differences)... not over all numbers.

The murder rate is higher in Atlantic City than Las Vegas.

Actually all violent crime is higher, much higher in AC than in Vegas. And non violent crime, robbery and so forth, is about twice as high in AC.

In fact over-all violent crime is actually higher in AC than even in Philadelphia.

Murder:
AC - 1.62 times the National Average
LV - 1.55 times the National Average

Robbery:
AC - 3.12 times the National Average
LV - 1.52 times the National Average

All violent crime:
AC - 2.49 times the National Average
LV - 1.29 times the National Average

Larceny or theft:
AC - 3.41 times the National Average
LV - 0.85 times the National Average

An aside note: while the most dangerous city in the US is New Orleans, the second most dangerous city in the US is in South Jersey: Camden.

Philadelphia doesn't even come close.

See cityrating.com which keeps FBI statistics. Note: cities are compared using stats from 2003.

http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Atlantic+City&state=NJ
http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Las+Vegas&state=NV

AC WAS a relatively crime-free town until the late 1970's.

--

Intheknow

March 24th, 2009, 07:36 AM

Thank you, Fabrizio. I get tired of explaining the obvious. AC has what, 40,000 residents? 90% of which are on public assistance, the other 10%, having used up their "entitlements", resort to drug dealing and crime.

Thank God we have a bloated police force that appears to only be visable from 9 to 5.

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 03:45 PM

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 04:34 PM

Thanks God, er....I mean Fabrizio for your enlightenment. I just love how you swoop in out of nowhere when people start bashing and think you will have the last laugh.

The information you post is extremely misleading. There are only 40,000 people in Atlantic City. There are over half a million in the city of Las Vegas. While maybe there is a very slight higher rate of murder in Atlantic City, when looking at the raw numbers Las Vegas has a lot more murder, a lot more everything. How many murders per year in Atlantic City? Las Vegas? I understand why you did not post it in this format, because that way Atlantic City would look better (GOD forbid that!!).

First of all, you are the one who was comparing crime between the 2 cities. And you are the one who was comparing AC to Philadelphia.

So... a city of 40,000 has a lower number of murders than a city of over 1,100,000 (Vegas) ? Well gee. Duh.

If you are going to make comparisons regarding crime, then you must compare rates of crime using averages that take into consideration the disparity of population.

The fact is: AC has a higher crime rate.

You can wish it were different... you can "think positively"... you can pretend otherwise... but those are the facts.

--

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 06:25 PM

Duh is right. That's what I was pointing out. If you actually read my first post, I said flat out there are more murders and instances of other crimes in Las Vegas and a few other "Touristic" cities. And that's the fact too, sweetie.

The whole point of my discussion was to say just because there are murders in cities, does not make them a bad place. There are murders in slums, in middle class neighborhoods and among the uber wealthy. It effects every corner of the population. A few murders does not and will not affect the over-all image of the city. For the normal person, does 8-9 murders (probably somewhere in the ball-park of AC yearly) or 60-70 murders (probably somwhere near Las Vegas) sound better? I know what your saying about the population per 100,000 rates, but most people will base their opinons on tangible numbers, even though it's probably better to know the per capita numbers.

And not to nitpick, but the population of the City of Las Vegas is only 603,000. The metro has about two million.

scumonkey

March 24th, 2009, 06:37 PM

:rolleyes:

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 06:41 PM

Your exact quotes are the following:

Well actually, violent crime in Atlantic City is relatively low.

Wrong. Violent crime in AC is high.

Philadelphia is probably worse than all of the above combined.

Wrong again. AC is worse.

Furthermore:

A few murders does not and will not affect the over-all image of the city.

I agree, murders are not really not so much the issue. For a tourist, I would think it is robbery and muggings that make the most diffence... and on that count, again, AC has a much higher rate than Vegas. And it is the perception of crime that probably does the most damage... AC's deserted streets, long stretches of streets bounded by empty lots and ghetto neighborhoods bordering the casinos, make for a scary landscape... all mixed in very closely with the tourist areas.

And not to nitpick, but the population of the City of Las Vegas is only 603,000. The metro has about two million.

Yes the city is 600,00 but the crime statistics posted are using a 1,189,388 figure for Vegas which is the entire urban area in 2003. (40,397 for AC).

Which makes AC's crime rate, by comparison, even worse.

