It’s happening at Atlantic City Hotels and Casinos

If you love good music, smooth phrasing and out of this world jazz, don’t miss the opportunity to see Tony Bennett live at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. Bennett’s been called everything from “the last of the greats” to “the best singer in the business.” Frank Sinatra, by the way, made that last remark about Tony.

The tickets are selling out fast and for good reason. Bennett doesn’t do that many concerts and the opportunity may not be available in the area for a very long time, if ever again. You may have seen Tony’s recent appearance on American Idol. Many people that never heard his warm, husky voice before got a small sampling as he helped mentor the contestants. His warm friendly manner made him popular with not only the contestants but also all of America.

This icon of music has been popular since the 1950’s. His jazzy style and phrasing brings new life to old songs and a comfortable familiarity to new ones. Most people that hear Bennett sing once are hooked on his mellow tones and upbeat vocalizations. While you immediately identify Tony Bennett with his signature song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” but will immediately recognize Bennett’s other hits as he makes each song spring to life on the stage.

“Because of You ” was Bennett’s first record and it made its way to the top of the charts September 1951. He followed the hit another chart topper “Cold, Cold Heart.” Other great hits included “Rags to Riches, ” Strangers in Paradise,” “In the Middle of an Island,” “I Wanna Be Around,” “The Good Life, ” “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me), ” “If I Ruled the World” and “The Beat of My Heart.”

If you’ve never heard Tony Bennett, you might be living on an island with no television or radio, but you wouldn’t be reading this would you? Take a minute to go to Tony Bennett’s website and listen to some fantastic music. It won’t take long before you understand why the tickets are so hot and difficult to get. The man’s not only a musical genius, his voice just makes you smile. It weaves a hypnotic spell you can’t resist, because you don’t want to resist it. For those few minutes, there are no barking dogs, not overdue bills, no problems with family, just you and Tony and the music.

From the inception of the Grammy for best traditional pop vocal performance in 1992 until 2007, Tony Bennett won 10 out of the 16 years. The music industry recognizes that his type of unique talent doesn’t have to follow the trend for the industry. It’s pure, genuine and comes from the heart. There’s no copycat style for the favorite musical flavor of the day, Bennett is Bennett and no one else. Of course, there’s no one out there that can offer the audience the same mellow flavor of tone like Tony Bennett either.

Don’t miss this opportunity to see an American music icon. If you wait to long, you’ll miss the chance of a lifetime to see a concert you’ll talk about for years to come. It doesn’t matter what age you are; Bennett has a sound everyone loves. But you had better hurry because tickets are selling out for his Harrah’s Atlantic City performances Friday and Saturday, November 6th and 7th.

Image Courtesy : http://www.roomp3.com/mp3-580-Tony_Bennett-Have_I_Told_You_Lately.html

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With the beauty of the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop, just about everything you do is somehow better, but even more so if it’s free. If, like many people, you’re worried you won’t be able to vacation somewhere as exciting as Atlantic City (AC) this year, relax and start packing your suitcase because here are five completely free and totally fun things to do in one of the greatest spots in all of the U.S.

1. Learn about Atlantic City’s History: Located on Garden Pier on Boardwalk at New Jersey Avenue, the Atlantic City Historical Museum showcases the widely diverse history of AC offering both free admission and parking to visitors. Before heading to the beach you can learn about Atlantic City’s culture through the permanent exhibit titled “Atlantic City, Playground of the Nation” which features vintage postcards and photographs, artifacts from the area, and also memorabilia from the famed Miss America pageants held in the city.

2. See a Free Outdoor Concert: Throughout the summer months concerts are held at Kennedy Plaza on the Boardwalk courtesy of the AC Free Public Library. Also free are summer concerts at Bally’s Casino in the Dennis Courtyard as well as multiple entertainers located all along the Boardwalk.

3. Experience Korean War History in Atlantic City: See the New Jersey Korean War Memorial on Brighton Park which is free to the public and offers a definite feeling of the area’s deep rooted history. The war memorial is open daily and gives visitors a chance to experience the important legacy left by our veterans.

