Atlantic City Casinos Blog

   A couple of months ago, I wrote about the “Walk Away a Winner” online game at harrahs.com, and how it seemed worth playing.

   I put in Caesars as my main property, and every time I played, got one of three prizes: A 10 Total Rewards gift card, free use of the Qua spa, and $20 off a treatment at Qua.

   Well, the Totals Rewards gift card turned out to be a bust. I printed out the page and brought it to the Total Rewards center, but they said I had to print the e-mail to get the card. Problem is, I never got the e-mail they said to print, so no gift card.

   The use of the Qua spa was a good one. I presented the coupon after an especially stressful day at work a few weeks ago, and was admitted to their spa. A workout in their fitness center and a session in their tubs and steam room were just what I needed to unwind. The spa is small, but quite luxurious. Plus, I had printed out several of the passes, and they said I could use it again. Believe me, I will.

   The $20 off a treatment wasn’t quite what it was made out to be. I took a couple days off work this week, and booked a $99 special massage at Qua. But when I presented the coupon at check-in, they said it wasn’t good on specials, even though the coupon said $20 off “any service.” I paid with Total Reward credits, which was fine, because I have more in my account than I can possibly use. The massage was great, I used a (different) coupon for a free buffet, and broke even in the casino, so I really can’t complain. But be forewarned, that coupon is good only on the full-price treatments, not any specials.

    Bottom line, the promotion was not as good as it initially seemed. But if you’re in Atlantic City on a weekday, it is worth playing to get that Qua pass. You’ll really feel pampered, even without any services.

   Just when you thought we had enough holidays, Warner Brothers entertainment has declared New Year’s day to be National Hangover Day. OK, it’s not an official holiday, but if you’re hung over, you’ll have a lot of company.

   Caesars will celebrate the day with a free screening of the hit comedy, “The Hangover,” in the Circus Maximus theater at 7 p.m. January 1.  Best of all, admission is free. They’ll also give away DVD and Blue Ray copies of the movie, as well as other prizes.

   If your favorite hangover remedy is the hair of the dog that bit you, the Toga bar and Dusk nightclub will have drink specials. If food is your cure, check out the specials at the Mia restaurant.

   If you have some last minute shopping to do today, or want to pick up a present for yourself with your holiday cash, check out the Trump Exchange store on the second level of the Taj Mahal. They have all sorts of stuff you can buy with your comps. But if you pay with cash or a credit card, everything is half-price. I’m not sure how long it lasts, or if the Marina and Plaza stores are part of the promotion. Most of the stuff is overpriced to begin with, but at half-off, you might find something you want at a good price. Some of the Christmas stuff is already marked down, and more should be discounted by Saturday.

   Attention foodies! There are a couple events coming up in Atlantic City that you’ll want to know about.

   “A Taste of Emeril’s” opens October 21 at the Circus Maximus theater at Caesars and runs through November 12. Hosted by Marc Summers, guests will be picked from the audience to come on stage and show off their culinary talents. (I hope they don’t pick me, if I go, because I’d probably burn the place down.)  Celebrity chef Emeril LaGasse will offer contestants help by video feed. People called on stage have a chance to win some nice prizes, like meals in gourmet rooms at Caesars or on the shopping pier. Everyone in the audience will get to sample the results.

   Show time is 2 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. There will also be 7 p.m. shows Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7. Tickets are $35 and available through Ticketmaster.

   If you’d rather eat the good food than try to cook it, you’ll want to be at the Borgata the evening of November 7.  Savor Borgata will be held at the Water Club, and chefs famous and not-so-famous will be in attendance. That includes Bobby Flay, Michael Mina, Wolfgang Puck and the chefs from the Borgata’s other fine eateries. Each restaurant will host its own station, where guests can meet the chefs and sample some items off the menu. Flemings Jenkins Vineyards & Winery will provide the grape juice to go with each sampling.

   It all gets underway at 7 p.m. Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased by calling 1.866.900 4TIX (4849) or logging on to www.theborgata.com. Yes, it’s kind of pricey in a rough economy. But my foodie friends who have the discretionary cash say these events are well worth it.

Caesars Atlantic City is giving everyone the opportunity to step into Emeril Lagasse’s Kitchen. “Taste of Emeril’s” is a fast-paced, intriguing, and often hilarious food competition and cooking demonstration, where contestants can win great prizes including chances to experience the finest restaurants at Caesars Atlantic City and The Pier Shops.  The culinary action, hosted by Marc Summers, will pit audience members against one another, as they compete for top spots as assistant chefs. Emeril will welcome guests and assist competitors via on-screen video.