--

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 06:57 PM

Okay, I'll admit to being wrong about Philadelphia having a worse crime rate per 100,000. We all know in tangible numbers Philly has a much higher number.

But I still beleive that for being a poor and, for the most part, economically depressed city, the crime rate is not TERRIBLE.

As for image, yes that is a big factor in perception, but again can be misleading.

I think we've retired the crime discussion, let's get on with this before it becomes too insane.

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 07:07 PM

Will do.

From Forbes Magazine (article published in 2005)

Atlantic City Is Dangerous And Depraved

"Crime in the city is about three times the U.S. average, and the murder rate is twice the national average, according to FBI data. "

http://www.forbes.com/2005/05/05/cx_da_0505topnews.html

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 07:15 PM

Uh? Okay then! You sure take lots of time and effort to prove someone who is probably at least 20 years younger than you, and thousands of miles away, wrong.

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 07:22 PM

yeah...probably at least 20 years younger, and short and fat, and with bad skin too.

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 07:25 PM

Im 6'2- 175 pounds. So short and fat, right?

So, Fabrizio, how short and fat are you?!

And BTW, you are such a role-model for what adult behavior should be! Your parents were good teachers!

NYatKNIGHT

March 24th, 2009, 07:27 PM

I'd like to party with Gisele in Atlantic City.

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 07:29 PM

Best thing to happen to Atlantic City since the diving horse.

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 07:32 PM

What can I say? I'm always the center of attention. Good or bad. ;)

NYatKNIGHT

March 24th, 2009, 07:33 PM

How are you at craps?

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 07:34 PM

Dont gamble. Just party.

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 07:40 PM

And no one can party the way trannies do.

giselehaslice

March 24th, 2009, 07:43 PM

I know! You would die when you see me in my purple open toed versace pumps. And my leather skirt and bulging Cheetah print tank-top. !!!!
Oh, and you never told us how short and fat you are!

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 08:00 PM

Hey, what do I know? I just figured... I mean, under your name it says "membro sênior"...

Intheknow

March 24th, 2009, 08:43 PM

Ladies!!! Can we bring the discussion back to the cesspool they call Atlantic City. Armed robbery, sexual assaults, rape, murder. You know, the only thing that"s growing in AC right now.

Fabrizio

March 24th, 2009, 08:55 PM

Yes, enough about trannies with big members.

Some shots of AC back when it was a normal place. AC HighScool and the park... and Pacific Ave at Kentucky:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/achsatnight.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/kentucky.jpg

Intheknow

March 24th, 2009, 10:09 PM

Spectacular, honestly.

AC is now an example of what not to do, in every aspect, of urban planning.

Gousal, what has anything AC done in the past 30 years that other cities have copied? Where the WORLD says "wow! I have to see that!"

It's getting worse at a faster pace. The novelty is wearing off.

Intheknow

April 2nd, 2009, 04:45 PM

AC Casinos report a 24.6% decline in profit for 08. 45% drop in profit in the fourth quarter. That's terrible by any standards. Yet nothing is being done to stem the downward trend.

The City is going to cut back on what ever it's suppossibly doing to improve the city and raise taxes. I say good, maybe this will wake people up.

acplayer

April 2nd, 2009, 11:21 PM

The hits keep coming. Atlantic City is ranked 192 out of 200 U.S. cities as a place to live.

ATLANTIC CITY--- It's entitled "Best Places for Business & Careers" a recent Forbes Magazine report that ranks several hundred metro areas in the nation to determine how friendly those areas are to businesses and job seekers -- Atlantic City and Vineland received poor grades.

The annual report looked at 11 different criteria including: job growth over the past five years; future job growth; business and living cost; income growth; migration trends; crime rates; college, cultural and recreational opportunities.

Of the 200 largest metro areas in the U.S. that were profiled -- ranging from the New York metro area with 11.7 million people, to Olympia Wash. with 241,000 -- Atlantic City was ranked 192.

A separate report entitled "Best Small Places for Business & Careers" ranked Vineland at 179 out of 179 areas.

Intheknow

April 3rd, 2009, 11:59 AM

I'm shocked that there are eight places worse than Atlantic City. The City is really lacking any kind of plan, this leads us to where we are today.

Would you invest in AC if you were a Casino operator? Revel, now that's depressing.

Intheknow

April 9th, 2009, 04:44 PM

Another month goes by another record revenue decline for AC Casinos. Do the Casinos repond creatively? The City? Ain't heard a peep out of either entity.

