Atlantic City Seeks New Image: Las Vegas's

[MidtownGuy]

The facts are the facts. You can use labels like "extremist" but that doesn't change them.

[zipburn]

They are manipulated statistics as listed on that same site in the small print... show me a respectable source, then I might consider it as fact. The question if your so big on irrational spending, why do you use democrat talking points? Question do you believe what the democrats say, on drilling for oil? That the price will only decrease $0.01 in twenty years? Or that the government is in the business to make "green" (the biggest farce ever) jobs? It's funny hearing how the war wasn't justified? The 100,000 dead kurds killed by Saddam didn't matter. The only people that mattered were in Serbia when Clinton was president. It doesn't matter that Saddam was responsible for the Pan Am Flight 830 bombing that exploded just before it landed in Honolulu. It doesn't matter that almost every nation has the same intelligence estimate, and these same people who said BUSH LIES! are the same people seen in press quotes that Saddam needs to go. It doesn't matter that after mistakenly reporting that saddam wasn't seeking enriched uranium from northern africa, 8 months later they confirmed that indeed Saddam's son made trips to Sudan in effort to get the uranium. Of course this recieved little news, unlike the bush lies news. Now your going to paint me as a racist, even though I used no skin colors in my commentary. You did though! It's funny everyone thinks the world hates the US but the fact is two PRO-BUSH presidents just got elected over PRO-LIBERAL ones in Germany and France. Hmm.. ever wonder what side the big mouth protesters are on, that are always quoted in the so called "news"? Here's a hint they are the same side as the ones in the US. The WRONG SIDE! It's really hard to believe how many people have no backbone now a days.. more americans die in democrat philadelphia, and obamanation chicago per day then over 130,000 troops do in iraq.

side note: I'm from NJ so this is fun and games for me, I hope you dont take it personal

[Fabrizio]

"The 100,000 dead kurds killed by Saddam didn't matter..."

Tell us about the day you suddenly started caring about Kurds. Or the well-being of Iraqis? Honestly, between you and me ...whether they have freedom or not, I don't give a ratz asp. Do you? Can you even find Kurdistan on a map? Kurds, for me, are in cottage cheese.

Serbia, being in Europe however, DOES pull a different weight, historically and culturally.

In this day and age of space satellites that can read the label on your underwear, Sadam could have been monitored and contained. The US is wealthy and strong... the last thing it needs to do, is to go into war with these crazys. Use intellegence, coups and assasinations. If a handful of losers could change the course of the US with a couple of box-cutters, then the US could have taken out Sadaam, and taken over the oil fields, with an equally ingenious strategy. Something with a little elegance and style. That these nuts are allowed to kill American boys is sinful.

And instead of building infrastructure for Muslims in Iraq... why not do it for Americans in the good old USA. Suggestion: How about a train from NYC to AC? It should be no sweat.

---

It's funny everyone thinks the world hates the US but the fact is two PRO-BUSH presidents just got elected over PRO-LIBERAL ones in Germany and France.

Wrong again. Conservative officials in Europe have been voted-in because of one reason: immigration policies.

Rest assured: the world still hates Bush... almost as much as the average American does:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/01/bush.poll/

-----

Yep, it's a Bush lovin' Germany:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/06/europe/berlin.php

---

[American Gaming Guru]

From today's Press:

Victory for some in fight vs. eminent domain in Atlantic City

By MICHAEL CLARK Staff Writer, 609-272-7204
Published: Thursday, June 19, 2008





http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/06/19/08/41-pinnacleproperty.thumb.prod_affiliate.101.jpg (http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/06/19/08/118-pinnacleproperty.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg ) GRAPHIC: Click on the image above for a larger view




ATLANTIC CITY - Vincent Barth's efforts to avoid his property being taken through eminent domain appeared to be all but futile until Wednesday's Planning Board meeting.

Over the past seven months of hearings, experts hired by Pinnacle Entertainment fought Barth's arguments. His attorney, William Potter, battled bitterly with a Planning Board frustrated with seven months of hearings.
Potter didn't even bother showing up for the board's vote Wednesday morning, assuming it would go unanimously against his client.
But at the last minute, Planning Director William Crane recommended the exemption of a few lots within the area targeted for redevelopment, designed to allow Pinnacle to expand its property for a $1.5 billion casino project. Among those excluded was Barth's Park Lane Apartment Hotel.
"This is not what I expected," he said after the hearing. "I'm safe."

However, the individual victories of Barth and others were the exception, as other owners met with disappointment.

Quang Ha, the owner of Kim Son Jewelry, was not excluded in the plan.
"Right now it looks to me like a curious attempt to carve out one of my clients but not the other," said Potter, a Princeton-based attorney representing both men. "It's definitely appropriate to carve out the Park Lane hotel, but to separate the two is arbitrary and capricious."
Ha, who speaks little English, said he plans to continue fighting the redevelopment plan.
The Planning Board's vote acts as a recommendation to City Council, which will form its own resolution to determine whether the area should be designated as blighted, and therefore in need of redevelopment. If passed, the measure would authorize the city to acquire the targeted properties, regardless of the owners' will.
Appeals would be heard in state Superior Court and would have to be filed no later than 45 days after City Council's bill was passed.
"If this case goes up to court, a judge is going to reverse the decision for the entire area," Potter said.
The vote left Pinnacle with less land than it had hoped to acquire, but left company officials reasonably content with the result.
"We're generally pleased with the Planning Board and we hope the City Council will agree," said Pinnacle spokesman Carl Zeitz, stressing what he characterized as the positive impact the casino would have on the surrounding Boardwalk properties and the city overall.
The redevelopment area originally consisted of four city blocks. The L-shaped area stretched along the beach block from Indiana Avenue to Kentucky Avenue and extended to Atlantic Avenue. However, the board exempted two separate portions along Atlantic and Pacific avenues Wednesday.
Zeitz said Pinnacle is accustomed to adapting to change and is confident with the land they have to work with.
"Building a project as big and important as this, your plans are always changing," Zeitz said. "Plans have been changing from the get-go."
One major alteration was Pinnacle's announcement in February that the credit crisis is preventing the $1.5 billion project from progressing. Pinnacle officials have since conceded that the property may be sold and the company could scrap plans to build in Atlantic City.
Among the other properties spared Wednesday were Pacific Avenue neighbors Fischer's Flowers and a business building owned by Councilman John Schultz, which formerly housed an abortion clinic before health violations led to its closing.
The property of Nael Zumot, who owns Atlantic Avenue's Center City Deli, also was excluded from the plan, avoiding another forced relocation for his business. His deli was once located about two blocks east at 1503 Atlantic Ave., but the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority pushed him out with a $110,000 buyout.
Zumot was one of several business owners who stormed City Hall in March, armed with signed petitions. Audrey Anderson, owner of Ms. Audrey's Human Connection on Atlantic Avenue, led that charge and had guaranteed victory.
"I told you we'd win," Anderson said after the hearing.
Mayor Scott Evans, who pledged his support for the city's targeted business owners, entered the meeting only briefly during preliminary discussions before the vote. He then left and did not return until immediately after the vote.
Potter cited the mayor's support while claiming he is aware of three councilmen who would oppose any measure that could lead to eminent domain. However, he said he was not certain of their names.
"They need to break with the past and not do Pinnacle's bidding for them," he said of the resort's legislators. "That's what we are going to argue to City Council, and we'll argue it in court if we have to."
To e-mail Michael Clark at The Press: Michael.Clark@pressofac.com (Michael.Clark@pressofac.com)

[AC11]

I hate to do it, but I have to put in my two cents on the politics discussion that has come about before I get back to AC.

Some of the best transportation systems in the world belong to those "liberal" European countries. The US is way behind in that area, which is why the $4 gas is hurting so much. Drilling for more oil is like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. The bottom line is that we need the the federal government to invest in new railroads and other transportation systems that actually work properly, to get away from the mindset that only poor people use public transit, and reduce our oil consumption. It would be like FDR's "New Deal." AC could be a huge beneficiary of this kind of project, because of the huge population here in the northeast.

Anyway...back to AC...

Sabatini's and the neighboring stores are coming down. This opens up more space for Trump Plaza to do something, although I have heard nothing.
http://www.11floor.com/ACphotos/IMG_0139.jpg

Also...here are some pics of the boardwalk side of the Chelsea. The ground level shops were part of the facade project. Unfortunately, the Chelsea doesn't have a Boardwalk entrance to make use of these new facades.
http://www.11floor.com/ACphotos/IMG_0141.jpg
http://www.11floor.com/ACphotos/IMG_0143.JPG

[acplayer]

Nice photos AC11. Sabatini's was a perfectly fine building with street level pedestrian appeal. What a shame. A.C. has very poor planning and no vision. Also, for as much as Trump is supposed to be a showman, I've seen very little showman ship, vision or imagination. If Trump had vision he'd turn Steel Pier back into the 'Showplace of the Nation' it once was. He could have a Circue du Soleil type acrobatic water show at the end of the pier, have a performing arts and music venue over the ocean, etc... this isn't even visionary. Just like the Chelsea, back to the basics.

End of Steel Pier 1959
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acdivinghorse1959.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acsteelpiercircus1959.jpg
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acsteelpiercircus21959.jpg

[Fabrizio]

Also, for as much as Trump is supposed to be a showman, I've seen very little showman ship, vision or imagination. If Trump had vision he'd turn Steel Pier back into the 'Showplace of the Nation' it once was. He could have a Circue du Soleil type acrobatic water show at the end of the pier, have a performing arts and music venue over the ocean, etc... this isn't even visionary. Just like the Chelsea, back to the basics.


YES!

I don't know where you are getting the great photos you post... but please keep them coming.

That first photo is soooo damn exotic. I love the lobster vs. the diving horse vs. the seals.
That was AC back then... a wonderland, with it's own odd culture.

I remember dinner as a teen at Sabatini's when it first opened in the 1970's, a few years before gambling.

----

This is the Steel Pier in the mid 1960's... as I remember it as a child. The lighting on the boardwalk rivaled TimesSquare. Can you blame me for being pissed at the knuckle heads who have ruined this city?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/ac_steelpier8_560.jpg

And speaking of opening up the Dennis to the boardwalk: this is what it used to be like. Umbellas and tables...the scene is more France or Italy than South Jersey. Can you believe the idiots at Balley's painted this magnificent piece of architecture in electric-blue, and covered it with their squalid "WildWest" bull crap?:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/ac_hotels_dennis3_560.jpg

What is especially amazing is those two scenes, though two very different worlds, both co-existed on the glorious boardwalk.


---

[AC11]

Check out the www.thenewtaj.com (http://www.thenewtaj.com)
It is all about the chairman tower.
My thoughts on the chairman tower is that it is out of place, and looks totally out of context where it is. It seems to make no reference to the existing Taj tower...not when considering how the Water Club interacts with Borgata and The Waterfront with the rest of Harrahs.

-but-

These renderings make an otherwise ordinary tower look pretty extraordinary.
More on the site.
http://www.thenewtaj.com/downloads/detail1tower.jpg
http://www.thenewtaj.com/downloads/chairmanSuiteTv.jpg

[MidtownGuy]

The old photos look so beautiful. The chairs and umbrellas next to the sea with flowers, and look at that building in the left corner, very charmimg!
What a shame there is such a lack of vision down there. I don't see why casinos and that sort of thing can't coexist.
I have never been to AC, but if it looked like the old pictures on this thread(with new casinos and towers intelligently mixed in) and there were high speed rail links to NYC, I would certainly be a visitor, as would plenty of other urbanites who have money to spend but don't want to be bothered with a car or the hassles of airports for such a short flight.
The northeast corridor needs efficient rail connections between major adjacent cities like Europe and Asia have.
Going to other cities so close to us like Atlantic City or Boston should be way more convenient. It's good for everything, including the economy. Places like Atlantic City could only benefit.

[MidtownGuy]

Nice room:), now that's something Vegas will never have- a big shimmering ocean view.

[acplayer]

Hi Fabrizio, I get the same feelings when you see what A.C. once was and what it has become. I'm too young to have experienced A.C. in it's Golden Years but a picture says a thousand words plus my Mom & Dad grew up there and I've heard all the stories about what a wonderful place it was to grow up. Relating to Sabatini's being unneccessarily demolished, not too long ago, Pacific Ave had No empty lots, parking garages etc... but was lined with ground floor retail, restaurants, etc... with people living above. Imagine that. Now there's no reason to be walking the sidewalks.

Pacific Ave 1968
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acpacificave1968.jpg

[American Gaming Guru]

I love it too ACplayer! Keep them coming! BTW, I too have my disappointments about Trump's investments in AC but he actually did try to bring the Steel Pier back (I believe it was Mark Etess' idea). He brought back the diving horse (I think it was a donkey) but animal rights groups went nuts and he had to discontinue it.

With that said, I think the current carnival of a pier is a bit trashy but could be so much more than it is.

On the Chairman's Tower....Agreed. I really wish that it was in synch with the original tower. I think the new tower is more TRUMP. Lets not forget that Donald bought the Taj (under construction at the time) and the original tower was already up.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Can you even find Kurdistan on a map? Kurds, for me, are in cottage cheese.

Little Miss Muffet...

The technology that was supposed to make young adults more astute, diversify their tastes, and improve their verbal skills has had the opposite effect. According to recent reports, most young people in the United States do not read literature, visit museums, or vote. They cannot explain basic scientific methods, recount basic American history, name their local political representatives, or locate Iraq or Israel on a map.
The Dumbest Generation (http://www.amazon.com/Dumbest-Generation-Stupefies-Americans-Jeopardizes/dp/1585426393)

[Fabrizio]

Re Pacific Ave: I lived for about 6 months right there on Pacific in a building covered by that street sign. That's the library on the extreme left. Just on that small stretch of Pacific you can see a bar, an optician, a florist shop (Fischer's), motels... to the left of "the Sorrento" was the "The Gem" a great Jewish deli style restaurant with unbelievable corned beef. The post office (with 1930's WPA murals on the walls) is behind that woman in the forground. The phone company building was just up ahead.

[pianoman11686]

RE: some of those old pictures...

Wow, it really looked like a city back then! A real place, postcard-worthy. Last time I was there, it looked like a few big hotels in the middle of an abandoned ghost town.

[66nexus]

Hey Fab on the Bally's we certainly agree. I cannot understand (and never will) the Wild West...I mean...c'mon.

I'm glad the new Chairman Tower isn't in sync with the Taj because I actually think the Taj is ugly (more so the ground-level facade fronting the Boardwalk) The Chairman Tower is more sophisticated

[66nexus]

RE: some of those old pictures...

Wow, it really looked like a city back then! A real place, postcard-worthy. Last time I was there, it looked like a few big hotels in the middle of an abandoned ghost town.

.......Vegas...?

[JCexpert558]

Hi Fabrizio, I get the same feelings when you see what A.C. once was and what it has become. I'm too young to have experienced A.C. in it's Golden Years but a picture says a thousand words plus my Mom & Dad grew up there and I've heard all the stories about what a wonderful place it was to grow up. Relating to Sabatini's being unneccessarily demolished, not too long ago, Pacific Ave had No empty lots, parking garages etc... but was lined with ground floor retail, restaurants, etc... with people living above. Imagine that. Now there's no reason to be walking the sidewalks.

Pacific Ave 1968
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acpacificave1968.jpg
Yah I know that Atlantic City was more lively back then, but I think that It will become that again later on. So what AC is now is just in it's early stages of what it will be in the not to far future

[Fabrizio]

Great! Could you please show us how this will be done with current building methods that are giving us blank walls, parking garages and so forth? Will you please point out one new casino development that encourages a lively, real city street? I'm interested in seeing the city's master plan that requires casinos to build street level retail spaces. Apart from the outlet&chain-store strip-mall that is "The Walk", can you point out one up-and-coming neighboorhood worth visiting? Do you honestly think "Pacific Avenue", the closest street parallel to the Boardwalk, will once again be worth a stroll?

Actually today's AC, with more visitors year-round, is probably "livelier" now that it was back then ....but not on it's city streets.

---

[66nexus]

^Who said it can never be?

Is it that just because nothing is in the pipeline means that nothing will ever be? Even with all the development, AC is just starting to realize itself. To expect AC to already have this stuff on the way is jumping the gun IMO.

one must consider its tiny population.

You said it yourself, the Chelsea's orientation to city streets is a welcome change to the usual casino stuff.

[zipburn]

The biggest difference between now and then.. is the fact that crime and failure to rebrand ac led to its demise. It has destroyed these areas shown in pictures not to mention atlantic city isn't home to a major corp. that offers more upperlevel income jobs.. I see the ducktown area is getting better in terms of quality. We can keep living in the past but every dog has it day.. the old Atlantic City brand died, it was forced to change and that included removing old buildings. They saved what they could but failure to rebrand Atlantic City cost it. The city is building itself up, it will take time but it is progressing. More housing is needed to attract the executives that now live outside the city. When these new casinos come on-line, pressure will mount to remove stanley holmes and other trash will be gobbled up by developers. AC is rising it's only a matter of time before AC is better than Vegas. Vegas peaked a year or so ago its AC's time now.

[Fabrizio]

AC did rebrand itself in 1978 ...with the advent of gambling. It was supposed to be the LasVegas of the East. Unfortunately no real strategy was in place for the city to achieve that goal. Everything was left up to corporations, the free market, politicians and policy makers that could be bought. The city went from being a rundown seaside resort, to being a rundown seaside resort with casinos. While Vegas moved ahead by developing a broader based appeal, AC seemed largely content with bussed in daytrippers.

It took AC 25 years to finally get something world-class like the Borgata.... and the city on a whole, is still pretty awful.

AC is attemptig to rebrand it's self again by going up-scale, but these things really don't work to their full potential unless there is creative vision, intellegent planning, zoning, guidelines etc. And that's not really happening on a large scale.

AC will surely come around... but I think in a very uninteresting way. It will mostly be the fortress-style Casino/Hotel with patrons being wisked in and off the island.

The Boardwalk will certainly continue to improve. There is an attempt to re-style a stretch of Atlantic Avenue. The Walk will expand. More housing will be built.

But none of this has the feel of being stitched together into an attractive whole. I see no attempt at really creating a new downtown, office complexes, art & cultural facilities (the stuff of a real city)... as Vegas is doing. Yes, AC is tiny in comparison, but even a little would go a long way. Remember that AC, in it's hey-day, was a small but "real" city.

But my bet is that development, though more tasteful and luxurious, is going to continue as it has been: haphazard and chock-a-block... another wasted opportunity.

---

[pianoman11686]

.......Vegas...?

Um, no.

[66nexus]

Um, no.

Let me guess, desert is paradise...?

The Strip is nice, but that's pretty much it

[pianoman11686]

The Strip is much more substantial than the Boardwalk. And Las Vegas is much more substantial than Atlantic City.

Don't get me wrong, the majority of Las Vegas is sprawling crap, but then again, so is Phoenix. The point is it doesn't feel like a ghost town. It's a bustling, significant city apart from the Strip.

