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Can
Atlantic City be compared to Las Vegas?
Atlantic City is the gaming capital
of the East Coast, although don't be fooled by
this tidbit of information. They still have their
work cut out for them. Atlantic City is often
noted as being 15-20 years behind the "development"
of its West Coast counterpart - Las Vegas. A $750
million joint venture between Boyd Gaming and
Mirage Resorts, named "The Borgata",
is slated to open in the fall 2002, and is expected
to bring a breath of fresh air to the development
and attractiveness of Atlantic City.
Before you say, "This is
article is unrealistic, or even consider it Atlantic
City bashing, think again. I have lived next to
Atlantic City most of my life. I enjoy Atlantic
City. They have made significant improvements
in the last few years, and hopefully, more are
on the way.
My argument is that there are
a multitude of fundamental differences between
Las Vegas and Atlantic City. When you compare
the two gaming Mecca's, putting aside the physical
settings between them, they are miles apart (pun
intended). Las Vegas has the upper hand on cleanliness,
food, service, attractions, and square footage.
Why you say?
Perhaps it is the weather on
the East Coast. Perhaps it is the age of the city.
Atlantic City needs a lot of soap and water or
a major reconstructive face-lift. To plant some
trees and build a fountain might be a good start!
Grass is non-existent. Add some sod! If you are
going to charge $2.00 to park in a parking garage,
at least repave the roads and clean the streets
once in a while.
A phenomenon I cannot explain
is the absolute difference in food quality between
Atlantic City and Las Vegas buffets. They do ship
fresh food to the East Coast right? I have visited
Las Vegas many times and really enjoyed the quality
and freshness of the food. Each time I went back
to Atlantic City, I was horrified to see canned
pineapple and boxed mashed potatoes! They desperately
need a well-valued buffet in Atlantic City. Many
of the ones we visited don't even come close to
those in Las Vegas.
The dealers and the staff never
seem as attentive, happy, or outgoing in Atlantic
City. Again, maybe it is the weather. Perhaps
doctors prescribe more Prozac and Ritalin on the
West Coast? I am at a loss of words to explain
this. Can anyone explain this?
Just about every casino in Las
Vegas has a "shtick", an attraction
to draw people to THEIR casino (a volcano, white
tigers, dolphins, a roller coaster, a good show).
Atlantic City has missed the boat on this little
marketing gem. Although there has been an effort
to develop this area, there is a lot of room for
improvement. The future Atlantic City is right
around the corner, and the smart casinos will
create a "shtick" soon.
Another issue that is stunning
to most visitors, is that you sometimes have to
wait to play at a slot machine or at some table
games. This usually occurs during peak times such
as Friday, Saturdays, and even on major holidays.
Many gamblers in Las Vegas would be annoyed if
this were to happen to them.
Table limits in Atlantic City
have absolutely skyrocketed in the past few years.
While Las Vegas has $3 minimums in many places
- even during peak times, it is practically impossible
to find a $5 blackjack table during a peak time
in Atlantic City. You are lucky to even find a
$10 table at that time. Even if you find one,
it is sometimes 2 people deep waiting to play.
Many tables are $10-15 minimums, and many more
require $25 minimums.
Many of the Atlantic City bigwigs,
namely Donald Trump, did not exactly roll out
the red carpet for Steve Winn's company. In fact,
he fought every step of the way to prevent Steve
Winn's proposal for a new casino. The fact is
Trump and the other casinos will have to spend
more money to keep their customers coming back.
The introduction of The Borgata will stimulate
a new level of competition among the casinos.
The Atlantic City casinos need
a wake up call. Maybe they should visit Las Vegas
and get some hints. I say no comparison!
- CasinoJudge Staff Writer
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