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A few good things in AC

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Casino Hotels' started by Jerseyguy2, Apr 17, 2014.

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  1. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    Obviously for AC visitors mainly. The AC Club and the Claridge have been sold and will be opened as hotels. Bass Pro Shop will be ready in about a year and some million dollar condos slated to be built on the ocean. Also an apartment/condo project slated for vacant land near Showboat. Article in AC Press . At least some investment going on.
     
  2. jamesxnj

    jamesxnj VIP Whale

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    Hopefully United flights to ACY from Houston and Chicago will bring in some much needed tourists as well.
    It's up to AC to deliver them an experience they will want to return to.
     
  3. bdautch

    bdautch VIP Whale

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    I was just in AC this past weekend. I stayed at Bally's because I'm TR Platinum and can get comped there. It's actually nice that they DON'T have the Claridge, so you can't get saddled with those rooms. I wound up with a Dennis Tower top floor room...spacious, clean, and nice. I even managed to win a couple hundred bucks.

    That said, I drive there from Washington, DC. Takes three hours door to door. I can't imagine that town being desirable enough to visit if I lived much further away, though. It's kind of a Hooverville when you get past the casinos and outlet shops.
     
  4. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

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    Have you seen the timing of those United flights? Absolutely horrible :eek:
     
  5. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    United got cash incentives to come to AC

    They got one year of discounts on Airport fees ,gas and whatever for one year.
    After that year ,who knows. People are complaining that their fare to Chicago is too high . They also got 60k to help market AC as a destination. I'd love to see another discount carrier to fly out of ACY besides Spirit.
     
  6. lithium78

    lithium78 VIP Whale

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    I have family flying in from Chicago to enjoy a Jersey Shore vacation with us and they decided to fly into Philly instead of AC, because the flight times were ridiculous. They'd have to get up way before dawn to catch the flight from O'Hare. Absolutely terrible.
     
  7. Gomar

    Gomar Low-Roller

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    Claridge shut down many years ago. It was mostly locals and seniors throwing away their pensions, and nostalgia for good old days.

    Hilton became a locals casino, but guess it didnt work out.

    As for Revel, what's going on? They call it a resort, declare bankruptcy, new ads say gamblers wanted(hold on, why go to AC if not to gamble?). Nothing works.
    With Asian gamblers flocking to Resorts, big money going to Vegas, I dont see AC going up
     
  8. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    Call me crazy or just plain stupid.

    But I think they are going to have a good next 6 months in AC. Not just gambling but rooms ,restaurants,clubs will do ok. Naturally the weather has to cooperate some what. What do I base this on you say? When we drive down the Parkway usually once or twice a week to AC,I'm seeing more and more NY and PA plates heading south driving like maniacs. Obviously,heading to AC. Very sophisticated scientific research.
     
  9. Gomar

    Gomar Low-Roller

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    I see mostly blacks and whites at Port Authority heading to AC; no Asians, no Hispanics, few Russians. Asians is the meat of Resorts gamblers.
    AC does have Asian games, and Chinese writings all over. But why drive 3 hours to AC when they mostly live in Brooklyn and Queens?

    Summer is busy in AC; Winters are cold, which is why casinos will never be built on Coney Island(like Trump wanted to).
     
  10. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    Funny you mentioned the Asians

    Piece in the AC Press yesterday about AC targeting Asian gamblers. But ,dont look for the wealthy Asian people in Port Auth. riding busses. Lear Jets ,Limos and their own Benzes is how those guys roll.
     
  11. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    We keep getting free room offers for Sunday-Thursday, but rates zoom up to $250-500 a night on Saturday night. We finally made it to Harrah's last Thursday and used up a comp, but the pool was packed, not a chaise to be found, only one bar was open in the pool area, and of course, it was packed. Another time, maybe. Had a great dinner at Angelo's Fairmont Tavern, an old school red gravy place that's reasonable. The weather was not very cooperative Thursday and Friday, overcast and cold with a light breeze.

    I noticed an Asian-themed room at Caesars, maybe some of the others have them as well, but I didn't notice. For anyone visiting soon, there is an offer on Foursquare for a free drink at the Toga Bar for checking in. Alas, I had a flat Brooklyn lager and my daughter had a flat Coke, but it was free.

