Atlantic City Seeks New Image: Las Vegas's

[acplayer]

I thought some of you might enjoy this look back at Atlantic City in it's heyday in this 1951 travel movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG6R2V9X3ks

[Intheknow]

The difference from 1951 to now is as plain as black and white.

[stache]

I took the new train to AC last week. The train was pretty empty. The cars are the new NJT double deckers with better seating. It stops in Newark in order to switch to diesel. The pedestrian access to the new segment of the Walk is absolutely horrible. To me there's no reason to go to AC very often.

[block944]

I took the new train to AC last week. The train was pretty empty. The cars are the new NJT double deckers with better seating. It stops in Newark in order to switch to diesel. The pedestrian access to the new segment of the Walk is absolutely horrible. To me there's no reason to go to AC very often.


I rode it was well, how horrible and stupid I wish I could of taken a bus back instead of zig zagging back up for over 2 hours. The should of completed the river line down to AC instead of this garbage.

[Intheknow]

Development news!!!! The CRDA is spending $25,000,000 for a new parking garage!!!! WTF. How stupid and corrupt are these people. Atlantic City, continuing to under perform and over spend. Excuse me while I go throw - up. I do think AC will rebound despite the ineptitude of everyone currently involved (Gov., Casino execs, thug populace etc..)

[block944]

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/atlantic_city_casino_profits_d.html
Atlantic City casino profits down 19.8 percent in second quarter

by The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk Thursday August 20, 2009, 6:19 AM


ATLANTIC CITY -- Casino profits in the second quarter of 2009 fell 19.8 percent compared with the same period last year in the city, a report (http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/business/press/article_fbc67a5c-8cef-11de-bcd6-001cc4c002e0.html) in the Press of Atlantic City said.
According to figures released Wednesday by the state Casino Control Commission, gross operating profits totaled $198.4 million for April to June, compared with last year's $247.3 million, the report said. One casino, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, reported an increase in profits, while eight other resort casinos stayed in the black. Losses were reported by two casinos, the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort and Resorts Atlantic City, the report said.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/08/large_Resorts%20Handover.JPGMel Evans/The Associated PressResorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. City casino profits in the second quarter of 2009 fell 19.8 percent compared with the same period last year
The loss in profits stems from a recession that has discouraged discretionary spending as well as newer slot parlors in Pennsylvania, the report said.



AC is done. If not now then definitely when the Meadowlands and Monmouth get their wishes. FACT! Who the hell wants to drive down there to lose money whe you will be able to drive 15 minutes. Oh, did I mention that the being in the middle of a ghetto never helped the situation either.

[66nexus]

That's a testament to AC's dependency on gaming profits. Vegas is suffering from lost gaming revenue but it has much more in the way of non-gaming entertainment.

I definitely don't think AC is done overall(Borgata still raking in), however, the city should already be weaning itself off the gaming teat.

[block944]

Second homes: Bet on getting an affordable beach home in Atlantic City ATLANTIC CITYhttp://images.usatoday.com/_common/_images/clear.gifBest for: Those who want a classic beach community but also enjoy gaming and entertainment.
Claim to fame: Monopoly was based on Atlantic City properties such as Boardwalk, Ventnor and Atlantic avenues.
Don't miss: Steel Pier, opened in 1898 as "The Showplace of the Nation," reopened in 1993 as a traditional oceanfront amusement pier.
Getting there: Atlantic City Airport is served by Spirit and AirTran. The ACES train serves Newark Airport and NYC's Penn Station.



By Larry Olmsted (http://www.usatoday.com/community/tags/reporter.aspx?id=1026), Special for USA TODAY
Before World War II, Atlantic City (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Atlantic+City) was one of the nation's most popular oceanfront resorts, on par with Miami (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Miami) Beach. When its fortunes declined, the city became the first U.S. locale outside Nevada to allow casinos.
The original Atlantic City casinos were self-contained and did little to revive their surroundings. But now, development has spread across downtown with two new retail and dining complexes: the Walk near the convention center and the 300,000-square-foot Pier Shops at Caesars.