[giselehaslice]

Everyone on this board pretty much lives in the past. THE PAST IS DEAD. Atlantic City did have a wonderful past, but it's gone now. Instead of dwelling on how much everyone messed everything up, lets focus on what can be done about it. Thanks.

And for Vegas, yeah the strip is awesome, but if you think that it is a great city... the whole thing looks like a more crowded, less cultured and way more cookie cutter version of East Brunswick. Not a great city, just one huge neighborhood of 2 million people.

PS.. I'm not making fun of East Brunswick, just saying that EB is probably more cultured than LV.

[Fabrizio]

This thread is filled with ideas of what can be done for a better AC.

[zipburn]

tom carver(head of CRDA) was on pinky's show today, he said they are looking to add a park from the light house to the inlet, they acquired most of the land but are waiting to relocate the jitney station...also i believe there is a condo about to break ground(well pilings are already in the ground) right next to the ocean terrace which is on new hampshire ave near gardners basin

[American Gaming Guru]

I did hear Pinky's show yesterday. Great plan on the CRDA's part. The area that the Jitney station is in could really use improvement.

Did you hear the gentleman that called in about the squalid conditions of the Water Side as well? Ironic since we had a discussion going on about its future not too long ago on this website.

Also, the pilings for that building that you see have been there for quite a while. I believe the developer ran out of money. I would not expect any major new condo towers to be built in the city until the credit markets loosen up.

I am heading to the Water Club this weekend for the ribbon cutting. I will try and take pics of the Water Club and a few other buildings that we all seem interested in.

[zipburn]

I heard the caller about the waterside, its good thing that something is happening to that thing...

A new sign was just put up on that site, and its says coming soon... including a picture of the building, if anything is going to be built I'm not sure but usually they don't put coming soon if they aren't going to start construction. Is it possible the lot was sold or acquired?

[American Gaming Guru]

I am pretty sure The Water Side was sold about a year ago (perhaps a bit more than that). The group that sold it was predominately into affordable or low income housing, so it is not surprising the state that it is in.

My concern is that the new company that owns it does not have the experience or financing to accomplish what they have proposed. Additionally, that area really needs to be improved before luxury condos could be marketable there.

[Fabrizio]

I am curious to know: what are the very top condo buildings in Atlantic City, and what are prices going for? Top townhouse development? Thanks.

[giselehaslice]

I'm not sure about Condos, but I'm pretty sure theres a development called Aquella where townhomes are priced from about 1.5 million to I think about 3 million.

[AC11]

The ocean club is one of the top luxury buildings in the city. These pictures below are of one of the nicer units that is going for $1.5m. Average cost there for a 2br unit is about $600k.

The Bella is trying to position themselves as a luxury building, but I don't think they are selling very well. It is in the middle of Revel's construction site and a run down neighborhood.

Other nice condos in AC are the Enclave, The Berkley, and the Plaza. All on the boardwalk south of Albany Ave.

http://www.oceanclubrealty.com/images/properties/1204302820.jpg
http://www.oceanclubrealty.com/images/properties/1204302925.jpg
http://www.oceanclubrealty.com/images/properties/1204303045.jpg

[zipburn]

This is the site I was mentioning that just put up new signage, its called Reflections the developer is Lennar Homes.. at the end of 2007 Lennar dumped 11,000 sites around the country including in NJ and they formed a joint venture with a Morgan Stanley subsidiary... is it possible the AC location is part of this JV? This would give lennar the financing needed to complete this project.. also I don't know if anyone else heard but the borgata had its biggest day ever this past friday, i guess its not that big of a suprise considering that they added a lux hotel to their property

[acplayer]

I have some update photos to add but I thought some folks would like to see the hotel, The Rudolph Hotel, that was originally on the Revel site directly in front of the Garden Pier before the Breakers was built.

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

[Intheknow]

It appears as Curtis Bashaws plans for a Boutique Casino have fallen through. He is quoted as saying the credit markets are choppy and he doesn't think his group will develope Casino. I never thought he was going to actually develope anything in that area of Albany Ave. He is still moving forward with permits and zoning etc.. then he will try to flip the land. The properties he "bought" in the area were never actually bought. He has options to buy some of the condos and Knife and Fork but no money has changed hands. As the former head of the CRDA I thought the whole deal was shady to begin with. The moving of the Knife and Fork and WWI Monument will never happen and should never have been considered. The park and adjoining streets are the nicest parts of AC. Haven't the Casinos done enough damage to historic AC?

[Intheknow]

The latest rumor is that Stephen Starr has backed out of the Chelsea deal. I don't know how true this is but the goings are slow on Chelsea Ave. The area surrounding it need a major clean-up, I doubt the City can handle it, they appear to be pretty inept to say the least. One can only hope the Chelsea opens soon the area could use a boost I doubt it will become the Hamptons of AC until the City decides to clean the streets, boardwalk, and beach. Bashaws buddies from NY may visit once but not twice.

[giselehaslice]

Where are you getting this false information? I mean I can see maybe the casino rumor being true, but about Steven Starr backing out of the Chelsea...I dont beleive it. Someone who has definatley committed to a project that has been relatively publisized would'nt back out so randomly. It doesnt make sence at all....

[66nexus]

I'm with gisel on this one,

intheknow do you have any links or excerpts from articles so we could get a closer look at what you're talking about? Definitely ain't calling you a liar, but definitely don't believe the claims either

[zipburn]

July 18 is the set date for the ribbon cutting at the Chelsea, plus that area you are talking about is crime free, clean and has little to no housing over there, so I really don't know what your talking about. Obviouslly you have be misinformed maybe you should get a new source because you obviously aren't "in the know".

[kliq6]

Zipburns quote: "AC is rising it's only a matter of time before AC is better than Vegas. Vegas peaked a year or so ago its AC's time now".

Sorry but AC is never going to be bigger then Vegas for gaming customers. Its casinos are decent but only Borgata and Water Club stand out.

[Intheknow]

Zipburn, The only clean spot in Ac is O'Donnell Memorial Park. Try walking by the Chelsea after 10 p.m. you will be accousted by prostitutes and drug dealers. The Flamingo Hotel is a dump and the "lite" section of the Chelsea overlooks it.
As for Stephen Starr, it's a rumor I believe. The Chelsea was supposed to have a soft opening in June, well they better hussle. As for the ribbon cutting on July 18th-the hotel will not be open, try booking a room. Idoubt the restaurants and club will be completed. Bashaw is rushing the job which is never a good thing. The summer season has started and the Chelsea has yet to make a nickel in profit, the first year is going to be very difficult.
June revenue #'s for the Casinos will be way down, mark my words. I can see it and the Casino employees tell me this will be the case.
As for Bashaw/Barr Casino, it will never happen. They have yet to secure financing. The permit and other needs are moving forward, this is just so Bashaw can flip the land. He states he has "bought" all the necessary land in the area but no money has changed hands, and if it does it won't be until October. I'm all for development, but Bashaw and Barr have no intentions of building a Casino, the plans are all conceptual which means they want to make a quick buck at the costs to the AC taxpayers. The dopes in AC government are falling for this scam, hey more kickbacks for them.
AC needs to clean the City, boardwalk and beach all easily attainable but with nothing in it for them I doubt it will ever happen.

[Fabrizio]

Casino revenues down: in this economy that's not so surprising.. you weather the storm... actually high gas prices will probably only help AC. And anyway didn't someone here mention that the Borgata recently had it's best month ever? It's the tired old places that will probably most feel the pinch.

Starr leaving... hotel not finished... what else is new? Projects often have rocky starts. It happens. But the concept and and the people behind it sound solid. The kinks will be worked out. It'll open.

Chelsea: It IS a dump. A potentially great neighborhood but the AC gov. and populace have zero vision. I've heard of no programs in place to guide the development of this area.

"Bashaws buddies from NY may visit once but not twice."

I agree. AC is not ready for prime time. But I think the Chelsea Hotel will be a hit with certain S.Jersey and Philly crowds ...and that's not such a bad thing. And they already know AC is a dump.

[American Gaming Guru]

I too, do not believe that Steven Starr has backed out. Yes, it appears that The Chelsea is behind schedule, but as many of us on here know, the original time-line was unrealistic to begin with. That and some unforeseen circumstances that is common with rehab jobs.

I think The Chelsea will be a hit. The ribbon cutting I believe is a kind of (I am now going to make up a new term) "Hybrid Opening". Part glamour, "yes we are open" kind of thing yet none of the amenities (along with The Chelsea "Lite" tower) will be. Just speculation on my part though by looking at the project.

As much as I admire and get along with everyone in town, I do feel that a majority of people are relatively negative about progress. I get why they are, but why not support such imaginative and progressive developments? I think only Pinky has it in him for that and I fully agree with him. If we remember, the negative chorus was singing loud about the prospects of The Borgata and now we have a wonderful property that has opened up eyes as to the possibility of bringing Atlantic City back to that dream (of the Locals anyway) of what it once was.

In regards to Bashaw's casino, I think the original ideas for the casino (Boutique Style (500 rooms minimum by NJ CCC Law)) would have been great for his group along with Wally's expertise in casino operations. Now that they have proposed 2000+ rooms it will definitely be a much more difficult task.

I know personally by speaking with each of them that their intentions have been to build since the beginning. Things may have changed since the capital markets closed. They could not even build a resort of that magnitude if they wanted to right now. As I said before, there is absolutely no money on the street right now for such a project.

As with Pinnacle, they should keep planning and be determined to build a resort. If the markets do not turn around, then why not sell the land? There are other companies wanting to get into the market. A fully assembled and permitted canvas of land on the boardwalk is a wonderful sweetener!

[Fabrizio]

One thing that helped AC's decline was the Democratic Convention that was held there in 1964.

AC had this huge press opportunity.It was in the national spotlight for a week. Remember, back then it was still boldly billing itself as "The World's Playground". Every journalist in the nation was staying there during that week.

And what happened? While AC in 1964 may have still been splended for folks who knew it well, the journalists sent back articles about what a run-down, shabby place it actually was. It was really quite a scandal.

It is one thing to have a glamorous hotel opening out at the Marina.... but getting people's hopes up that AC is the next Hamptons is pretty dumb and could really back-fire.

Bashaw and crew should tread carefully...

--

[Intheknow]

I'm not against development, so long as it doesn't come at the cost of the taxpayers. If you notice the Chelsea section of AC is the nicest part of town minus the Landmark Condos, the reason why, there are no Casino's past the Hilton.
If you look at any Casino's on the boardwalk and go towards the bay, these neighborhoods are now slums. A city can not be one dimensional to survive. The workers have needs, their children have needs, which are lacking in AC. Why won't the City clean-up? Can it hurt? There are so many trash strewn empty lots in town and not enough public space, the beach is filthy, there isn't a movie theater, no supermarket etc.
AC is the most under utilized City in the world, and it's a damn shame.

[giselehaslice]

AC is trying to improve. It may not be the city who is doing things, but private developers are. If you want to see the city become a better place, investment is a must. So, by making up rumors that steven starr is backing out and Cutis Bashaw not planning to develop a resort anymore doesnt make sense because you say you want the city to become a more usable city.

Some say they want smarter development. I agree, but if the city is in the state it is in right now, I welcome almost anything. Anything is better than the crumbling remains that remain now. So, if you are really rooting for AC, you would'nt bash and you would try to find the small things that make it better.

[66nexus]

Zipburns quote: "AC is rising it's only a matter of time before AC is better than Vegas. Vegas peaked a year or so ago its AC's time now".

Sorry but AC is never going to be bigger then Vegas for gaming customers. Its casinos are decent but only Borgata and Water Club stand out.


Have to do disagree with you there, although I certainly do not think AC is 'better' than Vegas.

I agree with Fabrizio that higher gas $$ will probably help AC, which is far more accessible than Vegas could ever hope to be (its amazing Vegas did as well as it has).

I think its a stretch to say AC will 'never' be bigger for gaming customers for several reasons:

-Macau, which was much worse than AC as far as crime/politics etc. has already surpassed the Strip in gaming revenue.

-AC, being as small as it is, doesn't tread too far behind Vegas in gaming revenues (and like you said, one would only view Borgata as competition but even those old ugly casinos take in $$)

-There was a time (late 80s) when Vegas had the same (larger in scale) ugly casinos that rivaled AC with the tacky-styled flavor.
Casinos like the Wynn, MGM, etc. are all relatively new and newer than most AC casinos.

To sum it all up, Vegas wasn't always 'Vegas', and the Borgata/Water Club won't be the only threat coming from the East

[Intheknow]

I never said it was a fact Starr was backing out, I said rumor has it. Call your sources and ask! Bashaw, as the former head of the CRDA, never intended to build a Casino! First he says boutique(with no drawings or plans) now it's a mega-resort(with no drawings or plans) what am I suppossed to think? I'm not bashing-AC is a shithole-that's a fact. It can easily be cleaned up but the City is content on being filthy-that's a fact!
I encourage development, not dreams of development, not promises.
Bashaw has no Casino development experience, he is a renovator, there's a huge difference. Barr is not a Casino developer, he may know how to run a Casino but to my knowledge he never designed anything.
I stand by my word that these two guys are in it to make a ton of money by using their connections to get permits ,etc. and then flip the land.
Take a look at the two buildings fronting the boardwalk that AC Gateway "purchased" next to the Enclave. Within two months they have become eyesores. Is that what you want this area to become?

[zipburn]

Atlantic Citys win was up last month...Atlantic City will be better then Vegas in sometime, Vegas is big, too big the market is flooded and as stated by people here they think, "AC is a dump", so expectations are low in Atlantic City. Its easy to achieve customer satisfaction because AC will give more than the vistors expect which means people are more likely to come back. With this word of mouth advertising provided by these customers it will continue to attract new people. As AC continues to grow it will be protected from a flooded market because there is only so much land. So with a limited supply of casinos demand increases as AC's popularity goes up. More money means more upgrades and captial investment in the city. The only thing stopping this is the majority of subsidized housing in the city, where these lowlifes (not all of them some are disabled or elderly) live off the government and go out on the streets and scare customers. Another problem is the slumlords that rent beach block properties to illegals and drug dealers(texas ave). AC is small so it is in your face, so to speak. The problems are there people know it and they are trying to fix it. These same worthless people are the ones who keep on electing the crap thats currently in office so they get more money.

[giselehaslice]

Has anyone been down to AC recently? Have any construction updates? Im really anxious to see Revel....

[Intheknow]

Revel is moving along nicely, appears to be on schedule. I'm anti- New Jersey builders, but these guys seem to be on the ball. Just heard tonight that the Chelsea WILL be open in two weeks, forgot to ask about Stephen Starr backing out, appears to be just a rumor. I'll find out tom.
Now if we could just get rid of the City Gov. we might actually make progress. Keep it clean!

[giselehaslice]

Thank you.

[Intheknow]

Looks like the only construction going on is Revel and the Chelsea Hotel. It appears crowded tonight, last night looked dismal. Economy is killing everyone and everything. Doesn't look, at this time, that any new projects are going to get off the ground in the next year, year and a half. AC needs more positives and less abandoned lots and broken promises, might as well clean up the city, boardwalk, and beach while times are tough. Doesn't cost much to clean and the benefit is huge.

[Intheknow]

I've come to the conclusion that AC is unfixable. It will take at least 20 years to undo the pervasive corruption in City Hall. It cannot take an overnight fix and with the amount of stupidity and ignorance it will take at least another generation to change the current incompetence. Do you think the actions of City Hall promote investment or tourism? These people in charge are just too stupid and arrogant to understand. It's sad but true.

[giselehaslice]

Um, okay?

[AC11]

Well, I'm glad you came to that conclusion. Now we can just end this thread and the debate is over. Thanks for your wisdom.

[Fabrizio]

It's a pretty fair assessment:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/12/after_decades_of_corruption_at.html

[American Gaming Guru]

I was at the Ribbon Cutting ceremony of The Water Club on Friday. I must say that Boyd Gaming has really out-done Borgata. They have accomplished making The Water Club a real different feel from Borgata and more of an upscale experience beginning with the service. There are employees everywhere! The service was impeccable.

The pool scene is unlike anything else in Atlantic City and the attention to design detail is evident. The spa on the 32nd floor "Immersion" is truly something to see. You should all check it out when you have a chance.

I am probably staying there again this 4th of July weekend. I will make sure to bring my camera along this time.

I also had the opportunity to go by Revel and The Chelsea. Revel is rising very fast. A few floors on both hotel towers have been poured and it looks as if the steel for the large "podium" is now being erected.

The Chelsea now looks like it is moving along nicely as well. The exterior is almost complete along Pacific Ave and all the signage is in-place. The "Lite" tower rooms, on the other hand look like they have a long way to go.

Again, I will try and take pics this weekend to share with everyone.

[Intheknow]

Stephen Starr has not backed out of the Chelsea deal. Suppossed to open on the 18th-not likely. Saturday night was a busy busy night. Numbers will be way down for June though. City is still filthy, I know, I can't believe it either.

[66nexus]

Stephen Starr has not backed out of the Chelsea deal. Suppossed to open on the 18th-not likely. Saturday night was a busy busy night. Numbers will be way down for June though. City is still filthy, I know, I can't believe it either.

While I am pretty used to your pessimism, I do not quite understand the consistency of it:

"the plans will fall through..." "AC's unfixable..." "numbers will be way down..." and such

Want true AC filth, take a ride back to 1995, double the nasty, and people still went even then. Any numbers down for hotel stayers has much less to do with AC and much more to do with the economy IMO

[giselehaslice]

Well said. AC is 150% percent better now than in 1995.

Anyway, good news about Revel. Excited to see some construction pix..:D
The Chelsea will open, but probably in Phases, just like the Water Club (are all rooms open yet?)

[zipburn]

i was going to add to the pics that AGG was going to bring but now ill just hit them all up tommorow after work..really pissed right now at the state for putting someone in charge of the tropicana bids who doesn't know what the hell he is doing...even the damn gov. wanted the deal to get done but there was an issue over someones salary.. see what happens when government takes over private industry...they f it up!

[MidtownGuy]

You could have left out the bit about government "taking over" industry, Thank God we have government that regulates industry in this country or it would be a mess, even worse than it is.:cool:

[Marv95]

I'm planning on going to AC for the first time for a day trip on Friday. Probably leave from there after midnight. Anything going on there besides the fireworks and Beach Boys? I'm on a tight budget and prefer something inexpensive or even free. And yes I will play the slots.

Also has anyone taken Greyhound or Academy bus from Port Authority to the casinos? I ask 'cause I wanna know how much of this "casino bonus" voucher thingy I'll be getting back when I get off. Also heard about a food voucher that comes along with it?

[American Gaming Guru]

Marv95. The Academy from the Port Authority is not that bad. Clean buses and definately a cast of characters! I think the cash back is appx. $20 right now. Great bargain considering driving costs appx. $100 round trip from NYC now with gas and tolls.

