Tracking Re-invention of Atlantic City. News, Info, Tourism, Real Estate, Investment, Development. Hosted by Mel Taylor. www.ACprimetime.com
Dude is bad news. Need to win an election in AC and/or South Jersey? Better call Craig Callaway. Make sure to place your order early, and stroke a big check for Craig. He's the man that magically delivers thousand of votes... that all lean the same way. No matter how good or bad of a candidate you are. Craig Callaway: ex-con who legally exploits current election law in Atlantic City and South Jersey. He's really good at it, too. Puts big bucks into his pockets....and shitty politicians into office. Listen to clips from WPG Radio, Harry Hurley & Craig Callaway: Click to listen. Craig Callaway: the man who brought you AC Mayor Frank Gilliam. Yup. The same Frank Gilliam recently forced from office and facing jail time for stealing money from a youth sports league. Callaway on Gilliam: “I regret that I didn’t do more homework on Frank Gilliam.” Craig Callaway is a poor judge of character. HASSAN CALLAWAY was good choice for Pleasantville school board? He missed half the meetings. Craig Callaway is uncle of Hassan Callaway and P-ville school board president, Carla Thomas. Read more in Press of AC Callaway is a political mercenary, primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics. Got the cash? Craig delivers the votes. No matter how unqualified or dangerous you are. They ask us, who’s looking out for our best interest? Two years go, Callaway recommended Frank Gilliam. Recently, Callaway brought thousands of additional ballots, propelling incumbents Vince Mazzeo & John Armato past controversial Republican challenger Phil 'Greenhead' Guenther, along with his running mate, John Risley. Hurley & Callaway The Callaway Machine. Callaway often referred to as power broker, political genius, or some kind of respectable pontificator of politics. Callaway is none of that. Callaway is eerily equipped to deliver votes that all lean the same way. Callaway's GET OUT THE VOTE efforts. A ride to the polls and $30 bucks gets almost anyone elected. NO matter how poor a candidate. Yup, Callaway can be legally bought. By extension, so can Atlantic City voters, it seems. Craig Callaway. Mercenary extraordinaire. Running a sweet, legal scam on Atlantic City taxpayers. CALLAWAY FUN FACTS. (from FBI and an Ordinary Guy) Craig Callaway, a former Atlantic City Council president. Served 3 ½ years behind bars. Bribery and blackmail. From: FBI and an Ordinary Guy In 2007, Atlantic City Council President Craig Callaway, Ronald Callaway a. k. a. Jihad Abdullah and David Callaway were charged in a political blackmail scheme. They were accused of orchestrating a blackmail scenario and then conducting secret electronic surveillance and filming of Eugene Robinson, an Atlantic City councilman and local minister, as Robinson supposedly engaged and paid a prostitute for a sex act. Ron Calloway was sentenced to prison for voter fraud in 2002. Convicted for blackmail attempt. Floyd Tally was among fifteen other people, including David Callaway and Atlantic City Councilman Marty Small, who were indicted for allegedly conspiring to disenfranchise voters and assisting Small to defeat Lorenzo Langford at the polls in Atlantic City’s mayoral primary. The scheme apparently consisted of arranging to have absentee ballots cast without absentee voters signing the ballots. The ballots were later steamed open during an “autograph party” where campaign workers signed and resealed them to be counted. Marty Small was once indicted on voter fraud charges, but not convicted. AC Mayor Marty Small; Emotionally Unstable. Former Atlantic City Council president Craig Callaway spent almost 3 years in Southwoods State Prison. Callaway admitted taking $36,000 in bribes in August 2006. In 2008, Callaway admitted to organizing a blackmail scheme against a fellow, AC councilman, Gene Robinson. Robinson videotaped with prostitute at a hotel. Callaway's brothers,
Mr. Joseph Polillo… this guy BLEEDS Atlantic City. Also known as POST CARD JOEY Polillo. Using super-human powers, he forced his way onto The Mel Taylor WPG 1450 Talk Radio Show on Jan 8, 2016. Click to listen. Polillo was employed by Atlantic City for 30 years, working as Chief Licence Inspector. Needless to say, Joey has seen the good, bad and the ugly.... during his 3 decades working for the City. He knows where many bodies are buried. ;) 2009 Atlantic City mayoral candidates, from left, Jesse O. Kurtz, Joseph Polillo, incumbent Lorenzo Langford and Dennis Mason: Pic: Press of Atlantic City 2009 Atlantic City mayoral candidates, Kurtz, Polillo, incumbent Langford and Mason. Read More at Press of Atlantic City: Atlantic City mayoral candidates split on plans for Bader Field Polillo took multiple runs for local Atlantic City public office, including the Mayor's seat. Polillo lost each time but certainly made an impact with his passionate pleas for municipal sanity. Today, Joey Polillo is an author, actor, regular radio guest, grower of a massive beard, Atlantic City history & postcard expert.....and a no-nonsense sh*t-stirrer. Postcard Joey Polillo is an Atlantic City classic. He's our kind of guy. Visit > PostCardShow.com Buy the new book: Joseph; Inspirational Poems Mailing Address: The Postcard Show.com LLC 301 N. Raleigh Ave Atlantic City, NJ 08401-1031 Email Address: postcardjoey@yahoo.com
