It’s happening at Atlantic City Hotels and Casinos

Atlantic City got a special treat on December 5, 2009! The legendary multiple Grammywinning, Boyz II Men performed at the Resorts, Superstar Theater..
When it comes to music super groups, Boyz II Men is the leader of the pack. The band still holds the record as the best selling R&B male vocal group of all time with over 60 million albums sold. According to Billboard Magazine, Boyz II Men is also the most successful music group of the 1990s. Not surprising when you consider that the group released their first album in 1991 and the hits just kept on rolling out!
Before becoming a music phenomenon, Boyz II Men originally got their start in the 1980s in their native Philadelphia Pennsylvania. At the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts, band members Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris and Michael McCary put together a group. The group was signed to the legendary Motown Records, a nice fit considering the groups vocal harmonies and powerhouse singing was reminiscent of the legendary Motown acts of the 60s and 70s.
In 1991, Boyz II Men began to insert their influence on the music industry with the release of their debut album, Cooleyhighharmony. The album was heavily inspired by the New jack swing style in vogue at the time. The first single “Motownphilly” featuring uptempo dance beats was an instant hit. The follow up single, “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” was performed A capella and became a classic. Both singles would reach the top of the R&B charts and the top 5 on the pop charts. The album would end up selling 9 million copies and winning the group their first Grammy for Best R&B group.
Between their first and second albums, the group would release the single “End of the Road” for the 1992 film, Boomerang starring Eddie Murphy. The ballad produced by Babyface would go on to be not only one of the groups most successful songs but one of the biggest singles ever recorded. The single would sit at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a record setting 13 weeks.
Their 1994, follow up album, simply titled II, would debut at number 1 before going on to sell an astonishing 12 million albums domestically. The first single off the album, the ballad, “I’ll Make Love to You” would go on to set another record, by spending 14 weeks at the top of the charts. Other soul stirring romantic ballads “On Bended Knee” and “Water Runs Dry” would also become successful classics, often performed by the group in concert. II would go on to win a Grammy as Best R&B album and gave the group a second win as Best R&B group.
Other successful singles by the group include the 1995 “One Sweet Day” a duet with Mariah Carey which would set another record by sending 16 weeks on the top of the charts. 1997s, “A Song for Mama,” a beautiful dedication to mothers from the successful Soul Food film would also go platinum. Group member McCary would leave the group due to poor health in 2003, but is expected to return in the New Year.
Boyz II Men will celebrate 20 years in music in 2010. Now is your chance to experience the smooth harmonies that has made the group so famous! The group just released its newest album Love in late November. Don’t miss out to experience their timeless classics from the 90s as well as their latest music.

Image Courtesy : http://www.bbc.co.uk

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The Borgata in Atlantic City has been home to a great many unique musical stars. Soon, the magic of two very diverse and brilliant sounds will be coming to together in one show. This, of course, refers to the upcoming jam session that will feature Matisyahu and SOJA.

Born in West Chester, PA in 1979, Matthew Paul Miller has taken his Hebrew name Matisyahu as his stage name. He is quickly recognizable by his original blending of traditional Jewish music with other musical genres such as hip hop, rock, and, surprisingly, Reggae. Then again, the surprise he should not even be a surprise. Reggae remains a very inclusive musical style that can amend to various different approaches. Matisyahu has definitely proven this to be true through his stunning approach that has amassed scores of fans throughout the world.

SOJA is short for Soldiers of Jam Army and it is comprised of a collection of long time friends that have formed one of the best of the modern Reggae bands on the world scene. While Reggae is sometimes denied mainstream success, there are those Reggae musicians that have the ability to draw the attention of traditional top 40 listeners. SOJA definitely has such ability and this is evidenced through the significant success they have attained.

While it is always nice to listen to these performers on your MP3 player, it is a much better proposition to see them live. Now, you can see them together on stage in the very intimate setting that has been provided by the Borgata Casino in Atlantic City. Fans of Reggae and pop music in general will discover this to be a completely unforgettable experience that is sure to be much different from traditional performances seen at most music venues.