Definitely check out this website, it usually has everything going on in town: http://www.atlanticcitynj.com/

BTW.....Intheknow? You don't sound it at all.

[AC11]

Some pics of Revel going vertical and Trump's new tower finishing up.

http://www.11floor.com/ACphotos/IMG_0145.jpg

This is what I fear will be a 800' tall blank wall running down the length of this street, closing off the other side of the block completely.
http://www.11floor.com/ACphotos/IMG_0146.jpg
Compare to the rendering
http://rozbmw.bay.livefilestore.com/y1paDYwPcDJoRy5lBg9cOBEaZbdJST1ZqYLY9wIixJTonhOmoO 0tMOgX7XvuoS7HnhMy1uyeoH-UaNLVefxt8ifWQ/Revel-Exterior6.jpg

The new Chairman Tower.
http://www.11floor.com/ACphotos/IMG_0149.jpg

[Intheknow]

I love you guys! The reason I'm so pessimistic is because I live in AC. It could be so much better for very little investment. So much of AC is wasted, you'd be pessimistic also.
Anyway, the two Hilton employee parking lots (Old High school site and one on Hartford Ave and Boardwalk) are empty. AC Gateway must have taken over July 1st-watch them rot.
Did you geniouses read the front page of Wall Street Journal today? If you didn't you should.
I guess I'll see you at the Beach Boy concert friday and I'll also be looking for you July18th when the Chelsea opens.
Don' litter!

[zipburn]

I basically live in Atlantic City but im not pessimistic like yourself. Every year Atlantic City has improved there is a little downturn now but three major hotel expansions are opening this year. A major resort is currently being built. Empty lots are now turned into nice looking affordable housing. In the ducktown area a condo complex will open soon with nice housing. The boardwalk facades are coming along nicely. The chelsea will open and the walk is booming. Sure Pinnacle and AC Gateway will be empty lots for a bit but I see what they will become not what they are now. I will admit one problem that is starting to be an issue, illegal immigration/gangs. These hispanic based gangs are starting to spray paint all over the damn place. If you ride on the tunnel or drive past it on a boat you see what they are doing it makes the city look trashy. It really irks me that they aren't enforcing immigration, these slum lords are renting to these people and its starting to get bad in these neighborhoods.

[Intheknow]

I just got back from the boarwalk. A perfect example of AC stupidity. They drive a trash truck down the middle of the boardwalk at 8 pm thru the crowds, dripping their sludge down the entire length of the boardwalk. It's little things like this that turn people off to this City. Hopefully Bashaw and the Chelsea will have some inflluence on cleaning up the boardwalk. New facades are nice but we're paying way to much for them. Also, every other establisment is a dollar store or lousy, and I mean lousy, pizza joint. We can be a gambling meca and a nice beach resort to vacation. Look at Margate and Ventnor, a stones throw away. AC still looks and acts worse than a Third World Country. I'm surprised UNICEF doesn't have a branch here.
Have you been in any of the Casinos lately? The one's on the boardwalk are filthy. Buy some new carpet, paint etc... I'm amazed at the lack of investment these Casinos put back into there hotels. Thankfully they are going to have to start to improve due to the competition in PA.

[giselehaslice]

Revel looks great! I'm surprised how fast they're getting it up. The casinos on the Boardwalk are actually sprucing up, the only one that I don't think has spruced up is Bally's and maybe Hilton. The others do for the most part have new carpet and paint, so I dont know what your talking about.

[66nexus]

intheknow,

let me guess, 2008 AC bothers you so pre-Borgata AC must've had you throwing up.

I can certainly tell you this, living in AC or not, complaining about all the bad does not a great city make. Is the glass half full or half empty?

If you want AC to be that glittering, glamourous place that once was...then try Vegas for now, or Paris for that matter.

No initial Chelsea's or Borgata/Water Club's or Revels will make the city, AC just needs to keep doing what its doing and refine and iron out the wrinkles along the way. The continued development of AC especially during this financial time is undeniable.

AC is learning at least, we went from casinos like the Resort to casinos like Borgata, and Harrah's casino altering facelift.

[zipburn]

I'm constantly in and out of casinos all day, to say the casinos aren't reinvesting in their interiors is really off base. This spring bally's just renovated the inside of the dennis hotel, and are working on various projects throughout the casino. Caesars is still in renovations on their entire interior including opening up a brand new spa this summer. Harrahs finished renovating their entire inside, and showboat has done the same. Last year the Hilton renovated all their floors including adding a brand new poker room, chinese game section and an add on of a burger bar to oaks . Just a few weeks ago the hilton opened Patsy's in the place of Caruso's. The tropicana just finished building a brand new bar in the center of the main gaming floor, they also finished renovating most of the rooms and added a nice looking slot section that replaces the pennies in heaven section. The trump plaza and taj also went under a complete renovation of their casino which is very nice i must add. Resorts added a Boogie nights club which is working out very well for them. A couple years ago they completely renovated the casino floor and added gallaghers steak house and burger bar, which are great additions. The borgata is currently in the process of renovating all the rooms in the hotel plus a new dining establishment will open shortly.

[acplayer]

I love A.C.'s past and would love to see it achieve it's potential. I did a thorough walk and drive through around A.C. over the last few days. The positives are the Marina area is doing great, although Trumps Marina is really looking worn and hopefully Margaritaville puts a lot of money into it. Gardners Basin is a great place to chill. Nice houses going up around Snug Harbor. The Boardwalk from the Claridge to the Hilton looks good, except for the vacant lot next to the Convention Center. The Dennis Hotel's courtyard is opened up again. The Pier at Caesars is great. The Quarter at Tropicana is doing well and PF Changs creates some good pedestrian street action on Pacific Ave. Also the surf was really fun at States Ave. The Expressway entrance to A.C. and the Walk is attractive. There were bicycle cops patrolling the Boardwalk. Now for the negatives and I can understand InTheKnows frustration. I can't believe how much litter I saw all over A.C., from overflowing trash cans on the Boardwalk, along the beach, along Pacific Ave and the side streets. Something so simple as street, sidewalk and Boardwalk cleaning would make a Huge difference on A.C.'s image. Public works and city residents are not doing their jobs and their civic duty. The Korean War memorial is an ugly concrete slab that blocks Brighton Park and is totally out of place. You can't see the Ocean because the sand dunes block the view from the Boardwalk. The Schiff Brothers obviously have put No money back into Central Pier which looks dilapitated. Considering Spice Road and the new tower, the Taj Mahal's public deck overlooking the Boardwalk & Steel Pier is really bad...peeling paint, cracked and broken plaster and one area with mounds of trash...I couldn't believe Trump actually let this part of his property get so run down. Past Revel there are parts of the Boardwalk that are closed off because it's so bad. Parts of the Boardwalk have fallen into the ocean, railings are totally corroded and the whole boardwalk needs to be replaced. Again, who in city government is responsible for the basics of maintaining the Boardwalk and keeping the city clean? I can't believe the casinos let this mismanagement of the city happen considering the billions of dollars at stake. Another thing I noticed was a total lack of police presence in every area of A.C. I explored. I hope I didn't come across as too negative as I'm still optimistic about A.C.'s future but I wanted to give my honest opinion/impression.

[Fabrizio]

Excellent post.

The Korean War monument: I think the real shame is that it will probably never be moved. AC is just going to have to live with it.... and it is truly awful.

If a politician or a city planner suggested it be moved somewhere else, could you immagine the fall-out from veterans?

And I'd love to know the deal with those sand dunes. I always assumed they were put there to fight erosion but man are they ugly... just ratty looking.

--

[Intheknow]

Fabrizio, The Veterans are for moving the WWI Monument (Albany Ave. Greek Monument) and the removal of 1/3 of O'Donnell Memorial Park so the City can put in a six-lane highway, so moving the Korean Monument is not out of the question. O"Donnell Memorial Park is the largest, cleanest, safest park in AC for the City to destroy it is beyond comprehension. I ask myself why would the Veterans be in favor of moving the Monument, uhmm.... maybe they were promised funds for their VFW hangouts.

[giselehaslice]

As for the sand dunes..
They might not be the best looking things around, but without them probably 3/4 of the existing beach would be washed up on Wildwood by now.

I had now idea that the boardwalk was closed off past Revel. That sounds really bad and they need to do something about it, even if there is'nt anything past Revel except for abandoned lots and run-down apartment complexes.

The Korean War monument was a nice thought, but it's more of an
"Un-Monument" in my opinion. It really has no business being in AC, and really should be in Trenton or somewhere less random.

[Intheknow]

I have contacted the Beach and Boarwalk Div. concerning the closed portion of boardwalk-they obviously are aware of it but must feel the Boardwalk is not that important. The beach and boardwalk are AC's greatest assets to have the boardwalk closed off is just typical AC ineptitude. Now do you see why I am so negative?
As for the beach, every other beach community rakes and cleans their Beach everyday, AC does about 1/5th of there's. It is full of broken shells and garbage, why not clean the whole beach, I mean the guys on the tractor just take another 1/2 hour to do the whole beach?
Keep it clean!

[American Gaming Guru]

I know that there is an agreement in-place with Revel for them to replace large portions of the Boardwalk at that end. I am not sure specifically how far past the resort it will go though.

[American Gaming Guru]

I just found this on another web-site (http://gridskipper.com/71382/meanwhile-in-atlantic-city). Looks great!

Meanwhile in Atlantic City

Wednesday, July 2, 2008
http://gridskipper.com/uploads/thechelsea070208.jpg
Atlantic City's new hotel, the Chelsea, is showing its first signs of life! The pink neon signs out front and on top of the new hotel were up-and-running as of last night. The non-gaming boutique hotel, which officially opens August 1st, is boardwalk-adjacent and will house two restaurants overseen by Stephen Starr, nightlife courtesy of the boys behind NYC's Beatrice Inn, as well as a 15,000 square-foot rooftop pool. The countdown begins...

[Intheknow]

Why doesn't Revel fix boardwalk now? It's summer season, good neighbor marketing, get off on the right foot etc... As for the boardwalk that is closed, that happened in last storm, over a month and a half ago. I asked Ac officials when they are going to fix and they said they are waiting for bids! I reminded them that the taxpayers pay for a boardwalk division of public works dept. and that they have guys doing God knows what at other areas of boardwalk, don't you think they should prioritize the part of Boardwalk that is currently unusable? I'm still waiting for them to get back to me.............Chelsea is looking better, some people have doubts they can get Restaurants open by the 18th, we'll see.

[American Gaming Guru]

I am one of them. I dont think they will have their amenities up an running by the 18th. Probably just a portion of the hotel rooms. I am booked for the 1st weekend in August (for when they officially began taking reservations). I hope it is all open by then!

From the WSJ Today:

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE





http://s.wsj.net/img/b.gifBLUEPRINT
Gambling Mecca for Day-Trippers
Bets Some Will Stay Awhile

By MAURA WEBBER SADOVI
SPECIAL TO THE WSJ
July 2, 2008; Page C12

Atlantic City, N.J., now celebrating the 30th year of legalized gambling along its boardwalk, is fighting for its future. Facing stiff competition for the city's bread-and-butter day-trippers, developers are betting billions on new hotel rooms, hoping that the resort can bring in more overnight visitors.
http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PR-AB108A_BLUEP_20080701210818.jpgRevel Entertainment Group A rendering of Revel Entertainment's planned casino along the northern end of the Atlantic City boardwalk that is slated to include two glass-clad hotel towers.
Among the new or revamped properties is the $400 million Water Club. The city's first luxury noncasino hotel opened its doors and five pools last month in the marina district. Like its neighbor, the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, the Water Club was developed by a joint venture of Boyd Gaming (http://online.wsj.com/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=BYD) Corp. and MGM Mirage (http://online.wsj.com/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=mgm).
On deck is Revel, a roughly $2 billion beachfront casino by Revel Entertainment Group LLC under construction and targeted to open in 2010, although financing is an issue. Meanwhile, Coastal Marina LLC agreed to buy the Trump Marina Hotel Casino in May for $316 million. Coastal plans to breathe new life into the property with a Jimmy Buffett-inspired Margaritaville theme.
In all, as many as 3,000 hotel rooms are expected to be added this year, expanding the seaside resort's room inventory by about 20%, according to the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority. More are on the way.
Boosters say the additional rooms and new offerings, including spas, restaurants and designer stores, are part of the city's bid to remake itself as a destination that appeals to visitors looking to do more than gamble. Restaurateur Stephen Starr's Buddakan and stores like Tiffany & Co. are already located in Taubman Centers Inc.'s Pier Shops at Caesars, a retail complex opened in 2006.
The pressure is on. With the national economy slowing and Pennsylvania casinos cutting into Atlantic City's customer base, casino revenue from slot machines and table games fell 5.7% last year, marking the city's first annual decline, according to the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. Casino revenue through May of this year was down 5% from the year-earlier period.
The drop has hurt this one-county region in southern New Jersey. The Atlantic City region saw average job levels for 2007 fall 2.6% from 2006, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The bearish outlook isn't worrying Richard Fields, chairman of New York-based Coastal Marina. Mr. Fields says he believes his marina property will attract the higher-income customer who is showing up more in Atlantic City. By buying and renovating an existing casino, he also expects to deliver his property at a discount to the multibillion-dollar price tags of brand-new casinos.
Still, the credit crunch could potentially sideline some of the projects slated to transform the aging gambling town. Las Vegas-based Pinnacle Entertainment (http://online.wsj.com/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=PNK) Inc.'s planned Atlantic City casino, valued at more than $1.5 billion, will open no earlier than 2012, and the project could be indefinitely delayed or canceled if the macroeconomic conditions don't improve, says Pauline Yoshihashi, a Pinnacle spokeswoman.
Meanwhile, the Revel casino project still needs to find financing for the full bill if it is to open its doors in 2010 as planned. Kevin DeSanctis, Revel Entertainment's chief executive, says the project couldn't be completed if more financing doesn't come through, but he expects the credit markets will loosen up around the first quarter of next year and that the project will be able to obtain the money it still needs, an amount he declined to specify.
Write to Maura Webber Sadovi at maura.sadovi@wsj.com (maura.sadovi@wsj.com)

[acplayer]

I forgot to mention the Skyline and new Marriot look good. In other news, this land is crying out to be developed.

From Pinky's corner.
Several years ago, the city of Atlantic City put out a Request for Proposals for the development of property in the Northeast Inlet of the former Captain Starn’s and Garwood Mills sites. The company selected by City Council was the Kushner Corporation. Unfortunately, the president of the company was arrested and eventually jailed. The company stated that it would continue with the project. Kushner put up $2 million to prove its desire to build, but unfortunately, again, they never turned a spade on the ground.
The development was postponed time and time again and finally the time for the development of the project ran out. This columnist was informed that Atlantic City will keep $800,000 of the $2 million. They will return the rest to the company. It is now time for Atlantic City to once again go out for Requests for Proposals to find a company that will develop this valuable piece of inlet property, which is one of the best sites along the waterfront. It could be developed for condominiums or individual homes. Unfortunately, again for the third time, to my knowledge there are no RFPs being prepared for this site, at this time.

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

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acstarns1970.jpg

[Intheknow]

Oh Boy, The Revel revelation about not having full financing in place is very disturbing. I'm in a business where I know the full brunt of the economic crunch has yet to be felt. This I hope will teach Las Vegas and AC officials not to approve development without a full financial commitment.
No wonder they haven't repaired the boardwalk fronting their Casino.
Should be a big weekend, slow tonight.

[Intheknow]

It is July 2nd, right? This town looks as though it's February 2nd.

[American Gaming Guru]

Agreed, that Garwood Mills site is absolutely prime for development. I don't know what the city council is thinking, but it might not be a bad idea to wait for an RFP to be released due to the tight credit markets. They are going to want full value for that land. It is an incredible piece of property. But they should be planning for it!

I just took this off of AC weekly. The Chelsea looks great!

http://www.acweekly.com/images/issues/2008-07-03/large/img_9022_actionchel.jpg




Tuesday night, the Chelsea hotel illuminated Atlantic City with the lighting of its neon sign. The fluorescent pink sign of the soon-to-open hotel is a chic addition to the historic seaside resort town’s skyline. (photo by will riccio)AC Action

[Intheknow]

It has been floating around that Bashaw and Barr were in negotiations to buy the Hilton, Hilton demanded they buy Ballys also, Ac Gateway said no then told Hilton that the employee parking lots at old High School and one at Hartford and Boardwalk(which Hilton was leasing off of AC Gateway) be vacated immediatly. Hence, the now empty parking lots.

[American Gaming Guru]

Intheknow. I am not trusting your info. The owners of the Hilton dont even own Ballys.

[Intheknow]

That's what I thought, yet Ac Gateway was in negotiations with Hilton to expand their Rt. 40 Casino plans and they fell through.

[American Gaming Guru]

AC Gateway purchased the former Dunes and AC High School sites from The Hilton (aka Resorts International).

[Fabrizio]

The shot of the Chelsea: isn't that what Pacific Avenue should look like?

----

Intheknow: you just can't continually post rumours here and "things you've heard". WiredNY is not the correct site for that sort of stuff.

[Intheknow]

I'm not a gambler, all casinos look and sound alike to me. The Hilton WAS approached by AC gateway, Hilton wanted Caesers included in the deal Gateway said no, please remove your employee cars from the lots we purchased from you, your lease is up. How's that Fabizio?

[Intheknow]

That is not Pacific Ave in the pic, it's Chelsea Ave. Pacific still looks the same only the Martinique Motel across from Chelsea Hotel now has a chain link fence surrounding it's entrance, nice addition. It may be crime scene chain link fence due to the fact it's crawling with drug addicts, bums and prostitutes, this is what the diners at Stephen Starr Restaurant will be looking at over their $400.00 meals. That's a fact.

[Fabrizio]

LOL.

Well, that's what Pacific Ave SHOULD look like.

[Intheknow]

So far things are looking bleak for this weekend. I'm telling you this town looks desserted. With free concerts on the beach, fireworks tonight-in two spots- traffic is not flowing into the City. The economy is killing this town. I hope things pick up later tonight and tommorrow. This weekend will be a good barometer for the summer. I feel sorry for the workers who rely on tips, I know my bartenders are saying it's been real slow so far this season. Restaurants are being creamed, at least the one's that aren't in Casinos. If you plan on visiting please go out to eat, get drunk, and tip well, it would be greatly appreciated.

[zipburn]

I guess the traffic backed up at least 2 miles on the expressway and the wealth of traffic on albany ave wasn't really there? Is it possible that you could please stop posting your gross misconceptions of reality on here? Its really getting annyoing having to correct your falsehoods. The Pacific Ave. side of the chelsea is tiled with a lightcolor base and yellow/green/black stripes, the corner of chelsea and pacific is all glass with bronze triangles as the awning.

