The Best And Worst Of AC's Newest Casino!

We've been to the new Hard Rock Casino Hotel in Atlantic City.
We stayed overnight.
We tried the restaurants.
We took the slots for a spin.
We went to a show.
We made our way around the entire property -- no small undertaking!
Here's our take on the best and worst of it.

The Management
The whole thing is under the domain of the Seminole Native American nation out of Florida, so you'll see old and new Indian influences here and there, all very tastefully presented.

The Location
At the North End of the world famous Boardwalk right across from the Steel Pier which is now an amusement pier with lots of great rides. If you have kids (or if you're a kid at heart) you'll like that. Also, the beach at this end is very nice and less crowded.

The Big Guitar
Yeah, it's right outside at the carriage entrance. And yeah, it lights up at night. And, they've even set up a platform for you to take pictures there. Sweet!

The Staff
Everyone seemed well-trained and friendly. Lots of staff on hand everywhere -- especially to help guide you as the place is truly vast and there are areas that haven't even been developed yet.

The Rock Memorabilia and Artifacts
This stuff is all over the place -- everywhere you turn. But some of the best of it is under the grand staircase: Elvis' Rolls, The Beatles outfits and hand-written lyrics by legends. All FREE!

The Rooms
They're new, reasonably spacious, sleek, bright and feature large bathrooms, king size beds and lots of nice extras like free, fast wifi, mini fridges and coffee makers. And, each floor is themed to a different rock star.

The Beds
Not so high that you need to be super limber to get in and out and not overly frilly. Above all, they're firm and very comfortable. Rooms seem to be amply soundproofed as well, lending to a good night's sleep.

The Views
Great from most any any guest room. You'll get a view of the ocean or the bay. Ours actually had a view of both and it cost us no extra.

The Pool
A sore spot. They've had a lot of trouble getting it ready. When we were there, it still wasn't open. Well, even when it's open (far as we can tell) it's nothing special -- largely indoors, nondescript and with astroturf. They refunded us our resort fee.

The Slots
All new, vivid and up-to-the-minute with many special features. Lots of fun but they weren't very loose for us.

The Bonuses
You can easily score yourself tickets to a show (we did) or some other premium without investing too much at the slots of the gambling tables. But you must be a Wild Card member and check your card's promotions.

The Architecture
Sleek and functional. All those garish minarets from the Taj are gone and replaced by simple right angles and subdued colors except for traces of the Hard Rock's logo-inspired purple and gold. It's impressive without being overwhelming

The Interior
Everything is new -- inside and out. Very digital. Lots of big screens and dazzle but toned down as well with more subtle textures, no chandeliers and no neon. Harmonious visually and aurally. Yes, there's plenty of rock music but it isn't ear-piercing.

The Food Court
Unfortunately it's stretched out along the overhead walkway that leads from the casino to the parking garage. It can get crowded and seating can be a problem. Lots of pedestrian traffic.

Breakfast
It's a challenge. If you want a quick breakfast (and most people do) the one place in the food court that features breakfast is small and crowded. You wait in line to order and then they bring it out to you. Only other option seems to be the Hard Rock Cafe.

Lunch
A few good choices: The hoagies and steaks at The White House outlet of the famed AC eatery are the best you'll find anywhere. But even the regular hoagie size tends to be big. A salad place makes perfect salads at your direction and all the ingredients are fresh. That was a favorite of ours. At the coffee bar even a small regular coffee will cost you three bucks. A very large cookie (the only size they have) will set you back more than five bucks. We hear the pizza at the food court is wonderful, however. As for the gelato, it looks wonderful but tastes of nothing. Skip it.

Dinner
We tried the Council Oak seafood and steak restaurant. The big deal here is really seafood. Spacious and airy with nice views onto the Boardwalk. But it lacks intimacy and can be noisy, almost taking on all the ambience of a mass feed. The food was only OK. Of course, we had been to Steve & Cookie's the night before and nothing compares to that!

