Here comes summer.

It seems like last winter would never end. Now for the next few months Atlantic CIty can retrun to form. Jimmy Buffett will soon be back in Boardwalk Hall making us all forget about teh horros that go on just beyond the doors.

Recently the Casino Control Commission approved the auction of the Tropicana. It appears the former owner of the Sands in Atlantic City Carl Ichan will be the winner. I am not excited about this one bit. This guy has been behind the AC Sands and the Starosphere i Las Vegas. Not exactly two winners. He will likely prop the thing up just long enough to get it ready for a real buyer like Penn National or Mohegan Sun.

Meanwhile the main benefactor of the issues AC is having are people wishing to stay overnight. The room rates have dropped to an almost affordable level. Enjoy the the summer. It can be worse than the winter can it.

Fading Starr at the Pier

It has become public knowledge Steven Starr wants out of the pier. He has filed suit saying he was misled into thinking Rumjungle would open up on level 3. Drawing much needed traffic. Now Starr wants to close buddakan and the continental. Too bad because they are among Atlantic city's best.

I feel that the lack of a nightclub in the pier is it's original sin. That along with a drawn out opening allowed the venture to lack the pizzaz it promised. Closing next will likely be the 40/40.

Oy vey.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Surfing on Safari

The Atlantic City Surf are another casualty in Atlantic City's recent problems. After 12 years the team has called it quits.

I must admit the stadium and experience had been going down hill for a few years now. Though I will miss the fireworks shows. Minor league baseball without a major league affiliate is a tough sell.

Boardwalk Bullies RIP
Atlantic City Seagulls RIP
Atlantic City Surf RIP

I Heart Atlantic City

Ok. Today I found some positive news. 3 pieces in fact.

1) Air Trans is being added to the AC International Airport
2) The Atlantic 10 tournament reupped for 3 more years
3) Jeff Van Drew is leading the charge by suing over sports betting.

These thing alone mean nothing. They must be successful, But if you dont get up to bat you can never hit a home run. So give them the heater Ricky.

Aj

I hate Atlantic City.

I have not blogged in a few weeks. The main reason is that I have nothing to say, There is so little going on in Atlantic City.

The Atlantic 10 tournament drew less people than the high school wresting championship.
No sports betting during March Madness makes Hulk angry.
There have been no major entertainment announcements.

Casino employees can now be elected officials in Atlantic City. This cant hurt. But again way too late.

Last week I was traveling down I95 in Philly. I realized Harrahs Chester is 15 minutes from the stadiums. 15 MINUTES. I don't think most people in the AC area understand that over the next 3 years the town is done without sports betting.

AJ

Jack Frost Kills Restaurant Week

Fuck. I mean fuck. I mean what the fuck. A foot of fucking snow.

Isnt this restaurant week in AC? Ooops. This reminds me of the old Mirage billboard on the Atlantic CIty Expressway. Its 73 and sunny in Las Vegas. I sit hear watching the snow pour down. Why lord, why did you maroon me in this decaying gaming corpse?

If there is anyone out there, can I transfer to Ft Lauderdale?

Action Junkie

Classic Car Show in Atlantic City

This weekend the classic car show and auction returns to Atlantic City. This convention has a soft spot in my heart because my father took me here almost every year as a kid. For the most part I hated it, but now I look back on it with fondness.

The part that I did really enjoy as a kid was the auction. Not sure how it works now, but it was pretty cool back in the day. Once in a while I will catch one of the big auctions on ESPN or Speed. This year they are doing a special auction at Borgata with 50 super fancy autos. I really dig the 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz.

For a full list of the high end cars click here.

Atlantic City Backs Into Some Good News

Ok. I have been a super hater or an uber-realist lately depending on half full half I don't know what the fuck to do. Here is some good news. The friendly skies over Philadelphia have become over burden and they are now talking about transferring some traffic to Atlantic City. Works for me.

For years Atlantic City "International" Airport has tried to bring in major carriers and has met with little success. Don't get me wrong I love Spirit Air. I think I will start a facebook fanclub for them today. But they don't fly out west anymore or really anywhere but Myrtle Beach and Florida. You never know where success will come. We got 20 million into this ridiculous ACES train. Now we may be able to get inroads into much needed air traffic by no efforts of our own.

