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Atlantic City Road Diet to Proceed, as Judge Finds No ‘Irreparable Harm’

The narrowing of Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City will continue after a state judge ruled the casino plaintiffs that asked the court to halt the project failed to prove irreparable harm.

Atlantic City road narrowing lawsuit
Atlantic City’s Atlantic Avenue at Caesars. The narrowing of Atlantic Ave. will proceed after a New Jersey judge dismissed arguments against the project raised by five casinos on the Boardwalk. (Image: AP)

New Jersey Superior Court Judge Michael Blee on Friday dismissed an injunction request from five Boardwalk casinos and a local health care system. The plaintiffs argued that reducing the number of vehicular lanes on Atlantic Ave. from four to two would further increase traffic congestion — an unappealing sight for arriving casino guests — and could delay emergency vehicles trying to reach AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center to provide life-saving services.

The court does not consider the personal inconvenience of residents and visitors to be irreparable harm,” Blee wrote.

Atlantic City officials, including Mayor Marty Small Sr., believe narrowing the city’s main drag — in what’s called a “road diet” — will improve pedestrian safety. Nearly 10% of the more than 800 vehicle accidents that occurred on Atlantic Ave. between 2013 and 2017 involved a pedestrian.

By reducing the number of vehicular lanes from four to two, Atlantic Ave.’s sidewalks will be widened to facilitate easier walking and prevent pedestrians from stepping onto the road to get around slower people.

Trial Scheduled

Bally’s, Caesars, Hard Rock, Resorts, and Tropicana argue a more congested Atlantic Ave. will further dampen the arrival experience for its guests.

The Atlantic City Expressway arrives in town at Baltic Ave. and Christopher Columbus Blvd. From there, guests continue straight to Caesars or make a left or right on Atlantic Ave. to reach their casino destination.

The Atlantic City Boardwalk casino properties and AtlantiCare are disappointed in today’s ruling,” said Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey and Resorts Casino Hotel. “We stand firm in our belief that this change in traffic patterns on Atlantic Avenue could have very real public health, safety, and general welfare implications.”

Even with four lanes, Atlantic Ave. becomes extremely busy during the summer months and marquee events and concerts.

Ocean Casino Resort, which is the northernmost gaming property on the Boardwalk, as well as the three Marina District casinos — Borgata, Harrah’s, and Golden Nugget — are not participating in the road diet litigation.

The case will head to a full trial, but likely won’t be heard until February 2025. The road-narrowing project is expected to be finished by this spring. The project began last month and is already about half complete.

Blee says if the trial goes the plaintiffs’ way, Atlantic Ave. can be remarked to return the roadway to four lanes.

Casino Foe, Not Friend

The casinos and AtlantiCare argued that the road narrowing needed approval from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), which has jurisdiction over the city’s Tourism District where Atlantic Ave. is being trimmed. The city argued, and Blee agreed, that the state holds final authority and CRDA did not participate in the lawsuit.

Blee’s ruling is his latest decision against the Atlantic City casino industry. In 2022, Blee overturned a deal reached between New Jersey lawmakers and the casinos that sought to significantly reduce the amount of money they pay under their PILOT (payment in lieu of tax) program.

Blee said the state’s willingness to remove iGaming and online sports betting revenue from the calculation that determines how much property tax the casinos collectively pay violated the state constitution because it provided a tax benefit to an industry without a “public purpose.”

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Resorts Atlantic City Announces 45th Anniversary Plans with Kelsey Grammer

Resorts Atlantic City forever changed the New Jersey beachfront town when its casino floor opened in May 1978. This Memorial Day weekend, the Boardwalk resort will celebrate its 45th anniversary of continuous operation and its reign as the oldest casino resort in town.