[giselehaslice]

I'm sorry intheknow, but I really can't stand the randomness of your posts. It doesn't serve any purpose saying that the crowds look like february especially when they are probably quite substantial. Obviously you deteste atlantic city and don't want to see it suceed, which is fine, but you aren't contributing any useful info, only saying that a new chain link fence is because of a crime scene.

[66nexus]

Harrah's new tower is lit up like an HD tonight. In essence, the largest tv I've ever seen in my existence

[Jim856796]

That new Revel Entertainment Resort should be twice the height of the Taj Mahal Resort Towers. And anybody notice that the new Taj Mahal tower's ground print looks kinda like a square in shape?

[Intheknow]

Gisel, I don't detest AC or I wouldn't have bought a property here! I'm not a gambler nor do I aspire to be one. I live on the south end of Boardwalk, I see traffic coming in on Albany Ave., there was little or no traffic at 7 pm so f**** you. I hate the waste and lack of legitimate planning for this City-(Lets just throw a Casino here). I live here, I care about the future of this City, I invested in it! I don't go to the Borgata, Harrah's etc..I go where everyday citizens of this City go, and you can bet your ass I'm negative. Until you invest in this City and pay taxes you'll see where my "attitude " originates from. You want a different insight into AC or all your posters regular regurgitation of news atrticles? As for my randomness, look at the randomness of the building of this City!
You pissed me off!
Don't F****** litter when you visit.

[Intheknow]

Revel is going to run out of money! Guaranteed! Mark my words.

[American Gaming Guru]

I am at Borgata right now for the entire weekend and the place is COMPLETELY SOLD OUT! Intheknow knows nothing but false rumors. The Hilton does not own Caesars either, so that rumor is a falsehood as well. Completely untrue.

We here enjoy progress and creativity. I suggest you utilize private posts and messages for careless ambiguity.

[66nexus]

Gisel, I don't detest AC or I wouldn't have bought a property here! I'm not a gambler nor do I aspire to be one. I live on the south end of Boardwalk, I see traffic coming in on Albany Ave., there was little or no traffic at 7 pm so f**** you. I hate the waste and lack of legitimate planning for this City-(Lets just throw a Casino here). I live here, I care about the future of this City, I invested in it! I don't go to the Borgata, Harrah's etc..I go where everyday citizens of this City go, and you can bet your ass I'm negative. Until you invest in this City and pay taxes you'll see where my "attitude " originates from. You want a different insight into AC or all your posters regular regurgitation of news atrticles? As for my randomness, look at the randomness of the building of this City!
You pissed me off!
Don't F****** litter when you visit.



Now you're just taking this thing personal.

Who buys property in a city only to complain about it? Everyone here invested in the city just by going there and we can acknowledge the bad without blowing it out of proportion.

Let me say what perhaps you want to say: "AC is a filthy this, they don't do enough of that, they shouldn't have done this..."

Now with that out of the way I'll ask you, what are you going to do to change it?

We all can exchange our different views but it isn't personal in nature and shouldn't be taken as such

[Jim856796]

Revel is going to run out of money! Guaranteed! Mark my words.

Does that mean their under construction hotel will be put in jeopardy?

[ZippyTheChimp]

I see traffic coming in on Albany Ave., there was little or no traffic at 7 pm so f**** you.The **** doesn't change the nature of a personal attack.

Stop it.

[giselehaslice]

Whatever, intheknow can curse me off. I have better things to do than get offended by someone I don't even know. Happy 4th!

[American Gaming Guru]

Certainly Revel could run into trouble, but with Morgan Stanley as a partner, lets hope that they do not. Unfortunately AC has seen a few of such projects that started construction and never finished:

The Dunes
The Penthouse

Even the Taj Mahal sat uncompleted for quite some time before Donald Trump came along.

I was going to hit up the beach today, but it looks a bit gloomy out there. Intheknow, do you have something to do with that (just some comic relief)? I will take as many pics as possible of the various projects.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy and healthy 4th of July.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

[AC11]

Does that mean their under construction hotel will be put in jeopardy?

Jim, Don't listen to a word intheknow says. He's clueless.

[Intheknow]

OK, I've stated that Revel won't finish, AC Gateway has no intentions of building and that June revenue #'s will be horrendous (The June Swoon). Time will tell.
City is packed to the gills. Reminds me of the old days.
Don't litter

[zipburn]

You have also stated that AC Gateway wanted Caesars with the Hilton. This made no logical sense in geographical terms one, caesars is at the base of the expressway no way in hell would someone give up that property. The big second is that caesars and bally's have had no connection to the hilton for about 4 years now. People who generally post on this board don't have to be residents or gamblers to know what companies own what casinos. Instead of critizing people for posting and reading articles about the development of this city, maybe you should learn a little about the city you live in before you start posting bogus information that the average joe knows is wrong. The city was packed last night too, the crowds where coming in from the expressway to the marina district. Why you may ask? BECAUSE THERE WAS A MAJOR FIREWORKS DISPLAY ON THAT SIDE OF THE CITY, NOT THE SOUTHSIDE OF AC. why does it seem like its packed to the gills today? SINCE YOUR ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY THERE IS A FREE BEACHBOYS CONCERT ON THE BEACH!!! Revel/Morgan Stanley took a calculated risk. The economy has slowed and the credit markets are bad right now, everyone with a brain knows it will recover. They are doing what I believe is a smart strategy, rather then wait for the markets to recover start now so when they do, the casino will be closer to opening then any other place. They can captilize when the market is ready. One more thing this is thread is about the development of atlantic city, not grievances with how the city is run. You are the citizen of AC, not us. Instead of constantly bitching to people who can't help you why don't you do us and yourself a favor; go to city hall and bitch at them!

[Intheknow]

City HAll doesn't respond to my phone calls or letters, believe me I bitch. Tside. The new Chelsea Hotel opened today, half of the lux side

[Intheknow]

Look, I'm just your average efficient, non-corrupt guy. I don't wish bad will on the Casinos. It's just we can do so much better with very little effort, am I wrong in expressing my opinion?
The new Chelsea lobby looked really nice, can't wait until it's complete. They do have a ways to go.
Revel is moving slow, I wish it would open tommorrow, but it won't. I heard they are not fully financed and this is a huge concern. This economy has a good year and a half to recover, add another year and a half for Casino investment, Ka Peeshe?

[Intheknow]

Don't litter.

[Fabrizio]

Intheknow, some advice: they will most likely ban you from the forum if you keep posting multiple posts like that. The "don't litter" thing is cute once, but keep it up and you'll see...

[Intheknow]

AC gateway approached Hilton, Hilton said you can have us if you buy RESORTS also, Gateway said no.
Sorry about the multiple posts.

[American Gaming Guru]

I know that we have been talking about it and now a wonderful property is back for all to see.

This is a fantastic project. Harrah's should be commended for their proper (and very expensive) restoration of a bit of AC's glorious past.

An old Boardwalk beauty returns for all to see

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Staff Writer, 609-272-7258
Published: Saturday, July 05, 2008
http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/523-dennis.embedded.prod_affiliate.101.jpg (http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/243-dennis.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg) http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/243-dennis.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg

The Dennis Hotel section of Bally's Casino Hotel in Atlantic City has finally been freed of an ugly retail pavilion that blocked the view of the Victorian-era building from the Boardwalk.
Anthony Smedile / The Press of Atlantic City


http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/615-dennis3.embedded.prod_affiliate.101.jpg (http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/875-dennis3.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg) http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/875-dennis3.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg

http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/401-dennis2.embedded.prod_affiliate.101.jpg (http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/6-dennis2.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg) http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/6-dennis2.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg

http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/569-dennis1.embedded.prod_affiliate.101.jpg (http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/228-dennis1.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg) http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/05/08/228-dennis1.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg








ATLANTIC CITY - Martin Schaeffer, an 81-year-old tourist from Holland, Pa., was born about the same time that the Dennis Hotel was built.

On a recent afternoon, he interrupted his stroll on the Boardwalk to give the old hotel an admiring look. Then he whistled in approval.
"The architecture is A-1," he marveled. "They don't make them like this anymore."
Until recently, Schaeffer and millions of others who traverse the Boardwalk each year weren't able to appreciate the beauty of the Dennis, a stately building topped by an elegant French mansard roof.
From ground level on the Boardwalk, the Dennis was hidden by a long, two-story retail pavilion built in the 1960s or '70s which housed a collection of nondescript food outlets and shops.

But now the pavilion has been torn down, freeing up the view of the Dennis, as it was originally, following the hotel's construction from 1915 to 1925. Bally's Atlantic City, which bought the pavilion for $38.5 million last year, wanted the public to see the Dennis as it was in its heyday.

"We got rid of the ugly retail pavilion," Joe Domenico, Bally's senior vice president and general manager, said bluntly. "From a property standpoint, it definitely was the right thing to do. It definitely opens up the view to a beautiful old hotel."
The Dennis still functions as a hotel as part of the sprawling, multi-themed Bally's casino complex. Bally's recently invested $19 million to refurbish the hotel's 330 rooms and is spending another $4 million to spruce up the view from the outside, Domenico said.
Scheduled to finish by the Fourth of July weekend, work crews are putting the final touches on a wider Boardwalk that will extend right up to the Dennis. The project also includes new brickwork to repair parts of the Dennis that were damaged when the retail pavilion was torn away from the hotel. In addition, the hotel's former scenic courtyard is being recreated with new sod and landscaping.
"We're restoring the original look of the hotel as best as possible," Domenico said. "It's going to be a whole new perspective on what had been a pretty poor area."
The Dennis is laid out in a U-shaped design, with two wings jutting out to the Boardwalk from the hotel's main 11-story section. The wings are painted in whimsical aqua and lavender hues. The hotel facade has graceful arched windows, like eyes topped with beautiful lashes.
"The two wings never had sunlight on them," Daniel Iversen, a Friedmutter Group architect overseeing the project for Bally's, said of where the retail pavilion covered the hotel. "We had to remove the structural sections of the pavilion where they were attached to the building. Now we're creating a facade that will tie into the existing building."
Preservation of the Dennis Hotel was identified as a top priority of the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority as part of its ongoing $100 million restoration project of stores and historic sites along the Boardwalk. The authority wanted the old retail pavilion torn down and played with the idea of condemning it to clear the way for demolition.
However, Bally's was able to reach a sale agreement with the pavilion's former owners, Abraham and Robert Schiff, the legendary brothers who control about 70 percent of the noncasino property on the Boardwalk.
Interestingly, a now-outdated sign attached to a railing on the Boardwalk reminds everyone of how the pavilion once blocked the view of the Dennis. It invites people to "turn around and look hard" at two Atlantic City icons now disguised as part of the Bally's complex.
One of them, the Warner Theatre, a majestic movie house that opened in the 1920s, stopped showing films long ago. All that remains is the theater's ornate Spanish-Moorish revival facade that has been incorporated into Bally's Wild Wild West Casino.
The second icon is the Dennis Hotel, which is sandwiched between the Wild Wild West Casino and Bally's modern glass-skinned hotel tower.
The sign includes an old picture showing how the Dennis used to look to Boardwalk strollers, before the retail pavilion was built. Now, everyone will be able to enjoy that unobstructed view again.
E-mail Donald Wittkowski: DWittkowski@pressofac.com (DWittkowski@pressofac.com)

[Fabrizio]

Nice that they've opened it up, but it's a cheap, gross restoration.

First of all, a neo-classic brick building covered over in paint, is just tacky looking. (they did the same hack-job on the HaddonHall.... fortunately the Claridge was spared).

A first-class restoration would mean cleaning the building to it's original brick work. Removing paint on these buildings is done all the time, it's not something that's unusual to do.

If they MUST keep the paint on, AT LEAST chose a decent color scheme. Neo-classic detailing painted blue and orange is laughable. The roofs of these buildings where traditionally grey or green, yet, I see that they insist with blue.

And why is that grand bay widow given reflective glass?

This magnificent building is obviously in the hands of idiots. It looks like something you'd see in Albania.

[American Gaming Guru]

Unfortunately, they renovated the facade a years ago to mimic their Wild Wild West Casino (big mistake obviously) while now considered tacky, was a big hit when it first opened.

I thought The Dennis was originally white painted brick. Does anyone out there know?

Also, I just saw this on Expedia about The Chelsea:

Renovation Notice

.hotdtxt{font-size:12px;line-height:16px;} http://www.expedia.dk/eta/spaceit.gif

The hotel opened on July 4, 2008 with the following amenities: Guestrooms include TVs with HD basic cable, telephones, and minibars
Valet parking and bell services are available Upcoming additions:
On August 1, 2008, the pool, food and beverage services, and room service will begin (date is subject to change)
The spa will open on October 1, 2008 (subject to change) This information supersedes all other information in this hotel’s description that relates to these hotel amenities.

[Fabrizio]

Unfortunately, they renovated the facade a years ago to mimic their Wild Wild West Casino (big mistake obviously) while now considered tacky, was a big hit when it first opened.



Now considered tacky? It was considered tacky the moment it was finished.

The Dennis was built in the 1920's. Brick with limestone detailing. The Marlborough-Blenheim was white painted stucco. The Traymore was tan glazed brick.

Brick buildings of this kind were NOT painted ... it wasn't a tenement for gosh sakes. It was painted by Bally's 20 years ago.

--

[AC11]

Now considered tacky? It was considered tacky the moment it was finished.
--

While I agree the paint scheme is tacky, I think it shows great vision on Harrah's part to restore this building. I for one love passing it on the Boardwalk.

[American Gaming Guru]

Same here. I love it.

[Fabrizio]

AC11: my quote is refering to the WildWest theme.

----

Listen, it's wonderful to see this opened up. But they have not "restored" this building. I can only hope that it's the first phase in a real restoration (doubt it). If they leave that ridiculous multi-colored paint scheme and dumb reflective glass treatment, then it's just the same old eye-sore... with a lawn in front.

[American Gaming Guru]

My hopes as well. That would be fantastic. The multi-colored theme looks ridiculous.

[66nexus]

While it may not be to historical standards, the new paint scheme is a far cry from the old one. Same old eye-sore it ain't, tan beats blue/orange (paint) on almost every beach town I can think of. Imagine if they had simply left the color but tore down the retail structure...hideous wouldn't describe it.

[Intheknow]

Well, it is the most aesthetically pleasing site on the boardwalk. Which says alot about the rest of the boardwalk. The new boardwalk they installed looks great, let's do the whole boardwalk with CRDA money and outside contractors.

[Fabrizio]

It should be noted too that one of the most beautiful features of the Dennis was destroyed by Bally's: the wings that connected the hotel to the B'walk. These were 2 story limestone structures with Gothic-revival detailing (a different architectural style than the main structure). They were an essential feature of the hotel.

Also: the curved balconies of the main structure were taken down.

So much of the original detailing of the building has been destroyed... that together with the inane paint job, the building is really only a shadow of it's former self.

Considering the billions that a company like Bally's has, it amazes me that they can't do a decent job restoring it. The building, as it exists now, looks junky.

The Dennis:

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=622481

The Hotel du Palais in Biarritz:

http://www.hotelspreference.com/_cache/114/photos/04f989d2073bc25568139c1cc3229f09.jpg/NCxNC-Mode~ratio-BG~-Root~-ScaleUp~1.png

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/BiarritzHotelduPalais1.JPG/800px-BiarritzHotelduPalais1.JPG


---

[zipburn]

its better than nothing isn't it? IMO those wings looked silly, and they were removed because of the building that was just torn down. On a sidenote they are putting up a building with architecture you might like next to ripleys believe it or not. I know your hard to please so we will see.

[Fabrizio]

Uh... let's see... 1920's Neo-Gothic structures with carved limestone detailing, sundecks, canopies and a luxury shopping arcade facing an out-door cafe... looked ....silly.

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=622481

[Intheknow]

What a Hotel! Now that's a tourist attraction, can you imagine if that was there now the way it was? Well, we have the new Chelsea Hotel-sheesh. Does anyone have any old or new pics of old AC High School? Knife and Fork, O'Donnell Park(Chelsea Park), WWI Monument, or that area of AC?

[zipburn]

Uh... let's see... 1920's Neo-Gothic structures with carved limestone detailing, sundecks, canopies and a luxury shopping arcade facing an out-door cafe... looked ....silly.

http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=622481

I'm sorry about your obsession with old buildings but those wings look silly and out of place in front of that building.. if you can't see how retarded it looks blocking the dennis then you are blinded by your obsession... don't get me wrong they look really good but they also look really reallly stupid in front of the dennis

[zipburn]

Sure we can continue to post these buildings in their heyday but this following is a shot of the buildings in 1978 with no one on the boardwalk! I wonder why? http://www.emporis.com/en/il/im/?id=317028

[Fabrizio]

The Dennis was a hotel complex built in 3 phases: if you notice, the mansard roofed wings were built IN FRONT of the main building. And then IN FRONT of the mansard roofed wings were built the 2 story structures. All different architectural styles but working together in a harmoniously designed building. Although I can understand that you would think it looks retarded, believe me, it was quite beautiful:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/hotel-dennis-atlantic-city-us-state.jpg

Obessesed with old buildings?

The Dennis in it's present state looks more like something from Castro's Havana (or perhaps Ceausescu's Romania).

Honestly, I'd rather see the thing torn down and replaced with a top-notch piece of modern architecture than to see it as it is now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/569-dennis1embeddedprod_affiliate10.jpg



--

[Intheknow]

AC casinos revenue down 11% in June compared to same time last year. Economy, smoking ban, energy costs, blah blah blah. A gambler will always gamble, be it PA or AC. AC better start working for their customers or the slide will continue.

[American Gaming Guru]

Ouch! I just saw it on the CCC website too. Realize, however, that this is not singularly an AC phenomenon. Here is the latest on Nevada:

Statewide, gambling revenue in May slumped an eye-popping 15.2%, with table games down 15.7% and slots off 15.1%. Things were even worse on the Las Vegas Strip, where total gambling revenue fell 16.4% -- the largest decline yet in 2008, and one that is at an increasing rate as quarter-to-date revenues for the Strip are off 9%.

"The decline in Strip revenues is worse than the period immediately following Sept. 11, 2001 and except for January 2002 is the worst monthly performance in more than 10 years," wrote Robin Farley of UBS in a note. "The weakness in gaming revenues was not confined exclusively to the Strip as the Las Vegas locals market declined 19.5% in May, bringing year to date revenues down 8.7%."

[66nexus]

Yep AGG^

we have foreseen this. The first time I realized Vegas would be vulnerable was in the aftermath of the Sept. 11th attacks, that made me believe that while Vegas' exotic nature as a mystical far away place (because you can't get there easily) was its ultimate weakness (...well, because you can't get there easily) lol

ps: Is Fabrizio really gone? What the heck is a debate worth without two sides

[Intheknow]

Revel wants to use the City of Atlantic City to facilitate a $56 million dollar loan to widen the road around their casino. This project is in deep trouble, if it gets finished, it won't be for another 5-7 years. The credit markets are bad and getting worse. As for business in AC, just ask ANY Casino employee, it's really bad. As for the Casino take compared to last year-the Casinos slots are not paying out as the same percentage as last year, ask any slots player. In the short term Casinos profits will be up, in the long run gamblers will go elsewhere.
These Casinos and AC Gov. better start reacting to competition.