The Show
We went to the Motown tribute show in the Soundwaves theater. It features live music (a rarity in many of these types of shows) via an eight-piece band and a talented groups of more than a dozen singers and dancers. It started out fine but grew increasingly more shrill. The seats in Soundwaves are not real theater seats -- they're collapsible and not very ample. Tight fit. And the acoustics seemed off. Something wrong with the sound system? Maybe they're still breaking the show in. We left before it was over.

The Temperature
It varied throughout the hotel and casino. Some areas were frigid, others were surprisingly warm. A light jacket-type shirt came in handy.

'Vegas' On Broadway Grabs Winning Reviews

In Atlantic City Comedy Is King This Winter!

Did you hear the one about the town that has one ocean, dozens of stars and thousands of laughs? That’s the comedy line-up in Atlantic City. Throughout the winter and spring, some of the top acts in comedy will have folks #ROTFL with humor that ranges from brash and bawdy to witty and wise-cracking.

Whether it’s Jerry Seinfeld and Wanda Sykes on the big stages or almost-ready-for-prime-time comics polishing their routines at casino comedy rooms, visitors will be in stitches all season long.

These are just a highlight of all of the laugh-makers helping make AC the entertainment capital of the Jersey Shore this winter (check back for more acts to be announced soon):

·         There’s raucous, there’s rowdy and then there’s Artie Lange. The bad boy of comedy brings his irreverent humor to AC and the outrageous comic has not softened any since his appearances on MADtv and the Howard Stern Show. February 14 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

·         Sure, the self-proclaimed Queen of Mean can cut to the bone. But Lisa Lampanelli’s brand of insult comedy and scorching wit are side-splittingly funny and leaves audiences weak with laughter. February 15 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

·         When Ralphie May takes the mic, watch out. The Last Comic Standing finalist isn’t for the faint of heart. His shock comedy style is raw and his observations are acerbic. Everything, including his own trials and tribulations, is fair game for his uncensored humor and his fans can’t get enough. February 20 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa

·         For 16 seasons Joy Behar entertained, verbally sparred, made hundreds of headlines and millions of laughs with her own view of the world on The View. The inimitable and indefatigable Behar returns to her stand-up roots with her self-deprecating observational humor about her life, politics and the world in general, all skewered with her trademark woman’s point of view.  March 14 at Resorts Casino Hotel resortsac.com<http://resortsac.com/entertainment/joy-behar/>

·         Somewhere between “oh no she didn’t” and “yep, she went there” there is “OMG, I can’t stop laughing.” With no topic off-limits, the bold and bawdy Kathy Griffin sweeps into AC with a loyal following that can’t get enough of her no-holds barred humor. Nobody is safe, no subject is untouchable and everybody comes away laughing. March 14 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

·         Lewis Black’s rants are as bitingly insightful as they are hilarious.  “The Rant is Due,” The Daily Show’s popular correspondent’s current tour, includes fan-suggested topics that Black transforms into diatribes that blend his acerbic observations with offbeat wit. March 20 – 21 at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

·         Actor, author, radio and game show host D.L. Hughley does it all. But what he does best is make people laugh. Really, really hard. One of the Kings of Comedy, Hughley focuses his laser wit on politics, social commentary and observations on life in general.  April 11 at Tropicana Casino & Resort tropicana.net<http://tropicana.net/entertainment/tropicana-showroom/>

·         Simply put, Jerry Seinfeld is a national treasure. The dean of American comedy keeps coming up with new material, delivered in his laid back style and marked by his absurdist take on the minutiae of daily life. April 11 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

·         When Frank Caliendo performs, it’s anybody’s guess who else will show up with him. John   Madden? Charles Barkley? George Bush? With Caliendo’s wide range of spot-on impersonations, it’s anybody’s guess. After honing his comic chops on MADtv, the funnyman was a favorite fixture on Fox NFL Sunday and has entertained audiences with his appearances on sitcoms, Comedy Central specials and other shows. April 25 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

