Atlantic City
Casino InsiderTM
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Atlantic City casinos are open 24
hours a day, waiting for you to try
your luck. The casinos offer more than just the games. You'll find headline
entertainment in Atlantic City. Top stars consider Atlantic City a
must-stop on any tour -- and that makes our casinos a must-visit
destination for you. Sports fans won't want to miss any of the
championship bouts that take place in our arenas.
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The Uncensored Atlantic City Casino Rating Guide
If you think all casinos in Atlantic City are pretty much the same, you're not that far off the mark. Aesthetics, cosmetics and architectural themes aside, there isn't much that really sets one apart from the other in terms of excitement and energy. Still, there are some differences that can be measured... so we did. For the past six months we have gone to each casino to find out how they rate... you may be surprised at our findings.
Each month we'll share a few snippets from e-mails, notes and letters we receive from readers about Atlantic City's casinos. If you've got a comment that you'd like published, send it to Casino Insider, PO Box 829, Ocean City NJ 08226 or e-mail the copy to info@acinside.com
New "Rating Guide" "The Best!"
...I come to Atlantic City at least once a month, sometimes twice. Of course I always pick up a copy of the "Insider's Guide." I was even more surprised than usual this month to find a great Casino Rating Guide. Right on the money with the exception of Caesars, my personal favorite. Keep it coming.
Mary,
Montclair, NJ
Please tell me why...???
...I can't understand why casinos don't provide rules to their table games. Don't they know that the only reason some people don't play is because they don't know how? Duh...
Artie,
New York, NY
You may win but you'll have to wait at the Hilton...
...We recently played (and won) at the Hilton on a quiet weekday evening. We waited patiently for a beverage server while playing slots. After thirty minutes we went in search of the elusive server, only to be told we weren't waiting thirty minutes. Huh..?
Phil,
Wilmington, DE
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The third installment of the "Unbiased, Uncensored, Raw Look at Atlantic City's Casinos" and how they operate, rating guide, features some more ingenious commentary on what to expect at each of Atlantic City's casino properties. The properties are rated according to specific categories, as well as their overall experience. Ratings are sometimes shown with a decimal point to more accurately reflect the rating for the casino in that category, as well as its overall performance. A "Dan Klein's South Jersey Insider" "Best" rating is denoted by a
Good =  Needs A Kick =
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THE Best Of The REST
Trump Plaza's three and a half diamonds represents the "Best" of the rest for the purposes of this column. As far as Atlantic City goes, Trump Plaza still reigns. Last month we talked about the fabulous richly appointed design, and exciting casino floor, that allows you to carry on a conversation and not fake that you are actually able to discern the words of your partner. We also chatted about the 1400 new slots. But another reason the Plaza has garnered such a rating is their employees aren't mad at you for them being there.
Professionalism, customer interactivity with personality. More reasons why the "Plaza" is, without a doubt, Atlantic City's classiest, and most sophisticated casino. Three months in a row as our top casino. Nice Job!
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THE Better
Resorts... Goes up to 3.2 diamonds as they "Keep the Ball Rolling" in September. They've added an Oxygen Bar (brilliant), and are planning a new restaurant facility, owned and operated by Anthony Capetola, owner operator of the Temple Bar & Grille at Caesars, as well as other upscale eateries in Las Vegas. Capetola, who also owns the Oxygen Bar, has been one of the few independent operators to successfully break through the invisible barrier that seems to exist in Atlantic City for those looking to lease space from casinos to conduct their business, while providing an attraction to the casino hotel.
Capetola is a free wheeling entrepreneur, but he dots his "I's" and crosses his "T's" in how he runs his businesses. The casinos like that. He also conceptualizes businesses that enhance and create traffic for the casinoproperty. They like that too. While Atlantic City's casinos prefer to control all of the action, and are reluctant to open the door to independant businesspeople, that is starting to change. Resorts also is buoyed by a strong entertainment line-up heading into the fall...
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Trump Casinos (Marina & Taj Mahal)... Both The Marina & The Taj Mahal remain at 2.6 Diamonds on the stregth of their entertainment lineups for the month. Something's up in Trump Land though, folks. The recent departure of long time Public Relations honcho, Suze' Di Pietro Stewert sent shockwaves through the industry. Also of note is the fact that oher than Alice Cooper in late October, no other entertainment has been posted for the two properties. Stay tuned...