Fabrizio

April 9th, 2009, 05:08 PM

WHAT are you talking about? As usual you are completely out of touch.

The Press reports that there is a plan for a $350 million “Atlantic City Chariots of the Sky” gondola system!

Isn't that a great enough idea?

Intheknow

April 9th, 2009, 05:14 PM

Pigs will fly before AC has a Gondola. What are these people smoking? Seriously.

Intheknow

April 23rd, 2009, 08:59 PM

Honestly, have any of you been to AC lately? It's getting even more depressing. It's like a third world refugee camp. Walk down the boardwalk and be assaulted by bums, trash blowing in the wind, scanky two bit stores. No one even smiles in this cesspool.

At least they started to repair the boardwalk, in front of Boardwalk Hall. Smart move waiting until April what with all the tourist traffic in Dec, Jan Feb and March.

It's the most backward City on the planet and I honestly think it's dying a slow death that is irreversable.

Do not invest in AC if you know what's good for you.

How's Revel doing geniouses?

Fabrizio

April 23rd, 2009, 09:04 PM

From today's Press.

Visitor tally to Atlantic City drops 4.5% in 2008, marking 3-year trend

By THOMAS BARLAS Staff Writer

ATLANTIC CITY - They're just not coming here like they used to. A slumping economy, high gasoline prices and competition from slot parlors in nearby states, combined to cut the number of visit-trips to Atlantic City slightly more than 1.5 million in 2008.

Statistics released today by the South Jersey Transportation Authority, or SJTA, show the 4.5 percent drop marks the third consecutive year of visit-trip declines.

The 31.8 million visit-trips in 2008 also represent a 3.1 million drop from the record 34.9 million visit trips in 2004. It's the lowest number of visit-trips since 1994, when SJTA estimates set the number at 31.3 million.

Intheknow

April 23rd, 2009, 10:58 PM

You see tourists walking the boardwalk and they look like they are saying WTF, this is nasty. I walk the boards alot and I have never overheard one positive thing being said about the environment.

When are the State, City, Casinos going to wake up? Maybe they already threw their hands up.

My friends ask me why I have property in AC, I tell them I was drunk and high when I bought. Honestly, the worst investment I ever made. I'm taking my lumps and moving on.

NYatKNIGHT

April 24th, 2009, 11:20 AM

I guess we'll know whether you're really moving on or not.

BrooklynRider

April 24th, 2009, 06:47 PM

Atlantic City does seem to turn its back on its boardwalk. I've been to man boardwalks in seaside towns in NY and NJ, and AC is one of the absolute worst.

Intheknow

April 25th, 2009, 05:56 AM

Black people don't care about the beach or boardwalk, that's why.

scumonkey

April 25th, 2009, 01:41 PM

:eek:

66nexus

April 25th, 2009, 01:45 PM

Black people don't care about the beach or boardwalk, that's why.

You know, I've gotten used to your comments on this thread and kept my hands off of it for awhile.

But with that comment you have struck a chord. It seems you need something to justify or make you feel better about your own claimed mistake of purchasing property in the city.

Your comment suggests that of the millions of tourists who visit the B'walk/beach yearly and contribute to the trash are all black. I fiercely believe that the trash and ruggedness is much more a 'city' problem than it is a 'race' problem.

Now, saying the city of AC doesn't care about its B'walk (cleaning up the trash left by tourists/rundown shops and such) is different than simply saying 'black people don't care about the B'walk.

Your comment was shortsighted and terrifyingly ignorant.

Fabrizio

April 25th, 2009, 02:29 PM

Intheknow

April 25th, 2009, 04:21 PM

our comment suggests that of the millions of tourists who visit the B'walk/beach yearly and contribute to the trash are all black. I fiercely believe that the trash and ruggedness is much more a 'city' problem than it is a 'race' problem.

Now, saying the city of AC doesn't care about its B'walk (cleaning up the trash left by tourists/rundown shops and such) is different than simply saying 'black people don't care about the B'walk.

Your comment was shortsighted and terrifyingly ignorant.

Black people don't contribute to the trash

BLACK PEOPLE ARE RUNNING THIS CITY. What I was infering is that black people make up a very small minority of beach and boardwalk visitors so they therefore don't give a crap about them.

My comment was neither shortsighted or ignorant.