ARCHIVE: Find more second-home destinations (http://www.usatoday.com/community/tags/topic.aspx?req=ssts&pg=1&tag=secondhomes%5Edestinations%5Etravel)
In the city's suddenly hot south end, four casino resorts are under construction, along with Bella, a new residential high-rise condo building. Other recent condo projects include the Ocean Club, Tannen Towers and a conversion of the old Ritz-Carlton (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Companies/Transportation,+Travel,+Hospitality/Hotels/Ritz-Carlton) hotel. Studios can be had in the low $100,000s, but most new condos start at $200,000 to $300,000.
Other recent developments include two non-gaming hotels, The Chelsea and The Water Club at the Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa, reflecting the city's new objective to be a dining and entertainment destination. The latest major improvement was the launch in February of the Atlantic City Express Service (ACES) train, a direct connection to Newark (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Newark) Airport and New York City (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/New+York).
FIND MORE STORIES IN: New York (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/New+York) | Miami (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Miami) | Newark (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Newark) | Atlantic City (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/Towns,+Cities,+Counties/Atlantic+City) | Ritz-Carlton (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Organizations/Companies/Transportation,+Travel,+Hospitality/Hotels/Ritz-Carlton)
Atlantic City occupies the north end of Absecon Island, which also includes the villages of Margate, Ventnor and Longport. It's just a 20-minute drive from one end to the other, and most second homes offer attractions within walking distance.
Outside downtown, homes are large for a resort town. "It's the last frontier of the Northeast where you can still buy affordable vacation homes on the beach or a block away. Most second-home owners spend $300,000 to $700,000," says real estate agent Mark Arbeit of Prudential Fox & Roach.
Arbeit cites the location — an hour from Philadelphia, two from New York — as a major draw.
"New Yorkers (http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Places,+Geography/States,+Territories,+Provinces,+Islands/U.S.+States/New+York) are sick of traveling all the way to the Hamptons and spending millions for beach homes," Arbeit says. "There is world-class entertainment (here), thanks to the casinos, restaurants, spas, nightclubs. It's affordable, and almost everything on the island is close to the beach."
A look at three Absecon Island neighborhoods
•Atlantic City: For second-home owners, the place to be is the south end of the city, especially the Lower Chelsea neighborhood, says Realtor Mark Arbeit. "It's the most residential, (with) estates and large beach homes. As you go north, it becomes much denser and more of a commercial city." New condos begin at about $235,000; four-bedroom houses are around $370,000.
•Ventnor: Just south of Atlantic City, Ventnor also has a boardwalk. Here, it extends from the main casino and entertainment strip. "The island is narrower here, just three blocks from beach to bay, so everything is close to the water," Arbeit says. Older condos can be found for around $200,000, new luxury townhouse condos start at about $450,000, and single-family houses begin around $300,000. The most desirable section is St. Leonard's Tract, nine blocks of grand homes on large lots.
•Margate/Longport: While Ventnor is an extension of Atlantic City, Margate has its own town center with restaurants and shops. Prices run just a bit higher than in Ventnor, Arbeit says. On the island's southern end, Longport is residential and the most expensive. Almost all homes are on the beach or bay, and there are few condos. Single-family houses begin at $800,000, but many are in the $2 million-$3 million range.




http://i.usatoday.net/travel/_photos/2009/08/21/house1.jpg Courtesy of T. Mitch Tannehill, Mark Arbeit and Co.

http://i.usatoday.net/travel/_photos/2009/08/21/house2.jpg Courtesy of T. Mitch Tannehill, Mark Arbeit and Co.

ON THE MARKET


High price: $739,000



This home is in Ventnor's desirable St. Leonard's Tract neighborhood, two blocks from the beach.
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 2 + 2 half-baths
Size: 2,783 square feet
Features: Large living room with fireplace, formal dining room, library, master bedroom with fireplace, porch and enclosed sunroom, hardwood floors, large fenced yard, full basement and detached garage.


Midrange price: $399,000



This new condo conversion is in Margate, two blocks from the beach, shops and restaurants. There are no condo or homeowners' association fees.
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2
Size: 745 square feet
Features: Large deck with panoramic views, open kitchen with stainless steel appliances, granite counters and custom cabinets, hardwood and granite tile floors, parking spot and storage unit included.