That could be Atlantic City's new motto: "Succeeding despite ourselves for over a century"


AJ - Wicked left turn Clyde

Trump Goes Bankrupt AGAIN

OMG. Donald Trump's properties in Atlantic City have gone chapter 11 again. They have failed to make bond payments and have not worked out a new deal. Trump and his uber bitchy daughter Ivanka have resigned from the board of directors. Good riddance.

Trump has been nothing but a blight on the city for the lat 10 years. His first 10 weren't so bad. Now he uses Atlantic City as a urinal. Only trotting the casinos out to make himself look good. How the fuck is the Apprentice still on the air?

With this bankruptcy the deal for the Marina is now in doubt. Who could have seen that coming?

Atlantic City is in a world of trouble. Gaming revenues have declined for the 3rd January in a row off almost 25% from January 06. If someone knows one thing that is going to help Atlantic city turn around please let me know.

I have a friend who constantly asks if Atlantic City will turn into Flint Michigan as was featured in the documentary Roger and Me. Well it really could happen. One casino is in foreclosure, 3 more in chapter 11, 5 planned casinos scrapped. This might not be the "Great Depression", but its at least the Grand Depression for AC.

Packing my bags,
AJ

Sir Arthur Lange : Pudgy Fun in AC

Artie Lange of the Howard Stern show was in Atlantic City just last weekend. This was my first time seeing Artie. I had tickets to a show that he cancelled due to Heroine abuse. The event was held at The Boragta and Artie appeared in front of a sold out room of 4,000 people.

Before Artie hit the stage, he had 3 openers. The first was Pete Dominck who was funny but I had nto heard of before. Next up was Sal The Stockbrocker Governale. Sal is also a member of teh Howard Stern show. Racial jokes were teh main stay of Governales perfomance and he finished with his recent Nick Gerz joke. The last stand up before Artie was the talented Nick DiPalo. Nick only did ten minutes but he had the crowd in hysterics with new material including a few Obama jokes.

Finally the main attraction hit the stage. Artie who is weighing in near 300 lbs didnt let his health get in his way doing many physical comedy bits. Many of the jokes were familiar to listeners of the show. It is well known and documnted that Artie is a big,fat,lying,heroine addicted asshole whom we all love. For the most part his stand up is good but not great. He is not at the level of DiPalo and nowhere near the pantheon of Chris Rock. I am a big Artie fan, but he better hope Howard resigns or that Sirius doesnt go bancrupt.

Aj Out

ACES Train could be snake eye for Atlantic City.

Atlantic City will drive you nuts if you stare at it long enough. Let me first say that an express train between New York City and Atlantic City can be a core strategy for the long term plausabiliy of the market.


This is sounds like pure hatorade but it all stems from excitement. I wanted to book passage on the great new ACES train. 2 first class round trip tickets are $320. Throw in the $750 it will cost you to stay at Borgata for 2 nights and you are now over a g. If you are more than 2 people you are better getting a limo. Drinks are free and you leave on your schedule.

Aces takes near 3 hours and that is if things as scheduled.

If you could put this idea in a time machine and go back two or three years it might work.

The only people this makes sense for is the person who wants to get hammered all night and get back on the train in morning instead of paying the high rates for AC hotel rooms on the weekend.

This is the key to the viability of Atlantic City. Either more hotel rooms or FASTER ways to get people to town. With a casino a stones throw from all but the 5 boroughs the town is fucked.

A for effort. F for timing.

AJ OUT

Happy New Year - Fuck 2008

I want to wish you a happy new year.

Lets agree last year blew. Reale Estate, Stock Market, Casino Industry took a shit on your chest. Lets hope Obama has got some tricks up his sleeve to fix this mess.

My predictions for 2009:

Sports Betting and Medicinal Marijuana Legalized in New Jersey

Harrahs Sells One AC Casino

Margaritaville Deal Collapses

Trump Goes Bankrupt

Boyd buys out MGM from Borgata

The Pier Closes or Shuts down most stores

An Indian Tribe Buys an AC Casino


Those are some of my best guesses. I want to wish Larry Mullin well in his new gig down under. His mind will be missed in AC. He and Sid Vicunta made the best 1-2 marketing punch AC had seen in 15 years. They are now both out of town. Will someone get Sid on the phone and get him back in NJ.