·         For four seasons, Rob Schneider delighted audiences with the characters he created for Saturday Night Live. After several forays into movie-making, he has returned to his stand-up comic roots, honing his chops with new material that builds on the success of his recent “Soy Sauce and the Holocaust” tour. May 2 at Tropicana Casino & Resort tropicana.net<http://tropicana.net/events/rob-schneider/>

·         Improv. Acting. Singing. TV host. Comedy. Is there anything Wayne Brady can’t do?  And he does it all so well. With a wit that operates at the speed of light, the breakout star of Whose Line Is It Anyway, walks a tightrope on stage with off-the-cuff humor, music, impersonations and of course improv. May 2 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

·         Sit in on one of Dom Irrera’s sets and it is easy to see why Comedy Central listed him as one of the hundred funniest comics ever. The six-time American Comedy Award nominee weaves together his down-to-earth but offbeat observations with oddball characters, hilarious accents, scenes from his own life and a really wicked sense of humor. May 23 at Tropicana Casino & Resort tropicana.net<http://tropicana.net/events/dom-irrera-big-daddy-graham/>

·         Hands down, Wanda Sykes is one of the funniest women in America. The award-winning former comedy writer for Chris Rock pokes a stick at politics, race, culture, herself and anything else that she thinks needs poking with routines that are timely, topical, smart and hilarious. June 12-13 at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy>

Ongoing Comedy

·         Whoever said he who laughs last laughs best didn’t know about Borgata Comedy Club. Be among the first to share a laugh with the roster of fresh, young, talented comics working the mic at the Borgata Comedy Club. Located in the stylish casino’s Music Box theater, the line-up rotates weekly so there is always a new group of comedians to discover.  With every seat a good seat and ticket prices as low as $20, these are cheap laughs that are too good to pass up. theborgata.com<http://www.theborgata.com/shows/events/comedy-club>

·         Catch the next big thing in comedy at the Comedy Stop at the Trop. With three new comedians showcased each week, up-and-coming acts dole out laughs seven days a week. And with their Frequent Laughter Miles Club, good sight lines, and intimate setting, no wonder it was voted the Best Comedy Club for six years running by the AC Weekly.com Reader’s Choice Nightlife Awards. tropicana.net<http://tropicana.net/entertainment/comedy-stop/>

About Atlantic City
From sandals to stilettos and foie gras to funnel cakes, Atlantic City offers something for everyone. Enjoy world-class entertainment, dining, shopping, gaming, relaxing on the beach and strolling the historic Boardwalk in the city created to escape the city. For more information visit www.doatlanticcity.com<http://www.doatlanticcity.com> or:

 *   Facebook – www.facebook.com/DOAtlanticCity>
 *   Twitter – www.twitter.com/VisitAC>

·         YouTube – www.YouTube.com/DOAC<http://www.YouTube.com/DOAC>

 *   Foursquare – www.foursquare.com/VisitAC<http://www.foursquare.com/VisitAC>
 *   Instagram – www.instagram.com/DOAC<http://www.instagram.com/DOAC>
 *   Pinterest – www.pinterest.com/DOAtlanticCity<http://www.pinterest.com/DOAtlanticCity>
 *   Twitter for Media Only – www.twitter.com/VisitACpress<http://www.twitter.com/VisitACpress>

The Atlantic City Alliance was established in 2011 as a private, not-for-profit corporation whose primary mission is to develop and implement a full-scale, broad-based, multi-year marketing program for Atlantic City.

Tax Credit For Stars Performing Live In NJ?

New Jersey State Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean and Senate Democrat James Whelan introduced legislation to bring world-class entertainment to venues in Atlantic City and across New Jersey and, in turn, boost the state’s economy and job market.

“This initiative costs taxpayers nothing and offers so much to gain for working- and middle-class residents,” said Kean (R-Union, Somerset, Morris). “Right now, world tours and widely popular entertainment aren’t repeatedly coming to New Jersey’s venues and consistently drawing tourists to our state. There is tremendous value in the ability to consistently draw world-class entertainment here, especially considering widely successful A-Lister residencies in Las Vegas, where there’s no state income tax.”

