Pier at Caesars Struggles...

December 2007/January 2008

December is a not so great month for casinos, but should be a better than average month for retailers in the Atlantic City area. But The Insider keeps hearing complaints from merchants at The Pier at Caesars who suggest that the project just isn't doing the business it should.

One of those merchants spoke to The Insider last month at a casino civic function and told us that his decision to go into The Pier at Caesars was one of the worst he has made in his business career in Atlantic City.

This merchant has been successful in business for a long time in Atlantic City and has been able to evolve with the market.

"It's been terrible," the merchant told The Insider. "We had to sign a long-term deal and the business just isn't there. I don't know why, but we have stores on other parts of the city along the Boardwalk that do much better."

The Insider took a stroll inside The Pier late in November during a weeknight. Now granted it was on a weeknight, but you could have shot a cannon through the facility on this night and not hurt anybody. Even the restaurants on the third floor were not busy. Now research tells The Insider that weekend business at the classy restaurants on the third floor is good, but not great. And that business also seems to coincide when special events are held at Boardwalk Hall.

Game On, the sports restaurant/ bar on the third floor, does well on the weekends and when boxing is here.

But even Game On was empty on this weeknight in late November when there was some good football on television.

Perhaps the problems at The Pier at Caesars reflect a larger problem for Atlantic City; that the city is still a day-tripper kind of town. Until those who market the city at the casinos and the ACCVA can deliver a strategy to get people to extend their stays when they come to Atlantic City, projects like The Pier will continue to suffer.

The Pier has a great view and some very unique attractions; it just needs more customers and clients. And with The Walk and the The Quarter as competitors the question must be asked: Is there enough business for all these properties to survive?

Ken Condon to consult Harrah’s...

There was some positive news that surfaced in November from Harrah's Entertainment which announced that Ken Condon, the Bally's senior vice president, will be staying on as consultant for boxing and special events after his contract runs out this month.

Condon has been responsible for bringing in major concerts and boxing matches to Boardwalk Hall which bring people to the city and thus benefit projects like The Pier at Caesars.

Borgata boxing

Speaking of boxing, Borgata staged a decent fight card at its casino last month which was televised by HBO: Boxing After Dark. The night before the card it was announced that New Jersey State Athletic Control Board chairman Larry Hazzard was replaced by New Jersey attorney general Anne Milgram. No reason was given for Hazzard's dismissal, and his exit sent shockwaves throughout the boxing community in Atlantic City.

There has to be more to this story, so stay tuned.

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.