King Arthur Radio Show notes from ACprimetime news update. King Arthur Radio Show and Podcast. WIBG. 1020am. Feb 10, 2018. Gilliams Island parody. Gilliam in Vegas to study weed. Atlantic City Crime. Recent stabbing on Tennessee Ave. 10K Frank. Kudos to AC Mayor Frank Gilliam. On Monday night at the IRISH PUB, Gilliam entered the lions cage and faced his accusers. The DEM committee wanted to know how he intercepted a 10K check from the Atlantic County DEMS, that was supposed to go to Atlantic City DEMS….and NOT to Frank’s personal campaign acct. Wow. An event not to be missed. Everybody was there. Council president Marty Small, Councilman Kool Mo Dee, better known as Mo Delgado, Jeff Fauntleroy too. Plenty of media, but the Press of AC, and other local media did NOT report on the substantial in-fighting between the DEMS of the City and the County. The Press of AC ignored the major head line: Gilliam called the County a LIAR. Did Big Frank use Mr Jeff Fauntleroy as an enforcer? That’s what Craig Callaway says, according to a recent radio interview. Big Frank’s campaign manager Richard Winstead was there too. Pointing fingers at 2 of the County DEMS, who were also in attendance. Gilliam called Mike Suliman a liar. More than once. Says County is just dividing the city against itself. Accusations of the race card being played? Maybe. Gilliam & Winstead did their best to defend against these very disturbing accusations. We think many are too afraid to go up against Big Frank. The 'No Snitching Allowed' rule needs to be thrown out said those in attendance. Stockton HATE Day. Social Warrior Training. Student Indoctrination is what some are calling this full day of HATE at Stockton University. Social Justice Warriors. Easily offended. Triggered. Snowflakes. The oppressed. A victim mentality. Citizen Seth Grossman called out Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman and his “United Against Hate Day” event this week, claiming this event only teaches students to Hate America, Whites, Jews, Men, and anyone with a different opinion on things. It should be noted that the historic appearance by US Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch was a private, event that was supposedly NOT recorded. Not even a transcript was released. We can only assume that this would only upset the snowflakes and easily triggered media and student body. Early indications suggest that parents footing the bill for their kids to go to college, are thinking twice…before sending their kids to the AC campus of Stockton. Safety concerns. Will their kids ever get a real well-paid job after graduating with a degree in gender studies and social work? A program schedule that would make Saul Alinsky proud. Rules for Radicals. Divide & conquer. Pit people against each other. Ultra Credit offered for all sessions. · Safe Zone Workshop · Cultural Humility · Hate Speech in the Classroom · Understanding Activism and Your Role · Propaganda, Hate Speech, and Fake News in History · Take a Stand against Bullying · Then and Now: Southern Poverty Law Center · National Anthem Protests and Freedom of Expression · Microaggression, Bias and Prejudice: Ways to Respond · Institutional Misogyny and Sexual Terrorism When Cat is away…Mice will play. Land use rules / Zoning rules Ocean City is under scrutiny. So is AC. Margate. Ventnor. And especially Brigantine. With the # of qualified voters declining, and 2nd home owners increasing, there are allegations of smaller & smaller group of people, making decisions for the rest of taxpayers. On average, 75% of Jersey Shore taxpayers are part time residents. That means, 75% of Jersey Shore taxpayers don’t vote. Even though there are situations where they could… if they wanted to. Listen to More King Arthur
Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam These are some show notes from the recent King Arthur Radio Show on 1020am, WIBG. FEB 3, 2018. ACprimetime NEWS 2.3.2018 Atlantic City DEMS MEETING about 10k check Gilliam Gilliam’s first CRDA meeting. Packed with residents opposed to Chelsea Beach takeover by CRDA. Frank was NOT ready for this. MARGATE using zoning rules to help some developers? MASTER JETTY for Absecon Island? Back bay dredging Brigantine getting beach nourishment now. North end of Brigantine beaches now under more control of STATE Brigantine property taxes & appeal process questioned by 2nd homeowners. 2018 Summer Flounder Regulations. Reforming Magnuson-Stevens Act Of 1976. LISTEN TO MORE OF FRANK TALK Social Justice Warrior
The Atlantic City Democratic Committee under the leadership of Joyce Mollineaux, is in turmoil over a missing $10,000 check. Seems like the check ended up in Frank Gilliam's bank account, instead of the Atlantic City Democratic Committee . Questions remain: How did Gilliam allegedly get a $10,000 check meant for the Atlantic City Democratic committee? Why did Gilliam allegedly sign the check? Did Gilliam deposit check into his own acct? Will Gilliam & Joyce Mollineaux correct the situation? Listeners to the Kevin Hall Radio Show asked: why so much mishandling of money? It was brought to Joyce Mollineaux's attention that a $10,000 check was roaming around out there. It was supposed to come to us. From Kevin Hall Radio show: We worked very hard to win. Committee members found out many were not paid. We gotta get to the bottom of this. Where is the money? We knew it was cashed because we saw the elect reports. It was written out to us, and we saw the signature and it was not our treasurer or our chairperson. It never came to us directly. Now we're doing an investigation. Very disturbed. We're not gonna pacify and say it was a mistake. We want justice. Did Atlantic City Democratic Committee Chairperson, Joyce Mollineaux, sweep this issue under the rug? How did Mayor Frank Gilliam, allegedly take receipt the $10,000 check, and allegedly deposit it into his own campaign account. It even looks like Gilliam signed the back of the check. If true, why didn't Mollineaux and Gilliam just return the $10,000 to the Atlantic City Democratic Committee? The Atlantic City Democratic Committee is not happy, so they'll convene an emergency meeting of the Atlantic City Democratic Committee. A vote of no confidence in Mollineaux as Chairperson? According to Harry Hurley, the Atlantic City Democratic Committee may ask law enforcement to investigate. A potential Election Law issue looms as well.