[Intheknow]

The only thing that can save this "City" and housing prices is if the gay community starts moving in. Come October 1st this city will be a ghost town, and it's really slow now, in August! It's become a one night town -Saturday's. That ain't going to pay the bills.

[stache]

I don't see the gays colonizing this. It's in the middle if nowhere, and there is already Asbury Pk. & Rehoboth, plus New Hope.

[lofter1]

is there anything old left of any possible quality & concentration that could be spiffed up?

or did they already tear down all that?

[stache]

Just the old part of Claridge's, and a lot of Victorian/Edwardian housing, that nobody cares about.

[Intheknow]

Harrah's announced today a new marketing campaign, "Gay friendly". This should be a good indicator on any "gay revitalization" of AC. I think the Chelsea Hotel courts the gay community also, for whatever that's worth.

[block944]

Here comes the pinch folks!

Atlantic City casino owners seek wage freeze

by The Associated Press Thursday September 03, 2009, 8:38 AM


http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/09/medium_tropicana-casino.JPGMel Evans/The Associated PressTropicana Casino in Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY -- Three Atlantic City casinos owners are proposing wage freezes for waiters, bartenders, housekeepers and dishwashers as contract negotiations begin.
Harrah's, Trump Entertainment and Tropicana made presentations to Local 54 of UNITE-HERE on Wednesday.
The companies, which own eight of the city's 11 casinos, are asking for three-year contracts.
Local 54 President Bob McDevitt said he understands why the casinos are asking for wage freezes.
An economic downturn and added competition in Pennsylvania have taken a toll on casino revenue.
The union represents about 15,000 workers whose five-year contract expires Sept. 15.

[block944]

I don't see the gays colonizing this. It's in the middle if nowhere, and there is already Asbury Pk. & Rehoboth, plus New Hope.

I think thats why the gays would come, so they can do their own thing away from everyone else

[Fabrizio]

If today's AC were in the condition that it was in the mid-1970's, the gays would go there and restore the old homes in Chelsea and create a cool neighborhood... maybe take over some of the mid-town beach blocks like St. James place (as they had already done in the late 60's and early 70's with NewYork Avenue).

Those old row houses were perfect for bed&breakfasts... nice restaurants and boutiques. Maybe a Curtis Bradshaw would have restored the Blenhiem.

But today there's nothing left in AC that the gays would care about: everything quaint, historic, significant has been bulldozed.

----

BTW: that photo up above showing Resorts International is pretty funny... and clever. It gives the impression that the hotels are both along the beach... what with the water in front. But actually that's a flooded vacant lot... it's not the ocean. The photographer took some of AC's notorious urban blight and made lemonade.

--

[block944]

If today's AC were in the condition that it was in the mid-1970's, the gays would go there and restore the old homes in Chelsea and create a cool neighborhood... maybe take over some of the mid-town beach blocks like St. James place (as they had already done in the late 60's and early 70's with NewYork Avenue).

Those old row houses were perfect for bed&breakfasts... nice restaurants and boutiques. Maybe a Curtis Bradshaw would have restored the Blenhiem.

But today there's nothing left in AC that the gays would care about: everything quaint, historic, significant has been bulldozed.

----

BTW: that photo up above showing Resorts International is pretty funny... and clever. It gives the impression that the hotels are both along the beach... what with the water in front. But actually that's a flooded vacant lot... it's not the ocean. The photographer took some of AC's notorious urban blight and made lemonade.

--


in AC nothing is what it seems....

[block944]

Former Atlantic City mayoral candidate, 13 campaign workers indicted in vote fraud scheme

by The Associated Press Thursday September 03, 2009, 3:45 PM


TRENTON -- A former Atlantic City mayoral candidate and 13 campaign workers have been indicted in a vote fraud scheme.
New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram announced the indictments today against City Councilman Marty Small and the others.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/2009/08/large_attorney-general-anne-milgram.JPGSaed Hindash/The Star-LedgerAttorney General Anne Milgram during a news conference on Aug. 26, 2009.
They are accused of conspiring to submit fraudulent absentee ballots.
Small was trounced in the city's June Democratic primary by incumbent Mayor Lorenzo Langford.
The charges involve use of messenger ballots, a type of absentee ballot designed for those too sick or frail to make it to the polls. Designated messengers pick up the ballots at county election offices, take them to voters and return them to election officials once completed.
A telephone message left for Small was not immediately returned today.