Resorts Atlantic City anniversary New Jersey
Resorts Atlantic City hosts the “Annual Opening of the Sea Ceremony” on Memorial Day 2022. The yearly tradition includes dropping hundreds of beach balls on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. The event marks the unofficial start of the busy season for the nine casinos. (Image: Casino.org)

Owned by Morris Bailey and Dennis Gomes, Resorts World has been operated by Mohegan, a subsidiary of Connecticut’s Mohegan Tribe, since 2012.

Resorts traditionally hosts Atlantic City’s annual beach ball drop on the Boardwalk during the Memorial Day weekend. The event marks the unofficial start of summer for the resort town. This Memorial Day, festivities will be extra special, as Resorts looks back on 45 years.

Being the first Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, it’s a huge accomplishment to celebrate 45 years of operation,” said Mark Giannantonio, president and CEO at Resorts. “This wonderful milestone is a testament to the culture at our hotel, the hard work and dedication of our team members, and the loyalty of our guests.”

“We look forward to continued growth and success as Resorts Casino Hotel embarks on its next 45 years and beyond,” Giannantonio said.

A-List Host, New Cocktail Venue

Actor and New Jersey native Kelsey Grammer will cohost Resorts’ 45th-anniversary shindig with Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr.

Grammer and Small will be the emcees for the beach ball drop — officially the “Annual Opening of the Sea Ceremony” — at 1 p.m. EST on Friday, May 26.

That night, a Bee Gees tribute band will take the stage at Resorts’ Superstar Theater. A Resorts release said the band will feature “present and former members of world-renowned acts and offer all the classic 70s disco hits from ‘Stayin Alive’ to ‘Night Fever’, while embracing the early works such as ‘To Love Somebody.’”

To commemorate its opening in the late 1970s, Resorts renovated its Bar One cocktail spot just steps from the hotel lobby into Lounge78. The new watering hole is a retro-themed venue paying tribute to Resorts’ 1978 opening.

iGaming Lifeline

Resorts has benefited greatly from New Jersey legalizing iGaming in 2011. It took more than two years before online slots and table games went live in November 2013 because of legal concerns. Specifically, whether the federal Wire Act prevented a state from allowing intrastate internet casino gambling.

Resorts was an eager supporter of online poker and internet casino games, and that’s turned out to be a winning bet over the past decade. In fact, Resorts generates far more gross gaming revenue (GGR) online than it does on its brick-and-mortar casino floor.

In 2021 and 2022, Resorts’ land-based casino reported GGR of $168.6 million and $168.1 million. Meanwhile, Resorts Digital, Bailey and Gomes’ iGaming entity in New Jersey, reported GGR of $450.7 million and $546.5 million during those two years.

New Jersey’s licensing law requires that all iGaming platforms be tethered to one of the nine casinos in Atlantic City. PokerStars lends its casino license to five online casino and sports betting sites, including ResortsCasino, Barstool Sportsbook, DraftKings, Mohegan Sun Casino, and PokerStars NJ.

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Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City – $55M in Hotel Upgrades, Rebrand

borgata_hotel_casino_and_spa_in_atlantic_city_to_undergo_dlr55m_in_hotel_upgrades_rebrandWith 20th-anniversary celebrations at Atlantic City’s Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa fast approaching, the MGM property has announced plans to spend $55m to completely redesign and rebrand the hotel. The new MGM Tower will have over 700 guestrooms and luxury suites that will be completely reimagined. The suites will wrap around the tower’s corners with amazing vista views according to reports.

Chief Operating Officer for MGM Resorts International, Corey Sanders, said: “Introducing the MGM Tower connects Borgata with the unparalleled entertainment and resort experiences MGM Resorts is recognized for worldwide. We are incredibly proud of Borgata and its industry-leading team of employees, and we believe this significant reinvestment will drive visitation to Atlantic City well into the future.”

Stunning New Experience

According to a press release from the operator in Yahoo News, visitors will find a whole new experience from the moment they arrive with a playful and contemporary personality featuring nautical design elements from the Marina District. Deep wood finishes in the “light and airy” guestrooms will accent a “bright yet warm” decor with neutral and blue tones, capturing the feeling of being surrounded by water.