When Matisyahu and SOJA join on stage to jam together, the experience is a departure from common set performances. Both understand the need for pacing and for the ability to build audience expectations. The early portion of their performance often centers on slow music and then builds to a more rousing finale. This leaves audiences both satisfied and wanting to experience more. That certainly does sound like an audience that has been thoroughly entertained by the performance. Those that want an insight into how these entertainers deliver a live show should definitely check out some of the live performance CDs and DVDs. Then again, to truly experience what they are offering seeing these great performers at the Borgata are advised.

Saturday November 28, 2009 is the date you need to mark on your calendar as this will be when the show rolls into the Music Box at the Borgata. Purchase your tickets now and avoid being disappointed by a sellout.

Image Courtesy : http://www.bandsintown.com/

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Those in close vicinity to the Atlantic City, NJ reason have something to celebrate. The legendary Julio Iglesias is coming to Caesar’s Circus Maximus theater. This will be a rare chance to see a legendary superstar in an amazingly intimate setting.

There are very few entertainers that can claim the mantel of success that Julio Iglesias has achieved. While some entertainers enjoy a very brief period of success at the top of their game, Julio Iglesias reached the top of the music world and has stayed there for over two decades. And, of course, the reason for this is that he is a stunningly talented individual that never ceases to deliver the crowd pleasing performances he has long since become known for.

You could say that Julio Iglesias entered into the realm of music almost by accident. He won a songwriting contest in 1968 and this is what set the stage for his eventual superstardom. He signed onto the Spanish wing of Columbia Records and this led to a series of successful albums that appeared in Europe and Latin America. His success in the English speaking world was launched in 1978 when he signed on with CBS International Records. His album sales far exceeded expectations and Iglesias became a star on a worldwide basis.

Even more stunning was his longevity. For a full decade, his album sales were well into the millions as he scored numerous multi-platinum hit singles and albums. (Well, they are CDs now…and they are still selling) For many, Julio Iglesias was the romantic pop song superstar of the 1980s. While this may be true, it would not be accurate to pigeonhole his success as that of an “80’s” superstar. His success lasted well into the 1990s as he not only experienced excellent album/CD sales, but 1998 also saw him nominated for a Grammy Award. Now, Julio Iglesias is entering his third decade as a singer and even at the age of 66 he shows no signs of slowing down.

However, his touring schedule is not as vast as it once was and this means fans have fewer opportunities to see their favorite singer in person. This spring, those that live in Tri-State area can take advantage of Harrah’s/Caesar’s Atlantic City presenting this legend on stage. The actual dates he will appear are May 2nd and May 3rd. These events are sure to sell out and that is why booking as far in advance as possible is so highly recommended.

This great entertainer will be performing all his amazing hits from every decade he has performed. This will surely make for an unforgettable event so don’t miss it.

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Most people know that it is Christmas time by the decorated trees, the falling snow, and the cheerful music that seems to play everywhere. The long lines at every store while people try to find the perfect gift for that someone special… the emptied grocery shelves as people get ready for a holiday feast. We also know that it is Christmas time when we hear the phrase “Miracle on 34th Street.” There are few things that celebrate the miracle of Christmas like it.

In this lovable tale where Santa is an indignant old man that is hired to play Santa in the Macy’s day parade shows up intoxicated. While the elderly gentleman does try to complain to the event leader, she convinces him to take his place as Santa. Inebriated he does such a wonderful job as Santa the Macy’s offers him the Santa position for the New York City store, which happens to be on 34th street.

While the intention of Santa is to drive more parents to Macy’s for their holiday shopping Santa advises a young woman to go to another store to find the fire truck she wanted to get her son. This happens with a few other customers as well. You can’t forget the plight of the well meaning attorney that takes his neighbor girl to see Santa at Macy’s, and her mother gets upset with the neighbor for filling her daughter’s heads with silly fantasies and make believe.

Miracle on 34th Street is a loving tale of belief, love and faith in even the most adverse situations. As the story unfolds it makes even the most skeptical start to believe in the not only the miracle of Christmas but Santa. It is a classic that should be shared with everyone this time of year. While many have seen black and white version of the movie, it can now also be seen in color.

In 1994 there was a remake of the classic that starred Edmund Gwenn as Santa and Maureen O’Hara as the kind supervisor that decides to give Kris another shot at playing Santa. In the newer version of the movie Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott grace the screen breathing new life into a holiday classic.