[stache]

I think thats why the gays would come, so they can do their own thing away from everyone else

I understand your point, but they recently did that in Asbury Park for the same reason.

[Intheknow]

Stephen Starr has cut ties with the Chelsea Hotel today. This hurts.

[Intheknow]

Revel has obtained financing to finish project by 2011!!! A Chinese group will assume 51% equity in the project. Finally, some good news. The Chinese should fit right in with the corrupt AC government, there has been a sudden spike in Chinese language courses at the local community college, it appears all AC officials have enrolled. (Article appears in todays on-line Press of AC

[stache]

While not about Atlantic City this article illustrates how another beach town is spiffing up -

By CHARLES ISHERWOOD (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/i/charles_isherwood/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
Published: September 11, 2009


Interactive Map (http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/09/11/travel/escapes/20090911-asburypark-interactive.html)



THE past stands vigil over the present in this once-faded beach resort that has been evolving in recent years into a newly appealing summer weekend destination — or a year-round refuge — for an eclectic population.
At one end of the central stretch of boardwalk, the beautiful old convention hall, a gold-brick pile with delicate wedding-cake trim, announces “Greetings From Asbury Park” . The phrase was immortalized by the local boy made good Bruce Springsteen (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/bruce_springsteen/index.html?inline=nyt-per) (he grew up in nearby Freehold), as the title of his debut album back in 1973. At the other end rest the elegant shell of the casino and the carousel building, now sadly empty of carousel, as if the prancing horses had fled for more profitable pastures. (Dancing men moved in temporarily this summer: a production of the musical “Full Monty” from the ReVision Theater was preparing to open in the space when I visited.)
But in between these venerable landmarks much is bustling, busy and almost brand new. A high-end tchotchke emporium called Bodega sells fancy candles and vintage paperbacks with lurid covers in pristine condition. Furniture stores with trendy names like the Posh Den court sun-dazed beachgoers. Stella Marina, a giant, gleaming new trattoria, does frenzied business late into the night, just next door to an upstairs bar, Watermark, that almost looks like a transplant from Manhattan but with soothing views of the moon and stars over a silvered stretch of ocean.
Like many cities and towns poised between decay and regeneration, Asbury Park bewitches with hints of faded charm as well as a growing array of creature comforts. Although it was a popular middle-class summer destination for much of the 20th century, it endured decades of economic decline following race riots in 1970. As is often the case in a town in a process of renewal, gay men and lesbians have a significant presence and deserve considerable credit for the current reawakening.
Today, as it happens, among the most welcoming aspects of Asbury Park is an easygoing embrace of all kinds of visitors and residents. Summer resorts often cater to niches of humanity. Well-heeled Manhattanites, for example, hie to the Hamptons (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/new-york/long-island/the-hamptons/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo). In Fire Island (http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/new-york/long-island/fire-island/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo) Pines it is not unusual to encounter a sculptured male beauty shopping for vegetables in a bikini, but a man and woman pushing a stroller along the wooden walkways would be a lot more surprising. On the beach at Asbury Park you cannot even be sure a rainbow-hued umbrella signifies anything. Black and white, gay and straight, child-ridden and child-free: there’s a little of everything, and everyone seems to feel at home.
Evidence of the quickening pace of renewal is hard to miss in these days, notwithstanding the economic tremors of the last year. New establishments pepper Cookman Avenue, a funky retail stretch and a nice place to dawdle away a day of beach fatigue. With its cluttered stores full of mid-century furniture, smartly chosen home collections and vintage clothing, the strip feels a lot like the East Village in the 1980s. The prices also inspire nostalgia for those more economically innocent times. Vintage T-shirts that would run you $50 or more in Manhattan can be had for considerably less at stores like B Unique, a new boutique with a retro-rock feeling.
But there are also “only in New Jersey” novelties. Less than a year old is Paranormal Books and Curiosities, presided over by the amiable proprietor, Kathy Kelly, where you can buy a Ouija board, keep up with the latest in fang lit or sign up for a ghosts and legends walk through the city by night with an emphasis on its haunted history.
Also new is the Silverball Pinball Museum, a big basement rec room where dozens of classic pinball machines are kept in mint working condition.
But anyone with even a vestige of affection for youthful days spent wasting the allowance with Captain Fantastic or whiling away a dull night at the bar trying to beat the top score on the Charlie’s Angels machine won’t be reading about arcade arcana for long.
Nor do the city’s seductive retro amusements stop at pinball. I also bowled for the first time in at least a decade at Asbury Lanes. Hipster alleys are not exactly novel these days in major cities, but this appealingly scruffy hall, in operation since 1961, blends its old-school amenities (skeevy bathroom included) and hipster credentials (a D.J. playing ’80s New Wave) with an authenticity that doesn’t seem strained. Here, you feel, the cool kids inevitably started hanging out because it was one of the few local places that stayed open late and served drinks.
It is now one of the cutting-edge music spots in this music-rich town. A fierce funk-rock band was just concluding its set when a friend and I stepped in to escape the rain on a recent Saturday night. The bandstand is plopped on top of the middle lanes, but you can still bowl in the outer lanes. So we did, even as a nouveau-burlesque show took over the stage. Had I not needed all my wits to avoid the humiliation of repeated gutter balls, I’m sure I would have taken more time to appreciate the dance stylings of Mlles. Gigi LaFemme, Sapphire Jones, Anita Cookie and Sizzle Dizzle.
A lineup of such exotic handles you might almost expect to see on a drag bill at the Paradise club in the Empress Hotel, the great gaudy dowager that forms the centerpiece of gay nightlife in Asbury Park. Located just opposite the boardwalk on Ocean Avenue, this classically undistinguished bit of midcentury hotel architecture turns into a throbbing disco queen at night. Gem-colored lights play across the facade, and the crowd at the Paradise spills out into the pool area, where you can check out the men (and women) while idling on a lounge chair.
Odd juxtapositions — bowling and burlesque, burgers frying beside a pool at a gay bar, a spanking-new condo complex with views of a vacant lot dotted with cement slabs like tombstones — are a hallmark of today’s Asbury Park. The city’s revival may hit a few speed bumps, but it’s comforting to be reminded that the most interesting times are often the least tidy.

