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() My message in reality is simple
All I hear from "Atlantic City" are excuses
First it was the smoking ban. Then it was the economy, then it was gas prices, then it was the weather, then loss of business to Pa. and now it seems the problem is the boardwalk.
Yes, all of those might be factors,yes they might all be contributing to the overall picture but aren't we losing sight of what is really wrong.
I mean especially in view of all the years that A/C has prospered.
The answer is quite simple. The gamblers aren't coming anymore and the reason is that they are getting a better deal elsewhere.
As you stated in your post you can't keep giving away the ranch.
Well, I can only reply that by supposedly giving away the ranch they did significantly better than they are doing now.
In Pa. they have great incentives and I do understand that they can't last forever yet when you consider that their tax rate to the State is approximately 6 times that of N.J and operators (Including Steve Wynn) continue to trip over each other to get a piece of the pie, something is flawed.
You are totally correct. A/C has more to offer than casinos it's sort of like saying it takes oil to keep an engine lubricated however you need gas to make it run.
The gas here is the gamblers. If they came in numbers though many of them, yes including myself might not venture far from the casino, others will
Tell me just one thing. In your position were you a customer of a property for 20 years that treated you well, you continue to play at that specific level yet you note that slowly they are willing to do less and less for you.
The TV they used to give you becomes a toaster. Free gourmet dinners (Which you have earned through play) become buffets at best, quality of food diminishes, show tickets are only available when Igor and his magic Kazoo are in town, room service you have to pay for...I can go on and on if you wish but I think I've made my point
Anyway now, you get a letter from a new property inviting you there
They give you $30 for signing up. The next trip really nothing happens but the following trip you are invited to a gourmet dinner at a top restaurant next thing you find is you are getting $500 YES $500 play coupons and sometimes even better and they continue where would you go.?
The specific property I am talking about IS being run by a former A/C executive and he recognizes what it takes to get a bigger slice of the pie.
No, I'm not naive enough to believe it will last forever but the question here is, what is A/c doing to combat this.
The answer is, well, business is down so we need to make cuts.
I suppose you never heard the old adage of to make money, you first need to spend money.
I would like to just once see one of the properties in town take the incentive and start treating their customers like customers again not numbers on a spread sheet, then and only then will you see them come back
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