It's happening at Atlantic City Hotels and Casinos http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog News and things that should be news Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:09:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 en Squeaky Roulette Wheel Gets Things Done at Bally’s Claridge http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/home/squeaky-roulette-wheel-gets-things-done-at-claridge/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/home/squeaky-roulette-wheel-gets-things-done-at-claridge/#comments Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:04:36 +0000 admin http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=191 This happened a lot faster than I imagined, but we made some noise and some progress. The word is AtlanticCity.com customers will not have a surprise when they book Bally’s and end up in Claridge Tower.

There are a few programming issues to adjust and I will keep you posted on that progress.

FYI here are specs on the room types at Bally’s.

Classic: Claridge Tower, averaging 330 sq ft, renovated in 2003, nothing since, across street from main bldg and connect via sky bridge

Traditional décor featuring rich crown-molding, cherry wood furniture, vanity table with mirror, cozy seating nook all in a warm and appealing color palette of green and gold hues
Classic bathroom complete with customary heat lamp
Glitzy mirrored elevators and corridors

Deluxe: Called Bally’s Main but really the original Dennis Tower rooms, avg 350 sq ft, just redone in May 2008
Lushly traditional room design and wall art accented with dark wood furniture
32” plasma TV for your viewing pleasure
Chic bathroom with rich granite vanity, tiled floors and heat lamp complete with timer
Oversized wall mirror to really open up the space

There is a Premium room which inventory is minimal & used by casino marketing.

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/home/squeaky-roulette-wheel-gets-things-done-at-claridge/feed/ Claridge is Bally’s but…. http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/claridge-is-ballys-but/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/claridge-is-ballys-but/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:48:42 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=184 We have been getting some flack lately, rightly so, about people booking Bally’s  and ending up in Claridge Tower.  We take our customer’s satisfaction very seriously.  Even though we have a warning in our reservation area that Bally’s may put people in Claridge Tower when the others towers are full, people are still upset when it happens. Bally’s, owned by Harrahs considers Claridge Tower as an extension of the  Bally’s property.  Therefore, at Bally’s option, depending on availability, people will get a room where Bally’s chooses. This still doesn’t make people happy knowing Claridge is Bally’s, especially when they didn’t think much of the warning or hoped for the best.

As far as Claridge goes I know it has been remodeled since Bally’s bought it, and many people don’t mind. However, there are folks who feel slighted and we agree with them.

Our suggestion as of now is to either gamble :)  and book Bally’s knowing you may end up in Claridge, or simply choose from our other casinos  we book.  We have them all.

And to let you know, this is not a closed case.  We have our people reaching out to Harrahs to try to come up with a solution that will work for everyone.

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/claridge-is-ballys-but/feed/ What makes AtlanticCity.com tick? http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/opinion/what-makes-atlanticcitycom-tick/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/opinion/what-makes-atlanticcitycom-tick/#comments Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:30:45 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=180 In two words,  Customer Satisfaction.  I am sure we all have the experience of voicing a complaint no matter where it was,  and we were the guilty party, according to the customer “service”.  Hell I have seen this here on our reviews. The hotel personnel blame our valued clients.   Not that it happens frequently but when it does happen we are all over it.  We can’t make everyone happy,  but we will certainly try.

Some of you will notice we have just instituted a reply to your reviews.  We read every review, and reply to most. Your feedback is just as important to us as it is to people who read reviews about your stay.

We deal with many travel sites in our business. Orbits, Expedia etc  and the trend I see is less personal, and more price oriented.

Here at AtlanticCity.com our staff is 110%  people oriented, and we guarantee the lowest rate.

So the bottom line is that when you are happy we tick!

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/opinion/what-makes-atlanticcitycom-tick/feed/ The Terrific Three – Las Vegas, Atlantic City and now, Macau http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/gambling/the-terrific-three-%e2%80%93-las-vegas-atlantic-city-and-now-macau/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/gambling/the-terrific-three-%e2%80%93-las-vegas-atlantic-city-and-now-macau/#comments Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:40:10 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=159 Macau’s economy is based on tourism and gambling, much like its counterparts in the US – Las Vegas and Atlantic City. These three places, combined generate more revenue just from gambling than the total market Cap of Bank of America and US Bank combined, in fact they don’t even come close.
Here, we look at the key statistics at the “Terrific three” gambling hubs.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas has long been the world’s gambling hub. High end casinos, unparalleled service and a large variety of entertainment options have kept tourists coming back to Vegas year after year. Leading properties include casinos run by MGM Mirage Inc., Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., Las Vegas Sands Corp and The Wynn Resorts Ltd.