The infamous PILOT bill is finally being challenged. Liberty & Prosperity, a constitutional advocacy group lead by Seth Grossman, has teamed up with Atlantic County Exec Denny Levinson. Both sides presented arguments in front of Superior Court Judge Mendez on Nov 30. Both are convinced that the PILOT is un-constitutional. Grossman, a Somers Point attorney and former Atlantic City councilman, refers to the PILOT as 'Payment in Lieu of Peanuts Taxes.' The goal of the Casino PILOT was to stabilize Atlantic City’s tax-collection base. Wildly inaccurate assessments contributed to Atlantic City's near bankruptcy and eventual state take-over. The PILOT bill allows casinos to collectively pay $120 million per year instead of actual property taxes and allows them to upgrade their properties without tax implications. County Exec Denny Levinson said Seth Grossman was outstanding in front of Judge Mendez. 'He was terrific.' The current PILOT allows a private entity to gaining at the expense of the average taxpayer. Not review-able for 8 years. Every non-casino property will see tax hikes, says Levinson. Listen to Levinson on WOND Radio, Dec. 1, 2017 WOND PILOT COURT HEARING Dec 1 2017 Other notes: The Chiesa firm representing the STATE is out, effective Jan. 2018. Til then, it's another payday for that law firm, says Denny. Most recently, the Levinson family took a personal hit by standing up against Gov. Christie. With the County fighting the PILOT in court, the outgoing and very unpopular Governor pinked slipped the very capable Matt Levinson, son of the County Exec. Matt was not re-appointed to his position on the Casino Control Commission. That’s how Christie rolls. In addition, Atlantic County believes it should receive at least 13.5% of PILOT revenues, based on agreements with both AC Mayor Don Guardian, and Gov. Christie. (WATCH VIDEO) https://youtu.be/QBxXpvT1bek Everybody in legislature agrees. 13.5% should be given to taxpayers. Something that was verbally guaranteed by the outgoing Governor Christie. Press of Atlantic City thinks 10% is fine? Levinson pointed out that the Press of Atlantic City printed inaccurate data on the morning of Dec. 1, 2017. Was this just an error on the editor's part?
Release that audio! Atlantic City Councilman George Tibbitt wants the Harry Hurley Radio show to post a recent show featuring the infamous Craig Callaway interview. Is Hurley Radio producer, Chris Coleman, manipulating the media? WPG Radio Producer, Chris Coleman Pay for play & promotion. Small market radio stations are notorious for cheap access to the airwaves. Political candidates can buy large blocks of airtime to 'talk' with the host. Some believe this allows for biased political coverage. Would a radio host favor a deep pocketed advertiser who happens to be a political candidate? To be sure, all media is biased to some extent. But some more so than others. Nov 6 Update: It took close to 3 days, but one of the Hurley audio clips was finally uploaded on Nov 5. A clip featuring mark Padula vs Mayor Guardian was taken down, and is still down as of Nov 6. Listen to it below.... Hurley: Guardian vs Padula. See latest Atlantic City & Other Political Attack Ads here. Democrats Against Gilliam Joseph Pollilo's Beard Chris Brown Fact Check Boom Harry There Ya Go . Nov 5 , 2017 George Tibbitt Release Those Tapes Hurley 11.3.2017 AC Mayor Guardian Voter Fraud & Callaway 11.3.17 Padula Explains Mayoral Meltdown Vaughan Reale, former Margate mayor Radio Battle Between Guardian & Padula. Oct 26, 2017 WOND. Padula Confronts Mayor Guardian on WOND Radio 10.23.17 WOND Mayor debate 10.12.17 edit
Listen to the podcast: Having favorable local radio and newspaper coverage can really come in handy. Just ask Atlantic City Mayor, Don Guardian. Listen to clips from WIBG King Arthur Radio...and Harry Hurley Radio. The Mayor's seat on the local Planning Board is a powerful position to hold. Especially in regard to the Flagship Resort. Did the Flagship Resort, donating 10's of thousands of dollars to the Guardian campaign, get preferential treatment? Media Manipulation of Mayoral Race. Bias of Atlantic City Radio and Newspaper. Pay for Play. Show Notes: Mayor Don Guardian not used to people calling him out. A story that should have received media scrutiny, was ignored or glossed over. Mainly, it was diverted to another narrative. Callers to WOND Radio suggested that the Mayor played ‘gay card’. Trapped in a corner, unable to answer the question, fired back with accusations and put-downs of a private citizen Former Atlantic City Councilman Schultz doing prison time. The AC elite. Show me your friends, and I'll tell you what you are. 'Devious Don' says Padula. Allegation: There was a ‘set-up caller’ on another radio program, designed to pounce, trap & sabotage on Padula. King Arthur: The other radio host let the Mayor talk all over you. Did the Radio host turn up the volume, allowing the mayor to filibuster, drowning out Mr. Padula on the phone? Is the 'sign' an attack on gays? The Mayor thinks so. Padula says it’s the Atlantic City Elite that rules this town. Shame on Philly.com reporter for missing the crux of the story. Padula: Deflect away from real issue. Don Guardian did not abstain, and voted to approve a dirt lot, take money out of taxpayers pockets, and assist a political donor. The so-called sign was changed, now featuring a 'Fire The Liar' campaign. The billboard highlights 2 critical issues that could keep the bow-tied Guardian from a 2nd term as Mayor of Atlantic City. Did Mayor Guardian once hire the Calloway team to collect & deliver ballots for the Guardian campaign? Was it a 'dirty vote'? Calloway team is a political, legal force to be reckoned with says Padula. Republicans not endorsing the incumbent. They seem to be running from the Guardian campaign. Freeholder Frank Formica (R) and County Executive, Denny Levinson? Council President Marty Small (D) and Freeholder Ernest Coursey (D) have endorsed Mayor Guardian. Deceive and Divert