“We continue to declare the importance of diversifying the types of entertainment available to attract tourists to Atlantic City, transitioning the community into a resort city rather than just a gambling destination,” said Whelan (D-Atlantic), chairman of the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee. “Attracting big-named performers and artists is a step in the right direction.  Las Vegas has had great success with performers in residence from Celine Dion to Britney Spears. I am excited about the possibility of attracting stars to the Garden State, providing our residents with the opportunity to see some great acts, all while boosting our economy.”

This legislation, announced by Senator Kean on Jan. 15, will regularly attract A-List performers to the Garden State. Qualifying entertainers who perform at least four dates in Atlantic City’s tourism district would get a state tax credit on all income they earn performing at any New Jersey venue, including in Atlantic City, Camden, Trenton, Newark and Holmdel, in the same calendar year. The Secretary of State will set the qualifying criteria, including record sales, ticket sales, awards, etc., and a transparent application process will be administered by the Director of the Division of Taxation.

“The extraordinary net benefits of this legislation will open up economic growth and job opportunities at and around venues across New Jersey, as popular talent attracts fans from all over to fill seats and help support existing and open new neighboring restaurants, hotels and businesses,” Kean said. “It will naturally improve New Jersey’s and Atlantic City’s image to be more attractive, widely accessible and entertainment-based, without a costly campaign. I am confident that Senator Whelan’s leadership and commitment to improving tourism and the economy in Atlantic City and across the state will play a big part in advancing this legislation to Gov. Christie’s desk as soon as possible.”

Vodeo: The GOOD News About Atlantic City

Kyrillos Confident On Sports Betting OK

New Jersey State Senator Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), a prime sponsor of New Jersey’s recently enacted law repealing prohibitions on sports wagering at racetracks and casinos, stated the following after a federal court’s ruling to prevent Monmouth Park from accepting sports wagers:

“This was another unacceptable court ruling to the direct detriment of New Jersey residents, their quality of life, the state’s economy and the creation and retention of jobs at Monmouth Park and in Atlantic City. I fully expect we will prevail in our continued fight for New Jerseyans, and that the repeals we enacted will ultimately stand.”

New Jersey's 16 Senate Republicans serve to make New Jersey the place to live, grow, work, vacation and retire. Caucus solutions to lower costs, create jobs, enhance education and empower people will help generations of families stay together and improve our state. Follow Senate Republicans on Social Media.

Neon Museum Panel Eyes Moulin Rouge Legacy

On Thursday, May 23, the Neon Museum of Las Vegas will host a free special program commemorating the 58th anniversary of the opening of Las Vegas' famed Moulin Rouge casino. The Moulin Rouge sign, designed by Betty Willis, is one of more than 150 neon signs preserved and viewed by thousands of visitors each year in the Neon Museum's Neon Boneyard exhibition area. On the evening of May 23, noted Las Vegas filmmaker Stan Armstrong will screen portions his latest project, the documentary titled "The Misunderstood Legend of the Las Vegas Moulin Rouge," at the Neon Museum. Also on hand will be Claytee White, director, Oral History Research Center at UNLV Libraries. Dr. Michael Green, professor of history, College of Southern Nevada, will serve as the panel moderator. The evening will begin with a meet-and-greet with the panelists for Neon Museum members only at 5 p.m. Doors will open to the public at 5:30 p.m. and the program will begin promptly at 6 p.m. For more information about this special event, go to www.neonmuseum.org or call (702) 387-6366.

Betting On The New Pope

If you're a betting man (or woman) you can "roll the dice" and give your best shot on who the next Holy Father will be. I found this "March Madness Conclave" pool making its way across Facebook this morning. Even Vegas has posted the betting odds on the new Bishop of Rome.

I guess some people really will bet on anything.