“Taste of Emeril’s” will debut at Caesars Circus Maximus Theatre on October 21st, and will run for four weeks closing on November 12th. The competition is a first of its kind cooking challenge that sees audience members compete in a fully interactive cooking contest as seen on popular TV shows.  Members of the audience will need to pay close attention because you never know… anyone may be called to the stage to see how his or her culinary skills measure up.

“Caesars strives to give its customers exclusive entertainment experiences. ‘Taste of Emeril’s’ will give customers the opportunity to see first hand, what it’s like to cook in Emeril’s Kitchen” said Joe Domenico, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Caesars Atlantic City.  In addition to the cooking competition, each and every audience member will get the chance to taste of one of Emeril’s menu items featured in the show.  “Taste of Emeril’s” is sure to thrill all in attendance and with plenty of prizes to give away, it is an interactive experience for everyone…and anyone can win!

Audiences can catch “Taste of Emeril’s” Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 2 p.m. and Thursdays at 7 p.m. There will be additional shows on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 at 7 p.m. Tickets for “Taste of Emeril’s Cooking Challenge” are on sale now for $35.  Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling 800-736-1420 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

   As the summer tourists go home and locals settle into their back-to-school routines, Atlantic City’s hotels and casinos are looking for ways to lure people in, especially on weekdays.

   Bally’s will offer triple comps for play Sunday through Thursday for the month of October. Not a great multiplier, but it helps.

   Teplitzky’s in the Chelsea Hotel starts a happy hour on October 1. From 4-7 p.m., 7 nights a week, you can get half-price appetizers and drink specials. These include a $4 mixed-drink special each night, $3 imported beers and $2 domestic beers. It’s not quite as good as comped, but the Chelsea is a pretty classy place, so you get some great ambience for the price of the drinks at your local watering hole.

   Tropicana is advertizing $69 room specials for week nights in October. And that’s for people who don’t gamble. Anyone who plays there can get it cheaper, if not for free.

   Here’s something to do tomorrow (Tuesday) at Caesars if you don’t have to be at a job. They’re holding their first annual life-skills fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Palladium ballroom. There will be health screenings, workshops on things like financial planning, and lots of exhibitors. Admission is free.

   Harrah’s Entertainment is taking notice of something travel industry professionals have known for years: that gay people have more disposable income than straight people. The money that “family values” folks spend on childrearing, soccer camp, cheerleading and music lessons is available to gay people to come to places like Atlantic City.

   To help lure the gay and lesbian market, Harrah’s properties are holding an “out in Atlantic City” weekend from Sept. 25 to 27. A bunch of gay-oriented activities are planned, and some of them are sure to be fun for open-minded heteros who love to party.

   Scheduled events include:

   - A Friday night party at Club Worship at the Showboat, with rapper Cazwell and hosted by Amanda Lepore. It runs 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. and tickets are $30.

   - A Saturday afternoon party at the Harrah’s Pool with DJs, pool toys and drinks. Cost is $10 or free to guests of the hotel. Cabana rentals are extra.

   - A mixer with cast members of “The L Word” (seen on Showtime) Saturday night at the House of Blues Foundation Room at Showboat. It runs 5-7 p.m. and costs $50.

   - At 9 p.m. Saturday, several members of “The L Word” cast will take the stage at the House of Blues arena for a “pillow talk” session with the audience. Tickets are $25. It will be followed by a 10 p.m. to 4 a.m party at Club Worship, where tickets are $30.

   - For the guys, there will be a party in the Palladium Ballroom at Caesars, hosted by Lance Bass and DJ Jai Rodriguez from “Queer Eye,” as well as guest DJs. Tickets are $30.

   - A brunch and bingo will be held in the Harrah’s ballroom at 11 a.m. Sunday, with unlimited champagne and bloody Marys.

   You can also get a pass admitting you to all weekend events for $160 or to all the women’s events for $80.

   Some of the proceeds from the event will benefit the South Jersey AIDS Alliance.

    So if it’s your bag, come out and have a gay old time in Atlantic City. If you’re coming with children or don’t want to participate in this kind of atmosphere, you’ll want to avoid the Harrah’s properties that weekend.

   Actually, this move is a trip back to Atlantic City’s past. Some old-timers have told me that AC was a gay mecca back in the 1960s. New York Avenue was filled with clubs that catered to gays and “straight people who love to party,” as one older gentleman put it. It all disappeared with the casino era, but it looks like Harrah’s wants to bring the parties back to town. The Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority is on board with the plan to make the city more gay-friendly, especially in light of declining revenues in tough economic times.