4. More Free Culture and History in Atlantic City: Visit the tranquil Civil Rights Garden, located on Pacific Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, and see its gorgeous flowers, the meandering pathways, and the awe inspiring eleven granite columns with inscriptions detailing the events that occurred during that time.

5. Enjoy the Wonders of the Beach and the Atlantic Ocean: There are no pricey beach badges or any type of fees needed to enjoy the beauty of Atlantic City’s beaches and any number of fun activities taking place there all year round.

Besides the usual swimming, sunbathing, and volleyball games, surfing is also permitted at three different beaches, either New Hampshire Avenue’s Crystal Beach, the Delaware Avenue Beach, or the Downtown Beach at Raleigh Avenue. None of the surfing beaches are staffed with lifeguards, and if you want to kayak or windsurf over at Jackson Avenue Beach, also without a lifeguard, be sure to bring your own equipment as there are no rentals.

As if all of that isn’t enough, fishing is permitted along the jetties near the Oriental and Main Avenue Boardwalks and you won’t even need to buy a license for salt-water fishing here. Just remember that no fishing is allowed near bathing beaches during the hours of 10am to 6pm when the lifeguards are on duty.

With all of the free things to do in Atlantic City you’re sure to need more than just one day to see and do everything the area has to offer. But luckily, since none of these fun activities require any money, maybe you’ll be able to stay an extra few days and really experience the city in all its glory.

Image Courtesy : http://dogandponyshowwebsite.com/a-fun-trip-with-me-to-atlantic-city-nj-come-join

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We often read in the media that Atlantic City is a horrible city, a wannabe Las Vegas, and that it is on the verge of dying. Atlantic City certainly does carry that reputation (though we don’t agree with it), however, several entrepreneurs are trying to change this fact. Taking an old run down Holiday Inn and Hilton Hotel that were neighbouring each other, Curtis Bashaw is opening a new hotel named The Chelsea, and trying to convert it into the premier nightlife destination for NJ and Manhattan urbanites. Currently, The Beatrice Hotel in Greenwich Village has been where most of the Northeast New Jersey and Manhattan high-life show up to party. It’s not an easy task but Bashaw has been sure to include a new wave of hip amenities sure to attract some newcomers to the streets of Atlantic City.

On the fifth floor alone, Bashaw has planned for a library, a game room, an oval-shaped bar, and an exclusive Stephen Starr Restaurant which offers top class cuisine. The party atmosphere will be somewhat exclusive as well, at least these are the hopes of Bashaw. He plans to have a bouncer similar to the ones at the Beatrice who will make sure that the party stays exclusive and guests at the hotel are treated as V.I.Ps. Hotel guests will be offered different styles of luxury rooms ranging from as low as $200 per night to as much as $1000. Bashaw’s hopes are that such a hotel will change party-goers attitude towards Atlantic City and make them more inclined to visit. Of course this means drawing attention away for Manhattan’s long-standing Beatrice Hotel so a deal has been worked. Hotel Chelsea is now open for business in Manhattan and we are hopeful that Curtis brings a new wave of excitement into Atlantic City. Go Chelsea!

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What’s the main reason people go to Atlantic City versus any other gambling destination? You might be surprised that it’s not the glamorous slots, or the luxurious spas.

A new survey by the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority finds gambling ranks seventh on a list of why people choose to come to the resort. Easy parking topped the list, followed by the convenience of getting to Atlantic City, the ease of getting around within the city, dining options, hotel room availability, and the beach and Boardwalk. At AtlanticCity.com , we are proud to be a part of the hotel availability options for Atlantic City, offering the lowest price guarantee since 1995.

Jeff Vasser , the authority’s president, says the yearlong survey of more than 3,000 visitors shows that Atlantic City’s efforts to transform itself into a destination resort where gambling is only one of the attractions are working. The survey states that for some people, even if they have options closer to home to play a slot machine they prefer to come to Atlantic City as Slot machines are not the compelling reason moreover it’s the shopping, the dining, the entertainment - the whole package, with easy parking and stress-free hotel reservations and availability.