66nexus

April 25th, 2009, 04:32 PM

Black people don't contribute to the trash

Black people are running this City. What I was infering is that black people make up a very small minority of beach and boardwalk visitors so they therefore don't give a crap about them.

My comment was neither shortsighted or ignorant.

You didn't say this until just now. Your original comment was vague and inconclusive. It left a lot of room for thoughts other than what you later said you meant (bolded statement), hence my remark. Fabrizio's comment was more detailed and informative, which made more sense to me, and actually helped me understand your comment a little more.

And yes, I am glad that the bolded statement is what you were inferring and not what I had previously thought.

Intheknow

April 25th, 2009, 05:11 PM

Peace brother.

66nexus

April 25th, 2009, 09:09 PM

^Always

hbraithw

April 29th, 2009, 12:28 PM

A little known fact to probably most on this thread: some Black community leaders wanted AC's grand boardwalk hotels demolished in the 1970's.... for racial reasons. And perhaps understandably so.

AC was, up until the mid 1960's, a "Jim Crow" town. It was segregated... just like a city in the South.

Blacks could not stay in the Boardwalk hotels, eat in the restaurants or go to the theaters.... but the workers in these establishments were Black: cleaning ladies, cooks, porters etc. So by the 70's when gambling was proposed, many felt that the memory of those places should have been destroyed. While we saw those hotels as grand reflections of beauty, class and luxury... blacks viewed them as something else.

Blacks were even denied from enjoying the beach... only a small area was allowed for them (at Missouri Ave).

So really, historically, blacks have quite a different viewpoint on Atlantic City.

Some info about James L. Usry mayor of AC for 6 years during the development of AC as a gambling town:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/28/nyregion/james-l-usry-atlantic-city-mayor-in-1980-s-dies-at-79.html

"But he drew fire for what other residents said was his lukewarm boosterism of the city's economic base, its casino and hotel industry."

-------
I have been a lurker on this board for sometime. I don't live in AC anymore. I was born and raised there and live outside the city now. Most of my relatives live and work there and my family is deeply rooted in AC for generations (five to be exact). Last weekend I walked the boardwalk and was appalled by its condition. The inlet section of the boardwalk is unsafe period. It's ashame. When it comes to natural beauty I would put AC against some of the best beaches in the country. You would think the casino would care but unfornately they don't.

But some of the stuff that goes on here flies in the face of common sense. For example, I like The Walk. But why would they put something like that in least pedestrian friendly area of the city. I can't believe they put shops that close to a highway offramp. When I enter the expressway I see people at the foot of the bridge coming from the convention center (no sidewalks mind you) hugging the curb while cars speed by.

Anyway, I lowered my expectation of what AC should be. Early this decade it looked like they were turning it around. But too much of the money gets siphoned away from the city. With the casinos bringing in the money it does for a city this small, AC should have been rebuilt 10X over. Every city has slums, I understand that, but AC needs to do a better job preserving areas the tourist see. It's funny watching tourist wander too far off The Walk on Atlantic Ave into the real AC were the locals are...totally naive of what they just stepped into.

All in all AC sucks right now and this is coming from someone who loves this city.

acplayer

May 1st, 2009, 03:04 AM

IntheKnow, you shouldn't have to apologize for stating the truth. For that matter, most A.C. residents don't care about the boardwalk, the beach, their education, their children, their government, their dirty streets, getting a good job and bettering themselves, etc..., etc... That's The problem with A.C. The people that cared moved out. You can't cover up the truth to be politically correct or not to offend someone.

Intheknow

May 2nd, 2009, 05:29 AM

I only apologize for not being clear on my opinions. I agree with your post whole heartedly.

There's a decent article in Mays Casino Connection magazine concening revitaliztion of AC, mentions South Beach, Baltimore Harbor etc... Also check out the question and answer article with the Mayorial candidates, the lone republican (who can't win in AC) makes the most sense. To bad AC population has no sense.

It's May 2nd and AC officials are making a mess of the Boardwalk in front of Boardwalk Hall. Typical AC logic, lets wait until tourist season to do major repairs, it's to cold in Jan., Feb., March.

acplayer

May 2nd, 2009, 02:44 PM

Good article Fabrizio. Yes Atlantic City was segregated, and ironically, both the black and white sections of A.C. flourished with this segregated arrangement up until the 1960s. In the 1960s, when the social structure started to break down, just like many cities across the U.S., the whites moved out and city spiraled downward.

p.s. IntheKnow, you're right, Jesse Kurtz is a Republican and white and therefore can not win in A.C. It's really ashame because he is the best candidate out of the group.

