Our man in Atlantic City has posted a flurry of dispatches, mainly concerning his new stomping ground, Harrah’s Resort. What you see above is the indoor pool, which doubles as a nightclub. When last visited, there was a (short) line to buy nightclub tickets. Next door, where the buffet formerly reposed, is Bobby’s Burger Bar, another in the McFranchising of Bobby Flay line. It’s described to us as “very plain looking, probably ‘naming rights’ only.” Adds our correspondent, “I should have said it is alleged to be a Bobby Flay restaurant. Since I’ve seen fancier food courts, it doesn’t have the look of a Bobby Flay-branded place.” Below the fold is, believe it or not, the Harrah’s casino floor. We say ‘believe it or not’ because Harrah’s is the best-performing of the Caesars Entertainment threesome in Atlantic City and one would expect it to be doing better. As our scribe writes, “Harrah’s is quite large and is well maintained. It’s hard to understand why they don’t have more customers.”
Meanwhile, would someone send the chamber of commerce a clue as to what’s happening on its doorstep? “We happened to go Bally’s Atlantic City VIP lounge which has a direct ocean view, and saw all kinds of trucks and equipment on the beach. When we asked the server, he told us about the two-day ‘beach concert.’ I looked in the last two issues of The Press of Atlantic City and found nothing.” Hard Rock Atlantic City came to the rescue with an e-mail blast informing customers of the event, $99 a head.
In other Atlantic City news, Atlantic County is once again number-one in America for foreclosure activity out of 223 metro areas surveyed. The last time it achieved this dubious distinction was during the Great Recession, when it knocked Las Vegas out of the pole position. Cue another scripted panic by casino bosses.
Yesterday was a dark day for Shreveport and for health in America in general. The craven City Council voted 4-2 to bring smoking back to local casinos for fear of losing nicotine-stained business to Bossier City. One of the few dissenters was Councilman Jay Taliaferro, who said, “when we took a step two years ago, two and a half years ago, on behalf of the health of the casino workers to ban smoking, then I think it’s a step backward to repeal that act or that ordinance.” He claimed, though, that the council was acted on its own and hadn’t been contacted by any casino owners. We find that difficult (as in impossible) to believe. The Profiles in Cowardice Award, however, goes to Councilman Alan Jackson, who skipped the vote rather than take a stand.
Don’t say the councilors weren’t magnanimous. They only gave smokers 75% of the casino floor. </sarcasm> Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects was quick to weigh in from New Jersey, fulminating “the Shreveport City Council shamelessly betrayed their own local employees. The casino industry’s old, tired arguments are failing them everywhere that workers stand up for their wellbeing. Their lobbyists had nothing left to do but use their bought-and-paid-for politicians to pull the rug out from underneath workers in a safe, healthy and profitable environment and steal that back from them.” We couldn’t agree more.
Ditto Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, which blasted the cowed politicians, writing that “It is shameful that the Shreveport City Council has voted to repeal the smokefree workplace ordinance that was put in place to protect casino workers from having to breathe secondhand smoke on a daily basis. With this vote, the council has broken a promise to the hundreds of frontline workers who are the backbone of this industry … Councilors who voted for this ordinance today will be held accountable by the very casino workers whose lives they are putting in harm’s way.” Here’s hoping voters eject the four industry lackeys at the next election. Meanwhile, in a country where child labor is making a comeback and the support system is being kicked out from under poor people, smoking apologists—having been given an inch—are certain to react to the Shreveport Surrender by taking a mile.
Labor talks at the Palms Casino Resort have flown under the radar ever since the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians took the keys to the place. Until yesterday. That’s when it was announced that in the wee hours of Friday morning (3 a.m., to be precise) the Culinary Union had inked a pact with Palms ownership covering 900 employees for three years. Covered are guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, and stewards. The Culinary managed to keep the deal under wraps until it was ratified by a 95% vote. It took a while but San Manuel far outpaced tortoise-powered Station Casinos, which dragged its feet unconscionably on Palms unionization since 2018. The bottom line is that San Manuel did the right thing and deserves our thanks—and patronage.
Who regulates the regulators? That’s the question after Maine Gambling Control Unit Executive Director Milt Champion was suspended (with pay) last week. The top regulator was benched, in a move announced yesterday, for unbecoming Twitter tweets. Seems he made disparaging remarks about women and boosted white nationalism. Instead of a boost, Champion himself probably deserves the boot. There’s no room for sexism or bigotry in today’s gaming industry.
Not so fast. That’s what New York State‘s top gaming regulator is saying about the Fanatics Betting & Gaming acquisition of PointsBet. Seems that Fanatics, which had already been turned down for an Empire State license, thinks it can get into New York through the back door, since PointsBet already operates there. Put a pause on that NFL-season launch goal. “The transaction itself requires staff review, and Fanatics will begin the process of the background investigation of it, its related entities, and persons who are designated as qualifiers,” stated New York State Gaming Commission Executive Director Robert Williams. In other words, the license doesn’t carry over in New York once the PointsBet deal closes. Fanatics is in a big hurry to enter the sports betting arena everywhere at once and thus Williams’ remarks are sure to chap its ass.
Jottings: Speaking of things that flew under the radar, The Mirage has surreptitiously relocated its last three surviving dolphins to a refuge in the Caribbean. The trio—Lady Ace, Huf-N-Puf and Coco—are now disporting in the Virgin Islands. Said casino President Joe Lupo, “The dolphins will continue receiving the quality professional care they had at The Mirage, and they will continue to educate the public to care for and protect the ocean.” Bravo … DraftKings just can’t grow up. In its home state of Massachusetts it’s vexing regulators with its acceptance of unauthorized bets. The company took the wagers without even checking to see if they were kosher, which seems to be about par for the course with DraftKings. At least they’re not being fined—so far … ICYMI, Sands Nassau is the recipient of a 99-year lease, qualifying it for a New York State casino. County commissioners voted 17-1 in favor of Las Vegas Sands‘ $5 billion grand scheme …
It’s baaack. Yes, Urban One, the casino that wouldn’t die, is being revived by Richmond‘s city council, despite losing in a narrow Virginia plebiscite two years ago. Rationalized one booster of the $562 project, “It was a referendum. You always get another chance but this time the message would be clearer.” Those silly voters. What do they know? … Bally’s Entertainment is still a company very much in the process of becoming, concluded Jefferies analysts this week. Pluses included good brick-and-mortar cash flow and capex projects. Cons include the declines of regional sports networks, on which Bally’s had bet the mortgage.
THERE is a problem at harrahs ac with the parking garage. when you exit there are only automated kiosks which sometimes wont let you out. its very frustrating.