At close to $6.5 Billion in gambling revenues in Las Vegas alone and $12 billion total gambling revenue in the state of Nevada which includes the City of Reno, a smaller gambling hub, it is still arguably the world’s largest entertainment location, even though Macau has exceeded Las Vegas in the last year or so as the world’s largest gambling hub.

Overall, the Las Vegas economy, which includes revenue from tourism, gambling, entertainment and a host of other smaller businesses including conventions, has been increasing 6.5% year after year and is about $110 billion now and is expected to reach $155 billion in 2012. No other location comes even close to that number.

2008, however, has been slower than usual, primarily due to the overall economic slowdown in the US due to the sub prime mortgage crisis.

Atlantic City:

Atlantic City has 11 major casinos and has been the second biggest gambling hub in the US for several decades. Research studies however show that 2007 will be the first year for the drop in revenue, because of the tough competition in the gambling industry.

Many of the old casinos that were there in Atlantic City have been shut down. The Trump Marina Hotel Casino had the biggest decline $11.8 million, and recently, Trump decided to sell this away as well. New casinos have started coming up though and it is unclear at this time what the future of Atlantic City would be.

Overall revenue for casinos in 2007 dropped 2.9% compared with 2006, but the decline in slots revenue was even sharper at 7.2%. The smoking ban, additional taxes, competition from casinos in neighboring states and the overall economic slowdown contributed to the slowdown. Despite these losses, Atlantic City generated $4.94 billion in gambling revenues in 2007, still a very strong number in the US. With new casinos coming up and the closure of the old loss-generating ones, Atlantic City seems to be poised for a comeback. Only time will tell.

Macau:

Gambling revenue in the enclave totaled 55.9 billion patacas ($6.95 billion) in 2006, which includes lottery and racing revenues although the booming bulk came from the casino floor. This may exceed the $6.2 billion generated by the Las Vegas strip. VIPs related revenue was higher but the mass market was slightly lower.

At the end of 2006, Macau had 24 casinos operating 2,762 gaming tables and 6,546 slot machines. In the beginning of the year 2007, with the increase in the gambling revenue by 22% reaching US$ 6.95 billion, Macau dethroned Las Vegas to emerge as the world’s No.1 gambling destination.

The success story of Macau may be due to the fact that the visitors from the nearby areas in mainland China show more interest towards gambling compared to the Americans in Las Vegas, whose people aren’t that interested in gambling in general. Macau is the only place in China where gambling is legal and within the reach of three billion people which positions it well for further growth, much better than Las Vegas and Atlantic City. It is already the world’s largest gambling center by volume and may soon become the largest by revenues as well.

Related Links:

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/gambling/the-terrific-three-%e2%80%93-las-vegas-atlantic-city-and-now-macau/feed/ Can the local flavor impact Atlantic City? http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/entertainment/can-the-local-flavor-impact-atlantic-city/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/entertainment/can-the-local-flavor-impact-atlantic-city/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:27:01 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=154

Given the high costs may be involved for traveling to Atlantic City or Vegas, it seems logical that competition from local casinos and entertainment centers can have a major impact on these two cities. Gone are the days when lady luck worked at these places almost exclusively. These days, the gambling is legal in most states or at least adjacent states for most people. Everyone wants a piece of the gambling action and why wouldn’t they? For decades, this industry has been almost immune to economic downfalls.

With the current state of the economy, patrons are justified when they decide to save their money by settling for a local casino compared to the riches and the jumbo jackpots at Atlantic City and Vegas. Gambling at  local casinos cuts out the cost of transportation as well as bed and lodging. No wonder Casinos at Atlantic CIty and Vegas have lost revenues at a faster rate than local casinos during the first half of the year. All eyes are on Obama and McCain to turn things around!

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/entertainment/can-the-local-flavor-impact-atlantic-city/feed/ The casino with the smell of sewage http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/the-casino-with-the-smell-of-sewage/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/the-casino-with-the-smell-of-sewage/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:25:44 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=157

It seems that opportunities are becoming a little ripe these days, the latest of such attempts comes from Penn National, which wants to open a casino on Route 30. First of all, the land is not in the casino zone - it is on the outskirts of the city. The next hurdle would be the sewage plant right next door, so even if permission were granted, the smell factor would definitely make it less than a perfect choice for the location of a 24-hour entertainment avenue. The message from the city council also so far is that Penn National has little chance of success, as the current laws only permit development on 3% of the 23-acre land. With many hurdles in the way, one should not hope to see the Penn National casino anytime soon on the White Horse Pike.

