Atlantic City Open Forum
Quote: chickenmanLike someone once said about the stock market, "The bulls can make money; the bears can make money; the pigs can't make money."
Sounds like poker.
Sasquatch casino is my favorite casino in the Universe:Quote: BuzzardNow the adjacent casino is Sasquatch, leased from Penn, Silver Hawk is closed again, Bullwhackers is mostly empty, no promos at all at gas stations. Piss poor management strikes again.
Quote: NokTangWhere do most of the employees live? I once heard a "rumor" there was a ferry from Philly but never confirmed it.
Nok, I just wanted to make sure I understood....What do you mean by "ferry"? Like "ferrying" people from point A to B or an actual Ferry?
Anyway most of the people stay in and around AC, either Brigantine, Egg harbor township, Absecon. I'm sure some live as far out as Philly but why would they then want to work in AC? I would much rather find a job in a successful casino such as Parx or Bethlehem or one of those.....
The salt of the earth employees in and around AC have been there since time began. They are not flush and for the most part struggle to make ends meet. THey won't be able to afford a commute such as the 45 miles (or so) one way between Philly and AC.
If the fortunes of the casinos don't turn around there I fear the good people who have sustained AC employment for so long will head the way of the dodo...........
Quote: TomspurNok, I just wanted to make sure I understood....What do you mean by "ferry"? Like "ferrying" people from point A to B or an actual Ferry?
.
I recall talk of an actual ferryboat. Living in Philly and working in AC wasn't unheard of back in the days when the casino's first opened.
Quote: NokTangI recall talk of an actual ferryboat. Living in Philly and working in AC wasn't unheard of back in the days when the casino's first opened.
That would take quite a while. The two cities are about 60 miles apart by land (still a 2-3 hour ferry ride, at least), but a boat would have to go down the Delaware river, into the Delaware bay, and then up the coast, probably 6 hours. But I'm no mariner, I'm just guessing.
Quote: rdw4potusBethlehem Sands is a heck of a casino, but I think AC is actually closer to Center City Philadelphia than Bethlehem is.
About the same, 62 to AC and 69 to Bethlehem, but AC is also the straighter shot with a better road.
Quote: rdw4potusThere are casino employees on the NJT train from Philly pretty much every time I ride it. Most get on in New Jersey, but some have boarded with me in Philly. Bethlehem Sands is a heck of a casino, but I think AC is actually closer to Center City Philadelphia than Bethlehem is. As for the ferry, AC is on the opposite side of New Jersey from Philly. So the Ferry would need to go down the Delaware river, around Cape May, and back up the Atlantic to AC. I guess that's not impossible, but the Expressway (with bus service) and train are both straight shots with costs at/under $10.
rdw, how long does the train from Philly to take, and how much? Do you do day trips to AC on the train, or overnights? Just curious.
Quote: AcesAndEightsrdw, how long does the train from Philly to take, and how much? Do you do day trips to AC on the train, or overnights? Just curious.
It takes about 90 minutes, and it costs $10. I've done both day trips and overnights. Day trips are a bit tedious because the last train from AC to Philly arrives after the last train from downtown to my neighborhood departs (meaning I can't exactly get home without cabbing it). So to do a day trip correctly, I'd need to leave AC in the early evening. Overnights are pretty easy - there's a free shuttle from the train station (@ the convention center) to most properties, and Jitney service is also frequent at $2.25/ride. On last week's trip, I took the shuttle to Bally's - it was just sitting there waiting - and then walked to Caesars and checked in. Odd side note: Caesars was the only TR property that had a free room available on 2/13.
edit: there are two trains on the route, so departures are about every 2 hours. There's plenty to see and do in the station in Philly (or elsewhere downtown), but it's a boring wait in AC. I'd cut the time as close as possible at the terminal in AC.
Quote: beachbumbabsOK, several of you on here might know the answer to this: for several years, I worked in DC and took frequent trips to AC (FAA tech center is there). I drove up thru Maryland/Delaware and usually got on 95 in DE, then the Jersey Turnpike going around the SE side of Philly. Why in heaven's name is there no entrance/exit from the Jersey Turnpike to the AC Expressway? Or is there now? I did more overland navigation trying to transition from one to the other; it was a nightmare.
There still isn't an interchange there. Much of the reason is geographical (the roads meet right on top of Timber Creek). There's just no reason for a ramp, let alone a fare-station. I think you're "meant" to take US40 or US322 when coming from the south. What, you didn't want to spend 45 extra minutes at stop lights in all the small towns along the way? Doing it your way, I'd probably take the turnpike to Black Horse Pike, then take that south to 42.
Similarly when leaving, there's no way to go from westbound AC expressway to a southbound (major) road. I take the same exit off 76, make a U-turn, and then have to cut across about 6-7 lanes of traffic in roughly 1/2 mile.