[zipburn]

unless this past june was spectacluar it was going to be down just because of the calender, and with gas prices at or near 4 dollars for regular people are going to be driving less.. boy if that train was available from nyc now instead of next year it would have been great for this city....i still don't buy this doom and gloom logic though.. borgatas tower just went online and the chelsea is up too i expect a strong win in july. slide? there was a win in may.. people can only play table games here not in pa so what atlantic city is in the process of doing is removing the low-roller slot players who come by bus, which has been a a goal in the transformation of the city to more of an overnight destination. the walk has has been really busy in fact i have never seen it this busy its what it used to be on the weekends during the weekdays so far this summer. I can't imagine how much non gaming revenue in the city has gone up since the last estimate of $500 million was done before the walk and borgata were even open but for some idiotic reason they refer to that number like its current. There is more to spend money on instead of casino gambling now so unless they start showing that its hard to judge how this has affected this city. Eventually these clowns in government will have to do something to get the price of fuel lowered when that happens expect to see wins get bigger..

[Intheknow]

unless this past june was spectacluar it was going to be down just because of the calender, and with gas prices at or near 4 dollars for regular people are going to be driving less.. boy if that train was available from nyc now instead of next year it would have been great for this city....i still don't buy this doom and gloom logic though.. borgatas tower just went online and the chelsea is up too i expect a strong win in july. slide? there was a win in may.. people can only play table games here not in pa so what atlantic city is in the process of doing is removing the low-roller slot players who come by bus, which has been a a goal in the transformation of the city to more of an overnight destination. the walk has has been really busy in fact i have never seen it this busy its what it used to be on the weekends during the weekdays so far this summer. I can't imagine how much non gaming revenue in the city has gone up since the last estimate of $500 million was done before the walk and borgata were even open but for some idiotic reason they refer to that number like its current. There is more to spend money on instead of casino gambling now so unless they start showing that its hard to judge how this has affected this city. Eventually these clowns in government will have to do something to get the price of fuel lowered when that happens expect to see wins get bigger..
You're not getting it, PA will have tables, the take is down here in AC, Casino money drives this City. Take all non-gambling revs for City and you won't ever come to Casino $$$. Fuel isn't the main problem concerning Atlantic City. I'm not pessimisict, just realistic.

[zipburn]

I'm sorry your pessimistic, i think you have posted one positive thing about ac and that was in regards to the dennis. I don't get it? I guess July 4th was a bad weekend for the city? I guess the market research shows more people are willing to come back Atlantic City over Vegas but that doesn't mean anything. I guess Revel will just run out of money and two major towers will just sit there empty. I guess MGM is breaking ground in Dec. And I guess somehow widening roads so their isn't major traffic backups is a bad thing. You have been posting alot of rumor/ignorant posts that have no merit. Everyone and their mother knew that Revel was going ahead with out full financing. Everyone also knows that they are being financed by Morgan Stanley. So is Morgan Stanley going under? Really that is what you are suggesting. If the city can get lower interest rates than Revel why not ask the city for some help on a job that the city is "supposed" to be responsible for in the first place? Last I checked most people have a budget for a trip or vacation, if they are spending more for fuel then that means they have less to burn at the tables. Hence less revenue at the end of the day for the casinos. If the city sells out hotel rooms regularly on the weekend, do you think adding hotel rooms doesn't increase the take on a weekend? Do you think if a couple want to go on vacation but want to drive somewhere, are they going to stay at horse track/casino where its smells like horse crap and the only option is play slots? Or are they going to come to the beach? Anyone can go to their local bar for thier bachelor/bachelorette party but if they come to atlantic city they can party all night. In which they do.... everything I just posted is factually sound. Can we say the same for your posts? NOPE!

[Intheknow]

Time will tell.

[acplayer]

Intheknow, you asked for some old A.C.H.S. and Chelsea Park photos. Here's a couple. And yes old A.C. was awesome, the future A.C. can be awesome as the city has tons of potential, but currently it's one of the most dysfunctional city's in the country.

p.s. what happened to Fabrizio?

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


http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/actrolley68881955.jpg

[Intheknow]

Thanks for the pics. What building is/was the second pic? Did Bashaw, as the head of the CRDA, have the high school torn down? The reason I ask is, his plans call for removing half the park for his new Casino. He already bought the Old High school site, sounds alittle shady, but what do I know?

[JCexpert558]

Look this thread is called AC new Image why is everybody talking about it's past?

[Intheknow]

Look this thread is called AC new Image why is everybody talking about it's past?
Ummm, because the new image is on hold until the US economy gets out of the crapper. Should we put the thread on hold for 4-7yrs?
What is being built besides the Revel site-won't be finished anytime soon,and the Chelsea Hotel? Whatever is planned is now unplanned until further notice. Sad but true.
Anyone have old pics?

[zipburn]

Ummm, because the new image is on hold until the US economy gets out of the crapper. Should we put the thread on hold for 4-7yrs?
What is being built besides the Revel site-won't be finished anytime soon,and the Chelsea Hotel? Whatever is planned is now unplanned until further notice. Sad but true.
Anyone have old pics?

Wrong again. Not that im suprised. MGM doesn't need financing it has the resources to build whatever shape the US economy is in as it is a GLOBAL company. Maybe you should put a hold on your posts for 4-7 years by then maybe you will finally be "Intheknow". Revel is on target for its 2010 opening. The only thing sad is what you have done to this thread.

Look this thread is called AC new Image why is everybody talking about it's past?

I don't get it either there a bunch of projects going on right now but people keep on dwelling in the past by showing old buildings when they looked good. These same buildings looked run down and were eyesores before they were demolished. We can talk about saving everything but really who is going to pay for the millions of dollars to refurbish these old buildings? People need to get through their skull that things will be saved if it is economically viable. Just look at what Trump Entertainment did to the old firehouse on Pennsylvania Ave. It looks great but not everything can be save as it does fit into future plans.

Thanks for the pics. What building is/was the second pic? Did Bashaw, as the head of the CRDA, have the high school torn down? The reason I ask is, his plans call for removing half the park for his new Casino. He already bought the Old High school site, sounds alittle shady, but what do I know?

I though you said you lived in Atlantic City? Thats the green/white stucco building that was refurbished about 10 years ago, and unlike its current pic it looked like trash before they did it. Also the building next to it was demolished about 4 years ago it had broken windows and needed to be removed.When you drive towards the inlet where atlantic/ventnor merge. The old ACHS building was refurbished by a superintendent which cost the city millions of dollars in wasted funds as the building started to crumble anyway. The building was then declared unworthy of a building permit. So it sat there until it was bought by the Hilton which at the time was part of the old Park Place Entertainment. Wally Barr was at the top of that company in the Atlantic City market during the purchase. The building was an eyesore. People were more upset because they went to school there rather than upset because of the architecture. The ohio ave. school looked good but Harrahs did save the BOE building next to it and did a great job remodeling it.

[Fabrizio]

Look this thread is called AC new Image why is everybody talking about it's past?

Then why did AC spend a fortune to have boardwalk design guidelines drawn up by examining it's past?

Please look over the PDF files found on this link:

http://www.njcrda.com/ac_boardwalk.html

It is photos and an examination of AC's asthetic history.... it was drawn up in order to guide new projects.

Remember too: WiredNY is mostly an architecture forum. It is not a forum for blindly cheering on whatever developers propose. Posters write with a critical eye. Take a look at the threads about NYC: along with photos of new development, there are often photos and info about NY's past in the very same threads.

-----

Preservation: with the exception of a few worthy landmarks like the Claridge, Convention Hall, the Knife&Fork, some of the grand homes in Chelsea and a few other isolated things.... they can tear down the entire city, as far as I'm concerned.

I'd even rather see the Dennis go than to see it in it's present, poverty-stricken, 3rd World style "restoration". (even the old library building on Pacific was given a crappy restoration, with it's beautiful limestone painted over. Only in Atlantic City, folks...)

So tear down... but rebuild with style, quality, following a valid urban plan.... rather than the haphazard blank wall and parking garage streetscape that has been going on for years.

In order to do that, it just might mean rediscovering some of the elements that once made AC great.

Keep those old photos coming!

---

Thats the green/white stucco building that was refurbished about 10 years ago,

OMG... they covered it over in stucco? I can just imagine what that looks like...

----

[Intheknow]

Wrong again. Not that im suprised. MGM doesn't need financing it has the resources to build whatever shape the US economy is in as it is a GLOBAL company. Maybe you should put a hold on your posts for 4-7 years by then maybe you will finally be "Intheknow". Pinnacle is on target for its 2010 opening. The only thing sad is what you have done to this thread.



I don't get it either there a bunch of projects going on right now but people keep on dwelling in the past by showing old buildings when they looked good. These same buildings looked run down and were eyesores before they were demolished. We can talk about saving everything but really who is going to pay for the millions of dollars to refurbish these old buildings? People need to get through their skull that things will be saved if it is economically viable. Just look at what Trump Entertainment did to the old firehouse on Pennsylvania Ave. It looks great but not everything can be save as it does fit into future plans.



I though you said you lived in Atlantic City? Thats the green/white stucco building that was refurbished about 10 years ago, and unlike its current pic it looked like trash before they did it. Also the building next to it was demolished about 4 years ago it had broken windows and needed to be removed.When you drive towards the inlet where atlantic/ventnor merge. The old ACHS building was refurbished by a superintendent which cost the city millions of dollars in wasted funds as the building started to crumble anyway. The building was then declared unworthy of a building permit. So it sat there until it was bought by the Hilton which at the time was part of the old Park Place Entertainment. Wally Barr was at the top of that company in the Atlantic City market during the purchase. The building was an eyesore. People were more upset because they went to school there rather than upset because of the architecture. The ohio ave. school looked good but Harrahs did save the BOE building next to it and did a great job remodeling it.
There are a bunch of projects going on right now? Please tell me where. As for MGM check their stock price. Pinnacle is not scheduled for 2010 opening, they left town but forgot to take their billboards.
The Knife and Fork is on the chopping block. Barr and Bashaw say they plan on relocating it to Hartford and Pacific-maybe. Scary stuff, Chelsea area is on a course to become the "new" slum of AC. Keep up the good work developers! Pathetic.

[American Gaming Guru]

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Posted on Fri, Jul. 11, 2008



At Chelsea Hotel, no casino but history & a helping of hip

By ROBERT STRAUSS
For the Daily News
"They're cheeky, don't you think? We wanted at least a little cheeky here," said Colleen Bashaw, smiling at the white ceramic parrots on the bedside tables of a 19th-floor "Chelsea Luxe" room at the new Chelsea hotel her brother, Curtis, and his Cape Advisors group have built in Atlantic City. It will have its official opening Aug. 1.
"We want to harken back to the 1950s and 1960s, what were probably the best days for Atlantic City - until now," said Colleen Bashaw, the interior designer for the new upscale hotel built on the shell of the old Teplitsky's - the first non-casino place of its ilk in town almost since, well, probably Teplitsky's.
It is hard to think of anyone at the Jersey Shore cheeky enough, save for Curtis Bashaw, to pull off something like the Chelsea. He is a nonpareil cocktail - one part savvy entrepreneur, one part historical legacy, one part suave hipster - poured over the political rocks in a nostalgic martini glass of sunny outlook.
At 47, Bashaw is the anti-Trump, the sunglassed and casual-tailored face of the hoped-for new Atlantic City.
The Chelsea, while not his ultimate dream, is a good step toward it. Originally, the hotel at Chelsea and Pacific was Teplitsky's, a kosher resort attracting mostly an upper-middle-class Jewish clientele in the post-World War II era.
As Atlantic City downshifted a bit in the 1970s, the Teplitsky family sold to Howard Johnson's, and Holiday Inn built a property on Chelsea Avenue toward the ocean side.
Now Bashaw has combined the two hotels - the Holiday Inn tower having the "Chelsea Luxe" rooms overlooking the Atlantic and the old Teplitsky/HoJo with "Chelsea Lite" rooms surrounding a heated-pool courtyard. The ground floor will have a Stephen Starr restaurant called Teplitsky's, with a diner ambience and lighter fare. Across from the pool, there will be a spa.
"Mani/pedi area. Hot stones. An up-to-date experience," said Bashaw, floating through the different spa areas, gesticulating enthusiastically.
The fifth floor of the old Holiday Inn space will be called Five, with a dance club, another Starr restaurant called Chelsea Prime, and an outdoor rooftop cabana area. Downstairs, the check-in area will have terrazzo floors, gigantic chandeliers evoking the 1950s and a large fireplace/library setting for cocktails and just plain people-viewing.
Colleen Bashaw has chosen chocolate brown as the color for the Luxe rooms, with all-white bedding and turquoise velvet curtains. Each room will have an old Atlantic City photograph or painted scene on the wall, flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations, marble baths and as much ocean view as the old Holiday Inn windows will allow.
"We're looking, probably, at high $300 a night," said Curtis Bashaw. (In-season rates will range from $225-$450; off-season, $95-$275.)
"I really think that Atlantic City is Las Vegas 12 years ago. I don't mean people will stop going to the Hamptons, but I think the Chelsea will help attract a young urban crowd from New York and Philadelphia that is looking for a new place."
Bashaw seems the man to provide it. His Jersey Shore cred is high, but slightly offbeat. His grandfather, Carl McIntyre, was a prominent evangelical minister who owned the Christian Admiral and Congress Hall hotels in Cape May.
In his early 30s, with a Wharton business degree, Bashaw headed to Cape May and renovated the old Virginia Hotel there. Then he took over his grandfather's properties, selling the Christian Admiral to finance the renovation of Congress Hall, which has been attracting a somewhat hipper crowd over the last half-dozen years.
He was an adviser to New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, and for two years was executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, which oversees the distribution of casino-based taxes toward development, mostly in Atlantic City. Since resigning from that job three years ago, he has been looking for investments with Cape Advisors. He and backers have an option on a site a few blocks south of the Chelsea for a casino project that is in the planning stages.
With the addition of 800 rooms at The Water Club, the non-casino hotel that opened next to the Borgata last month, and the 331 rooms at the Chelsea, the city is now about two-thirds of the way to its goal of 25,000 rooms to attract more conventions and other overnight stays.
That more of these rooms are classified as "luxury" accommodations is good, analysts say, because it positions Atlantic City closer to Las Vegas than to smaller resorts or to slots-only places such as Pennsylvania.
Bashaw claims to be unworried about the crumbling set of old motels around the Chelsea - the Martinique, the Days Inn, the Flamingo - and the ubiquitous "Cash for Gold" signs just yards away on either side along Pacific Avenue.
"It is part of the charm, so to speak, those young adults from New York see in Atlantic City," he said, rolling his eyes just a little bit. "But seriously, someone has to start somewhere. The Borgata showed that. They upped the ante for casinos. Now there is the Pier at Caesars and more shopping and better restaurants. The Chelsea is another step." * Chelsea Hotel, 111 S. Chelsea Ave., Atlantic City, 1-800-548-3030, www.thechelsea-ac.com (http://www.thechelsea-ac.com/).

Also, here is a link to another BLOG that has some interior and view pics. Pretty Nice!

http://www.michaelleslie.com/blog/?p=240

[giselehaslice]

The pictures on that blog are really nice. I think the rooms look a thousand times better now than the previous pictures we saw, although the old pictures could have been bad because of lighting. This place looks like it's going to be great!

August 1st opening....hmmm August 1st is my birthday, maybe i'll spend the night....

[Fabrizio]

The decor is hip and fun... and it shows some of the latest trends in decorating. These rooms don't look as luxurious as some others, but they do have character instead of the usual beige-on-beige that is seen everywhere.

[American Gaming Guru]

Agreed, the rooms look much better in these pics.

giselehaslice, i will be there that weekend of August 1st. Birthday drink on me!

Hopefully the place will be finished by then.

[66nexus]

There are a bunch of projects going on right now? Please tell me where. As for MGM check their stock price. Pinnacle is not scheduled for 2010 opening, they left town but forgot to take their billboards.
The Knife and Fork is on the chopping block. Barr and Bashaw say they plan on relocating it to Hartford and Pacific-maybe. Scary stuff, Chelsea area is on a course to become the "new" slum of AC. Keep up the good work developers! Pathetic.

I think he said 'Revel' not 'Pinnacle'...

[Intheknow]

My point in all of this is AC can do so much better for very little effort. We have a Beach, a Boardwalk, an Ocean for Chris' sake. Vegas cannot match these assets, yet AC always compares itself to Vegas like a step child. AC should lead not follow.
Revel will not be done by 2010, it's not my fault! I'd lend them the money if I could, it's next to impossible to borrow money.
The Casinos need to do a better job marketing. The competition is tough and getting tougher. Nearby states are adding Casinos not tearing them down. AC had it to easy for to long.
Atlantic City needs a plan! They develop in a hap-hazard way, must start to look at the bigger picture.
The City Government is horrendous, which doesn't bode well for investment.
Nothing we can't fix.

[American Gaming Guru]

I know this is not architecture, but never the less more press on how Bashaw is attempting to bring back a little of AC's past with a modern twist.

I love it!

BTW, I will be staying at the Chelsea this Thursday night and will be there for the ribbon cutting on Friday. I will take some pics and share them with everyone. I am also going to try and get everyone some updated pics on Revel, The Dennis and a few other projects in town.

Chelsea Hotel shows off solar-powered rolling chairs

By SAM FRAN SCAVUZZO For the Press, 609-272-7147
Published: Tuesday, July 15, 2008
http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/15/03/167-5864549.embedded.prod_affiliate.101.jpg (http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/15/03/642-5864549.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg) http://media.pressofatlanticcity.com/smedia/2008/07/15/03/642-5864549.standalone.prod_affiliate.101.jpg












ATLANTIC CITY - When the Chelsea Hotel opens Friday, the 330-room hotel won't be the only new light on the Boardwalk. Three solar-powered rolling chairs, the "solar rollers," will go into service for guests of the non-gaming resort.

"We thought it'd be fun to do a twist on an old tradition," hotel owner Curtis Bashaw said at the solar rollers' unveiling Monday. "This is an Atlantic City icon, and we've updated it."
Designed by Royal Rolling Chairs, the chairs will feature three light-up panels that are visible four to five blocks away.
Also included on the chairs will be a dock for iPods and heated seats.
Ninety percent of the chairs' power comes from the sun, with the rest provided by a rechargeable battery that works for up to 10 days per charge. A thin solar panel lies on top of the canopy.

Co-owner of Royal Rolling Chairs, Ted Garry designed the solar roller.

