We're Back with More Casino Information..

Sorry for the absence my loyal friends, but I've had to deal with some personal issues over the last week. I come back to the fold with a theme that I've spoken about many times before...The ban of smoking in the casinos of atlantic city and the subsequent temporary repeal of this ban for the next year.

Just in case you've been in a bubble, happened to do missionary work in a part of the world that doesn't get the internet or if this is just the first time you've read one of my blog posts, I'll make it easy. I'm very much against any kind of ban on smoking in the casinos of Atlantic City. Just to re-cap Atlantic City casinos have seen some of the worst declining performances on a month to month basis in almost 30 years. Sure there are lot's of reasons for this, including the infringing competition of local states such as Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and now I'm hearing Maryland, but in the face of all that taking away a natural and complimentary thing from the core market has always seemed absurd to me.

Yes, let me get this out of the way too. I realize that there are significant reports about the trends of second hand smoking and how bad the employees have it at the casinos. Yes, I can understand because I have had several people close to me, including family that have unfortunately been stricken down, no doubt from second hand smoke. Finally, yes, I want there to be a place where people can work and not have to deal with this kind of thing.

All this pales in the face of a terrifying thought. The thought of a quiet and cold whispering wind blowing down the Boardwalk in a winter not so far off. A quiet that is pierced here and there by the sound of small pockets of facilities that survived to have slots here and there. A place where street after street has boarded up businesses including casinos. For many they feel it's not a reality. To me its' very real.

I often bring up the example of Flint Michigan. If any of you have the stomach go rent a movie called Roger and Me. It's a startling look at how a city and region can fold in the face of a decline of the most contributing industry. This reality is very close to what could happen in Atlantic City.