The new Vista Suites wrapped around the corners of the tower will join the existing opulent suites.

A high-limit slot lounge already opened adjacent to the hotel lobby just before Christmas. The 8,300 sq ft newly rebranded Miralto underwent an extensive two-month, multi-million dollar renovation. New rooms will begin to open in April with the balance expected before Memorial Day Weekend. On the 32nd floor, in the location of the former Immersion Spa, a 9,000 sq ft event space will open as well with one-of-a-kind views for visitors.

“As we approach the resort’s 20th anniversary, we are more committed than ever to remaining a leader in hospitality and entertainment by continuing to evolve the Borgata experience,” said Travis Lunn, the resort’s President & COO. “We look forward to sharing our new vision with Borgata’s incredible guests in the coming months.”

Rodrigo Vargas Design Contributing

Award-winning international interior design firm RVD Associates worked in partnership with MGM Resorts International Design Group on designing and crafting the improvements.

East-facing rooms will have white curtains while west-facing rooms will have deep-blue curtains to accent a view of the evening marshlands in the distance.

Form, function, elegance, and leisure will all be incorporated with soft lighting hidden under the bed bases with soft light also coming from the headboard space of the beds. Ooulant space will feature “center-stage” with a table for daytime work or evening entertainment.

Source: Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City announces $55m tower remodel, Yahoo News, March 14, 2023

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Casino Crime Round Up: Man Murdered Near Bally’s Casino Atlantic City

A 34-year-old man was fatally shot on the Atlantic City boardwalk near Bally’s Casino on Saturday morning. A suspect was arrested.

Police officers on the Atlantic City boardwalk near Bally’s Casino
Police officers on the Atlantic City boardwalk near Bally’s Casino, pictured above. A man was fatally shot outside the casino this weekend. (Image: KYW)

Jahlil Boston, 34, of Egg Harbor City, N.J., was charged with murder and several other weapons and drug counts, prosecutors said.

The shooting took place at about 2 a.m. in the 1900 block of the boardwalk near Johnny Rockets restaurant at Bally’s.

The victim was identified by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office as Eric Wynn of Atlantic City.

Boston was apprehended shortly after the killing. He allegedly used a semi-automatic firearm in the shooting.

The prosecutor’s office in a statement noted that Shawn Steuber, a retired local officer now at the Atlantic City Headquarters for Intelligence Logistics Electronic Surveillance, quickly got a description of the suspect for police.

Boston remained in custody as of early this weekend at the Atlantic County Justice Facility.

The weapons charges against Boston include: unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of a weapon while in the course of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of large capacity ammunition and magazine, and possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a predicate offense.

He was also charged with these drug counts: possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute while in a public zone.

It appears Boston knew Wynn before the shooting took place, officials said.

Officials didn’t release further details on the killing. It was unclear why the two men were near the casino.

Alleged Laundering of $38K at Hollywood Casino Joliet

John Tomaras was charged with money laundering following a series of recent incidents involving over $38,000 at Illinois’ Hollywood Casino Joliet.

The 53-year-old Rockdale, Ill. man allegedly laundered $38,180 at the casino between February 24 and March 10, according to Patch.

Tomaras was arrested on March 10. His bail was set at $50,000.

He was booked at Will County Jail on March 11. He was released after posting bond.

Man Arrested for Indiana Casino Cheating

Gankhuyag Noosoi was arrested after allegedly cheating while playing Baccarat at an Indiana gaming property.

The 54-year-old Chicago man was charged with cheating at gambling after a January 17 incident, according to the Chicago Tribune.

He either made a winning bet after the hand ended or he changed the bet to a winning hand from a losing hand after the Baccarat game was decided, the Tribune reported based on court documents.

Noosoi changed his bet from banker to player position as the dealer collected losing bets.

