Summer off to a record start...

June 2007

The Memorial Day Weekend is over and the results are in: It was one of the busiest ever at the Jersey Shore and the best since 1999. Of course much of it was weather- driven as the weather cooperated in spectacular fashion.

Ocean City was packed, and on Sunday evening from 4:00 p.m. to about 7:45 p.m. there was gridlock on both the Atlantic City Expressway and the Black Horse Pike getting into Atlantic City. But the gridlock dissipated around 8:30 p.m. as it seemed everybody was trying to get on the island at the same time.

In fact, the weather was so good that even the Governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, was seen walking on the Ocean City Boardwalk on Sunday afternoon. Rendell may have slots now in Pennsylvania, but he still doesn't have an ocean or a boardwalk. Rendell, of course, owns property in Ocean City. The only downer of the weekend was the ocean water temperature remained cold, which prevented a lot of bathers from venturing into the water.

The Memorial Day weekend also was the opening of flounder season, though the fishing was slow in the back bays of Ocean City.

With the price of gas on everybody's mind, it did nothing to deter the crowds, and there is a consensus that the gas prices may actually help the Jersey Shore in that people will stay closer to home this summer instead of going on long-distance trips.

Some merchants were predicting a banner season but they hedged their bets with the weather.

"You can analyze this and that, but it always comes down to the weather,'' said one Boardwalk merchant in Ocean City. "This is a great start however.''

Meanwhile in Atlantic City...

The battle lines were being drawn between the union movement and casino management as well as Atlantic City casinos against the Philadelphia slot parlors. The general consensus is that the Pennsylvania slots have had more of an impact than previously imagined. One casino, the Tropicana, was running behind 15 to 20 percent from the same time period last year. The Tropicana, like many Atlantic City casinos, was hoping for a huge Memorial Day weekend.

Figures were not available at deadline on this column, but The Insider will have some for you next month.

Dealers Union voted down at AC Hilton...

On the union front, casino management won another victory when dealers at The Hilton narrowly defeated the union movement. That's two wins in a row for management as Trump Marina dealers also rejected the union vote - led by the UAW - earlier in May.

But one of the biggest votes takes place on June 2nd when dealers at Bally's decide on the issue. This promises to be a hotly contested election with management at Bally's working long and hard to stave off the union. Everybody - from Ken Condon on down - has been involved in the anti-union effort.

Meanwhile the local daily - The Press of Atlantic City - has been enjoying a revenue windfall as both sides are taking full-page ads out in the publication at prices ranging from $7,000 to $10,000 a pop.

One of the mysteries of the union movement is why Tropicana has not been targeted by the UAW despite all the layoffs at that property.

Whatever the result of the Bally election, the dialogue the union movement has created between management and dealers has been seen as positive in many circles.

"There have been issues brewing for four or five years and now they are out and on the table,'' said one veteran Bally's dealer, who wished to remain anonymous.

Memorial Day weekend entertainment Review...

The entertainment over Memorial Day weekend was hot as ever with the Gwen Stefani show at Borgata winning Best of Memorial Day weekend from The Insider. Steely Dan at Borgata was a close second, along with the Fergielicious Show at the House of Blues. It's only the beginning of what promises to be a great summer on the entertainment scene...

New Inlet Restaurant packed...

Meanwhile in Somers Point the new place, The Inlet (formerly Waterfront and Sails) was packed all weekend. The prices are now more affordable, but on Sunday night the crowd was also much younger as they brought back The Reggae Night. Okay Rhasta Mon... see you next month in The Insider.

The Insider is written by a prominent local business person who chooses to remain anonymous at this time. The opinions and news bites are that of The Insider and do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of this magazine, it's staff, or its publisher.