The beginning of the end.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acmarlboroughdemolition1.jpg

hbraithw

May 4th, 2009, 07:56 AM

"Jesse Kurtz is a Republican and white and therefore can not win in A.C"

I can agree with the Republican part but not the white part. Whelan was white. Levy was white. In the history of Atlantic City being white does not exempt you from being a crook nor does it make you a better mayor.

acplayer

May 4th, 2009, 04:06 PM

I agree Hbraithw, there were plenty of crooked/weak white mayors (Levy) but the only reason Levy was elected was because of the black support from the Callaways and their absentee ballots. Otherwise Levy or any other candidate doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of getting elected without somehow getting the black communities support (since they are a majority of the population) and to get that support they usually have to hire their friends and relatives or give hands-outs for the votes.

Intheknow

May 4th, 2009, 08:07 PM

How bad is it getting? Garden Pier was closed today due to structural damage. This City is falling apart one plank at a time. I mean, doesn't ANYONE care? This is like Philadelphia saying Independence Hall is closed. Once again, I'm speechless. Do I blame the black population for AC's woes? Yes. Because the white Casino owners are paying them off and they are accepting again, and again.........

Me, me, me, me, me.

Fabrizio

May 4th, 2009, 08:44 PM

From today's Press

Recession blues take toll on live acts coming to Atlantic City

By VINCENT JACKSON Staff Writer, 609-272-7202 | Posted: Saturday, May 2, 2009

Fewer bands are hitting the summer tour circuit this year with the economy mired in recession.

That may spell disappointment for local music fans. So far, Atlantic City casinos have a little more than half the acts booked for 2009 than they had in 2008.

“Most (performers) are not really accepting less money, to date,” said Steve Gietka, vice president of entertainment for Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. “It is very expensive to tour. If their profit margin isn’t acceptable, they just stay home. Of course, there are exceptions, but it’s not like the industry is experiencing a fire sale just yet.”

How bad are things? Between Memorial Day and Labor Day last year, the casinos and Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City hosted 133 music acts and comics. As of April 29, only 72 acts have been booked so far for this year by these venues.

During the past decade, the casinos and Boardwalk Hall made great strides in changing the resort’s image from being known as a place where entertainers eked out shows at the end of their careers to an entertainment center attracting some of the biggest names in the business. Many top-name performers came here after performing in Philadelphia or the New York area. Sometimes, they chose Atlantic City over Philadelphia.

Now, many musicians are deciding that the economics of a smaller market such as Atlantic City do not make this area a must-play stop on their recession-hobbled concert schedule.

In the past, acts may have played in Philadelphia, northeast New Jersey and Atlantic City. Now, they may only choose to play at one or two locations, but not all three. Atlantic City is likely to lose out unless the casinos pay a large sum of money, said John Scher, co-founder of Metropolitan Talent, Inc., out of New York. That’s unlikely to happen as casinos struggle with their own financial problems.

Full article: http://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/top_three/article_29b0ae20-378b-11de-a707-001cc4c03286.html#user-comment-area

Intheknow

May 4th, 2009, 09:24 PM

I heard the air show this year has only booked one banner plane. The United States Air Force is afraid to fly over AC due to "friendly fire".

hbraithw

May 5th, 2009, 09:20 AM

ACplayer whether you believe it or not blacks vote based on issues and not on color. Sometimes I think whites are too color obsessed. The prevailing sentiment on this board is that blacks are some tribal entity. But in Egg Harbor Twp you never hear people say the mayor was only voted in because he was white (eventhough whites are the majority with a healthy black and hispanic population). No, the white major gets the job because he is sharp and intelligent with great ideas but the black candidates are only majors because they are black. But hey I guess that's just America, why should I expect anything different.

Intheknow

May 5th, 2009, 10:54 AM

^ So what are Langfords great ideas? Is he intelligent in your opinion? I mean the guy owes AC $850,000, he was unemployed for 3 years, and his only qualifications are that he was once a Casino dealer. Sounds good to me let's vote for him again. Don't be naive.

hbraithw

May 5th, 2009, 02:41 PM

Intheknow, I wasn't talking about anyone specific but since you brought it up...