The casino lost $160 from the cheating, the report added. Noosoi paid the dealer $25.

Noosoi apparently had difficulty communicating with casino staff. He couldn’t speak fluent English given his native language is Mongolian.

The casino is located in Hammond, Ind. It wasn’t named in a media report.

In January 2022, Noosoi was also charged with cheating at gambling in Lake County, Indiana, the Tribune reported. It’s unclear how that charge was adjudicated in court.

Accused Casino Bandit Faces Up To 20 Years in Prison

Aaron Michael Kelly accepted a plea deal this month for the April 2022 armed robbery in the parking lot of Maryland’s Hollywood Casino.

The 23-year-old Middle River, Md., man now faces up to 20 years in prison, according to Maryland’s Cecil Whig newspaper.

Kelly agreed to plead guilty on March 6 to armed robbery and theft of more than $100 and less than $1,500 at the Cecil County Circuit Court, the newspaper added. He likely will be sentenced on May 16 by Judge Brenda A. Sexton.

The armed robbery took place in a parking lot at Hollywood Casino in Perryville on April 9, 2022.

Kelly allegedly opened the driver’s door of a parked car. He then placed a handgun on the driver’s head, authorities said. He allegedly demanded money from her. She gave him the cash, and he drove away. He was arrested in May.

Originally, he was charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, loaded handgun on person, and numerous other charges.

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Atlantic City Settles with Cop Cleared of Violent Attack on Tropicana Patron

An Atlantic City police officer has received a $323,631 payout from city officials, NJ.com reports. The sum was given after the officer was cleared of using excessive force when he set his K-9 on a drunken reveler outside the Tropicana.

Sterling Wheaten
Sterling Wheaten
Sterling Wheaten, above, has been the subject of 23 allegations of assault or excessive force in his seven-year career. (Image: ACPD)

Sterling Wheaten, 40, was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2018 on charges of violating civil rights and falsifying a police report. The charges were in relation to the 2013 arrest of 20-year-old law student David Connor Castellani. Security video of the violent arrest went viral on social media.

The jury cleared Wheaten of those charges in February last year, and the officer sued the city for the earnings he would have received had he not been suspended without pay, plus legal expenses. He resumed working for the Atlantic City Police Department in March.

In 2017, the city also paid $3 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by Castellani for damages. He was hospitalized for four days and needed more than 200 stitches after being mauled by Wheaten’s dog for almost two minutes, according to court documents.

Drunk and Disorderly

Castellani was part of a group of five friends who hit the Trop on June 15 that year for an evening’s drinking. But he was kicked out of the casino three times that night for being underage, according to court documents.

At one point, he was detained by a member of the casino’s security staff and cited by a responding officer for disorderly conduct before being released.

Then he showed up on the Tropicana security video at around 3 a.m., apparently verbally insulting a group of police officers across the street.

The officers attempted to arrest Castellani, who resisted. He was punched, struck with a baton, and wrestled to the ground, as police called for K-9 backup.

By the time Wheaten arrived, Castellani was lying on his stomach with an officer kneeling on his head and neck and others securing his legs. His left hand was cuffed.

The video appears to show Wheaten punching the prone man twice while allowing his dog to attack his neck before it cuts out.

Previous Allegations

Wheaten had been the subject of 23 allegations of assault or excessive force in his seven-year career. In 2013, a jury awarded former deputy state attorney general Michael Trosso $500K. That was after a group of officers that included Wheaten beat him up outside Harrahs before arresting him on his 2008 stag night.

“The City of Atlantic City is statutorily obligated to pay back pay and recognized lawyer fees,” Mayor Marty Small Sr. said, as the council voted to award Wheaten his back pay, as reported by NJ.com. “The city policy is suspension without pay until a situation is resolved.

“The bottom line, Mr. Wheaten was victorious (in court)” by being found not guilty of the federal charges,” Small added.

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