"The idea evolved. We went through a few light boxes before we came up with this prototype," he said. "This is part of A.C. always being turned on."
Garry also noted that a good deal of research went into Boardwalk's first solar-powered roller. The solar rollers will cost $7,500, according to Garry. A normal chair costs $2,500.
Although the signs are powered by the sun, the chair still will be pushed by manpower.
Democratic City Councilman Dennis Mason talked about the chair's safety benefits.
"It certainly will get people's attention," he said. "(Roller car pushers) are always weaving in and out of traffic on the Boardwalk. Now people will see it coming."
Mayor Scott Evans witnessed the chairs' unveiling and made his first rolling chair ride of the summer.
"I think that we'll see the whole city's identity go green," he said. "We set the bar high with the windmills. We need to continue to get local businesses to use green energy."
Rates for rides on the solar-powered chair have yet to be determined, Bashaw said.
The Chelsea will be the first new luxury, non-casino hotel in the resort since the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel opened its doors in 1997.
E-mail Sam Fran Scavuzzo: SScavuzzo@pressofac.com (SScavuzzo@pressofac.com)

[JCexpert558]

I really wish more citys in South jersey would go through what AC is going through right now like Perth Amboy, and also is New Jersey just a big Metropoltan area.

[zipburn]

I think your right on NJ just being a nyc/philly metro area, atlantic city though will start to garner its own size as more workers are needed in the future...one more thing Scott Evans has be one of the dumbest people I have ever heard as a mayor...

[Intheknow]

I think your right on NJ just being a nyc/philly metro area, atlantic city though will start to garner its own size as more workers are needed in the future...one more thing Scott Evans has be one of the dumbest people I have ever heard as a mayor...
I think firemen outrank life guards.
This Chelsea is a huge test for AC. Hope they do well.

[zipburn]

I think so too, but Levy was the top guy on the beach patrol and head of emergency management also... so I think that trumps battlion chief of the fire dept. Chelsea will do well even though it seems as its set up as a summer resort, once this train gets going from nyc. I get the vibe that the chelsea is going to be the start of the new south beach in atlantic city. Maybe that is a little bit of stretch but this place is getting alot, i mean ALOT, of underground publicity which is something in its own world. These people might not be gamblers staying at this place but they will come for the nightlife that this city can offer over philly and nyc. It helps with convention rooms also. The more rooms the better.

[Fabrizio]

So. Beach made it only because of strict intervention in zoning and preservation. South Beach did not happen just by letting everything up to the free market... it would have been destroyed. The Chelsea district will go nowhere until there is a plan for development in place that developers and businesses must adhere to.

So.Beach is all about the street, store fronts, cafes... while AC is about parking garages and blank walls. I believe the Chelsea Hotel will be a success, but AC is going to lose a big opportunity if the city doesn't get it's act together on this end of town. In this area of town, smaller would be better.... small footprint buildings, smaller hotels like the Chelsea, bed&breakfasts, street front restaurants, shops, galleries. The park should be a focal point. Develop Arctic, Fairmount & Winchester Avenues. Leave the mega developments to other parts of town. If they did this, the effect would be felt to Ventnor.


What would it take to make Chelsea feel, even just a tiny bit, like this?:

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11820

---

[Intheknow]

They are already "planning" that end of town with the new AC gateway Casino. The plan calls for moving the monument, putting a six-lane highway through O'Donnell Memorial Park, having a parking garage where AC high school used to be, putting a tunnel??? somewhere, and moving the Knife and Fork. The City endorses this idea, yet Bashaw and Barr have stated it's all conceptual. Why ruin the nicest part of AC, along with the largest, cleanest park in the City for a "maybe" we'll build, "maybe" we'll get the financing, maybe we'll flip the land( most likely).
There is no planning here-once again-just throw a Casino up and collect the tax dollars. The City should anticipate Bader field development down the road, which they are not doing.
I forsee the City trashing this area(it's already begun) and the developer backing out ala the Sands.
Why can't we use our heads when planning instead of throwing something together?

[American Gaming Guru]

I think planning is exactly what they are doing! Isn't that what conceptual designs are all about? The AC Gateway partnership needs to feel out the city and put together designs considering the eventual footprint of the resort (same thing Pinnacle is doing).

Whether or not they build it is another story. But they are planning! I highly doubt that a plan that Bashaw is involved in is going to ruin an area. They want to MOVE the Knife and Fork, MOVE the memorial. How many developers have done that in the past??? This is the same guy that is creating bright spots on Pacific Avenue out of two dingy old hotels. This is the same guy that initiated the CRDA's Boardwalk Revitalization project and drafted design standards for future development. This is the same guy that now has his own nod to the glory days of AC rolling chairs!

I would just have to say that we should give both AC Gateway and Pinnacle the benefit of the doubt and let's see what they come up with. Again, all conceptual at this point. They have not shared anything with us, so how come people comment negatively about it?

Both AC Gateway and Pinnacle are stalled simply because of the credit markets. Nothing less. It was never their intention to stall or flip land (contrary to how some people feel). But guess what, s*%t happens and that is the exact state of our financial markets right now. They have absolutely ZERO control over it.

We can only wish them the best and hope that they both bring something really spectacular (anything else would flop anyway) to the city.

[American Gaming Guru]

At least Bashaw is personally passionate about AC! He seems to be getting more press with The Chelsea than when Borgata first opened!

A Gamble on Atlantic City


by Chris Shott (http://www.observer.com/node/36088) | July 15, 2008 | Tags:
(http://www.observer.com/term/55889)
This article was published in the July 21, 2008, edition of The New York Observer.


http://www.observer.com/files/imagecache/article/files/sitdown_5.jpg Chris Shott
A hip and young Atlantic City? Totally doable, says hotelier Curtis Bashaw. The 48-year-old’s firm, Cape Advisors, is developing the Chelsea Hotel (not that Chelsea Hotel!), complete with bars by the founders of the Beatrice Inn and an express train that gets you there from Penn.


MORE
The Sit-Down

All on one page >> (http://www.observer.com/thesitdown)

Location: How did you first get into the hotel business?
Mr. Bashaw: When I got out of college, I bought a building in Cape May, N.J., and renovated it into a hotel in 1989, called the Virginia. … And then we bought another one called Commerce Hall, which we opened in 2002; 110 rooms, built in 1879, really amazing building.

Sounds like a lot of renovation work.
Well, we love renovating. That’s why this Atlantic City project is so fun for us.

So, these are two hotels, a HoJo’s …
And a Holiday Inn, and we’re combining them.

Why combine them?
Well, they’re right next door to each other, and it just made sense. … The HoJo’s was built in the ’60s as a kosher hotel called Teplitsky’s, and the Holiday Inn was built next door in the 1970s as sort of this nondescript thing. We kind of pulled the patina in from the HoJo’s into the Holiday Inn, and we’re doing this sort of Hollywood glamour thing, heyday of Atlantic City. …

Were these properties just available at the same time?
Same owner. Very cool guy who’d been down here forever. We negotiated for a long time. … We bought these buildings in January 2007. Of all the existing hotels in town, they were ones that had the most character and were big enough, critical-mass-wise, to make it worthwhile. I mean, there are a lot of smaller little motels that would be 30 or 40 rooms, and that’s a lot of work.

Why are you naming this place “the Chelsea”?
Because it’s on Chelsea Avenue, it’s in the Chelsea neighborhood of Atlantic City, and it’s on the site of the old Chelsea Hotel from the 1800s.

Now, does this Chelsea Hotel from the 1800s predate the Chelsea Hotel in New York City?
Yes.

Really? Because I believe the Chelsea Hotel in New York City dates back to 1883. I believe it was originally the city’s first co-op.
Well, then, they’re pretty closely aligned time-wise, but [the one in Atlantic City] was torn down in the 1960s.

Are you trying to pick a legal fight with those guys or what?
They don’t have a trademark.

Let’s run through the stats: $110 million; 330 rooms; two Stephen Starr restaurants; bars and lounges with touches by Beatrice Inn impresarios Matt Abramcyk and Paul Sevigny; a 7,500-square-foot spa; and a 15,000-square-foot outdoor pool and roof deck—but no gaming? If there are no slot machines and no blackjack tables in this hotel, where do the hookers hang out?
[laughing] I don’t know.

When you conceived of this project, did you always think that there would be no gaming aspect?
You can’t have gaming without 500 guest rooms. That’s a rule. We thought Tropicana, right next door, might want to connect to us, if Tropicana was renovated. Now it’s for sale, so we’ll see what happens there. We’ve mused about, you know, if our neighbors wanted to sell, we could build a second tower and get over 500 rooms and be sort of a small, intimate casino more like the Palms. And that could be an exit strategy, too, if need be.

From 2003 to 2005, you served under then Governor Jim McGreevey as executive director of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. This idea—the Chelsea—did this happen while you were with the authority?
You know, when I was with the authority, I was really busy. I was working on the boardwalk revitalization plan, getting the train from New York, a lot of different casino expansion projects. In fact, it was during my time there that we did the financing for the Harrah’s Tower, the Borgata phase two, which is the Water Club that just opened. … But, as I spent time here, I was really getting to understand the power of the market and how unharvested it was.
In my mind, you have this resort, located one tank of gas away from 25 percent of the U.S. population. You’ve got 13 casinos that had been sort of churning and burning from their monopoly from when they founded gaming here until about five years ago, when there started to be real competition.
Borgata, you know, much to the consternation of the sort of local market prejudice—oh, what’s the word, when you believe your own bullshit?—the market just sort of said, ‘Oh, no one can come in and attract younger people. We’re an older person’s market.’
But Borgata did that. The Pier opened, the Trop opened, the Quarter opened, all this retail, and you started to see a different demographic coming. …
So all of that in my mind added up to an opportunity to do something in this town.

What has prompted all this recent reinvestment in Atlantic City?
Three things. One, Borgata opened and proved to the market that there was a whole younger demographic beyond this stereotype that it’s just these four-hour visitors on ventilators.
Two, the fruits of a state initiative. It was a tax incentive program to encourage nongaming investment. It was done through our agency, but before my time. I can’t claim credit.
Basically, it created many urban enterprise zones, so if someone did 150,000 square feet of nongaming retail, dining, entertainment, they got the first $2.5 million in sales tax collected in that district rebated to the project for 20 years. Big incentive. That’s what led to the Walk, the Quarter and the Pier; all three of those projects took advantage of that incentive. …
The third, honestly, was the encroachment of gaming regionally, because all of a sudden, every other state wants to get in on the gaming gig. It was clear to this critical mass of casinos that they’ve gotta do something else. All these other jurisdictions are going to get in on this day-tripping four-hour visitor. So, you know, as I said when I was at the CRDA, it’s time for Atlantic City to return to its roots as a resort.
We have a really beautiful beach here. It’s gradually sloped. You can body-surf until you run out of breath here. A lot of beaches slope up so fast, you scrape your chest as soon as the wave breaks.

You’ve tested it out, I take it.
I love this beach.

Who is the Chelsea’s target demographic?
You know, it’s hard to totally niche your customers. I think there are a lot of people who are not accommodated by the casinos. They want to be approximate to the gaming amenity, but they don’t necessarily want to live in it. …
I think there’s also this new sort of younger urban visitor. We especially think New York could adopt A.C.

New York hasn’t yet adopted A.C., right?
Not in droves. But I went through a similar thing in Cape May, honestly. You know, Congress Hall was a hundred-year-old hotel. We did a soup-to-nuts renovation to it. We made a four-star product with amenities like beach service that the Jersey shore hadn’t seen…
Our ZIP code balance when we opened Congress Hall was 70 percent Philly metro, 30 percent scatter. Now, our Congress Hall ZIP code balance is 52 percent New York metro, 40 percent Philly metro, and the rest is Washington, Richmond and whatever.
In the same vein, I think we’re going to see the adoption of A.C. by the New York market, because of a couple things: one, proximity; two, this train we’re totally jazzed about.

Right, the express train from New York’s Penn Station. Has that started yet?
The train starts third quarter this year.

Didn’t I read that you’re also building a casino now, too?
We have a 10-acre site that we’re getting entitled now. We’ve got some great partners, with institutional equity players out of New York; and we’ll see, you know, as we get through the entitlements, and the choppy credit markets settle a little bit, we’re going to have an awesome development opportunity, and we’ll see how that plays out.

[Intheknow]

Intheknow, you asked for some old A.C.H.S. and Chelsea Park photos. Here's a couple. And yes old A.C. was awesome, the future A.C. can be awesome as the city has tons of potential, but currently it's one of the most dysfunctional city's in the country.

p.s. what happened to Fabrizio?

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


http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/actrolley68881955.jpgSee Chelsea Park as it still is today? Well Bashaw and Barr plan on building a parking garage where High School was, they want to take half of O'Donnell Park and make it a six lane highway and have some kind of tunnel, and while we're at it let's move the Monument and Knife and Fork! We're building a boutique hotel casino, no wait, we're building a mega-casino.
It does sound just a little absurd.

[Fabrizio]

You have now reposted these ( very large) photos twice. You cannot do that. You whine about littering, but have zero concern about littering up the forum. Read the forum rules and try to use some common sense.

----------

Could you please show us where there is a proposal for a 6-lane highway through the park. Please post a link: I am interested to hear about this.

[Intheknow]

Im computer illiterate, and I'm not ashamed.
They sent prints of the proposed road to a friend who lives within 500 ft. of the proposed park displacement. Where the monument is in the pic is where it starts (hence the moving) and it will proceed thru the fat end of the park and then go thru the Knife and fork restaurant and adjoining parking lot and come out at Hartford and Pacific -the new Albany Ave. The Roadway inn will be demolished and the Knife and Fork will be caddy corner from where Roadway is/was in the empty lot at Hartford and Pacific.
They are asking to take 1.35 acres of the park for the Road.
There's a public Hearing tomm. night.
This seems to be rather secretive, why hasn't been in the news more? Maybe because it's very controversial?;

[Intheknow]

If you go to Atlantic City Government home page and scroll down to current documents-point 6 Green Acres?Albany Ave.
No pics or plans but it is true and it seems no one knows about this.

[Intheknow]

The public meeting tonight July17 @6p.m. at City Council Chambers 2nd floor, concerning AC gateways new Casino will be a humdinger! Read about the Mosque on the front page of todays AC Press @ ACpress.com If you posters want a say in how this City is developed you should attend.
Also, I know Barr/Bashaw are planning along with Pinnacle, that's not my point. My point is Atlantic City officials are not planning-a big diifference.

[American Gaming Guru]

I just lifted this off The Chelsea's website:


http://www.thechelsea-ac.com/images/chrhdr_ribboncutting.gif http://www.thechelsea-ac.com/images/chrhdr_11.gif
Welcome
Curtis Bashaw
Co-Managing Partner, Cape Advisors


Remarks

Jeffrey Vassar
Mayor Scott Evans
State Senator Jim Whelan
Stephen Starr
Claire Teplitzky
Congressman Frank LoBiondo

Acknowledgements
Curtis Bashaw


Remarks &
Ribbon Cutting
Governor Jon S. Corzine


http://www.thechelsea-ac.com/images/chrhdr_12-4.gif
Please come in and enjoy a self-guided tour of the Chelsea Luxe rooms and 5th Floor http://www.thechelsea-ac.com/images/chrhdr_facts.gif

Removed and replaced 35,000 sq. ft. of roofing
Installed 10,000 sq. ft. of metal soffit, copings, fascia, roofing, wall panels and expansion joints
13,548 total glasses were ordered
13,146 pieces of silverware were ordered
About 350,000 sq. ft. of cable was used
586 employees (after opening) have been hired
64 security cameras were installed on the property
437 total phones were hooked up
5,280 bath towels have been fluffed and folded
Over 60 miles of new power and control wiring have been installed
Over $1,000,000 worth of custom chandeliers and lighting fixtures are in operation
More than 700 people worked on the Chelsea during construction
420 computer outlets were installed

[Fabrizio]

The Teplitzky's btw, where very cool people. Many years ago, I was invited by a friend, to stay a couple weeks at the hotel when it was under their management. The place was spotless and the Kosher menu was great (saying a lot from someone who is Italian). They really put their heart into their work and took great care of the place.

[acplayer]

Hi Fabrizio, this is what Teplitzky's lobby looked like in 1959

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acteplitzkyshotel1959.jpg

[Fabrizio]

Thanks for that photo. I was there in the 1980's... and honestly I remember little about the lobby. It had probably gone through a renovation by then. It did still have a very cool 60's-style coffee shop on the ground floor facing Pacific.

[zipburn]

Thanks for that photo. I was there in the 1980's... and honestly I remember little about the lobby. It had probably gone through a renovation by then. It did still have a very cool 60's-style coffee shop on the ground floor facing Pacific.

Thats where the coffee shop is going to be, they already put signs up on the corner of pacific and chelsea

[acplayer]

Here's a pretty cool site that shows all the housing for sale in the early 1970's in A.C. As you can see there was still a lot of cool housing stock and A.C. was far from just vacant lots and parking lots. Too bad the local politicians, the casinos & the community didn't have the vision to preserve any of this.

http://barryrich.net/acnj/oldhouses/houses.html

[acplayer]

I forgot to add this.
On another note similiar to A.C. Gateway and existing buildings being demolished for projects that have not been funded, The Marburg Hotel, which I long admired and is behind the soon to be deomlished Post Office, is gone. How A.C. leaders can continue to let this happen, even using eminent domain, for a project that's not even funded, is beyond me. A.C. even has a blueprint for it's success...it's past. The beach, Boardwalk, entertainment, safe and clean streets, attractive and engaging street level activity, etc... It's not rocket science.

The Marburg Hotel RIP
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/acmarburghotel2008.jpg

[Intheknow]

I missed the Public meeting concerning O'Donnell Memorial Park and the new AC Gateway Casino At Albany Ave. Did anyone here anything?

[Fabrizio]

Acplayer: I too remember the Marburg... it was pink. Those streets, in there along the library and post office, were quite charming.

I can certainly understand tearing this down, but AC should have had a master plan with architectural quidelines demanding that new development adhere to an "Atlantic City" style. Of course there are now guidelines on the refurbished store fronts on the boardwalk... but this should have been carried out through out the city. That is why "The Walk" is architecturally such a disappointment: it could be anywhere.

AC should have learned from Disney's Celebration in Florida and from Florida's town of Seaside.

Please look over this thread linked below. Along with the big casino hotels... this is how AC should have been developed... but in South Jersey's vernacular shore style.

Celebration Florida:

http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4245


And please note Disney's Grand Floridian: compare it to AtlanticCity's old Hotel Brighton, the orginal Chelsa, or the Marlbourough.... THIS is what they should be building in AtanticCity:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/jktesa/199614252/sizes/l/

(Instead we get the "Wild West" & stuffed cowboys ... and a square in Havana. How about AC's glory days as an inspiration?)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/57/161766873_8f5c612535.jpg?v=0
--

[giselehaslice]

While Celebration is nice, I find it to be wayyyy too cookie cutter. I dont think any organic city looks like that. It's just too "Perfect". Atlantic City should try to preserve some of it's past by renovating old buildings (aka The Chelsea), but should also build new, modern buildings. Sometimes this combonation clashes visually, but other times it blends beautifully (aka New central park view condo buildings a stones throw away from old and beautiful victorian mansions on the Upper ES.) Even South Beach and Miami beach, which seems to be our inspiration for the new Atlantic City, has this blend. So, in the end, we can't completely make Atlantic City look like it never left the 1800's, but we can make it have a organic, natural blend of what cities become over the years.