Listen to the ACprimetime podcast. Back on OCT. 16, 2017, there was a debate between NJ State Senator Colin Bell and Assemblyman Chris Brown. It was held on WOND Radio, a small AM station in the Atlantic City area. Coincidentally… a struggling radio station that’s up for sale. Both candidates want your vote to be a NJ State Senator for the next 4 years. BrownFactCheck.com Here are some clips from the recent radio debate between Senator Bell & Assemblyman Brown. Fair warning: I'm not playing and commenting on these clips to sway your vote. Rather…. I hope you’ll see that FAKE NEWS and BIASED NEWS is a real problem. Not just at the national level…… but especially here at the local level. Biased media is a real problem, especially when the local news radio station….is partnered with the local newspaper. The Atlantic City news radio station is up for sale. The local newspaper is bleeding readers and advertisers. Kinda creepy…..a little too comfortable relationship between the moderator…and Assemblyman Brown. Moderator Scott Cronick….calls Chris Brown 'Buddy'…..laughs along with Mr. Brown. Yes, this is the same radio station moderator that took sponsorship money from Mayor Don Guardian, the incumbent candidate in a critical Atlantic City mayoral debate a few weeks ago at Dante Hall. As the 2016 presidential election proved…..mainstream media plays a major role in what info is shared with voters….what people should know, what they should think….and potentially how they should vote. Even with the non-stop trump bashing by national TV & Newspaper…..we know what happened as we selected our 45th president of the USA The rise of fake news, Independent minded voters of South Jersey. The land of Nucky Johnson. Nucky Johnson (1883–1968) was an Atlantic City, republican political boss, Atlantic County Sheriff, businessman, and racketeer. He was the undisputed "boss" of the political machine that controlled Atlantic City and the Atlantic County government from the 1910s until his conviction and imprisonment in 1941. Many believe Nucky invented the well-oiled GOP political machine here in South Jersey. 'Republi-crats' …..Those that vote one way at the national level…but cast their vote another way…..at the local level. Fake news. Control the narrative. Biased media & moderators. Collusion. Not just with those pesky Russians, but between the failing mainstream media too. Rhinos…..Republicans in name only. Senator Colin Bell Vs Assemblyman Chris Brown.
How did a small concert with a very checkered past, get booked in the LARGE Boardwalk Hall? Was it sharp negotiating by the producer? Was it the lack of concert savvy by the CRDA? Or was it something else? Listen to the ACprimetime Radio Podcast. We talk with Amanda Thomas of Boardwalk Entertainment. Amanda Thomas of Boardwalk Entertainment Michael Salvanto of Songbird Entertainment teamed up with North Jersey cousin Nick Conti to present a Boardwalk Hall concert on Saturday, November 11, 2017. The line-up is WAR, Asia featuring John Payne, and Journey former lead vocalist, Steve Augeri. This show was originally slated for Bader Field. But that fizzled. The triple-bill was also scheduled to take place in Wildwood, but was cancelled at the last minute. Who's at fault? What's the real reason for the cancellation? Wildwood commissioner Pete Byron, said he was 'kept in the dark' about the status of the Songbird Entertainment concert, produced by Michael Salvanto. Salvanto's explanation of past concert mis-steps were smoothed over on WOND Radio on Thursday afternoon. But many listeners weren't buying what Salvanto & the fast-talking, radio host were selling. More fact checking to follow. Back on March 22, 2017, Atlantic City Council voted to give Songbird Entertainment a license to use Bader Field for 5 concerts. None of those planned shows happened. 3rd ward Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz was not happy with the Salvanto experience. Snookered? Hoodwinked? Bamboozled? Or just poor vetting and escrow terms / conditions on part of the city? Some were pleasantly surprised, others were downright shocked... that Salvanto & Songbird Entertainment were able to procure the 12,000 seat main arena of Boardwalk Hall for this cool....but really small show that might sell 3,000 tix. Might is the operative word here. Are Bar Mitzvahs next at Boardwalk Hall? How did this smaller show get OK'ed to play the BIG room at Boardwalk Hall? A show that was already cancelled 2 times before. A sign of things to come for Boardwalk Hall? The CRDA is desperate to do ANYTHING with Boardwalk Hall? Not ONE person at the CRDA thought this smelled kinda funny? Bringing in a wider variety of shows, producers and promoters. Less reliance on the expensive & questionable ROI deal with concert promoter Live Nation? With all that CRDA money being poured into Boardwalk Hall repairs & upgrades, it's time for that great venue to be managed & run as a visitor & revenue driver.....not just a CRDA money pit & pet project that keeps running in the red. Maybe the CRDA should have allocated some of those Boardwalk Hall funds....to safety & crime reduction in that Florida Ave neighborhood? Concert co-producer Nick Conti, plans to open Choice Bar n Grill soon at 470 Albany Ave in Atlantic City. (across from Skate Zone) Selvanto says: “that if it wasn’t with the help of Nick Conti, and Choice Bar & Grill, this concert would not be possible. Conti is a long time resident of Atlantic City, and business owner. NOTE: The CRDA board of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority recently inked a $7 Million deal to attract larger events to Boardwalk Hall and the Convention Center. The CRDA will team with Comcast NBC-Universal and William Morris Endeavor Entertainment to bring “destination events” to the two properties. Spectra by Comcast Spectacor, the company that manages Boardwalk Hall, has recently snubbed the local Yellow Cab Company & Jitney drivers. Spectra named Lyft its official ride-sharing service.