It's ludicrous!
Quote: teddysSasquatch casino is my favorite casino in the Universe:
And the guys that run it are old timers who know how to treat people. A rare find in casino's today.
Long and sordid Jersey history. It might pay to look into taking Interstate 295 when leaving the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It has a direct interchange with the AC Expressway.Quote: beachbumbabsWhy in heaven's name is there no entrance/exit from the Jersey Turnpike to the AC Expressway?
Quote: SanchoPanzaLong and sordid Jersey history. It might pay to look into taking Interstate 295 when leaving the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It has a direct interchange with the AC Expressway.
Only to/from the north side.
Quote: rdw4potusIt takes about 90 minutes, and it costs $10. I've done both day trips and overnights. Day trips are a bit tedious because the last train from AC to Philly arrives after the last train from downtown to my neighborhood departs (meaning I can't exactly get home without cabbing it). So to do a day trip correctly, I'd need to leave AC in the early evening. Overnights are pretty easy - there's a free shuttle from the train station (@ the convention center) to most properties, and Jitney service is also frequent at $2.25/ride. On last week's trip, I took the shuttle to Bally's - it was just sitting there waiting - and then walked to Caesars and checked in. Odd side note: Caesars was the only TR property that had a free room available on 2/13.
edit: there are two trains on the route, so departures are about every 2 hours. There's plenty to see and do in the station in Philly (or elsewhere downtown), but it's a boring wait in AC. I'd cut the time as close as possible at the terminal in AC.
Thanks for the info. I might be moving to the east coast 1-3 years out from now, so I'm scouting my gambling opportunities in advance. I've never been to AC and it sounds like a dump from all indications, but it sounds like there is plenty of "playable" blackjack.
Quote: AcesAndEightsThanks for the info. I might be moving to the east coast 1-3 years out from now, so I'm scouting my gambling opportunities in advance. I've never been to AC and it sounds like a dump from all indications, but it sounds like there is plenty of "playable" blackjack.
You'll need to play black most of the time to get 6 deck S17 and there's still no surrender. It could change in the future but I wouldn't hold my breath.
You're right. I've never picked up the expressway from the South, just Route 40. That interchange looks as ill planned and messy as Exit 3 on the Turnpike. Maybe the best answer is Route 168 to 41 to the expressway. Bellmawr and environs deserve all the traffic and construction they can bear. And Route 40 is no easy ride, either, despite what the drug traffickers swear by.Quote: SanchoPanzaLong and sordid Jersey history. It might pay to look into taking Interstate 295 when leaving the Delaware Memorial Bridge. It has a direct interchange with the AC Expressway.
Quote: wudgedOnly to/from the north side.
Quote: SanchoPanzaYou're right. I've never picked up the expressway from the South, just Route 40. That interchange looks as ill planned and messy as Exit 3 on the Turnpike. Maybe the best answer is Route 168 to 41 to the expressway. Bellmawr and environs deserve all the traffic and construction they can bear. And Route 40 is no easy ride, either, despite what the drug traffickers swear by.
Yeah, that's the work-around I developed after a lot of trouble and buying 3 different maps (pre googlepmap, can you believe how times change in just a decade?). It's about 8 miles cross-country thru there. I would've thought they would have done something about it. Yeesh.
Quote: 1BBYou'll need to play black most of the time to get 6 deck S17 and there's still no surrender. It could change in the future but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Yar. I may never have the bankroll/cajones/act to play black chip action. At least if I end up near PA there are state-mandated rules. The libertarian in me is angry, but the blackjack player in me is happy.
Quote: AcesAndEightsThanks for the info. I might be moving to the east coast 1-3 years out from now, so I'm scouting my gambling opportunities in advance. I've never been to AC and it sounds like a dump from all indications, but it sounds like there is plenty of "playable" blackjack.
Ha! I might move to Washington in 3ish years. Let's plan on crossing each other mid-move:-P
If BJ is your game, you want to play at PA Sands. It's so busy, they don't notice anything. The drive gets old, but the game is decent. At least right now, VP in AC is much better than it is in PA or MD. And, desperation leads to some decent offers.
Quote: rdw4potusHa! I might move to Washington in 3ish years. Let's plan on crossing each other mid-move:-P
Amusing! My fiance wants to get closer to her family, which are mostly in Vermont. Not too many jobs in Vermont, so we'll likely land in the Boston area, but who knows. Wherever we can get the best combination of jobs in relation to cost of living will likely win out. I wouldn't be surprised at any one of Boston, NYC, Philly, or DC. Although secretly I'm hoping somehow we can live in NH so I can join the Free State Project and not pay any state income taxes.
Quote:If BJ is your game, you want to play at PA Sands. It's so busy, they don't notice anything. The drive gets old, but the game is decent. At least right now, VP in AC is much better than it is in PA or MD. And, desperation leads to some decent offers.