Marina
Casino Promotions - Customer Service - Restaurants - Overall - .6 Taj Mahal
Casino Promotions - Gambling Experience - Restaurants - .5 Overall - .6
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Park Place Entertainment... The timetable for the redevelopment of Ocean I Mall into an exclusive array of "Monopoly" themed retail shops and eateries has been moved up, and the current business tennts at the one-of-a-kind mall have been given their walking papers sooner than expected. Other than that, not much new to report, and not much has changed.
Bally's Park Place
Atmosphere - Entertainment - Gambling Experience - Restaurants - Overall - .3 Caesars
Casino Promotions - Gambling Experience - Claridge
Atmosphere - Casino Promotions - Customer Service - Entertainment - Gambling Experience - Restaurants - Hilton
Atmosphere - Casino Promotions - Gambling Experience -
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Harrah's & Showboat... Mobile Graceland is coming to Harrah's on September 18th & 19th. That should give you an idea about the target group of the Harrah's/Showboat message. That group helped Harrah's Atlntic City to a record slot revenue month in August. Showboat stages an entertainment coup of sorts by signing Al Martino to appear in September.
Harrah's
Atmosphere - Entertainment - Gambling Experience - Restaurants - Showboat
Casino Promotions - Entertainment - Gambling Experience - Restaurants -
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Tropicana... Maintains a 2.3 Diamond rating for September. Lots of energy, good intentions abound, and lots of cool things going on collectively, but something is definitely missing. Slot revenue down despite an increase in overall slot revenue throughout the city. In fairness, that's probably attributed to the brand new retail/entertainment complex under construction right next door, which gives them a construction margin of error padded their way. Another casino to watch for the fall entertainment and promotion line-up...It just hasn't been released yet.
Atmosphere - Customer Service - Gambling Experience - .5 Restaurants - .4
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Sands... The Sands has not completely eliminated table games, as was previously reported. They have, however, cut down considerably, with an eye for that direction. More interesting, is the fact that while they have added more slots, they have declined to 7th in the "slot odds" payback ranking department.
Atmosphere - Customer Service - Entertainment - Gambling Experience - .5
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InTown
The following headliners are scheduled to appear in their respective casino venues. Additional shows will be booked through the period; check our web site at www.shorelinker.com for showroom updates. All casino entertainment is subject to scheduling changes. An asterisk(*) denotes an Atlantic City debut. Tickets to most shows are available through the individual box offices or through Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420.
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SEPTEMBER
- 6th - Olivia Newton-John, Hilton
- 6th - Alabama, Tropicana
- 6th - Marc Anthony, Trump Taj
- 6th-7th - Meatloaf, Caesars
- 7th - Buddy Guy, Trump Marina
- 20th - Peter Frampton, Trump Marina
- 21st - Graham Nash, Trump Taj
- 21st - Foreigner, Trump Marina
- 27th - Musiq, Trump Taj
- 27th-29th - Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Resorts
- 28th - Lee Ann Womack, Trump Taj
- 28th - Jonny Lang, Trump Taj
- 28th - Paul McCartney, Boardwalk Hall
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OCTOBER
- 4th - Bowzer's Doo-Wop Party, Trump Taj
- 4th-6th - Randy Travis, Claridge
- 4th-6th - Howie Mandel, Caesars
- 4th-6th - Shirley Jones, Harrah's
- 11th-12th - Trisha Yearwood, Caesars
- 11th-13th - Al Martino, Showboat
- 12th-13th - Joy Behar, Hilton
- 17th-20th - Tony Bennett, Caesars
- 20th - Charlie Daniels Band, Tropicana
- 22nd-25th - The Smothers Brothers, Hilton
- 25th-27th - Don Rickles, Tropicana
- 26th - Joan Rivers, Trump Plaza
- 26th-27th - Kenny Rogers, Hilton
- 27th - Regis Philbin w/ Susan Lucci, Resorts
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NEWS
Local - South Jersey
It's only a short drive from Atlantic City to escape to the casual elegance that Bay Head offers...
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