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/the-casino-with-the-smell-of-sewage/feed/ New Jersey to restart the Tropicana bid process http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/new-jersey-to-restart-the-tropicana-bid-process/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/new-jersey-to-restart-the-tropicana-bid-process/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:14:34 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=152

Ever since the casino regulators refused to renew the license of the original Tropicana owner, Columbia Sussex Corp, the Tropicana casino has been in the news, though not for the right reasons. The first news to hit the streets regarding Tropicana was the suspension of the license of the Columbia Sussex Corp. Their license was suspended on account of ‘shoddy’ service and of being ‘dirty’, though not in the way that you would normally equate with a casino. Having suspended the original owners, the New Jersey casino control commission decided to appoint a retired Supreme Court Judge to oversee the sales and the running of the Tropicana casino until the new owners can take over. Bids were invited from interested parties and a decision was expected sometime by April. Judge Gary Stein, however, decided to reject all the bids received so far since he does not believe that any of them warrant any serious consideration. So it is back to square one and with a long road ahead, can one expect more news from the Tropicana front in the near future?

Related Links:

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/new-jersey-to-restart-the-tropicana-bid-process/feed/ The ‘May Fever’ seems to have hit the casinos http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/the-%e2%80%98may-fever%e2%80%99-seems-to-have-hit-the-casinos/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/the-%e2%80%98may-fever%e2%80%99-seems-to-have-hit-the-casinos/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:07:35 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=153 Come May, the whole town seems to cotton on to the mood with everyone trying to their luck at the casinos. This May was not all that different, with huge crowds, and the casinos raked in more of the usual. Here are some of the specs for the month of May. Gamblers lost a total of $415 million at the casinos, netting an increase of 1.6% over the last year. The casino winnings at the slot machines was $289.6 million while at the tables, it was $125.7 million. It seems that the current season ’s ‘May fever’ had some good tidings for the casinos after all.

Related Links:

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/the-%e2%80%98may-fever%e2%80%99-seems-to-have-hit-the-casinos/feed/ Should Atlantic City follow Macau? http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/should-atlantic-city-follow-macau/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/should-atlantic-city-follow-macau/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:03:38 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=155

The latest move by the government of Macau limiting new land and halting new casino projects is being seen by many as a road that Atlantic City may have to soon follow. Atlantic City has embraced gambling with both arms ever since it was legalized here 30 years ago. But the questions that many residents of Atlantic City are asking themselves these days is whether it is possible to have too much of a good thing like in the case of Macau. Gambling dens have come to define what Atlantic City is today, despite the many non-gambling attractions that this city can boast of. Some argue that efforts should be taken to improve the city’s image by carving out other less-gaming oriented attractions, so that in the end, people can identify the city as a full-service entertainment offering instead of gambling dens alone.

At present though, nothing seems to point in the direction of such a law at Atlantic City. New casinos are in the process of opening and more are in their planning stages, as reflected in other posts on this blog. But I am sure the thought must have crossed the minds of legislators - can Atlantic City sustain more gambling or should the focus be elsewhere?

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/ac-talk/should-atlantic-city-follow-macau/feed/ The Beach Boys rock Atlantic City! http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/entertainment/the-beach-boys-rock-atlantic-city/ http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/entertainment/the-beach-boys-rock-atlantic-city/#comments Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:57:57 +0000 Jen http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/?p=156

After their last performance in 1983, the Beach Boys made a recent appearance on the 4th of July, rocking Atlantic City down. They had been banned once by the U.S Interior Secretary James Watt for having attracted all sorts of undesirable elements. Of all the hypocritical reasons that a politician could have, that one certainly took the cake. However, it did not prevent fans from attending that concert, and it certainly made fond memories come alive for the ones who attended the latest installment of the Beach Boy almost 25 years ago. This concert was successful. One of the visitors that we talked to commented that he forgot all about his problems, from high gasoline prices to familial issues, while he was at the concert. It was time to rock to the beat of the Beach Boys. Way to go guys!

Related Links:

]]> http://www.atlanticcity.com/blog/entertainment/the-beach-boys-rock-atlantic-city/feed/