Visitors to Atlantic City declined last year to 33 million from 34 million in 2006. That’s only a 3% decline compared to almost 15% decline at Las Vegas. The survey also offers evidence of some of the challenges facing Atlantic City. More than a third of those surveyed also say they gamble regularly elsewhere, including Las Vegas (31 per cent), Pennsylvania (20 per cent), Connecticut (15 per cent), Delaware (8 per cent) and New York (8 per cent). More hotels and resorts like Borgata will help establish our status as the entertainment destination.

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We try not to brag. We try to be humble. But honestly, there are certain proud moments when it just gets out :). This is one of them. We have been one of Atlantic City’s premier web sites since 1995! Yes, 1995, when there were only a few more sites about Atlantic City in the big bad World Wide Web. We’ve always been passionate about Atlantic City and the Internet, and that’s helped us stay on our game for over a decade now. We rank #1 on Google.com searches for Atlantic City Hotels and Atlantic City Shows and #2 for Atlantic City. Well, ok, ok, I know I am getting a little carried away here. But we do want to take this opportunity to thank you – our guests, for treating us as your Atlantic City partner.

As I said earlier, we are ranked #1 for the key phrase Atlantic City Shows on Google.com. And all we have is a simple page that lists the latest show times. Proves yet again that simple, no frills information is what Internet users want. We launched an Atlantic City Show Tickets Reservation site recently at http://tickets.atlanticcity.com and we would like to invite you to check it out. It is the most comprehensive show ticket reservation site for Atlantic City and includes shows, concerts, games, boardwalk events, and even Las Vegas and Broadway show tickets. We keep track of ‘em all so you don’t have to spend hours to find deals on shows. We always offer The lowest prices, as with our Hotel Reservations. Our Hotel reservations come with a 110% lowest prices guarantee.
We are excited as ever to continue growing. Thanks again!

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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.

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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!

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The Story Of The Slot Machine - Over Hundred Years of Thrill and Entertainment

Did you know that what we call a slot machine in America is a fruit machine in the UK and a poker machine in Australia? In 1895, the first slot machine was created by inventor Charles Fey. Besides being its inventor, Charles Fey also sold and distributed slot machines to businesses as well. In 1907, Charles Fey decided to become partners with the Mills Novelty Company to produce a line of new slot machines. The first was the Mills Liberty Bell. 3 years later, the Mills Company created the very first fruit symbol slot machine called the Operator Bell. The early slot machines were made of cast iron, a heavy material that was hard to lug from casino to casino.

In 1915, with the Mills Company’s involvement came the first wood cabinet slot machine. This lighter material made it easier for them to deliver slot machines to various businesses. The Mills Company used its creative mind to branch out and create more interesting slot machines for players. In the 1930’s, it worked on different designs for different machines, all coming with their own mini-themes. These eye-catching, more colorful machines became a luxury for players. In the 1930’s, there was a slot machine boom throughout the United States especially in all gambling hubs like Atlantic City. Since then, slot machines have known a lot of transformations: the mechanical machines were replaced with electronic ones, and then video slot machines started to gain reputation.

The first electro-mechanical slot machine was developed by Bally Manufacturing in 1964 and was called Money Honey. This was the first machine in over 50 years that started to move on from Feys original invention. Internally the machine replaced springs and levers with electrical components and for the player the outward changes really added to the gaming experience with multiple coin play and higher jackpots. The use of the electricity allowed exciting slots noises and flashing lights. Overnight the slot machine had become a whole lot more exciting and appealing to a lot more people.

Bally Manufacturing continued to lead the way in the development of slot machines and in the mid 1970’s introduced a Dollar Slot Machine which casinos arranged in carousels and bigger jackpots. Until now slots had been consider secondary gambling games for the casinos, with the table games considered primary profit games. This was now changing as the slots become increasingly popular.

In 1980 a new company called Sircoma produced a Video Poker Slot Machine. At first players were untrusting of the video aspect as they could not actually see the reels spinning. There are many different kinds of gambling slot machines in places such as Atlantic City. However they soon become very popular and still are today both in live casinos and online.

In the mid 1990s slot machines started accepting bills so players no longer needed to get change in coins to play, this meant more time at the slot machine and actually playing the slot even easier.

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