LISTEN TO PODCAST > It's official. It's NJ Senator Colin Bell as of Oct 5, 2017. On Thursday, Bell gets sworn-in to fill out the remainder of the late Sen Jim Whelan's term. On Nov 7, Bell plans on getting another 4 years as NJ State Senator. Listen to the ACprimetime podcast as Senator Colin Bell visits with radio host; Mel Taylor. Topics include: Upcoming November election Bell vs Brown CRDA Pilot Bill North Jersey & Internet Gaming Expensive Dunes Chronic Flooding of Absecon Island Economic Development Homeless Vets Stockton Poll Political Attack Ads Bader Field Raw-Sewage Leak Amazon
Margate residents want a stop to the dangerous, harmful and un-needed dune work on their beaches. Packed house this morning, inside special Margate Commissioner Meeting at Old City Hall. Commissioners will hire outside counsel to file injunction against the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corp of Engineers. Jordan Rand of Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg will represent the city. “Stop the project until the ARMY CORP can prove competence” The Army Corps of Engineers and DEP have pumped out most of the contaminated water from the drainage gully. The water has been pumped to the other side of dune. Suffering irreparable harm. Will Margate sue for damages? Pumping contaminated water into the surf. Margate & Ventnor beach patrols have to patrol hidden areas behind the dunes. One Margate lifeguard has been home sick , reportedly from a bacterial infection caused by the contaminated water. Bulldoze the whole stupid dune system. Stop the Army Corp from wasting taxpayer dollars. Nobody wants this....except for a small handful of Jersey politicians, Ventnor Commissioners, contractors and insiders. “There’s nothing more important than our beach,” said Margate Commissioner Maury Blumberg Mayor Becker. “I want this project stopped immediately.” Margate plans to file an injunction on Thursday in Superior Court in Atlantic County. Local politicos; Frank Lobiondo, Chris Brown & Vince Mazzeo....have yet to step up and voice their opposition to this project. All three are invisible. Ventnor commissioners are still pro-dune....at this point. Margate biz has 14 weeks to make money. Store traffic is down. Restaurant traffic is down. Worries about property values and ratables. Summer rental business is way off. Who da thunk it? The real threat to Margate & other shore towns isn't stormy waters & mother nature... but... it's the Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps of Engineers is destroying Margate, in order to save it. Rep Frank Lobiondo sits on the House committee that funds the ACOE, who in turn contracts out with the State and local gov'ts and the private contractors that do the work. This project is being funded with Federal dollars. Rep Lobiondo got the ACOE to do Margate first and during the summer instead of Ventnor, where he is a resident, (wink, wink) because something broke. One nasty storm in 50 years. This was the opening for Mr Christy & Mr Lobiondo to make the case, for a one size fits all dune dump. Pumping out the dirty water is a short term fix. When it rains, it’s going to happen again. The incompetence of the Army Corp of Engineers is beyond comprehension. Any high school kid knows what will happen when dunes are built by digging out sand from behind. The number of lawyers in Margate should file multiple law suits in State and federal courts. Bring the media here and expose the sham and stupidity of those who approved this. Follow the money. What reporter wants this story?
Will Margate consider legal action against the State, ARMY CORP and DEP? They will consider emergency authorization to institute possible legal action against NJ DEP - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Army Corp of Engineers. Commissioners will discuss hiring special counsel to file injunction to stop the dunes project. Is the Army Corp scrambling to bring in pumps to drain these hazardous pools of stagnant water trapped between the bulkheads & dunes ? “Older people can’t get through, and families with children are pulling their beach chairs through this bacteria-laden swamp. We didn’t even have this after Hurricane Sandy. What if a child walks in there and drowns?