Langford was a counselman before he was mayor. Yes, many in the black community thought he was in over his head. However, the reason he beat Whelan is because it was perceived that Whelan became to entrenced in the casino's business and forgot about the community. And believe me the blacks love Whelan. Langford campaigned in the neighborhoods and churches. I remember Langford came to my church and talked to the people on his campaign didn't see Whelan. He came to my grandmother's funeral at St. Nicks. In AC its community first then casinos (if you want to get elected). Most of the voting residents were there long before casinos. Anyway, my point was that color has nothing to do with it.

Intheknow

May 5th, 2009, 05:25 PM

If it's community before Casinos why does the community look like a ghetto? Why are/were the Casinos allowed to build by blocking out the community/streets/boardwalk?? I think you are naive. It's nice these guys went to grandmas funeral but they have done nothing in the past 30 YEARS to improve the community.

hbraithw

May 8th, 2009, 12:30 PM

Intheknow, you seem to be skating around my point. On this board you always have racial overtones to your complaints about AC. Not all the mayors in the last 30 years were black.

As for why AC looks like a "ghetto"? That social-economic. The "ghetto" is not a place you strive to be, it's a place you end up. It has nothing to do with race. Ever been to Prince George's County, Md or Dekalb County, Ga these are predominately black areas that are affluent and don't look like your "ghettos". Ever been to Birdland, Zion Park or any of the miriad of trailer parks in EHT with predominately white populations on the lower economic scale? Not pretty at all. Moreover, I think people in Northeast Inlet, lower Chelsea, Venice Park, and Chelsea Heights might take exception to you calling their communities "ghetto".

Now let's talk about naive. It would be bad business for a casino to NOT block out the community. They want to keep patrons inside gambling not out in the community. Ideally, that might be a great thing for some local businesses. But it's NAIVE to think that a company would do something contrary to its own best interest.

Furthermore, seriously, a casino is not a freakin' community center. It's a Casino! Some people think gambling is morally wrong. So why would I open it up to the community. What is needed is for the tax money paid by the casinos to be used for Atlantic City and not for building stadiums, malls, arenas and more hotel rooms...or for some dudes pet project in North Jersey. It should be used to knock down outdated projects and apartments and replaced with beautiful affordable housing. No mayor black or white has been able to get that done. Know why, intheknow? Because the greedy powerful casino owners and state politicans call the shots. And they would rather just put the money in their own pockets. You think they're going to let a little podunk city tell them what to do with their money? Their sentiment is, "We own this city you just live here."

You my friend are the naive one. The problem in AC is a little bit bigger then a few little black politicians.

RYinNJ

May 8th, 2009, 10:51 PM

Amen.

Intheknow

May 9th, 2009, 05:44 AM

"We own this City you just live here". Sounds like most politicians in AC. All my posts have racial overtones? I'm against stupid, corrupt, self-serving, lazy, lawsuit happy people. Black, white or yellow doesn't matter. No shit the casinos want people in their Casinos, they also want legal prostitution, 100% smoking etc... doesn't mean the City i.e. taxpayers let them do what they want. Furthermore, I own property in lower Chelsea and guess what? It's a ghetto and getting worse by the day. Hell, the ghetto is spreading to Ventnor. I understand it's not about race,, a ghetto can pop up anywhere, but AC is now predominantly black controlled, so yes, I do blame the blacks.

hbraithw

May 15th, 2009, 10:43 AM

"I understand it's not about race,, a ghetto can pop up anywhere, but AC is now predominantly black controlled, so yes, I do blame the blacks."

Wow, you contradicted yourself in the same statement. It's not about race but I blame the blacks. Hilarious.

Anyway, I guess all the whites in the governors office, state senate, congress, national senate, casino reinvestment development authority, county executive's office, and casino ownership don't count, huh. No, intheknow wants to blame the blacks. You're funny man. So if I ascrible to your logic I should by blaming the whites for the state of this country. My point is it it about individuals and not race.

Intheknow, you're the type of person the waxes poetic about how AC was a great place when the whites controled it. The whites still control it. Only difference is the whites and their money and businesses stop living in the city. Why? Economics. Competition. Commercial Airlines. Many factors none of which had anything to do with blacks. Blacks didn't take over...blacks are just the poor(no $$$ poor) that were left behind. Poor people can't just pick up and leave.

