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ATLANTIC CITY BLACKJACK REPORT─ December 2012
by Frank and Alene Scoblete
Alene Scoblete is the CEO of Paone Press, which sells gaming books and tapes at discount prices. She also writes for www.scoblete.com. Her husband, Frank Scoblete, is the #1 best-selling gaming author in America. Frank’s books and tapes have sold over a million copies. For a free brochure call: 1-800-944-0406 or write: Frank Scoblete Enterprises, Box 446, Malverne, NY 11565. Frank’s websites are
www.goldentouchblackjack.com, www.goldentouchcraps.com and www.scoblete.com.Note: Get a free 60-day subscription to Frank Scoblete’s private, members-only web site and message boards. Just write to Frank at
fscobe@optonline.net. Or join Frank Scoblete’s new FREE monthly email newsletter: Chance and Circumstance. Just send Frank –fscobe@optonline.net – an email. The first issue will be published in December.
Hurricane Sandy Slams an Already Down Atlantic City
by Frank Scoblete
No one needs to be told exactly the kinds of destruction that Hurricane Sandy brought to New Jersey and New York. I’ve been through storms, blizzards, Nor’easters, even an earthquake (and a tsunami on my recent trip to Hawaii) but nothing I have ever seen prepared me for the horror of Sandy.
I have friends who have lost everything. I used to long to live on the ocean’s edge but now I am glad I live six miles away. The evacuation zone is two miles from my house and I really don’t foresee any storms that could bring the water to my front door. My waterfront friends, well, some do not have homes, and others, only have parts of their homes.
I never thought I would see food lines with middle-class people on them but I have. My church has been collecting food, clothing, and money for people who are my neighbors. Certainly, nature has put us in our place.
I lost electricity for two weeks; and my phone (which is still out), heat, Internet, email service, and television. There are still electrical cables hanging a few feet above my driveway and strewn on my lawn and driveway. My house suffered only minor damage as one huge branch missed us by – I kid you not – mere inches. I did lose all my tropical fish to the cold.
Oh, yeah, I forgot. We also got hit by a snowstorm a week after Sandy!
Gambling with nature is surely a long-term losing proposition. Build your house on the side of a mountain, and a mudslide might get you. Build your cabin in a lovely forest, and a fire might burn you. Depressing isn’t it?
Anyway, Atlantic City was clobbered. This poor venue has been losing its share of the gambling revenue these past years and the storm forced the closing of all the casinos along the shore. The Boardwalk was hammered, and in some spots (not near the casinos), actually collapsed. The water, which used to be 125 feet away from the hotel entrances, is now some 25 feet away. Things don’t look so hot for this town right now. In fact, it hasn’t looked so hot for AC even before the storm.
Obviously, neither the Beautiful AP nor I, nor any of my correspondents have actually made a tour to check the games, and many marginal properties such as Trump Plaza, Claridge, and Wild Wild West aren’t even open (or weren’t as of a few days ago).
Here is the BIG PICTURE from one of our correspondents, HERBERT. He has done a marvelous job putting it all together.
Everyone knows that Sandy hit Atlantic City hard, and the subsequent Nor’easter only compounded things. The extent of the damage both long and short term, however, seems less clear. The casinos closed for a minimum of five days after Sandy. When they reopened, traffic flowed at depressed levels, and the next week’s storm flattened things out again.
Gas shortages (leading to rationing) in New Jersey and New York made things worse. So did, according to many observers, the constant sensationalism from the press, showing only the worst pictures of the damage.
Headlines like "Sandy Extends Atlantic City’s Losses" (WSJ, Nov.1, B9) hardly made people want to jump in the car and visit. Continued replays of Gov. Christie with President Obama looking at damage in the area served to remind people of the severity of things. A specific example would be the so-called destruction of the famed Boardwalk. Yes, a section was totally swept away, but it had laid nowhere near any tourist spots! It fronted the estuary.
Yes, the streets were flooded for a couple of days, but no casino suffered major internal damage. Pictures of streets under water led to the impression that the casinos must be too. Harrah’s apparently suffered the most damage when part of its roof blew away. Curtailed travel into the area and out of major feeders, like North Jersey and New York City, served to reduce any hope of fast recovery.
People’s income that was once designated for gambling now went into generators, clean up, and just survival money. Hotel occupancy rested at 30-40%, about half of normal for this time of year. At least two major conventions and numerous smaller functions were cancelled. The Wall Street Journal, Nov. 10-11, B3 quoted officials as saying that lost business minimally amounts to $55 million.