[AC11]

Here is a link to a video showing the video on the new Harrahs tower.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzkrbnByY-k

[66nexus]

I think Harrah's is the first AC casino to overtake its Vegas counterpart. You have to admit, Harrah's Vegas is an 80s styled casino (while still nice of course)

nice video

[American Gaming Guru]

I just got back to NYC from my first overnight stay and the ribbon cutting ceremony for The Chelsea. I took plenty of good pics that I am sure everyone will enjoy. I will post them tomorrow or Sunday (sorry to leave everyone in suspense!).

Anyway, the hotel looks TERRIFIC! A great win for AC. It looks much better that I had anticipated (especially the 5th floor social spaces/bars etc).

The service is impeccable too.

It was all very exciting. I hope it is a smashing success!

[giselehaslice]

I'm anxious to see the pictures! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Was the Hotel pretty booked up or did it seem empty? I would guess kinda empty becuase the general public probably does'nt know about it yet, but you never know.

By the way, did you get over to Revel to take any pics? If not, thats fine.

[STT757]

Hey guys I just got back from two days at the Borgata and wanted to share my opinions, I've visited the Borgata on day trips dozens of times but this is my first time staying at the hotel.

First we (my wife and I) were using comps, when we checked in on Wednesday we were told they had no classic rooms so they upgraded us to a Fiore Suite. I took some photos with my cell phone but I don't know how they came out, I'll try to see if I could post them later. The suite was awesome, we were on the 33rd floor and were at the corner so the floor to ceiling window was curved. It stretched across the whole side of the room which was gorgeous, we had the drapes wide open and it gave a great view of the wind farm right outside. The room was well decorated, beautiful furniture, and very nice large bathroom with double doors entrance, double sinks, vanity table and chair/lamp, very large shower with sit down steam room set up.

Fiore suite:

http://www.theborgata.com/Main.cfm?Category_1=2000&Category_2=2100&Category_3=2120

The hotel and rooms were very nice, almost as nice as the Venetian in Las Vegas where my wife and I stayed last year. Almost, there were subtle differences that set the Venetian apart from the Borgata's hotel. Mainly the Borgata's hallways upstairs in the hotel were narrow and had low ceilings, even though they were nicely decorated the hallways looked no different than say a Sheraton. The Venetian by contrast had very wide hallways with tall ceilings, I know it's nick picking but little things like that I notice.

Second, my Wife and I had an upgraded room/ suite at the Venetian which boasted 3-4 HD flatscreen tvs including one in the bathroom facing the shower. It was cool to watch sports center while in the shower. The Borgata's Fiore suite in comparison had one tv, and it was not a flat screen.

Here's my big complaint about the Borgata, the pool was very disappointing. It was small and crowded (I wanted to go swimming until I got there and saw how pathetically small and crowded it was). They have one pool and it's an indoor pool, I've stayed at Courtyard Marriotts with nicer pools. For a place like the Borgata with really topnotch landscaping all around the property they couldn't put in an outdoor pool? They had an outdoor area that was where I expected to find a pool, it was a beautiful outdoor area with plenty of folks sunbathing on lounge chairs while girls in biki/skirts delivered drinks (like Vegas). Yet no pool?.. There's plenty of property around the Borgata that they can fit a good size pool in there somewhere, a typical resort pool with a bar and maybe a cheesy band playing music or something.

My second gripe, the gym. You have to pay $10 for access even if your a guest at the Hotel. The gym was not that great, I think I'm spoiled at my Work Out World but for $10 they need something better.

Here's where I had my idea while on the treadmill, why don't the casinos such as Borgata, Tropicana, Ceasars etc.. partner with NY Sports Club, Work Out World, Golds Gym etc.. Set aside space to construct your typical sized suburban gym, and partner with well known franchises such as previously mentioned NY SPorts Club, Work Out World, Golds Gym to operate them. Kind of like when I stayed at the Venetian in las Vegas the spa was operated by Canyon Ranch, have the gyms and possibly even the pools at these higher end casinos operated by professionals.

Locals who work in Atlantic City or live in the area can have memberships, folks visiting from out of town but are members of that franchise (WOW, NY SPorts, Golds) could use their membership card for access, finally those without memberships can pay a one day fee or a multi day pass for access. The franchises would be able to make money while have their product exposed to new potential members visiting Atlantic City, and the Hotel/Casinos would have a much better product to offer.

Imagine connected to the Borgata and Waterclub a Work Out World, where anyone who's a member of a Work Out World staying anywhere in Atlantic City could access the gym. Or how about a New York Sports Club on the top level of the Pier at Ceasars, or even a Golds Gym at Tropicana right on the Boardwalk.

Getting back to my experience, the Spa was very nice. Not the best, Bliss in Soho and the SPa at Le Merigot in Santa Monica would be my best spa experiences. But it was better IMO than the Canyon Ranch at the Venetian in Las Vegas.

Dinning, the food court is the best food court I've ever been to. Clean, bright (even though it's in the basement) and great food offerings. For dinner we ate at Wolfgang Pucks (Fine dinning, not the Tavern). My wife had chicken which I thought to be a boring choice, however it was delicious. Much better than my more expensive Tuna. I'm going to buy his book just to find that Chicken recipe.

The Water Club, while I was disapointed that we could not access the Water Club (see my disapointment with the Borgata's Pool) the lobby of the Hotel was amazing. I would definately say from what I saw the Water Club was definetely on par with the Wynn in Las Vegas. I'm already looking to see when we can book a weekend there, it really was impressive.

Driving into Atlantic City on route 30 at night I can only say that the new Harrahs tower is one of the coolest things I've ever seen, I don't know how they did that but it is more eye catching and awe inspiring than anything any of the Las Vegas properties have going.

The Outlets look great, really brightens up that main area where the Atlantic City Expressway meets the town. I hope they keep expanding that area, it's really a nice place to look around even if your not into outlet shopping. I dropped my wife off at the Coach outlet where she purchased 3 purses, it's her birthday Monday. Across the street from the outlets they have a Restaraunt row going on with Ruth Chris, Ruby Tuesdays and the Melting Pot.

Some chains I've been to that I think would be great additions to "Restaraunt row" as I call it by the Outlets across from Ceasars would be:

Maggianos (kind of like Carmine's, only better IMO)
Cheesecake Factory
Macaroni Grill
Bonefish Grill
Cold Stone Creamery

Last comments,
One thing that needs to be improved big time is service. I called at 9am for towels this morning, I called 3 times and they said they were coming. The towels arrived at 11:30 as we were walking out to check out, we already walked around and found a housekeeper and she gave them to us.

[zipburn]

Last comments,
One thing that needs to be improved big time is service. I called at 9am for towels this morning, I called 3 times and they said they were coming. The towels arrived at 11:30 as we were walking out to check out, we already walked around and found a housekeeper and she gave them to us.

I believe they took the best from the borgata and moved them to the water club. Other than that if you wan't to complain to someone, google local 54, thats the union that provided you horrible service. Local 54 believes their employees are more important then the customers that provide the oppurtunity for them get high wages for entry level jobs.

[Fabrizio]

Thanks for the complete and even-handed report on the Borgata.

But I just don't understand what sense it has to stay on the Atlantic Ocean in July, in a hotel whose windows you can't open. It's so incredibly unsensual.... and has nothing to do with the Jersey Shore in summer.... and it is unfortunate that AC is being built this way. No matter how nice those rooms are, I would have to be paid to stay there. I think that's one of the nicest things about the Chelsea.

Meanwhile, the light show on Harrah's does look spectacular... artistically done ....special.

The Walk: I quess AC needed this development but c'mon: grade b chain-store outlets, standardized restaurant chains and strip-mall architecture... is not interesting. You can find these out-door malls all over the place... something like the Promenade in Marlton is much nicer if you like that sort of thing. AC should develop in a different direction.


--

[American Gaming Guru]

I totally agree. I think Borgata, as great as the resort is, really missed it with their pool. They could have done something much more exciting. I guess they tried to correct that with The Water Club, but as you mentioned, you can not access The Water Club's Pools if you are not staying there.

BTW, I have a bunch of great pics of The Chelsea, Revel, Chiarman Tower and The Dennis. Unfortunatly I left the cord to my camera at work. Pics to be posted on Monday. My apologies.

[JCexpert558]

I hate that the pool at Harrahs new tower because it is only for 21 and over. I mean it doesn't make since how they wouldn't alow Younger kids. I mean at least make it 15 or older.

[giselehaslice]

JCexpert, don't worry, I also feel your pain..i've got a couple more years until I'm "allowed" to go to the Harrah's pool too haha (not THAT many tho..) I The main reason why they did this is because of the Bar that is in it, and also becuase it turns into a club at night. I got into it without any ID tho, so if you look older than you are by all means try to get in. This goes for all things in AC including the clubs.

AGG, anxiously awaiting the pix! Thanks for taking them by the way!

In other news, The Prasada, what seems to be Atlantic City's 3rd boutique hotel is picking up the pace.
Check out this link..Its pretty cool: http://digeorgeatlantic.com/Prasada%20Brochure.pdf

[RYinNJ]

"In other news, The Prasada, what seems to be Atlantic City's 3rd boutique hotel is picking up the pace.
Check out this link..Its pretty cool: http://digeorgeatlantic.com/Prasada%20Brochure.pdf[/quote]

Thank You for this website on the Prasada. The front facing the boardwalk looks great, especially like the pool, but i wonder what the street level will look like. One can hope that the street level will be as inviting as the boardwalk entrance. Considering they didn't include any street level drawings, i'm thinking same old windowless fortress style. We'll see. The glass tower though is very attractive.

[blackdragon905]

The Prasada is very intriguing. I also enjoyed the picture of the Hilton expansion project on page 17. Too bad, its at a standstill and probably will not get done, but if it did, it would have looked very nice. The glass is very cool looking and it looks like they know what they are talking about. It's very exciting.

[Intheknow]

Saw the Chelsea, nothing to write home about.

AC Gateway Casino - Public hearing the other night, AC Gateway pissed off the wrong tribe-Muslims. I heard it was very exciting, they have been skating along until this past Thursday. AC Gateway willl never build @ Albany Ave. Having trouble paying for the lot's they bought off Hilton.

REVEL is moving along, brakes should be slamming on it in a couple of months.

[American Gaming Guru]

Intheknow, your enthusiasm for progress is just overwhelming!

"When I hear people talking down, they ought to be talking up about what's going on in Atlantic City," - Gov. Jon Corzine

I just caught this article. It has a bunch of pics (although mine are better...i promise) of The Chelsea's ribbon cutting ceremony.

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080719/BUSINESS/807190330/1003/business

[Fabrizio]

Let's face it: the Chelsea is ugly. Please don't tell me that I'm supposed to say that it's beautiful and by not doing so I'm "bad mouthing" Atlantic City and other such provincial nonsense.

One end of the Chelsea is carved out a Howard Johnson's whose tower part was built in the 80's. Architecturally speaking, it is an example of AC at it's worst.

However Bashaw has added well thought-out details here and there that help a lot. Certainly the signage, the canopy. I like the eaves that have been added at the corners at the top. I'm wondering if those corner windows are new too; they look good. These little details add up. At least with proper lighting, at night the building's ugly exterior will fade into the background.

I'd like to see the Teplitsky's part... it probably looks a lot better, being standard 60's motel architecture... that's not such a bad thing.

I'm wondering if there will be room for retail at street level.

I like the interior decor they've chosen. It's smart.

I really doubt that a cool NYC audience is going to go out of it's way to show up at this place... but none the less... my bet is that it's going to do very well.

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

[blackdragon905]

Fabrizio, I kinda agree with you. I think the posterior looks rather ugly and unimpressive architecturally. IMO, its nothing to ride home about. However, Bashaw has done a great job with it so far and I'm sure its great inside, especially the fifth floor. But i agree, I don't think people from NYC, etc. will flock to it, because it just isn't aesthetically pleasing IMO. Hopefully, when all is said and done, I'm wrong lol.

[66nexus]

While the architectural style of the Chelsea may not have a huge 'wow' factor, I don't know what makes it simply 'ugly'. The Taj facade is ugly, Bally's WWW is ugly, the Chelsea is simply...meh. It doesn't carry enough distinction to be either overly attractive or ugly.

Something that's uninspiring is not automatically ugly. If such is the case, then there are certainly a lot more horrendous hotels throughout

[Intheknow]

Location, location, location. How can the Chelsea be on a beach block away from the Atlantic Ocean and practically on the boardwalk and still have questionable location? You're in Atlantic City. The Gov. of AC better wake up.

You pay $350.00/night and you wake up to take a walk on the boardwalk and grab the paper and a cup of coffee. Well, surprise, surprise, the boardwalk is filthy, the coffee stinks and the paper you bought is torn.

Little things mean alot, and Atlantic City could give a shit.

[zipburn]

I like the eaves that have been added at the corners at the top. I'm wondering if those corner windows are new too; they look good. These little details add up.


The windows added at the top are brand new, they added that extra square footage to the interior on all four corners

[Fabrizio]

It is a shame that it has to share the block with the OceanClub. It's a pretty charmless stretch. Do they build ocean front condos in Miami (or any where else in the world) this cheap and ugly looking?:

http://flickr.com/photos/iirraa/349245066/sizes/l/

Cheap materials, cheap public housing style windows, blank walls along the ocean front...

Really, look at the buildings in that photo... are we at the beach in a fabulous resort, or on the outskirts of Soviet Moscow?

Store fronts on the B'walk at AC's "luxury" condo (can it get any skeevier?):

http://flickr.com/photos/iirraa/349243850/sizes/l/in/set-831508/

And then there are the run-down motel neighbors.

For the Chelsea, it's not gonna be easy.


---

[American Gaming Guru]

I must say, Bashaw really did an incredible job with The Chelsea ribbon cutting ceremony. There was plenty of flash, but also real character in that there was free food, drinks, give-aways and a self-guided tour of the sections of the property that are complete or nearly completed for anyone in the public that wished to attend. It was all done in a classy yet fun manor. But my favorite was Bashaw's mention of the past and his enthusiasm for the future. While the old Howard Johnsons wing is anything but physically appealing to me, Bashaw went out of his way to pay homage to the history of it. He talked about the Teplitzky family and presented them (members of the Teplitzky family were in attendance) with an old Jewish prayer book that was discovered during construction.

Again, classy and fun.

Anyway, here are some pics of what I was fortunate enough to take a look at (with some captions).

I agree, the exterior is not anything to write home about, but the interior work is wild and certainly exceeded my expectations.

Enjoy!

Curtis Bashaw:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea068.jpg?t=1216650421

Stephen Starr

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea069.jpg?t=1216650683

The Gov.
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea071.jpg?t=1216650737

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea064.jpg?t=1216650785

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea035.jpg?t=1216650840

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea036.jpg?t=1216650858

Fabrizio, I took this one for you. Unfortunately, I feel that they could have done more to open this up to Pacific Ave. The balconies are great, but the ground floor seems a bit walled-off with the exception of Teplitzky's Coffee Shop.
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea037.jpg?t=1216650881

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea038.jpg?t=1216651020

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea039.jpg?t=1216651038

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea040.jpg?t=1216651055

Inner courtyard view of Seaspa and Chelsea Lite tower (opening mid-August according to a property flyer):

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea045.jpg?t=1216653447

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea046.jpg?t=1216653507

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea047.jpg?t=1216653554

Some night views:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea002.jpg?t=1216651099

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea004.jpg?t=1216651132


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea007.jpg?t=1216651169

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea008.jpg?t=1216651191

Lets take a look inside now:

Parts of the hotel lobby:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea041.jpg?t=1216651288

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea042.jpg?t=1216651303

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea043.jpg?t=1216651316

The 5th Floor restaurants/bar/lounges/pool looks incredible (I am pretty sure they all open this weekend):

Chelsea Prime:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea074.jpg?t=1216651425

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea075.jpg?t=1216651446

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea076.jpg?t=1216651459

A lounge area:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea073.jpg?t=1216651486

The Game Room:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea077.jpg?t=1216651515

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea079.jpg?t=1216651560

Bar

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea078.jpg?t=1216651590

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea080.jpg?t=1216651613

Pool Bar (not complete yet):

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea081-1.jpg?t=1216651627

Overview:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea044.jpg?t=1216651695

Now to the hotel room:

A hallway:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea001.jpg?t=1216651838

pardon my mess:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea050.jpg?t=1216651865

Pretty cool bar (there is a fully stocked fridge underneath). I like the retro look too:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea051.jpg?t=1216651890


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea061.jpg?t=1216652076

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea060.jpg?t=1216652100

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea057.jpg?t=1216652133

The pics of AC's past add a nice touch:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea063.jpg?t=1216652410

Love bathroom:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea052.jpg?t=1216652178

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea053.jpg?t=1216652224

The shower (the rain shower head was awesome):

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea054.jpg?t=1216652239

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea056.jpg?t=1216652297

The view from my "partial water view" room:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea058.jpg?t=1216652361

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea059.jpg?t=1216652374

The Chelsea Rolling Chairs:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea034.jpg?t=1216652541

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea033.jpg?t=1216652559

Chelsea Beach:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea030.jpg?t=1216652613

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea031.jpg?t=1216652627

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea032.jpg?t=1216652639

More to come as other parts of the hotel opens. Again, I was thoroughly impressed. What does everyone think?

[American Gaming Guru]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea013.jpg?t=1216652927

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea015.jpg?t=1216652947

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea016.jpg?t=1216652960

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea017.jpg?t=1216652971

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea018.jpg?t=1216652983

The Bella and The Water Club in the background:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea019.jpg?t=1216652996

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea020.jpg?t=1216653051
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea022.jpg?t=1216653068

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea023.jpg?t=1216653082

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea024.jpg?t=1216653094

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea025.jpg?t=1216653106

[American Gaming Guru]

I must admit...I like it! It is very sleek looking in person.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea012.jpg?t=1216653199

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea027.jpg?t=1216653270

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea026.jpg?t=1216653296

[American Gaming Guru]

Work continues on repairing the exterior. Unfortunately, they are just priming some areas a sticking with the hideous multi-colors.

This hotel has become a real show-stopper. You should see the amount of people that are stopping and staring at the place from the boardwalk. It was great to see.