And why were they poor, intheknow? Pick up a history book, read it and try to learn something. But I will give you a clue. Take a look at the title and deed of your property in lower Chelsea. Go back about 50 years and see the blacks restricted line on the deed. Blacks were not allowed to own property in Chelsea. Black could live in AC but were not allowed to prosper. If a black business did thrive, it faced extortion from white gansters. Why? Because the AC police in those days did not protect blacks from these parasites. Blacks have always been easy prey for white gangsters. And if a black tried to protect himself from these gangsters he would be the one thrown in jail. I wonder why? Wealth is passed on from generation to generation. The American dream was a white only thing back then. I doubt that for all the blacks in the city they own 1/8 of the property now.

So save that blame the blacks nonsense.

Intheknow

May 15th, 2009, 02:05 PM

"Poor people can't get up and leave" leave what? the couch?

Son, you are an idiot.

Fabrizio

May 15th, 2009, 02:19 PM

hbraithw: much in your post, IMHO, is well said ....but not having money usually has nothing to do with how one keeps their home and their neighborhood.

The social history you speak of in AC (all true) is long gone: so what about today?

And while yes, "wealth is passed on from generation to generation" ..... so is the will to be a productive member of society or not.

I agree that to blame one race over another for AC's decline is pretty ridiculous... but IMHO the blame is shared among the casino owners and corporations, the government (local and state) and yes, in part, by the residents of the city too.

---

Intheknow

May 15th, 2009, 10:29 PM

I'm not blaming any race for AC's path to ghetto-hood. Corrupt, sleazy, lazy, stupid........ humans that could and can make a difference refuse to look out for the greater good and instead look out for themselves.
I've never seen a City that acts quite like AC. It's baffeling.

The more tourists in a City (for any reason-beach, gambling, shows etc) helps all businesses. These Casinos better figure this out quickly if they want to survive. What, 40% of casinos in town are bankrupt or close to it, they better change their strategy.

hbraithw

May 22nd, 2009, 10:34 AM

"much in your post, IMHO, is well said ....but not having money usually has nothing to do with how one keeps their home and their neighborhood."

Thanks Fabrizio. I disagree slightly. I believe there is a correlation between a person's economic situation and the upkeep of ones home. Without getting to psychiatric, how a person keeps ones home is a reflection of how one feels inside. If I'm living in abject poverty, I'm most likely depressed about my situation and feel trapped. So let me find something to smoke to escape the pain. The last thing on my mind is how the begonias look in the front yard. Pride of ownership means you actually have to own something.

"The social history you speak of in AC (all true) is long gone: so what about today?"

Today is the result of a lot of yesterdays. Meaning the true understanding of history will give us more empathy for those downtrodden. As long as capitalism (which I love) exist, there will always be poor people period. To have (so called) winners you need losers. Heck, most of us are a few paychecks from being poor ourselves. It is how we treat the poor that matters. We treat poor people like crap in this country. The problem is, in this country, we judge people by how much money they have. If he has money he must be a good person. No! God (who I love) doesn't care about that. Some of the most evil people in the world have nice front yards. So my answer is treat poor people with dignity.

And while yes, "wealth is passed on from generation to generation" ..... so is the will to be a productive member of society or not.

Is working at the Arkansas Ave. McDonald's being a productive member of society? Yes. Will it pay the bills. No. But somebodies got to flip those burgers, to keep Ronald McDonald in the lifestyle he's accustomed to. People want to work. Unfortunately, It's just not enough. There is a such thing as the working poor. The minimum wage is still like 5.50/hr. That's ridiculous. I was fortunate enough to be born in a two parent home. My parents paid for my education and now I'm pretty successful "productive member of society". However, I don't think for a minute that my life wouldn't be different if I, by no fault of my own, were born into a single parent family in the Stanley Homes Projects. Not that it's impossible to get out of the "ghetto", but you certainly have a lot more to overcome. A LOT MORE! Again thanks, Fabrizio.

As for intheknow,

"I'm not blaming any race for AC's path to ghetto-hood. Corrupt, sleazy, lazy, stupid........ humans"

Oh now its humans, huh. Backpeddle much?

"Son, you are an idiot."

That's the best you can do, Pops. That took a lot of thought. Anyway, your attitude is appalling. I can see I'm throwing my pearls to a pig. I was hoping for an interesting debate about AC. I guess I was wrong. I now see that your nothing but a cranky, bigotted, know-nothing, pompous windbag with not a relevent thing to say. Too bad for you.