Yeah, I'm thinking I can probably get a fair number of free rooms at the CET properties in AC just like I can now in Vegas. And despite only getting S17 rules at $100+ mins (which is the current situation by all indications), the attraction of having a ton of BJ tables in close geographical proximity is a draw. PA offers the state-mandated rules, but I haven't researched how close together the casinos are (my assumption is not very).
Quote: AcesAndEightsI wouldn't be surprised at any one of Boston, NYC, Philly, or DC. .
Interesting. I've never read nor heard of anyone actually wanting to move to these urban areas with all their snow, crime, and corruption....Good Luck with it.
Quote: NokTangInteresting. I've never read nor heard of anyone actually wanting to move to these urban areas with all their snow, crime, and corruption....Good Luck with it.
Well I mean, probably not actually in the city limits of any of those places :). She grew up in the 'burbs of DC; I've been there and it's very nice.
I like where we're at, but I've conceded this point in our relationship. She's closer to her parents and is also an only child, whereas my parents already have 4 grandkids from my sisters. So anyway, getting way off topic and personal here. It's not for another couple years anyway.
Perhaps someone is there this weekend and can provide an update.
Quote: beachbumbabsOK, several of you on here might know the answer to this: for several years, I worked in DC and took frequent trips to AC (FAA tech center is there). I drove up thru Maryland/Delaware and usually got on 95 in DE, then the Jersey Turnpike going around the SE side of Philly. Why in heaven's name is there no entrance/exit from the Jersey Turnpike to the AC Expressway? Or is there now? I did more overland navigation trying to transition from one to the other; it was a nightmare.
My GPS has always taken me off of the highway before the AC Expressway. I really have no idea where I'm going, it has led me on two completely different paths, but it works every time. My first time headed to AC involved the bus driver getting lost at the turnaround point, with the bus crowd getting pretty rowdy/pissed and heckling him all the way down the Expressway.
If it annoys you too much, you can always take the Lewes-Cape May Ferry...
http://www.capemaylewesferry.com/
"Move over, Hatfields and McCoys — there's another feud coming to television.
Spike TV is producing a limited event series about the bitter, decade-long rivalry between real estate developers Donald Trump and Steve Wynn. Kevin Spacey's Trigger Street Productions and Giant Pirates Entertainment are teaming with Spike on the project.
"The War at the Shore" is based on a book of the same name and will focus on the most ferocious five years of the feud — when Trump and Wynn waged a multibillion-dollar battle over the future of Atlantic City. It's a deeply personal, inside look at their struggle, as the book was written by Wynn's right-hand man at the time, Richard D. "Skip" Bronson.
Like a real-life "Boardwalk Empire," the story has plenty of juicy drama, with shades of corruption, backroom politicking, and all-out warfare (through the media, not with guns)."
http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/donald-trump-and-steve-wynn-s--mean-and-nasty--feud-getting-made-into-tv-series-202358652.html
Quote: AcesAndEightsAmusing! My fiance wants to get closer to her family, which are mostly in Vermont. Not too many jobs in Vermont, so we'll likely land in the Boston area, but who knows. Wherever we can get the best combination of jobs in relation to cost of living will likely win out. I wouldn't be surprised at any one of Boston, NYC, Philly, or DC. Although secretly I'm hoping somehow we can live in NH so I can join the Free State Project and not pay any state income taxes.
Yeah, I'm thinking I can probably get a fair number of free rooms at the CET properties in AC just like I can now in Vegas. And despite only getting S17 rules at $100+ mins (which is the current situation by all indications), the attraction of having a ton of BJ tables in close geographical proximity is a draw. PA offers the state-mandated rules, but I haven't researched how close together the casinos are (my assumption is not very).
Of those major cities, Philly is the cheapest and it isn't close. It's very easy to get from southern NH to the Boston area (and to VT). I suppose if you lived in NH and worked in MA, you may owe tax in MA.
Depending on how much you want to play (or, really, how much you're allowed to play) it might be worth noting that all 4 of those cities are on the same Amtrak line. You could live in or around Boston and still take the Amtrak to Philly & the NJT to AC on a long weekend.
The Philly casinos are all about 20 miles from each other and they're all reasonably easily accessed via mass transit (though, it's mostly a hub and spoke system, so getting from one to another would be a long process) , Sands is a bit north but worth the trip (so is Mount Airy, but that's farther still).
Rooms in AC are interesting. It's a much more elastic market than Vegas is. I've had free rooms at Harrah's and Caesars, and I've been forced to pay at Bally's and Showboat. There's no reliably available, reliably free option like the Quad or Rio.