Podcast notes: Take a look at the Absecon Island Dune Project thru the prism of no pain…no gain. Risk & reward. Cost vs benefit. Atlantic City needed some work, but Margate and Ventnor did not. We all know that to achieve greatness, you need to sacrifice. Give stuff up. Be patient. Invest. Hold back. Delayed gratification. Go thru hell and back to achieve an outcome……worth that hell. Sometimes, bad medicine can produce a great outcomes. Good things come to those who wait. As a kid looking to get rid of buck teeth & and horrible overbite, Wearing braces, enduring years of being called tinsel teeth. But then you can finally smile big and bright with straight teeth. For the mom & dads Sleepless nights changing diapers mopping up spills guiding a child thru those formative years Fighting bloody wars to protect land, freedom. A way of life Well over 10 years of study and hard work to become a doctor We all know these types of stories. It helps us understand and cope with getting thru tuff times….to get us thru to the good times. The light at the end of the tunnel. So lets apply this to the dune building and beach widening along Margate & Ventnor’s shores. This dune project isn’t just a a dose of bad medicine that will soon be over, resulting in something that will ultimately be a great value to the local community. This project isn’t one of those…lets grin and bear it. The noise and disruption and beach closures…and smell and bacteria…and no swimming will be over soon…even tho it’s in the middle of the summer…..hurting business, real estate and the generally happy vibe along the shore. …once it’s over by the Fall…..everything will be cool. But it won’t . This dune and beach is a project where the actually work and sacrifice sucks really bad…..but the final product is much worse. And is potentially long lasting. Will it lower flood insurance rates? Will it save lives? High winds & flying debris are my greatest fears. injury. Or worse. A few years back, wind knocked down power lines that started a fire and burned down a Longport church. High winds broke windows and ripped off roof tops. Will dunes save lives? Not likely. Hiring more police, installing more street lights and security cameras, lowering speed limits in Ventor…. would be better suited for the goal of saving lives. Towering dunes. Muddy draining areas, beaches literally cut in half. Views and breezes gone. All because of just one person’s greed. Pompousness and misguided righteous. One elected leader that will go down in history as a governor with such great potential & promise… but end up with record breaking approval ratings, a failed presidential bid, a gov who would throw his own team under the bus for a stupid bridge closing scam..and for his final indignity….Pushing a one size fits all approach to the chronic problem of flooding along the jersey shore. Some of the highest points in Margate...that had the lowest flood insurance rates….are forced to get dunes. And those in flood prone areas, adjacent to back channels bays and other waterways are once again ignored. Even Wildwood…with crazy wide beaches….and too much sand…are being forced to deal with the state wanting to do unneeded work in that town…al in the name of protecting properties & lives. But no, it’s all for the sake of figuring out how to spend that money on stuff that wont last very long…and you will need to do it again every three years. Its too easy not to just spend that large chunk of hurricane relief money …on a few contractors…to do the same thing over and over…..whether the town needs it or not. Like most, we found ourselves watching in disbelief as beaches were invaded with heavy equipment and 24/7 work. To building stuff that is suppose to protect lives & property. We received neither.
UBER, the ride-hailing app has disrupted the taxi, Jitney and limo industry in Atlantic City. Will AirBnB do the same to the local hotel and rooming industry? Can Atlantic City leverage this fast growing trend, or will the State of NJ step in and control it, much like they did with UBER. What does Atlantic City Councilman Jesse Kurtz think about AirBnB, the popular short-term, home rental platform? Listen to the ACprimetime podcast interview. Should we let it grow organically with no City Hall intrusion? Or should AirBnB be properly licensed to ensure safety and quality of life for the neighborhoods of AC? Voice your opinion WED JULY 5, City Hall Council Chambers. The growth of short-term rentals in Atlantic City, especially through Online services, has created both opportunities and concerns for many neighborhoods in our city. Be a part of this hearing! All attendees are encouraged to provide testimony on what is happening and how the city should handle this situation. Questions? Councilman Jesse O. Kurtz jkurtz@cityofatlanticcity.org | 609.957.0437 AirBnB, the popular home-sharing platform, claims to be the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions.
Dune building, dredging and beach bulldozers are getting ready for Summer 2017. Atlantic City needs it near the inlet. Margate tried to fight it and lost. Ventnor recently tried to dis-invite the DEP & Army Corp from invading their Downbeach shores at the same time summer visitors were arriving. Listen to the ACprimetime Radio podcast for MAY 5, 2017. We talk with Ventnor Commisioner Lance Landgraf about this unfortunate situation that begins on June 8.