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea010.jpg?t=1216653834

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea011.jpg?t=1216653847

[American Gaming Guru]

View from the boardwalk:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea028.jpg?t=1216653889

[American Gaming Guru]

Intheknow. Thought you might particularly enjoy this one:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea014.jpg?t=1216654052

[JCexpert558]

Man has there been any rising on MGM Grand AC? On second thought, has MGM even been approved yet:confused:

[Fabrizio]

The Chelsea interiors look super ...early 1960's swanky... like an old FrankSinatra/DeanMartin movie set. It's all very knowingly done.

The Dennis is right out of the Addams Family. It's just awful. An embarrasment. White trashy. Turn it over to Bashaw or tear the friggin' thing down. Now.

People stopping and staring?

You bet.

[acplayer]

Nice pics AGG, I think the Chelsea looks great considering what
Bashaw had to work with. Revel is rising quickly. I wish Bally's would do the right thing and paint the Dennis it's original color.
Trump's Chairman tower looks decent, although it's hard to believe, (my Dad told me this) that States Avenue used to be considered the second most beautiful street in the U.S. right behind Lombard Street, the crooked street in San Francisco.

On another note does anyone know if Bashaw owns the two boardwalk fronting buildings next to the Enclave where A.C. Gateway is to be developed? If so, it's a shame if Bashaw lets these beautiful buildings lanquish for years while he awaits funding.

[American Gaming Guru]

"On another note does anyone know if Bashaw owns the two boardwalk fronting buildings next to the Enclave where A.C. Gateway is to be developed? If so, it's a shame if Bashaw lets these beautiful buildings lanquish for years while he awaits funding."

I believe that they either own or have options to buy them (there are two rental buildings and one condo/motel building). While those buildings are nice (the two rentals anyway) the one rental building on the boardwalk has serious structural and environmental concerns.

They will probably tear everything down to round out the block/development footprint.

[giselehaslice]

American Gaming Guru, GREAT PHOTOS! Thank You!

The Chelsea looks really good. It has a nice style that is definatley under-used today (although that may be a good thing, adds to it's uniqueness). It just looks really classy. Classier than the Beverly Hills hotel by far, and many other hotels in it's class.

Revel is amazing, it is going up really fast. We finally know for sure that they're building both towers at once, which is a good thing.

The Dennis is an improvement, but as most agree it should be repainted another color.

Thanks again!

[Fabrizio]

This looks perfectly fine to me. Just very smart. It would look good as a motel in So.Beach. All the right moves here.

There were probably budget restraints... but boy does this call out for nice 1960's style railings... but even so, lookin good:


http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm232/AmericanGG/TheChelsea040.jpg?t=1216651055

[STT757]

It's little projects like the Chelsea that got the rebirth of South Beach started, I remember going to South Beach as a kid in the early-mid 1980s and the place was really rough. I think it's projects like this more so than the mega casino projects that AC needs more of, imagine a W Hotel in Atlantic City.

[Fabrizio]

Agreed.

But they took a diamond in the rough and polished it....just remember that in order to achieve that, they put into effect iron-fisted zoning and design guidelines. Landowners and developers were not allowed to do as they pleased. That's why you have a uniform, high quality look to everything. The entire zone was put on the National Register of Historic Places. As a result So.Beach attracted the fashion crowd, the wealthy and creative gay growd and wealthy Europeans.... and it took off.

SouthBeach was/is ALL about asthetics.

In AC they think the Dennis looks good.

[blackdragon905]

GREAT PICS AGG!!!!!!!

One question though. Is the outside of the Chelsea going to be painted, I think it looks rather bland if it isn't going to be? At night, under the purple lights, it looks awesome, but I just think it would look better if it was painted like a purple. JMHO.

[zipburn]

GREAT PICS AGG!!!!!!!

One question though. Is the outside of the Chelsea going to be painted, I think it looks rather bland if it isn't going to be? At night, under the purple lights, it looks awesome, but I just think it would look better if it was painted like a purple. JMHO.

thanks for the pics, even though I see these buildings everyday, I still like to look at them. There are no plans to paint the exterior of the chelsea as far as I know. Mgm is expected to break ground dec/early 09. Their bond rating may soon be effected by Las Vegas's steep decline in recent months and speculation that it will be a long time before it recovers. One thing Atlantic City needs to do is get rid of that piece of crap "conservator" they have at the the tropicana, that guy makes $650/hour while he expects limo service and other amenities like he owns the place. I wonder who is/was worse for the tropicana him or the micro-manager from kentucky.

[Intheknow]

The Chelsea is nothing to get excited about, if it were it would be a National story.

The buildings next to Enclave are not owned by AC Gateway, they may have an option to buy, but no money has changed hands, this is the same story throughout this area. The Chelsea area surrounding O'Donnell Memorial park, up to the boardwalk, and the two Historic Buildings fronting the boardwalk next to the Enclave have been going downhill since the proposed new Casino has "optioned" all this land. It really is a shame, O'Donnell Memorial Park is the nicest park in AC and they are going to put a highway through it, the surrounding area is/was the cleanest part of AC, I'm astounished at the lack of planning going on in AC.

Hey, let's paint another Holiday Inn and call it progress!

Check MGM stock price.

[Fabrizio]

Paint the Chelsea purple??

(Well Curtis, it may have all been for naught...)

[blackdragon905]

Fabrizio, I was just throwing out a color, other than what it currently is, to give the building more life.

[zipburn]

the two Historic Buildings fronting the boardwalk next to the Enclave have been going downhill since the proposed new Casino has "optioned" all this land.

This is a fabrication. The buildings next to the enclave have never been taken care of they have detoriated over the years well before bashaw even became head of the CRDA. O'donnell memorial park looks the same as it has always been, nothing special and no uses it either! That area looks old and unimpressive. It is not even close to the nicest area of atlantic city and never was.

[American Gaming Guru]

As I have said before, contrary to what Intheknow thinks, Bashaw did a wonderful job with The Chelsea. He is deep rooted in preservation and restoration (you can point out exceptions in his career but it seems he really enjoys harkening to the past with a modern day flair). Why would we bash his plans before ever even seeing a rendering etc for the new AC Gateway plan? He is exactly the type of developer this town should be welcoming. His speech on the wonderful past and potential future of the city (at The Chelsea's ribbon cutting) was so sincere it gave me the chills.

Yes, this is a nice section of the city, but I would put my money on the AC Gateway's plans as enhancing it.

btw.....it is an atrocity what people are bleeding out of The Trop. Why they did not sell it to well qualified buyers in the 1st round is beyond me. They wanted a better price, and then asked to ditch the bids right in the middle of a financial markets melt-down. Salary, limos, lawyers fess...keep um coming!

[Intheknow]

Why would they destroy a neighborhood before seeing the plans and the financing for Gateways Casino.
Why didn't Bashaw promote development in this area while head of CRDA.
Bashaw is about Bashaw, you're all about the hype forgetting about the substance.
The Chelsea is just OK, you can only do so much with a HOJOS and Holiday Inn. I wish them well, but they rushed the opening which is always a mistake.
The Marburg Hotel is being demoilshed all week for a new road for Pinnacle. The City could and should have kept this Hotel in good condition, yet they let it deteriorate. I honestly believe the City purposly lets it's historic buildings fall into disrepair so they can rid themselves of these "development" inhibitor buildings to fill their coffers. Doesn't AC have code enforcement?
The buildings next to Enclave, the Mariner is one, were no where near the shape they are in since Bashaw "optioned" the land.
Money problems are starting to catch up to AC Gateway.

I say paint the Chelsea purple, it can't hurt.

[AC11]

The Chelsea is nothing to get excited about, if it were it would be a National story.

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/BusinessTravel/wireStory?id=5398298

[American Gaming Guru]

"you're all about the hype forgetting about the substance"

Please KNOW before you criticize! You can start by reading the beginning of this blog.

[Fabrizio]

Taking an old Howard Johnsons and giving it a hip luxurious make-over IS news. I don't hear Bashaw doing DonaldTrump-style boasting. No one is pretending this is the Plaza on 5th. And anyway, I think the design choices Bashaw&Co. have made will go right over the heads of a lot of people. This is not the right place if you're expecting waterfalls and light shows. No one is claiming it's spectacular.

This place will start to get press once it is fully operational. The restaurants, the bar etc. will be reviewed. It will be reported in all the right publications. And let's hope the reviews are good.

[Intheknow]

If it's ever fully operational.

[Fabrizio]

Yeah... I already have word that Bashaw is close to bankruptcy (millions of dollars in gambling debts at an Indian reservation ) I also hear that the ground under the Chelsea is slowly sinking. Cracks are already showing. BTW: Steven Starr IS out of the operation... they're using his name but food is being shipped in from an Applebee's out on the Pike. Does any one know if they have the rat situation under control?

[American Gaming Guru]

HA HA HA.

LOVE IT Fabrizio!

[giselehaslice]

haha yeah Fabrizio, you're right, the Chelsea is doomed (cough, cough, sarcasm.)
Hey, let's paint another Holiday Inn and call it progress!

"HEY, LETS BAN ANOTHER ANNOYING POSTER AND CALL IT PROGRESS!"

[AC11]

haha yeah Fabrizio, you're right, the Chelsea is doomed (cough, cough, sarcasm.)


"HEY, LETS BAN ANOTHER ANNOYING POSTER AND CALL IT PROGRESS!"

I'm all for it!!

[American Gaming Guru]

Me Too!

[Intheknow]

Over $100,000,000 to RENOVATE and PURCHASE Chelsea. Barely open, hence no income. Over extended on AC Gateway project.
He may be a millionaire but he is not a billionaire.
It costs alot of money to borrow money these days. It does not make fiscal sense.
Do you read the finacial pages in the papers. I'm not making this up, it is what it is.
Time will tell.

[Fabrizio]

You wanna know why he wants to move the Knife&Fork? He's planning to use it as the toll-booth to the 6-lane highway he's building through the park.

[Intheknow]

You wanna know why he wants to move the Knife&Fork? He's planning to use it as the toll-booth to the 6-lane highway he's building through the park.
He never said he is definantly going to move the Knife and Fork, in fact he stated he may just use the name. The lawyer for AC Gateway is the brother of Frank Dougherty-the owner of Knife and Fork.
Do you support putting a six lane highway through O'Donnell Memorial Park?
The only reason he stated he is going to move the Monument is because it's a National Historic Landmark that the city owns, I don't care who you know, you can't talk "around" an Historic Landmark
As for the Knife and Fork, I wouldn't put it past the current owners putting a match to it.

Bashaw has no intentions of building a Casino.

Don't forget the tunnel they want to put under Albany Ave. Where are they putting the windmill? It's an absurd plan with no intentions of carrying them out.

[American Gaming Guru]

From my previous post. Bashaw's interview with Casino Connection:

"Will you move the war monument and the Knife & Fork as discussed by the planning board? "

"In conjunction with the city planners and the state transportation folks, we’ve submitted a plan we think vastly improves the access from the bridge into town, reconfiguring those intersections to soften them and make the traffic flow better. We have also proposed relocating the monument to Memorial Park. We think it’s a really great spot. Obviously, we’re going through a whole public process on that.

We’re way out front with historic preservation, so the plan with the Knife & Fork would be to actually relocate the building a block a way, and as the new roadway configuration curves into town, the new location of the Knife & Fork will feel exactly like where it is now. It’s a neat plan."

[Intheknow]

Excuse me Mr. Investment banker we have "a neat" plan.

From the June 12, 2008 AC weekly Bashaw-"When and how the site gets built out, and by whom, remains to be seen" "We think the site will be attractive to a group that may or may not include us, for a significant gaming enterprise" Sounds to me like he wants to flip the land, am I wrong to think that?

If you were an investment banker and I came to you saying we want to move the Monument, build a six-lane highway, put a tunnel under this highway, move the Knife and Fork, would you not think that this is absurd?

[American Gaming Guru]

You would have to come to me with a solid, fully approved, well thought-out plan before I would agree to fund something....exactly what AC Gateway and Pinnacle are doing. Not absurd at all.

[Intheknow]

You would have to come to me with a solid, fully approved, well thought-out plan before I would agree to fund something....exactly what AC Gateway and Pinnacle are doing. Not absurd at all.

You sir, are in denial.

[zipburn]

Is there a way I can block out a certain poster, so I don't have to see their posts? Someone is going a little too schizo for me and I rather not be reminded that they forgot to take their medications.

[JCexpert558]

I never knew that AC was that big back then. http://www.acweekly.com/view.php?id=8805

[Fabrizio]

As I have tried to state in the past here: AC even into the early 1970's compared more favorably with the description of AC 1925 than does the AC of today.

The city was very run down, but it was still a city. Movie theatres, supermarkets, lots of restaurants, small hotels and summer rooming houses. On summer evenings the boardwalk was packed. The environment was still very pleasant. Places like Captain Starn's, Hackney's, Dock's, The Fairmont were big draws from all over. The 500 club was still around. Steel Pier featured the top rock groups.

Atlantic Ave still had fine shopping: Gordon's Menstore (Gordon's Alley) and another big men's store at Arkansas ave (whose name I can't remember). Atlantic Ave also had a department store: Lit Brother's ...in a beautiful Art Deco Building. The B'walk had the fine womens stores: Travel&Trousseau, Hilda's. They were in the Blenhiem. And AC had a toy store that rivaled FAO Schwarz in NY: Taber's.

You might find this hard to believe, but AC drew a lot of French Canadian visitors back then. And I doubt very few here know that up until the early 1970's AC had a big and notorious gay beach. NewYork Avenue (AC's Christopher Street) and Westminster Avenue were packed with gay locales. The place was swinging.

Today, if you take away the big hotel casinos and the 2 malls, there would be very little left.


---

[RYinNJ]

A return of a vibrant gay beach would be a wonderful addition to AC. Nobody can revive an area in need of excitement better then the gay community. Asbury Park's gay beach is frequently packed on the weekends and a bit less so during the week. Although the process in Asbury has been slow, the gay community has been a key element to what improvements have occurred.

[66nexus]

Sorry, but I think the one overriding element that is constantly left-out is that the old city everyone 'misses' was given the backseat once air travel became more prominent. Those beautiful old hotels just weren't the beauties they once were and people voted againsts them with their wallets.

AC may not have the 'amount' of goodies it had in the past, but it now draws a lot more visitors and it will be awhile before AC offers the amount of amenities it once did

[Intheknow]

Successful development involves, but is not limited to, Finances, local Government, local citizens, quality architects and engineers, quality craftmanship, and someone with a vision and a plan.
If one of these elements is missing or corners are cut the odds of success dwindle.

AC is lacking in more than one of these elements.

Nothing we can't fix.

[zipburn]

LATEST NEWS: Investment group accuses Tropicana conservator of politicizing sale

By DONALD WITTKOWSKI Staff Writer, 609-272-7258
Published: Tuesday, July 29, 2008

ATLANTIC CITY - A New York investment group whose $950 million bid for Tropicana Casino and Resort was rejected took some parting shots Tuesday at the state-appointed conservator overseeing the sale.
The group, headed by developer Joseph Palladino, will not make another bid for Tropicana and instead plans to look at other casinos for investment opportunities.
"We have withdrawn from the bidding," Palladino said in an interview. "We are looking at other properties both in Atlantic City and Las Vegas in hopes that we can ride out this little crunch."

Palladino was referring to the lingering effects of the weak economy and global credit crisis that have sent the casino industry reeling for months - in some cases halting major construction projects or aborting multibillion-dollar merger deals.

Tropicana, up for sale since its New Jersey gaming license was revoked in December for regulatory violations, has also been a victim of the economic slowdown. Attempts to auction the gaming hall have dragged on well past the original sale deadline of April and there appears no hope of finding a new buyer anytime soon.
Palladino criticized conservator Gary Stein and his team of advisers for allegedly mishandling the sale, complaining that they politicized the process and used his investment group to try to jack up the bids.
"I really think I was being used in the process," Palladino said. "The property was falling into some political type of cycle that has nothing to do with business."
Stein has left it to his son, Michael, a member of his Pashman Stein law firm, to respond to the criticism. Michael Stein could not be reached for comment Tuesday but said last week that Palladino had not proved that he has the financing to buy Tropicana. "He never came forward with the financing to this day," Michael Stein said. "We don't have any reason to know if he is a credible bidder. He kept promising to come forward with financing but never did."

[acplayer]

I thought I'd post some pics I took around A.C.

Marina shots...
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/marina3.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/marina4.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/marina1.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/marina5.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/marina2.jpg

New condos
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/accondos.jpg

One of the Waterclub pools
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/waterclub.jpg

Waterside near Revel
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/waterside.jpg

Inlet & Boardwalk
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/bwlow.jpg

A tale of two cities
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/bwrot.jpg

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh72/acplayerr/bwrot2.jpg

[Intheknow]

Let's go rent bikes and take a ride on the boardwalk, well that was terrible, lets get back to gambling before we fall into the ocean and drown.
We do have beautiful new facades at a cost of 100 million dollars, to bad we won't be allowed on the boardwalk in the near future.

[zipburn]

I hate when people who don't own the casinos at all bring up CRDA waste, like they are paying for it. The CRDA is funded by the casinos not general atlantic city taxpayers. The 100 million dollar facades are more valuable to the image of the city then a part of the boardwalk that very few people access since its way past the furthest attraction. The city was recieving estimates to demolish the closed section of the boardwalk over 10 years ago but it obviously cost more then they wanted to spend so there it is. The boardwalk infront of the REVEL will be rebuilt by REVEL as per an agreement with the city. One can only hope the bad part of the boardwalk will be demolished soon.

[giselehaslice]

It's cool how in the 4th picture down you can see Revel going vertical.

I think that the whole deteriorating part of the boardwalk fronting the inlet is really weird and kinda random. It just looks like a place where criminals would hang (rob you, stab you and throw you over.) Get rid of it I say.

[Intheknow]

You two gentlemen have your head up your asses. Demolish the boardwalk? Get rid of it? Go gamble in Vegas.

[giselehaslice]

Uh, Yeah. Just in case you forgot, InTheKnow, you complain about a heck of alot more than anyone else on this board does. You complained about this part of the boardwalk also.

It would make more sense to bulldoze that part than anything else because what do you do over there (other than buy drugs)? Seriously, It's just an area asking for crime. Not to mention weird that its just precariously dangling over the inlet.

[zipburn]

You two gentlemen have your head up your asses. Demolish the boardwalk? Get rid of it? Go gamble in Vegas.

I didn't know I was that flexible.

If you didn't notice we were talking about the portion of boardwalk that is closed and has been closed for well over 10 years now. If the pictures didn't explain it enough, the concrete support structure has to be rebuilt as most of it is starting to fail. In the pictures you can see rebar hanging down from it. How much do you think that would cost? Not to mention the fact that if you jump into that water there is a very very good chance you won't make it back to land unless someone rescues you by boat.I bet you have never even seen this part of the boardwalk.

Nothing worse than ignorant "know" it alls.