    The area on the boardwalk south of Boardwalk Hall is being developed into retail, as if there isn't enough already. We walked through the Pier Shops in front of Caesars and many of the retail store fronts were not rented.

    We are still trying to plan a trip to Vegas this year, after all, there is only one Mecca all others are a distant second. With that said, Atlantic City has 11 casinos with four of them being tied to CET's Total Rewards program, and with the summer coming up, its worth a visit. If it gets too hot, take a dip in the ocean.
     
  12. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    We were at Golden Nugget thurs. night

    Didnt stay over but had a good night . Always enjoyed Angelos , house red vino really good there. Ate at Grotto,they do a family style dinner like Carmines. Brought a ton of meatballs and pasta home. Last three trips have been winners,not huge,but a good night out and winning anything beats losing.
     
  13. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    I haven't been to AC since, well, I was a teen and gambling had not yet been legalized; close but not yet.

    Being a Left Coaster, I have certain images of the joint, perhaps fostered by pop culture so the veracity might be suspect. After all, folks think CA is Hollywood and fruits and nuts.
     
  14. lithium78

    lithium78 VIP Whale

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    They need better retail shopping in AC, especially on the Boardwalk. Right now, the best retail shopping are the outlets in the middle of town and the shops on the Boardwalk are all crappy trinket shops that look rundown and cheap. The Pier Shops are a good idea, but there isn't enough business in AC right now because there isn't much to do other than gamble and go on the beach. You can gamble pretty much anywhere in the USA right now and there are plenty of other beaches on the Jersey Shore. AC needs more original entertainment to get people to visit.
     
  15. Kickin

    Kickin Flea

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    No I think the Asian people taking buses or driving in is exactly who they want to target (and should). Forget the Asian whale crowd, AC isn't going to get that. But the regular Asian crowd still gambles big relative to most people. AC used to have a lot of Chinatown buses going down there all day but I've heard those greatly diminished. Now they mostly go to places like Sands Bethlehem.

    That has been there for a loooong time. I can't tell you when it first opened, but its been ages. I assume you're talking about the Asian gaming room? The place with all the baccarat, pai gow, etc. I love the noodle bar right near that.
     
  16. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    For sure, gaming is reaching its saturation point, there are 5 casinos within an hours' drive of my home. I guess one of the reasons I like visiting AC is that if I don't like the vibe of one place, I can leave and visit another with a short walk or a cab ride. How many areas outside of Reno can one hit 10 different casinos in one night? Even though the casinos in neighboring states are grabbing market share, AC still generates a $3 Billion annual gambling "win". Pennsylvania is now the second largest market, but its one that's geographically spread out, while AC is just one town.

    Its a shame that these casinos in NJ saw the competition coming, but did little to reinvent themself and develop non-gaming revenue streams. CET owns four properties and all of the others have been in bankruptcy one or more times, I guess this didn't help them deal with competition.

    Kickin', yes, this is the place I was referring to, its kind of near the boardwalk on the south side. If you like noodles, there is a Vietnamese place called Little Saigon, it gets good reviews, I've been meaning to try it.

    As for retail, not sure if there is enough business to justify more of it along the boardwalk, plus it would be unpopular to evict the t-shirt and souvenir shops. But with Bass Pro Shops opening up next to the outlets maybe there will help draw more visitors.

    As for entertainment, it seems the headliners are concentrated on Saturday nights, which is a pain because room rates are so high. So in addition to paying $200-300 for a pair of tickets, I have to shell out another $300+ for a room, leaving me enough left over for a bowl of Phó.
     
  17. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    Did you read the article in the AC Press?

    They have marketing teams set up to bring Asians in on junkets to stay in the hotels. Nothing about day trippers on busses. Borgata,Harrahs and GN dont bus anybody in.
     
  18. wizard950

    wizard950 High-Roller

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    I agree with Hammie, Angelo's has been a very good place to eat for a long, long time in AC. If you have never been there, give it a try.
     
  19. lotso-bear

    lotso-bear VIP Whale

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    You sure about this? Personally, I think the retail shopping in AC (specifically the outlet) is good. The Pier Shops is a good idea but the stores that are in there are way over budget for many of the tourists. Have you seen how empty it is over there versus when they started? :confused2: IMHO the people who truly have money to spend go to Vegas not AC.
     
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