I'm back

[njmike37]

Hi everyone,
 
Just wanted to write a little more about where I have been the past month.  My fiance got very ill the past month, which is why we went back home to PA.  She is doing great now, and is already back to work and school.  She had a pretty rough month though, and my work was gracious enough to let me off and use my vacation time for the whole month. 
 
Barb, any recent trips to Taj?  We're planning one for early June, but I'm sure I'll head over a few times before then to play some STP.  I went over last night to check out the casino, and it seems like they kept all the STP's in the non-smoking section.  However, I did notice 2 STP machines about 5 rows back from the main ones that I didn't see there before.  They are back closer to the 25-cent Joker Poker progressives on the end of an aisle.  At least we'll have a few more to choose from.
 
Other than that, not much has been going on.  There's a big stink about the possibility of the dealers becoming unionized at Showboat.  They have already begun that at a few casinos.  It should be interesting if it comes there too. 
 
Finally, I'm sure everyone knows that the casinos are now 75% non-smoking.  If anyone has any questions about certain casinos and where the smoking areas are located, I'll try to find out the info for you.  The latest I have heard from work is that the Atlantic City city council is really pushing for a complete ban within the next few years.  Honestly, I think that will be a tough vote to go through, especially with the decline that has ALREADY begun in our business at Showboat and I'm sure the rest of the casinos....
 
Mike 

[BOOPSAHOY]

Hi Mike! Welcome back! Im sorry to hear your fiance was sick and I am glad she is better now! I missed you on the forum. Did you take the new job? Those 2 STP machines used to be in the dollar section right off the lobby where they are now doing some kind of construction. If you looked they have .25 .50 and 1.00 denominations to choose from. We did pretty good on those one of our last trips.  That other big bank has been ice cold for weeks! I dont understand why the casinos (the Taj especially lol) dont have a poll of some sort of their players to find out what the smoking AND the non-smoking guests would like in their areas. I hope they make some kind of adjustment because its so annoying to have to get up to go smoke and my husband hates having to hold my machine for me. Just a question-if there are so many nonsmokers why do I have a hard time getting a smoking room????? Im a Maharajah player so you would think it wopuld be easy! Did anyone notice the new beds--very high! And the new flatscreen TVs? Ive seen them on 46th and 48th floors so far. The new bathrooms on the casino floor are pretty neat with automatic,flushers, soap, water, and towels! Glad to see you back Mike!
Barb

[Webman]

Welcome back, njmike. Glad things have turned around, and thanks for the updates.

[JHock12]

Good to hear from you again, Mike.  Haven't been to Showboat since Apr. 7th, when I stopped in for an hour or so and basically left even.  I am interested to see the "new" AC after the 15th.  Everyone I have talked to that has been down since then has said that the 75-25 thing is a fiasco, and it actually makes the problem worse, by concentrating the smokers in small areas, and inspiring fellow patrons to snitch on people violating the new laws, another thing the smoking police wants.  If they think all casinos will go this route anytime soon, they should call the CT casinos, who both say there are absolutely no plans to change their present policy, which includes large no-smoking areas, a sensible approach in my opinion.

[njmike37]

Thanks, Barb!   I missed being here as well.  Ooooh, $1.00 denom on the STP as well on those 2 lone machines??  I'll definitely look to play those next time I go.  Sometimes when I'm running good at the others that only have 25-cents and 50-cents, I would love to dabble with the $1.00 ones.  Thank you for letting me know. 
As much as I smoke when I'm at the casino, it will be VERY annoying having to get up from the machine.  Even worse will be when my fiance goes up to bed and I'm playing by myself.  I'll have to either not have a cigarette at all, or take the chance of losing my machine if I do have one..
I'll see the new beds soon.  I finally got my Maharajah Card last week and got us a room for a few nights in June.  My parents are coming down as well and they got some rooms too.  Hope the beds aren't TOO high as my father will have a hard time getting into them.
 
Mike

[njmike37]

Webman,
 
Thank you very much.    I'm glad to be back in action!
 
Mike

[njmike37]

JHock,
 
Yeah, it's getting pretty bad with the smoking sections at Showboat, and I'm sure everywhere else too.  From what the employees are telling me, there's still a major problem with people smoking where they're not supposed to, despite the possible fine for doing so.  Plus, they say that the smoke is so thick in the smoking sections, it is like a "gas chamber."  I enjoy smoking, but I don't like very smoky areas where that is all that you breathe...
 
And yes, CT has it right... Foxwoods in particular, which has the separate casino sections for smoking and non-smoking.  It's too confusing down here in AC.  People will never follow the rules completely down here, and the casinos are too scared to build actual sections for smoking and non because of the possibility of them going completely non-smoking in the future. 
 
Amazingly at Showboat though, I talked to an exec (while on a smoke break in the break room..) that said that since April 15th, revenues are only slightly down from this time last year.  That is at least some good news..
 
Mike

[JHock12]

What they should have done is wait for the rooms to be built before imposing these restrictions, but this is just another example of the can't wait to restrict and control public behavior mind-set of the smoking police.  Don't you think that this confusion is just what they want?  Instead of doing the sensible thing they were married to April 15th-a holy day for the NJ chapter of nanny-staters-so they can drive this down our throats.  The city council, however well-intentioned they might have been, has opened up a can of worms they might regret.  As far as the revenues, let's give it a month or two and see what happens once regulars get to see it for themselves.   

[BOOPSAHOY]

A lot of us are waiting to see when (if) they build permanent ares. I may have to go to CT if it stays so haphazard! Mike the beds are HIGH! I have to jump up a little to get on them and I am not short!

[stephmo]

I was at the Borgata last week, and I hated the set up. Smoking areas were randomly dispersed, and did not have the machines that I wanted to play. I plan to go to Ct., where I don't feel like a criminal.