[Intheknow]

Pier Shops owner stops mortgage payments. Taubman Centers Inc, announced it will no longer provide financial support for the Pier. Eerily slow in AC, scary slow.

[stache]

I can't imagine what possessed many of these vendors to set up shop in AC, even in the go-go era. :confused:

[acplayer]

Why doesn't the city offer people more options than casinos? Bring the piers and families back. Give people a reason to come other than casinos.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acbwsteeplechasecrowd1960s.jpg

[stache]

'Mammy's restaurant'??????????????

[Intheknow]

See any black people in that picture? I wonder if there's any corrolation? Truth and racism are two different things, before you jump all over me.

[STT757]

See any black people in that picture?.

I counted 16.

[lofter1]

Mammy's Restaurant

Info on the china used to serve up waffles and doughnuts at Mammy's (http://www.restaurantwarecollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10174) ...

Manufacturer: Shenango China
User: Mammy's Restaurant
Distributor: Ganger Inc., New York City
Date: 1927-1948

Off-white body with a red band border, topmarked with the Mammy caricature (http://www.ferris.edu/news/jimcrow/mammies/) and the words "MAMMY'S Atlantic City."

Notes:

Mammy's Restaurant was located in Atlantic City at Boardwalk and Pennsylvania Ave. at the entrance to Steeplechase Pier. Elia Lasker Tendler, wife of the famous left-handed boxer Lew Tendler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_Tendler), operated Mammy's. The Tendlers also owned Lew Tendler's restaurants in Atlantic City and Philadelphia. Mammy's Restaurant was most famous for donuts and waffles. The boardwalk-facing window allowed people to see the mechanized production of donuts being fried and sugared and then served to patrons in the restaurant or offered as take out. Mammy's served Boscul coffee, a brand which originated in Camden, NJ. The restaurant closed in the late 1970s.

Lew Tendler:

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/images/tendler-lew-333.jpg

http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/programs/images/19230723pr.jpg

***

Bagfuls of Mammy's matchbooks (http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mammys-donut-waffle-shop-pennsylvania-avenue) available on eBay ...