For those that prefer to be drawn in to the magic of the moment, you can see Miracle on 34th Street live on stage. There are many performances in major cities starting around November 14th and going all the way to January 2010.

Regardless of the version you prefer, black and white, color, remake or live on stage Miracle on 34th Street is an absolute must when it comes to making Christmas feel like Christmas. Let the ones you love know how important the season is to you, by inviting them to watch it with you.

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News like this makes my day! Atlantic City’s beaches have been around for years and attracted tourists from far and near for centuries. It’s the only gaming resort destination along a natural coastline. Despite this fact, the beaches in Atlantic City haven’t been renovated in years. Whether it was the Government’s lack of vision to convert Atlantic City to be as big and famous as the Las Vegas or the lack of someone like Steve Wynn here is a matter for debate. But today is not the time for it

U.S. Republican Frank A. LoBiondo has secured $10.4 million in federal funding to replenish Atlantic City’s beaches and for local construction. Though the amount is not significant enough to completely overhaul the look of the beaches, it’s good enough to make some long-overdue repairs and improvements.

The Press of Atlantic City reported today in their note - http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/186/story/412684.html that

U.S. Rep. John Adler announced that he has helped secure $16.7 million in funding for his district, including $11.7 million towards a beachfill project on Long Beach Island.

Way to go Atlantic City.

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YES, the tough get going..Atlantic City is not enjoying the best times ever, nobody contests that. At the same time, though, when the going gets tough, that’s when smart people take advantage of the weak markets to get going. At a time like this, most casinos cut thier marketing spending. That’s when the smarter go all out and acquire new customers for a fraction of what it would have cost them during peak competitive season. Haven’t they read about Warren Buffet. I know it’s easier said than done, but the way Atlantic City casinos are falling down like a stack of cards, it makes one wonder who picked their top executives. Our belief is that the best will thrive. People and businesses that truly have a good product and the ability to adapt to changing times and believe in what they do, will thrive. The problem is that public casinos these days are often led by Managers and executives that lack such drive. Perhaps they are more focused on their fat bonuses and short-term benefit than the longer-term success of the company. Sometimes I wonder whether small business owners are perhaps driven a lot more toward their businesses compared to executives at large corporations. The move from family and privately owned casinos to commoditized, consolidated casino companies, did bring with it benefit of equality and regulation but took away some of the ownership and pride from Atlantic City’s casinos.

The Press of Atlantic City reported that non-gaming revenue at Atlantic City is still rising despite gambling revenue being 7.6% down in recent months. We can only hope that the smart execs at these companies don’t follow Trump’s example and actually face the receission head on and come out ahead.

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It may be hard to believe but gambling was not legal in Atlantic City a few decades ago and now this city is one of the most famous destinations for world class casinos. After Las Vegas, Atlantic City is considered to be the second largest casino city and there are many world famous casinos in this city. The incredible growth of the casino industry in seen a corresponding increase in demand for experienced management. Casino exec jobs are not like your local retail management jobs - they are pretty well paid and a career of choice for many.

Top executives at casinos include the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Sales and Marketing and the Senior Vice Presidents of Operations. The total cash compensation received by these top executives of the casinos may depend from casino to casino but it can range from thousands to millions of dollars every year. The total cash compensation includes the total of base salary plus bonus pay. This can be a really crazy amount and all you geeks out there, if you are wondering why you had your head in the books and avoided cards, we don’t blame you.

The salary of such executives also vary between land based casinos and riverboat casinos. The salary of the executives at a land based casino are usually higher than those of a riverboat executive. Land based casinos are usually larger and offer a wider variety of facilities compared to riverboat casinos. Land based casinos are also situated in destination casino markets such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City whereas the markets for riverboats casinos are secondary.

Casino Executive bonuses have suffered during the recent economic downturn. Several casinos have announced salary freezes, bonus cuts and even Executive layoffs at times. Casino company stocks have suffered huge losses, which usually affect executives the most due to their significant ownership interest in stock options. But overall, casinos are still operational and surviving the crisis. Unlike other industries, casinos at least haven’t closed or asked for bailout money. Casinos made it through 2008, despite their losses. Destination cities such as Atlantic City usually bounce back from recession faster than local casino towns. remains to be seen where the casino industry will end up at the end of 2009.

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