Atlantic City looking to Make Changes

[HotPants]

NJ Gov. Pushes Atlantic City Plan

By John Curran
Associated Press Writer
Thursday, May 23, 2002; 10:53 AM

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. –– Gov. James E. McGreevey, under fire for a proposal to tax gambling freebies, says he is working on a plan to make Atlantic City more family-friendly.

In a speech Wednesday to casino executives, civil leaders and Wall Street analysts, the governor said within six months, the state would have a plan to clean up the Boardwalk, improve traffic flow in the resort and study the possibility of a light rail rapid transit system.

"We will make Atlantic City the premier family destination site in the nation," he said at the sixth annual Mid-Atlantic Gaming Congress.

McGreevey said about $5 million would be set aside for Boardwalk revitalization and that 3,500 parking spaces would be added.

To improve transportation, he said a light rail system may link the city with its airport and Philadelphia. Delta Connection has already said it will offer daily jet service between Atlantic City and its Cincinnati hub on Oct. 1.

The speech did not mention the governor's plan to impose a 6 percent levy on complimentary hotel rooms, meals and show tickets given to gamblers as incentives. The proposal has been criticized by casino executives as a money grab on an industry that already pays more than $430 million in state taxes annually.

The governor has said it could help erase the state's $5 billion budget deficit. "Those are ongoing negotiations," he said after his speech.

Also Wednesday, McGreevey broke ground for The Walk-Atlantic City, a 310,000-square foot retail project, and cut the ribbon on an expansion at Harrah's Atlantic City. A new casino hotel, the Borgata – the first in 12 years – is set to open in July 2003.

© 2002 The Associated Press

[The Prophet]

Re: Atlantic City looking to Make Changes

Family friendly Atlantic City...now THERE'S a brilliant idea! After all the "family friendly" Las Vegas worked so well. Uh, not really......

This is as stupid as legalizing gambling in Orlando to try and make Disneyworld more appealing to adults. Maybe he should start by getting all of the hookers, drug dealers and bums off the streets and THEN worry about cleaning up the Boardwalk.

It must be an election year, because this sort of boneheaded scheme wouldn't fly if it wasn't.

Actually, its hard to argue with what he wants to do--I don't have any problem with him wanting to clean the place up and who could gripe about improving traffic flow. But why does he have to justify basic infrastructure improvements as being "for the children?". That's the surest sign of an intellectually bankrupt politician--if a proposed legislation can't be justified with anything else than saying its "for the children" you can be assured that there's no decent rationale for it.

How about getting the state government even further out of micromanaging the gaming business......

Jim
THE PROPHET
www.netprophetsports.com

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. –– Gov. James E. McGreevey, under fire for a proposal to tax gambling freebies, says he is working on a plan to make Atlantic City more family-friendly.

[Jeff]

Atlantic City has a long road ahead of it.

They had trouble competing even before there were Indian Casinos on every block and the closest comptetitor was in the middle of the desert across the country.

The biggest problem, I guess, is the neighborhood. It's brutal.

The new mega resort Hotel Casino called the Borgata which I think will be ready next year is a step in the right direction.

Gotta give people new reasons to go to AC.

[stardust]

I went to A.C. in 1986 and had a nice hot tub mirrored wall type room in the Sands.

I was used to Vegas and when I woke up at about 3:30 a.m., I was sadly surprised to find the tables closing. I think that has changed now.

The area was/is a dump, the people are only there to empty your pockets; the dealers are unfriendly, the table stakes too high and the food expensive.

They'll come up to a $10 table and change the stakes to $25. You either play $25 or leave. In Vegas a player at a $10 table is allowed to continue playing the lower amount when the table stakes are changed.

I like to gamble, but even though I live within 3 hours of A.C., I haven't been back since 1986. I've been to Vegas 5x or more in the same time frame.

If you dropped a $100 chip in Vegas, someone would pick it up, hand it to you and say: "Excuse me, I think you dropped this." whereas a mad scramble would ensue in A.C. under the same circumstances.

The trouble with places that aren't Vegas is exactly that - they aren't Vegas. The whole atmosphere is what contributes to the fun and attraction of sin city.

IMO - there is no substitute for the original; the rest are just cheap copies.

[Blowfish]

AMEN!!!

[Jeff]

I agree with you Sonny.

I live 3 1/2 hrs from Atlantic City and 1/2 an hour from Foxwoods and Mohegun Sun.

Last time I was in AC was the Foreman/Holyfield fight I think. Maybe one time after that.

I've been to Foxwoods and Mohegun just a few times. No real draw there.

I can't count the number of times I've been to Vegas.

Just went last week.

I agree 100%.....it's the whole atmosphere.