This front sticker matchbook is full and unused, no issues,one side advertizes for MAMMY"S delicious waffles and chicken in the basket on the boardwald at steeplechase pier,atlantic city nj.The other side shows LEW TENDLER'S steak house also in atlantic city nj

More on Mammy's AC (http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mammys-donut-waffle-shop-pennsylvania-avenue)

Seems there was another unrelated Mammy's in Miami Beach (http://www.theblackdahliainhollywood.com/wp-content/uploads/sidebar_pictures/mammys.jpg) ...

http://www.theblackdahliainhollywood.com/wp-content/uploads/sidebar_pictures/mammys.jpg

Mammy's (http://cuban-exile.com/doc_226-250/doc0232.html) 2039 Collins Ave., M.B.

And a little somethin' down in Georgia ...

http://www.smsnoveltiques.com/images/pc-mammy.jpg

http://www.oidar.com/MammysShantyMenu1-400.jpg

*

[Fabrizio]

I remember Mammy's and the donut machine... my friend Ethel and I got a job there one summer.

no... not really, but I do remember Mammy's.

In that photo up above there's also an ad for Zaberers, a big fancy restaurant out on the pike, where they flambèd everything.
.
You can also see the General Motors Exibit sign above the Steel Pier on the left. As a kid it was my favorite place in AC. I would convince the guy to give me brochures... "my dad sent me".

And Paul Anka was at the Pier. Or Paula Abdul. I can't quite make it out from here.

The photo looks like this would have been 1965-ish but AC looked pretty much like this through to the mid 70's.

--

[Intheknow]

Notice the ferris wheel(s), plants, shrubs, you know things that enhance the scenery. What do we have now?

Instead of Mammy's we have PF Changs, Phillips, Burger King....... crap you'll find in any generic city.

The 16 blacks you counted were the Harlem Globetrotters, see the promo to the right of Schmidts sign.

[hbraithw]

See any black people in that picture? I wonder if there's any corrolation? Truth and racism are two different things, before you jump all over me.

Wow! Burn any crosses lately, intheknow? You're really ignorant. White supremacy is very ugly and needs to be eradicated. You're skin color does not make you better than anyone. In God's eyes we are all the same. Unfortunately you have been brainwashed to actually believe color matters.

Note to fellow 'American' posters: I will not judge all white people by the actions of 'Intheknow.' I know that most Americans are not like this. I was so proud of Harry Connick, Jr. when he defended his fellow black Americans as he was unknowingly exposed to a blackface 'comedy' skit on a variety show in Australia.

[Intheknow]

I'm not white. The last thing I burned was my toast this morning. I only observe and comment on my observations. Check out the Pressofac.com and read the story of the "Reverend" councilman and the prostitute and maybe you'll see where I'm coming from.

[hbraithw]

Like he's the first politician to get caught with a prostitute in the history of the world. If your not white what are you?

[Intheknow]

Native American.

[Intheknow]

Like he's the first politician to get caught with a prostitute in the history of the world. If your not white what are you?

No, but he might be one of the few who was set up by political foes to oust him from office. Instead of concentrating on improving this City our politicians spend time on this nonsense.

[acplayer]

For decades Atlantic City was probably the best place in the world for children to vacation and/or live. In the picture you can see two theatres just on this one block of the Boardwalk when A.C. had over a dozen theatres in town. You can see the children feeding the pigeons.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acpigeonsapollo1952.jpg

Fast forward to the present and this is what Atlantic City offers for children and families where children now feed the beggars.

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

[block944]

Except for the borgota AC is a crap hole to bad they have to furlough rooms now too


From the Star Ledger:
Lack of guests leads Borgata to close rooms in Water Club Hotel (http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2009/10/lack_of_guests_leads_borgata_t.html)
The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City is taking hundreds of rooms at its Water Club hotel out of service on Tuesdays through Thursdays because of low demand.
The casino also shuttered most of the posh year-old hotel’s 800 rooms on those days last March. They were reopened when bookings picked up over the summer.
…
The lower demand comes as Atlantic City’s casinos have struggled with a weak economy and increased gambling competition in Pennsylvania and New York.

[block944]

Native American.