Till then eat shit and die.

AJ

Sports Betting or Busto

Ok fuckers. Its sports betting time. Anyone you who knows knows I think we need sports betting in Atlantic City. Times are tough and they are about to get tougher. In my last blog I begged Steve Wynn to come back to Atlantic City and he has yet to return my call. Now for plan B.

Sports betting is federally against the law. A few years back Atlantic City had a last chance to pass it before the federal law took hold. Bill Bradley whore for professional sports and the mafia made sure it didn't pass. I hope he dies.

Since then the Internet has made legitimate billionaires out of former mobsters. Betting on sports is easier then opening a bank account. But oh no you cant do it in Atlantic City, what about the children. Well the children aren't going to be able to eat unless Atlantic City stops the bleeding.

Last week, surprise surprise, Curtis Bashaw announced that his and Wally Barr's billion dollar project is shelved due to financing. Duh Without a shot in the arm this town is fucked. Be glass is half full all you want. Last time we saw a problem like this was the early 90s. Then there was only Foxwoods to contend with and even they were tiny at the time. Now its Philly, New York, West Virginia, Delaware. Wake up assholes. Sports betting now or AC will look like in did in the winter on 1975 by this time in 2010.

AJ OUT

Steve Wynn - AC Superhero or Savior?

October was another shitty month in Atlantic City. 10 percent off from last year. Considering auto sales were way off from even that number maybe gambling is recession proof. LOL/

The Water Club at Borgata is not doing nearly the business that Boyd had expected. Their stock price is at 1/4 of what it was when the Borgata opened 5 years ago and only a fraction of the stocks high point. This has put some of the executives on the hot seat. Which is bullshit. Larry Mullin is the best casino executive this town has produced since Peter Boynton left town in 1995.

Pinnacle has put their Atlantic City project on hold indefinitely. I told you that 6 months ago. MGM has put their Atlantic City project on hold. Its the early 1990s all over again. For almost a decade Atlantic City was deluged with sketches of the next big thing. Then somehow it would go down the shitter.

I remember specifically having breakfast with my father reading about The Quarter to be built at the Tropicana. We laughed hysterically because at the time it had seemed so far fetched. The tunnel was supposed to bring Atlantic City 3 new casinos. The crown jewel of which was the return to Atlantic City of Steve Wynn. That never happened. We only got the Borgata.

Its deja vu all over again. We need Steve Wynn to start buying in AC on the cheap. We know that he has problems of his own in Maccau and Las Vegas, but those towns dont adore Mr Wynn like AC does. Lets throw him a birthday party and get him to buy Bader Field for $5. He'll turn around and sell it to someone else for 10 billion, but it will rejuvenate Atlantic City.

Not to get off on a rant or anything.

AJ - Out

How the Phillies made me sad.

For the love of god only the Phillies could figure out a way to keep us biting our nails for 3 days. How about that? Its been 25 years since Philly fans have been able to pund their chest and claim to be World Champions. We here in the Atlantic City area support for the most part Philadelphia teams.

FU Joe Carter
Mitch Williams You are off the hook.

I do feel good about this on most levels. This doesn't totally make up for the ridiculously treachery of the NBA in the 2001 NBA finals where the Sixers should have been up 2-0 on the "unstoppable" Los Angeles Lakers. Or Donovan McNabb hurling in the fourth quarter of the superbowl.

I guess it is as good as time as any to admit that baseball was ruined for me forever in 1994 with the strike. Baseball had been my favorite sport as a child and I lived and died with the Philles. Once trying a round trip 1000 miles to watch the 1993 NLCS in person. But the strike killed me.
I have been a Phillies fan longer than I have been an fan of anything in my life. However I just wasn't as elated with their victory as I would had the Sixers or Eagles taken home the crown and danced down Board St.

Am I alone in this?

Party Till You Are Red White and Blue

Ok folks its Fourth of July weekend and its time to get fucked up. I know I shouldn't be so crass, but come on. I need hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs, cole slaw, potato salad, and booze, booze, booze.

