atlantic city

I just found this interesting because a guy I used to work with had an unnatural fascination for guinea hens, so it’s kind of an inside joke. But still, it’s an example of how growth brings unforeseen problems.

Some people think that the perfect place to live does not exist. They’re wrong–it’s Moorestown, NJ, according to Money magazine. With average SAT scores of over 1150, students there, I’m sure, will have no problem overcoming the stigma of being from New Jersey. It’s a stigma, to be sure. As a native of Atlantic City,

I’m proud to write for Casino Connection, the official magazine of Atlantic City casino employees. After all, I used to be one, and it gives me a nice platform to talk about Atlantic City history once a month. This month, it has a great article about something that makes Atlantic City unique–its Italian bread.

Another week, another email from “Al Absecon,” who’s still on his “one man quest” to have the statue of Lenin outside the AC Tropicana’s Red Square restaurant removed. Here it is, in its entirety, minus the obligatory Lenin photo:

As you may have heard, Dennis Gomes, described as the “gimmick king of Atlantic City” (his official title is president of resort operations for Aztar, which owns AC’s Tropicana) is leaving Aztar a bit early. One of my readers seized on this newsbit to send me an interesting email….

I’ve been talking about Wynn Las Vegas a lot lately, but don’t think I’ve been neglecting my hometown any. Here’s two interesting facts from the Atlantic City, New Jersey Detailed Profile that probably explain why, to pursue a career in higher education, I had to leave the city: Number of college students below state average.

When casinos opened in Atlantic City in 1978, New Jersey governor Brendan Byrne famously warned organized crime to keep their stinking paws off of his state. Well, those weren’t his exact words, but they would have been in Charlton Heston had been playing him. Come to think of it, Byrne wasn’t going around half-naked either,

I thought that my site was a little eccentric–after all, how many people go around the country taking pictures of casino carpets and posting them to the web? But I have to yield the floor to an even more obscure site: the NJ Transit Bus Fan Page. I hope that the ironic intent of my

“We’re on the verge of one of the greatest booms in the country.” — New Jersey State Senator Bill Gormley, describing the incorporation of a new House of Blues into the Showboat expansion. Is it all right if I’m embarrassed to be born in a city where a casino expansion gets this kind of gushing

“It’s like this place is haunted by the images of this city in its glory days.” –Curtis Bashaw, head of Atlantic City’s Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, on seeing black and white photos of the old boardwalk in casino executives’ offices. Actually, Curtis, I think it’s called an appreciation of history, and most thinking people display

As an Atlantic City native who wrote a book on the evolution of the casino resort, I’ve got some definite thoughts about the role of casinos in urban redevelopment. Now, a year and a half after the publication of Suburban Xanadu, some people in my hometown might be starting to see the light.

The Atlantic City Boardwalk used to be a tremendous showpiece for the city. The coming of casino resorts designed as insular, all-in-one destinations has translated into a steady decline for the boards. Now, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has a plan for its renewal.

If you read my bio, you know that I used to work in casino surveillance, so new stories about it are always favorites of mine. I’d read about this “incident” from Caesars before, but it’s back in the news again.

I’ve said it for years…legal sports betting is essential towards Atlantic City cementing its place as the casino capital of the East. Now, it looks like it has a shot of happening.

The rancorous monthlong strike that pitted Local 54 against7 Atlantic City casinos is over. Given that the new contract is five years, rather than the three wanted by the union, I’d say this was a victory for the casinos, though of course everyone lost with the disruption of the strike. From CBS via AP: The

I haven’t said much about the Local 54 strike in Atlantic City here, mostly because I’ve been giving you fun stories about hard-up Swedes and gambling Neopets. Today, I read a great article in the Philly Inquirer: It’s a good thing Borgata bosses inked a contract with casino workers last year. If they hadn’t, those

With the union and casino management unable to reach a labor accord, casino workers in Atlantic City have gone on strike. From, of all places, the Toronto Star: Front-office executives served drinks, lawyers flipped hamburgers and accountants made beds today after about 10,000 union workers went on strike at seven of Atlantic City’s casinos. Cocktail

Labor/management negotiations can frequently get contentious. But this open letter from Dennis Gomes and Pam Popielarski of the Tropicana to Local 54 seems downright belligerent: There is no need to wait until September 30 for Local 54 and the Tropicana to settle this contract. We challenge you to sit down at the bargaining table with