No wonder he likes the casinos!

[Intheknow]

Things are looking bleak for the Casino industry- everywhere. I don't think Revel will open anytime soon,if ever. A few Casinos may have to pack it in this winter. We have yet to hit bottom in AC. and it's pretty bad now! Business is slow, real slow and with the amount of debt these Casinos hold trouble is brewing.

Isn't that "no-legs" Johnson in that picture?

[acplayer]

The problem is that everything that made Atlantic City attractive, unique and special is gone.

Here you can actually see the ocean from the Boardwalk and the gorgeous architecture of the Blenheim, whose concrete was personally poured by Thomas Edison. (now Bally's bland shoebox)

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

Edison also used to fish out the window of his friend's house, Captain Young, which used to be on the end of the Million Dollar Pier, which is now Caesars Pier One.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acyoungshouse1910.jpg

In 1960 you could actually shop and go to the cafeteria at Woolworths below your affordable hotel room at the Belmont (now a tin shed sellling cheap t-shirts)

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acwoolworthsbelmont1960.jpg

[Fabrizio]

Another shot of the Belmont, there in the distance. Some of my finest memories of AC are of the city in winter. To think: people would go there in the winter... to walk on the Boardwalk... to shop. Note the building behind the rolling chair: it is exactly like buildings you'd see on so many main-streets... simple, only a couple of stories, but beautifully detailed.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/c-6.jpg

[Intheknow]

The Boardwalk is now bleak and depressing, no wonder it's deserted, and it's only October wait until February.

New York Times had a piece on AC last week in the business section, "Can Atlantic City raise the stakes". It's going to take more than the Revel opening, which I doubt will happen, to save AC. Simple minded people are controlling AC and its fate.

[JohnFlint1985]

From my last visit in September future Revel Casino

http://images51.fotki.com/v747/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L406-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v731/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L408-vi.jpg

http://images53.fotki.com/v421/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L410-vi.jpg

http://images52.fotki.com/v738/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L417-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v749/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L419-vi.jpg

http://images112.fotki.com/v1534/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L420-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v731/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L429-vi.jpg

http://images19.fotki.com/v22/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L430-vi.jpg

http://images51.fotki.com/v731/photos/7/1306457/7925969/L595-vi.jpg

[acplayer]

Great photos of Revel. I hope it gets the financing to complete it asap. A.C. really needs the boost and some kind of good news.

Here's what the Belmont and Woolworths looked like by the early 1980s.
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acbelmontwoolworthsearly1980s.jpg

Although it could get quite cold in the winter....
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acfire1928.jpg

The crowds still came. (And they would still come if there was a reason for them)
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/wrigleyseasterapril11920.jpg

[Fabrizio]

The Dennis Hotel .

Looks like a TV transmission... most likely a political race. The card on the right says Frank Blair who was an anchor for the Today Show. Faye Emerson, long forgotton, was a huge television star in the 1950's.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/c-2.jpg

[Fabrizio]

Note the difference between the Revel's blank reflective glass walls on the B'walk compared to the Dennis in the photo above.

So now we read that Revel needs a billion dollars to finish? Wasn't there something about Chinese investors? What's the story?

[cantlisten]

Las Vegas (Las Vegas) is the largest city in Nevada, gambling industry as a large tourist center, shoppinghttp://www.see-shoes.com (http://www.see-shoes.com/), vacation real estate at the well-known, is one of the world-renowned resort. From a giant playground to a real flesh and blood, Live Flesh city, Las Vegas transformed itself in 10 years.
Las Vegas travel each year http://www.see-shoes.com (http://www.see-shoes.com/)to 38.9 million passengers to shopping and enjoy the food accounted for the majority, only a minority came to gambling. Nevada was once was ironic as "Sin City" and "bet out wages" in Las Vegas, has gradually matured into a real city. 1990 to 2000 10 years, the Las Vegas increased by 80% to about 1.9 million now. The attractiveness of the city is also gradually become more diverse.
The city is no longer a "casino," a synonym. Here, you can find food, find art, find entertainment, find all the elements of a pluralistic city.
Las Vegas, the world's most where there is no foundation, and finally have their roots deep down the bar.http://www.see-shoes.com

[66nexus]

The rendering shows some ground level and greenery on the B'walk level. In those pics the glass is immediately abutting the B'walk. I really hope that's not indicative of things to come.