The places to be this weekend mostly revolve around the beach. First off I have to give the Atlantic City Hilton props. They are having three live concerts on the fricking beach. Now if you had to pick one band for such a display you'd obviously go with the Beach Boys. That's right a free beach boys conert on July 4th in Atlantic City. Oh are the people gonna be lubed up.

Lots of other big acts in town this weekend. Well not big but worth noting: Jay Leno, Rush, Melissa Ethridge and John legend will make the rounds of the Atlantic City casinos.

I hope the town has a good weekend it could really use it.

AJ

Passing of an Icon

George Carlin was far more than a comedian. He was the voice in the back our of head telling us when shit was fucked up. He was made famous by his 7 words you cant say on TV, but that was just beginning. He was a pioneer in his industry and widely respected as one of the best stand us ever by his peers.

I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Carlin perform live twice during his many appearances in the Atlantic City show rooms. He made at least two trips a year to either the Borgata or Caesars to display his newest material. The shows I witnessed were nothing short of genius. He would rant on anything from religion to people's over indulgence of their children. He also always found a way to work Atlantic City into his act into a relevant way.

The mantle is now passed to the likes of Chris Rock, Artie Lange, Bill Maher just to name a few. But truely it will be a long time before we see the likes of a talent the level of George Carlin. Happy trails.

AJ

Who da mayor?

The democratic primaries were held yesterday in Atlantic City for its upcoming mayoral race. It looks like former mayor Lorenzo Langford will soon be back in power. Good for him?

Mayor of Atlantic City has long been a position of discussion. For a span of 25 years from the 70s through the 90s there was not a single mayor who was not indicted. Jim Usry appearing to be the only innocent man among them. Over the past few years since Jim Whelan left office scandal has crept back into city hall. (FYI Im no Jim Whelan fan F him).

If you look at the turn around that took place in Las Vegas a lot of it corresponds to the election of Mayor Oscar Goodman. He was a famed mafia lawyer before he turned into a politician. This might sound bad, but truth was he didnt need money from odd places once he got in office. His goal was to push Las Vegas forward. This is what Atlantic City needs. Like Mike Bloomberg in NYC we need someone who cannot be bought off once he gets in office and truly doing this out of civic pride and not for the salary and perks of the "spoils system".

Will the real mayor please stand up? Please stand up.

AJ

Trump Marina Sold - To Become Margaritaville?

Thats right peoples. Finally Trump Entertainment has reached a deal to unload its troublesome Trump marina property. A New York investor group is buying the property for just over 300 million dollars.

Is this the end of the world as we know it? No more Friday night bikini contests. No more hooters. No more singers hanging at the wave. Answer: I sure fucking hope so. What a tired ass property. It reminds me of the Tropicana in Vegas, out of date but still in a great location. With the Borgata across the street and the new town powerhouse Harrahs around the way and you add in the Frank S Farely Marina its location location location.

This purchase continues the inner city battle between the Marina and the Boardwalk. One wonders who will suffer the fate of the freemont area in the Las Vegas a relic of a distant past. The smart money is on the Marina. If MGM builds its just about the ball game.

Peace
AJ

Do I Care Its Summer in AC?

Alright memorial day is just a few scant hours from now and I havent decided if I care or not. This important holiday used to get glanced over, but its war time and I feel more time should be spent thinking about the solideirs on Monday. Dont know how to do that but I digress.

Anyway back to Atlantic City. Earlier this week it was 42 degrees and rainy outside. Felt more like December than May. But the weather is supposed to be good this weekend. But does taht even matter? The party moved indoors when Harrahs opend up "The Pool". plus the two nightclubs at Borgata. The goal with both of these places was to keep the action going year round. For the most part they have kept that up. With the lack of a major beach bar and generally shitty beaches for hanging out on Atlantic City has lost its summer edge.

True its golf, beach, boating, fishing, sex in public weather. Im as undecided as the democratic party. The only truely high note I expect is when Bubba the Love Sponge of Sirius Satellite Radio makes his way to Atlantic City in July. Bubbapalooza starring Ned is at the Taj on July 12 and Bubba Army will be in Full Effect.

Hate
Action J