Robin Scott of Ray Scott's Dock in Margate Proposed regulations using faulty research could put another nail in the coffin for flounder fishing along the South Jersey shore. New proposed regulations would force people to throw back any flounder less than 19 inches. Those 19 inch flounder are the female breeders. Regulators want the mama flounders to be the keepers. It doesn’t make sense. Listen to the Fish Jersey Shore Podcast for April 21, 2017. Robin Scott of in Margate is not backing down. She, along with Dick Herb, Chairman of the Marine Fisheries Council, and Bucktail Willie aka Bill Shillingford were guests on the recent Shep on Fishing radio show on WOND Radio. They have steam coming out of their gills.... I mean ears..... as they impatiently wait for a May 10 decision that could destroy the summer flounder season for recreational fishermen. SHEP ON FISHING Show notes: Second biggest industry in New Jersey. Fishing. Makes sense. We're next to a lot of water…fresh & salt Who wants to kill this critical portion of the NJ economy? We’re chasing away recreational fishermen to Delaware and Maryland in the Outer Banks. Did ya know… licensed Delaware anglers can pillage New Jersey's flounder since they're able to take home a 17-incher....even in NJ waters. NJ boaters can't do that in Delaware. Are we dealing with faulty flounder research? Is the management and monitoring of our New Jersey fisheries accurate? There's no shortage of Seabass or Flounder. That's what most fishermen say. But under new proposed regulations, any flounder that you're allowed to keep is going to be a 19 inch female... which is a breeder. The regulators use a vessel called THE BIGELOW....to fish alongside the big commercial fishermen. Many think they're not fishing properly. They're either using the wrong equipment... or they're just poor fishermen. Robin Scott: We look like fishing villages, without absolutely no fishing. The economic impact of harmful fishing regulations in South Jersey is going to be significant. Even though the Angelou Economics Report from last year….made it very clear that diversification of the Atlantic County economy was critical. Fishing is still being overlooked as key economic driver that needs better awareness. While we placed so much focus on casinos and real estate…everything else was withering. 40 years of casino focus, almost totally & literally killed much of Atlantic City. Look at how Gardner's Basin was was ignored…. Please, take a moment to join our email list. Sign our online petition as we join forces to protect fishing, crabbing & boating in South Jersey. Visit FishJerseyShore.com
Bigelow Can't Count Fish? SHOW NOTES: It's the Fish Jersey shore podcast for the week of April 8, 2017 Fishing, boating, crabbing along South Jersey shore. Atlantic City, Brigantine, Margate, Longport, Ventnor, Somers Point & Absecon. FishJerseyShore.com. South Jersey party boats and businesses that deal with fishing are under attack by inaccurate, inappropriate and un-needed regulation. Here are some audio clips from the great SHEP on Fishing radio show…. that very few people get to hear every week… The Jersey flounder stock assessment is flawed? Can we trust the research boat 'Bigelow'? If your livelihood is fishing and boating, you should be concerned about the Bigelow research vessel. Did the Bigelow properly set it’s nets? Poor fishing by the Bigelow…leads to poor data? National Marine fisheries service. NOAA. Will President TRUMP get rid of agencies like these? Scaring away fishermen, especially the new kids coming up. Scaring away fishermen and families to southern states like Delaware or down to Jeanette's pier in the Outer Banks where the regulations for fishing are much more measured & appropriate. South Jersey fisherman going inland to fish the rivers, freshwater, trout. The great Shep on Fishing radio show on WOND radio was another good news / bad news kind of show. The good news is there's lots of fish out there and spring fishing is starting to heat up. Tog. Sea bass, striper…no blues yet… The bad news: regulations and too much focus on real estate and casinos has made the fishing and boating industry along the South Jersey shore somewhat of a lower tier priority. Especially around Atlantic City Absecon island, where a recent report told us to take advantage of our waterfront assets because that's how we can diversify our economy and not rely purely on casino gaming and multi-million dollar waterfront homes. Robin Scott of Margate shares her thoughts on flounder regulation Capt. Bob Rush Junior runs the family owned and operated boats out of sea isle city the starfish the big catamaran that 70 foot or being able to have 128 passengers and also runs the Susan Hudson a 55 footer handling 40 people for offshore fishing trips. www.HunterLBI.com www.starfishboats.com New Owner of Captain Andy’s kicked out the TEAL (the re-branded Jessie-O). Party boats have declined, Boat rentals are almost non-existent on Absecon island. Regulations killed boat rental business. Bob: Losing kids learning about boating & fishing. Capt Bob rush from Sea Isle says over past 30 years, party boats have almost disappeared. At one time, 26 party boats in Cape May County. Now it's down to nine. In Margate back in the 50's, 500 rental boats were along Amherst Avenue. Now it's down to about 20. Margate used to be a fishing destination. But we sold off street ends and killed public access to fishing. Sec. of commerce Wilbur Ross is the man that will make or break the 2017 summer flounder fishing season. 18 inches is really tough. Trying to find and land a 19 inch keeper flounder, is virtually impossible. Making matters worse, most of the flounder at this size are breeders. Those are your mama flounder. Flounder that can re-populate the stock. Insane that regulatory agencies are saying it's okay to keep those fish and flounder that re-supply the stock, the fishery. The females / breeders.
From the recent Margate Commissioner meetings: I remember when they were putting dunes in Ventnor. Hellish noise, night and day. It was like the hammers of hell, pounding away. Could these be the sweet sounds of Summer 2017 in Margate and Ventnor? Listen to public comments: dredging & dune building from recent Margate City Commissioners meeting. Those weekend warriors that come down here, who are paying $40-$50,000 dollars in taxes. They want peace and quiet. If you don't deliver it, your ass is grass. Rachel Bogoten of Margate: Please consider putting off dune building til after summer. Really grateful for our seasonal residents. If it wasn't for them paying the freight, and a big share of the taxes, I certainly wouldn't be able to afford to live here and enjoy what we have all year long. But I'm afraid they're gonna freak out when they see the bulldozers and hear the noise. https://youtu.be/fZ1I4uphFlw John Sewell of Margate: You can't sit on your hands, Go see the Governor. Strongly urge an injunction, or do it at the local level....dirt cheap. File for injunctive relief. Get Congressman Frank Lobiondo of Ventnor, to do a DEP injunction. (Mr. LoBiondo, a resident of Ventnor, has been a vocal supporter of building dunes along Absecon Island) They can stop a Walmart over a rattle snake…and piping plovers have stopped development. You see far fewer horseshoe crabs…that's in direct relation to the piping plovers. The sand being dredged...are what the fisheries use as feeding grounds. From Margate Citizens Questioning the Beach Project : MYTH: Dunes in Margate would offer substantial added protection in the event of a major storm or hurricane, such as Superstorm Sandy. REALITY: The vast majority of the damage in Margate from Superstorm Sandy was inflicted upon homes and businesses on the bay, not the beach block. Margate’s bulkheads will not wash away in a major storm…dunes will. Many of the Jersey Shore communities to the north, which suffered extensive damage, do not have bulkheads.