As for the above post, it seems like a Vegas ad, and it seems like it will be deleted.:confused:

[acplayer]

What I don't get is why the city isn't doing something with the vacant inlet land near Gardeners Basin where Hackneys and Captain Starns once stood at the end of the Boardwalk. They should have seafood restaurants, sightseeing and fishing tours with trolley service from the Boardwalk to the inlet, the marina and downbeach. So much squandered opportunity in A.C.

Hackney's
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/achackneyscars1.jpg

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

Captain Starns
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acstarnsaerial.jpg

Nice day for a sail
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acstarns.jpg

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

Feeding the sea lions
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acstarnssealion1.jpg

Easy access

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/actrolley6890starns.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/actrolley202starnsinlet1952.jpg

[Intheknow]

The city feels the inlet section is better suited for section 8 housing and welfare high rises-not a joke. We have a "new" Mayor for the next four years, what are his latest priorities? Taking the police k-9's off the streets because crack heads and criminals were complaining they were being bitten without cause, total complaints- 6. I'm not making this up. He is currently ordered to pay back city $850,000 he fraudulantly granted himself and the current city council President, true. He is a want-a-be Al Sharpton who's followers are the dregs of AC. He also wants to trade parcels from Bader field for lots in the City, why???? It's worth more as a whole I would think. Hopefully Christie, NJ new govenor, will set up a corruption office in the city to turn this cesspool around.

[block944]

Your outrageous property taxes at work.

Officials hope teachers' convention in Atlantic City boosts economy

By The Associated Press (http://connect.nj.com/user/njoapnews/index.html)

November 05, 2009, 6:07AM

ATLANTIC CITY — Parents in New Jersey are trying to figure out what to do with their kids because schools are closed for the annual teachers' convention.
Atlantic City officials are hoping the estimated 50,000 educators who will spend time at the two-day event will help stimulate the sagging economy.
Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority vice president Gary Musich says overall New Jersey Education Association convention attendance is up 4 percent this year.
Musich said about 15 to 20 percent stay overnight.

[Intheknow]

The more I read of scrapped plans in Vegas, Macau, falling revenue in PA, the less hope I have of Revel opening. There is still no plan, let alone talking about a plan, to turn this city around. The CEO of Revel said the city and the Casinos need to work together. The cities response, we do enough to help the Casinos.

[hbraithw]

AC Player, it's great to wax poetic about AC's past but times change. People have so many choices now and that was AC's downfall. If you want a family resort you can take a short drive to Ocean City or Wildwood or better yet take a Spirit flight to Florida. The family thing will not work in AC. I think AC should make itself into Time Square with casinos.

Atlantic City is what it is now. All those places are gone for a reason. Those hotels were too small. The casinos have better restaurants. I personally like tall glass high rises. They have a modern appeal. AC will never be what it was it can only strive to be the best of what it is. I like the idea of bringing in cruise ships, putting in a monorail system, shutting down streets and making them pedestian friendly around the Walk with pedestrian bridges over the Expressway Entrance. Taking advantage of AC's strengths. Could you imagine if you where able to park your car at a casino, and for one fee use a monorail to hop around all the different casinos, the wallk, borgata, boardwalk hall, marinas? AC is so small it could be remade quickly if investors wanted too.

One thing I've always felt about this area is, "If they build it they will come." Just look at the Walk. But unfortunately only Cordish gets this. The investors just aren't there. Period. I don't know why? AC's location is great.

[Fabrizio]

One thing I've always felt about this area is, "If they build it they will come."

^ Get rid of AC's sizable thug population and it's low-life polititians and they will come for sure.

[MidtownGuy]

Here you can actually see the ocean from the Boardwalk and the gorgeous architecture of the Blenheim, whose concrete was personally poured by Thomas Edison. (now Bally's bland shoebox)


So beautiful, and so sad they tore that gorgeous historic building (and so many others) down instead of developing the big new casinos in ways that saved the best old architecture alongside the new.

It was part of what distinguished the place...made it interesting and special, gave it charm. People can be so short sighted.

The new benefits from the old, and vice versa.