To see the real picture, you must put this into the context of a gradually sinking Atlantic City. Gambling revenue has dipped 37% from its peak in 2006, although still at a respectable 3.3 billion dollars. This year, through the third quarter, revenues are down 4.8% from last year’s already diminished figure.
Moody’s Investors Service warned that casino revenues could slump some 25% in the next six months. Earnings accordingly would plunge 40-50% (WSJ, Nov.15, A22). Bankruptcy and restructuring rumors continue to circulate. These feature the two Trump properties as well as the Atlantic Club.
Revel (see the January issue of BJI for an in-depth look at this newcomer) has proven something of a disappointment so far, failing to attract a rush of new customers as some hoped it would, rather cannibalizing other up-scale properties, e.g. Borgata. In August, the casino deepened its credit facility, which executives said would tide it over through at least 2013 (WSJ, Nov.10, B9). Some rating services have warned of possible default, which, it if occurs, would be a major blow to any revival plans that AC might have.
All of the above is the macro economic picture. There is no doubt that AC is in for a tough fight to grow and recapture its former days given both the micro and macro environments, but there is an equally serious demon lurking. The down sizing process has led to increased confrontation between employees and management. More recently, this has spilled over into lower vs. senior management strife.
Sandy served to accelerate and acerbate existing tensions. Two case examples might illustrate. One, Atlantic Club, which has been on the el foldo list for sometime, fired 80 people. The Club claimed that most of those let go were summer temps. Employee postings on websites (e.g. see Press of Atlantic City website) dispute this. Accusations on both sides are heated.
One employee claimed that he voluntarily went to a four-day schedule to help save jobs, and then to three days in order to keep his own job. He then was fired. Unemployment compensation will be based on the reduced workweek. One fully understands his bitterness. Firings have taken place in several other casinos too.
Not all casinos responded alike. It seems that most establishments allowed employees to take vacation time for at least two of the days they did not work. Casinos then paid workers for the remaining days. However, not all the casinos did this.
Trump, after announcing that it would allow workers to take days, reneged on that, and cut the workers off with nothing, How management could do this to employees who had already lost their houses is beyond comprehension. But then, no one ever said that casinos were in business to help people, even their own. Trump also seems to have furloughed some full time and lower management personnel.
However, a few lights did shine. Claridge opened its doors to displaced persons and collected relief supplies for local families. Some casinos donated to the Red Cross relief fund.
I personally spent time in AC just after the second storm. Although signs of water damage existed in shore areas and inland, things were pretty much back to normal, at least on the main roads, and in the casinos I visited.
Yes, several had closed some restaurants/bars (I gathered that a lot of food spoiled) and attendance was very light to say the least. A clear and often loud bitterness existed among employees about the treatment they had received at Trump Plaza and other places. This bodes ill for the future. If the figures on losses cited above are even half-true, AC faces real problems. If they continue to cut back, how can they attract more people and new customers? If they do not cut back, they face a growing financial squeeze. Only time will tell how this scenario plays out.
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CASINO RATINGS
These rating are pre-Sandy.
We thank many of our readers for helping us to stay as updated as possible. There may be some disagreements in ratings among our correspondents but all these reports are based on individuals’ experience.
A word to the wise: it’s always best to check out the casinos for yourselves.Rating system:
***** = Excellent
**** = Very Good
*** = Good
** = Fair
* = Poor.
BALLY’S PARK PLACE:
No change from last issue. I am getting used to the hitting on soft 17 and my ratings are starting to change as I take this fact for granted. That is not a good thing. Good cuts of about 80 percent. Could be a happy time for card counters. This might be a good time to check this casino out. All 8-deck games except for the high roller room action. The hitting on soft 17 is now a sad fact. Crews are friendly. Craps games are quite good. High roller minimums can go as high as $200. Three stars: * * *BORGATA
: No change from last issue. The 6-deck games are now almost everywhere again and the penetration is starting to look like the old Borgata, if you can call a relatively new casino "old." A mixture of S17 and H17 were found but the H17 is starting to dominate. This is a happening place and caters to a swinging 30-something crowd that Revel is trying to attract. You’ll enjoy the night clubs and the beautiful people. We’ll see what happens. This is still a decent casino for blackjack. Not a good casino for craps. Two and one-half stars: * * ½*CAESARS:
Still seems to be a thriving casino, at least on our last visit mid-week. The main floor of eight-deckers has some of the upper-limit tables ($25 and $50) with no mid-shoe entry. All the games in the high roller pit are also no mid-shoe entry with $100 and higher minimums. Six-deck games in high roller room have 75 percent penetration just as most of the regular floor does. High roller room is S17; the main floor is H17 when we were there. The craps games here are good with 12-foot tables. The tables are high so smaller controlled shooters should wear their "special shoes." Two and one-half stars: * * ½ *
CLARIDGE:
Closed every time we’ve stopped by. This is an historic hotel. If it weren’t, we think it would be torn down and be another empty lot across from the empty lot that used to be the Sands.
