Casinotes: Hard Rock comes a-calling for A.C.; Murder-mystery theater dinner
Hard Rock comes to North Jersey's Meadowlands.
FORGET THE handwriting on the wall. Let's talk about the dent marks on the wall. The ones likely made by Atlantic City casino execs banging their heads in response to this week's news that Hard Rock International, the company that manages the Seminole Tribe's string of Hard Rock-branded Florida gaming halls, has made a $100 million investment in the Meadowlands racing complex in North Jersey.
Those who derive income from reading gaming industry tea leaves tend to see Hard Rock's move as the buy-in for a potential casino at the sprawling swampland sports complex should AyCee one day lose its Garden State monopoly on legal gambling.
And, of course, nothing gives Atlantic City casino folks the willies more than the thought of Meadowlands gambling. It's a lock that would take a huge (fatal?) bite out of the already under-siege gaming resort's customer base (the New York metro area has always been the town's most important feeder market).
Not that anything is imminent. Atlantic City is in the second year of Gov. Chris Christie's five-year, $150 million plan to develop and market it as a full-service (rather than simply gambling) destination. And a story on NJ.com quoted Christie's spokesman, Michael Drewniak, saying his boss "remains strongly committed to the revival of Atlantic City, the tourism district and casino gaming there."
But Hard Rock's stake in the Meadowlands can't help but stick in the craws of those who run AyCee: The company recently rescinded its plans to build a boutique (200-room) hotel-casino on the beach at Albany Avenue. So Hard Rock's move in the north has to be seen as another knee to Atlantic City's groin--as well as a possible foreshadowing of more bad things to come its way.
He's talkin' to you, mistah!
Tickets are now on sale for the June 15 performance by veteran stand-up comic Jackie Mason (he of the humorous Yiddish accent) at Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia.
Admission to the 8 p.m. show is scaled between $100 and $45. To order, call 877-987-6487, or go to www.ticketfly.com.
You've got a Fiend at AyCee Palm
Murder-mystery dinner theater returns this weekend to The Palm restaurant at Tropicana Atlantic City.
Foul Weather Fiend" will be staged twice. The price of admission includes a four-course lunch or dinner as well as the performance. Dinner entrees include a nine-ounce, coffee-and-ancho-rubbed filet mignon, charmoula-scented halibut and a 20-ounce veal porterhouse chop.
Show times are 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $75 (Friday) and $55 (Saturday). For tickets and info, call 609-344-0483, or email bbermel@thepalm.com.