Quote: TomspurMan am I glad we don't have toll roads in Nevada and I can drive wherever I want to go :)
Seriously I'm a cheap and impatient bastard, and I have to drive through Tropicana or Flamingo to get on the I-15 and try to avoid peak times just so I don't have to sit in traffic. That and I plan my breakfast/lunches around free buffets.
Also quick story: I was meeting some people at a casino nearby where I was at. I didn't have my car at the time so I decided to run from the casino I was at, across a street with no sidewalks and no stop signs, and into the other casino. It would have been a 5 minute taxi ride but I figured I could save like $13 by running. Turns out time is money in the world of AP'ing and I should have taken the taxi.
Quote: djatcSeriously I'm a cheap and impatient bastard, and I have to drive through Tropicana or Flamingo to get on the I-15 and try to avoid peak times just so I don't have to sit in traffic. That and I plan my breakfast/lunches around free buffets.
Also quick story: I was meeting some people at a casino nearby where I was at. I didn't have my car at the time so I decided to run from the casino I was at, across a street with no sidewalks and no stop signs, and into the other casino. It would have been a 5 minute taxi ride but I figured I could save like $13 by running. Turns out time is money in the world of AP'ing and I should have taken the taxi.
Vegas is getting progressively more nuts, with the non stop influx of people and the horrible drivers from Cali......but i still love to drive the wide open spaces. The 215 is my best friend as it is never quite as busy as the 15 between Trop and Sahara :)
Rather use Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin. Usually much easier and quicker.
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/class-action-lawsuit-filed-in-borgata-chipgate-scandal-25442/
Quote: 7star4nowClass Action Lawsuit Filed In Borgata “Chipgate” Scandal
http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/class-action-lawsuit-filed-in-borgata-chipgate-scandal-25442/
"That leak, caused by 2.7 million in counterfeit Borgata tournament poker chips that Lusardi allegedly flushed down the commode, led Harrah’s officials to contact the Borgata to warn them about the introduction of other counterfeits."
This aspect still defies belief. Someone had to find and count the flushed chips. Someone at Harrah's had to make the call/visit. Someone at Borgata had to accept the call/visit. All of it over a pile of shit. This really sums up why people don't walk around AC like they do DisneyWorld.
http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/casinos/Ballys-Wild-West-Expansion-246572081.html
Is there some kind of unused space this room is occupying?Quote: 7star4nowBally’s Wild West Expansion
http://www.atlanticcityweekly.com/casinos/Ballys-Wild-West-Expansion-246572081.html
I posted what I have observed here.
Quote: Lemieux66I played some blackjack at revel the other day (I enjoy walking between Revel, Taj, and Resorts for blackjack. Good to break up the counting heat. Oh and btw Showboat has horrible penetration so that's not on the list.) and some woman had a 17 vs dealer 8. She hit! I asked her after why she did that. She said "the dealer had an 8. What was I gonna do?" Alrighty then.
How do you like those single deck games at Taj and Showboat?
Quote: 1BBHow do you like those single deck games at Taj and Showboat?
I don't play them. I believe they are 6-5 on single deck. Honestly, I've never played it. I just found out looking at Caesars how the game is even played in terms of hidden and exposed cards.
Quote: Lemieux66Btw, here is an important piece of AC news that I learned this Saturday. Caesars is the only place in AC that has a license to show PPVs. It's at the 21 sports bar on the second floor. I wanted to watch UFC on Saturday and couldn't find a place. 10 dollar cover. No food, but you can bring your own in.
i wasn't there saturday night, but the borgata poker room usually shows PPV boxing and UFC on its TVs with the sound off.
Quote: sodawateri wasn't there saturday night, but the borgata poker room usually shows PPV boxing and UFC on its TVs with the sound off.
That's no way to watch something you're really interested in. I've had times when I'm recording UFC at home while I'm there and I make sure never to look at those tvs lol
http://nj1015.com/golden-nugget-ac-holding-emergency-job-fair/
Quote: 7star4nowGolden Nugget AC Holding ‘Emergency’ Job Fair?
http://nj1015.com/golden-nugget-ac-holding-emergency-job-fair/
I'm hoping the Atlantic Club people get these positions. I don't need yet more people in AC who do a poor job.
"A smash-and-grab robbery at the jewelry store inside Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa last summer has been linked to a crime spree by a group of men, according to a federal complaint. Four men have been arrested.
About $200,000 in watches stolen July 2 were part of more than a million dollars in luxury timepieces taken from stores in New Jersey, New York and Virginia, the FBI announced. . . . Three to five members of the crew would enter the store, begin smashing display cases with hammers, then grab luxury watches and flee, the complaint says. Each robbery occurred during business hours while store employees and customers were present. acpress
Quote: SanchoPanzaNow that Caesars has closed it sizable and fairly nice poker room, is the Wild Wild West operation supposed to take its place?
Yes. And Caesars wasnt that nice...ESPECIALLY when old man James played there.