   A great Atlantic City tradition is scheduled to come to an end this weekend. The Bacchanal restaurant at Caesars will serve its last feast on Saturday night, the local paper reports.

   Caesars says the restaurant didn’t get enough business, but others told the paper they tried to make reservations and were told the place is full.

   For those unfamiliar with Bacchanal, it was a dining experience. You got an appetizer of cheeze, meats, shrimp and other goodies; choice of soup; salad; choice of entree; and dessert and coffee for a $65 fixed price. But there were also strolling minstrels who played diners’ requests, a god and goddess who gave neck and shoulder massages and all the wine you wanted.

   I’ve enjoyed several repasts at the Bacchanal, and I for one, will miss it.

   But there may still be hope. If past customers and wannabe customers deluge Caesars with e-mails and phone calls, the management might relent. But unless they do, it’s “ciao” to one of Atlantic City’s best dining experiences.

   Yeah, they know it’s still hot out. But the folks at Caesars have fall, or maybe even holiday shopping, on their minds in August.

   People who play at Caesars Monday through Thursday in August can earn points towards gift cards at The Pier at Caesars. You get a $25 gift card for every point you earn, up to $5,000.

   You have to start by swiping your player’s card in a special kiosk in the hotel lobby. They’ll give you a few extra points to get the credits racking up. Gold players get 50 extra points, platinum gets 100 starter points, diamond players get 200 points and Seven Stars members get 300 extra points. Each base Total Rewards credit equals one point towards the promotion. You pick up your gift card the first few days in September.

   On another note, it was nice to see Atlantic City crowded this weekend. The beach was full when I went out for a swim. The casinos were packed and the food expo had twice as many people in attendance as last year. Of course, that meant we actually had to stand in line to taste some of the better goodies offered for sampling, but it gave me some time to let the booze wear off.

   Just a reminder that if you like good gourmet grub, Atlantic City is the place to be this weekend.

   The annual Food and Wine Festival is taking place at all four properties owned by Harrah’s Entertainment. A large number of celebrity chefs are taking part, and there will be plenty of food and drink to go around. Prices for the events hosted by the famous chefs range from $50 to $1,000 for an intimate dinner with Guy Fieri and 23 others. You can link to the event through Harrah’s web site, www.harrahs.com.

   If nothing else, I strongly recommend a trip to the main expo, running from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the sixth-floor ballroom at Bally’s. Admission is $30, and you can pay at the door.  You couldn’t pay with Total Rewards credits last year, which is a shame, because I don’t believe in paying for something I can get for free. But even though we had to cough up $30 in cash, it was well worth it. Several gourmet rooms from Harrah’s properties offered samples of their creations, and they don’t mind you coming back for seconds, thirds or even fourths. Numerous quality area restaurants offered tastes of their signature dishes, and many independent breweries and wineries offered samples as well. You can also buy salsas, sauces and other delights to use in your own kitchen. We staggered out of there stuffed and buzzed, but definitely satisfied. I plan to be there Sunday with a few of my foodie family members.

   You can hit the gym next week. I know I’ll have to.

   If you’ve driven into Atlantic City in the last month or so, you can’t miss them. The billboards are up on all routes into town. “When dealers are treated unfairly, everybody loses.” “When we all work together, everybody wins.”

   The public-relations battle between the United Auto Workers and several Atlantic City casinos, notably Bally’s and Caesars, is escalating. A couple of year ago, dealers at several casinos voted for union representation by the UAW. They say the casinos have refused to negotiate a contract, and started a public-relations campaign by putting up billboards and taking out full-page ads in the local paper. The casinos responded with ads of their own.

   It’s gotten a little nastier in the last week or so. The casinos put up billboards saying “Don’t let the UAW turn Atlantic City into another Detroit.” Enough said. The union fought back by taking out a full-page ad detailing the salary (well into eight figures) and benefits the Harrah’s Entertainment CEO walked off with last year.

   None of it is pretty, and none of it is good publicity for a resort struggling in hard economic times.

   So far, this war of words is not affecting the players or casino operations. Most visitors probably look at the roadside placards and newspaper ads and wonder what this is all about. It might be a different story if dealers go on strike or the UAW puts up “informational pickets” at casino entrances.

    Meanwhile, I’m sure the local paper and the bilboard companies appreciate the extra revenue.