HARRAH’S:
The more things change the more things change but there is no change for this issue. The blackjack games are so-so with eight decks and penetration of about 70-75 percent. Good place for craps. Two and one-half stars: * * ½ *
ACH [
formerly the Hilton]: Could this now be the worst BJ casino in AC? Mid-week did not see too many players. Blackjack games of the "pay 25 cents" so you can bet one dollar have arrived. High roller room is 6-decks; rest of the casino is 8-decks with a few $25/$50 6-deckers on occasion. No mid-shoe entry on the six-deckers. For craps, we are dealing with 13-foot tables and a couple of 12 footers. The casino is now actively promoting to the locals and if by local they mean the baggy pants worn under the buttocks folks laundering their drug money, this place may someday rival Trump Plaza in lowlifes. Two and one-half stars: * * ½ *RESORTS:
The reports are in and out about this casino’s games and the casino’s future. Many H17 games on main floor; high roller room is S17. Penetration on all games is about 70-75 percent which is not bad considering this is AC. Decent craps games. Has opened the first Atlantic City gay nightclub and is courting the gay community, which is a smart move as gay vacation resorts and nightclubs seem to make a good go of it. Two stars and one-half stars: * * ½*REVEL:
So far this place is a major bust. The theme of the new place is simple, "Kick Borgata’s ass!" Some games are good and some are bad. Look for the six decks with S17; the eight deckers are hit on soft 17. The six deckers are in the minority. Penetration is 75 percent at most. You’ll meet a lot of dealers who left previous casinos in AC. That should help you get acclimated. But whoever decided to go with the small comps, highly expensive rooms did not understand the AC base. Two and one-half stars: * * ½ *
SHOWBOAT
: Slots dominate this place now. The blackjack has deteriorated considerably with little penetration – maybe you play 60-66 percent of the shoe. All games are hit on soft 17. High roller room is passable with better penetration, about 75 percent, and at some slow times the minimums are $25 – although you won’t see this much in the summer. Pass this place by unless you are walking Fido since they are now the animal friendly hotel – disgusting! One star: *TROPICANA:
No change from last issue. Starting to really look like a top-notch property. This place is going in the opposite direction from Trump Plaza and ACH by bringing the highest rollers into AC. Now the place is H17 on all games except those outside the high roller room. Still has some good penetration, maybe 75 percent; sometimes excellent penetration of 80 percent. Three stars: * * * (for penetration)THE GOLDEN NUGGET:
Bad vibes all around since the Asian players were humiliated winning at baccarat. The place looks good but the paranoia at the blackjack games is now tasteable. The blackjack games in the high roller room are excellent with penetration of 80 percent and top rules such as splitting and resplitting; and standing on soft 17. The eight-deck games in the casino are ho-hum and basically the same as all the other casinos in AC. The craps games are excellent and – as always – this place has the nicest and most professional dealers you will find. Give it a whirl but again, the report is blackjack paranoia now reigns supreme here. Two and one-half stars: * * ½*TRUMP PLAZA:
Hasn’t this place closed yet? It is now called "Dump Plaza" or "The Trump Dump" but it does have fairly good games when those games are open. Still something has to be done with the dark casino and the low-life scum skulking through it. The penetration is 70-75 percent. No mid-shoe entry on games outside high-roller pit but you can find $25 (a few) to $50 minimums on these. Allows resplits, except aces. All tables are $10 and higher. Craps tables are 12-footers. The dealers range from professional and friendly down to arrogant and ignorant. Some days the place is practically empty. Two and one-half stars: * * ½ *
TRUMP TAJ MAHAL:
No change from last issue. Now they are hitting soft 17 except in high roller room. First they screwed up the craps tables so the dice go flying off the table every third roll and now they have decided to give the blackjack games a wicked colonoscopy with barbed wire. Great hotel and great restaurants and great entertainment. Also, great dealers and pit personnel. Too bad it isn’t the premier place to play any more because it is a great place to stay. Two and one-half stars: * * ½*WILD, WILD WEST:
Last time we visited it was closed. Tumble-weed is blowing through this place now.
THE BEST BLACKJACK IN ATLANTIC CITY:
Bally’s and TropicanaBest Craps in Atlantic City:
All except: Borgata, Taj Mahal, Showboat and Wild, Wild West.* * * * *
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