Lance Landgraf & Mel Taylor AC Primetime Radio PODCAST: Why does Atlantic City's Tourism District need it's own Master Plan and zoning rules? No better person to ask than Lance Landgraf, Director of Planning for the CRDA - Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. Listen to the ACprimetime Radio Podcast interview from March 17, 2017. Here are some items & questions discussed: What does a CRDA Director of Planning do? What is a Master plan? What is ZONING? Why is it so important? How does your work as CRDA Director of Planning…. compare or differ from what Elizabeth Terenik does… as the City of Atlantic City’s Director of Planning? Is there overlap? Maybe some friendly conflict on occasion? Master plans are updated approximately every 10 years. Last one for the Atlantic City Tourism District was 5 years ago. Share a specific example of what NEW… POSITIVE stuff can be done….with a new Tourism District masterplan. Gardner’s Basin & Caspian Point are two Atlantic City areas RIPE for development, especially with a newly rebuilt Boardwalk leading there. How does the CRDA play a role with something like that? CRDA assisted with zoning issues in a previous attempt….from a different developer/investor group, to turn the old Atlantic club/Hilton/original Golden Nugget into a water park. Do preliminary plans from R & R Development Group…conform to previous CRDA approvals for a waterpark at Atlantic Club? Did you already have a peek at what R&R Developers want to do? So Atlantic City investors doesn’t waste time buying a property, does CRDA provide preliminary approvals….prior to major purchases? Do you review and OK their plans...BEFORE they close on building? How does that process work? ‘Land banking’ is often seen as a negative, but it’s often a necessary tactic to create an attractive canvas for development. Loss of ratables is probably the biggest negative while that land/parcel is ‘banked’. Please explain the rationale behind land banking. Revel district. Potential use of Eminent domain. Thoughts? Re-zoning has raised some eyebrows…..concerns over Real Estate values being affected….which is normal. How does the CRDA respond to those concerns? Which districts see MOST substantial ZONING changes? Resort Commercial District & Central Business District Ducktown Arts District & Thorofare Waterfront District Resort Commercial Development District Multifamily Low-Rise Apartment Residential District Lighthouse One District –Lighthouse Two District Beach District, Marina District, Bader Field District How do we grow AC as tourism destination….and a place where millennials want to buy a home, raise a family…..while addressing social / economic needs of current AC residents? AC is on an island of Casinos, potential Waterparks, Restaurants, attractions… and residential neighborhoods. How does CRDA reduce chance of residential disruption…..from our fast growing/evolving…..really important…..casino industry & tourism district?
'We cut salary and boat checks', said Jeffrey Chiesa, the man currently in charge of Atlantic City. Reformed Police and Fire contracts were the hot topic, so Chiesa called into the big radio show in town. The former State Senator, Attorney General and current 'CEO' of the financially ailing city, Chiesa was a guest on the Harry Hurley WPG Radio show, on Friday morning, March 17. Click to listen. What we all learned from that interview: in order to financially right size the city, the state wants to cut PD salaries, increase hours and eliminate some benefits. This would save the city about $20 million. Fire department cutbacks would save the city $14 million. Harry Hurley provided recap / analysis from a March 13 memorandum he was first to acquire, that became effective March 15. State wants to change Atlantic City police & fire contracts: Reduction in salary, across the board Reduction in force. From 274 to 250 officers Increase health benefit contributions & prescription co-pays Changes to work week schedule and overtime pay Eliminate longevity and education payouts Eliminate terminal leave (so-called 'boat checks') at retirement 15 years to reach top pay. At one time, it only took 3 - 5 years. Chiesa: Atlantic City Police Chief will have $210,000 salary reduced to new cap of $165,000 Social Media: Mayor Guardian using public safety crisis as way of pandering to Atlantic City voters. Chiesa and State now confronted with lawsuits from AC police & fire. 'This exposes City to additional costs. It's a simple money grab, nothing to do with public safety,' says Mr. Jeff Chiesa. The reality is...we can not continue to pay what we're paying . We don't have the money. Protecting highest salaries & highest benefits. Rather than cutting under-performing / problematic officers, Police Chief fingered 24 of the youngest / newest officers for pink slips. Chiesa: The Mayor of Atlantic City is putting on a show. Boat checks cripple the municipal budget. Terminal leave checks for up to $300,000 for unused sick/vacation/personal time: costs Atlantic City taxpayers $19 million dollars. Press of Atlantic City: Judge ruling on March 17: NJ State CAN cut Atlantic City firefighters' pay & benefits....but CAN'T cut FD staffing down to 125 firefighters.
ACprimetime Radio talks with Steel Pier's Anthony Catanoso. Listen to the interview with Mel Taylor from March 15, 2017. Preparation is now underway to place cranes & other equipment on the iconic Steel Pier on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Special cranes will be used to erect the long awaited, 225 ft observation wheel that will overlook the Atlantic City Boardwalk by late Summer 2017. A side access road was built, along with a beefing up of the Boardwalk...in order to safely move heavy equipment back and forth across the boards in front of the former TAJ MAHAL.....soon to be Hard Rock Hotel Casino.
LISTEN> Sweet. ACprimetime was able to finagle some up-close & personal talk-time with Dr. Harvey Kesselman, President of Stockton University. While the good Doctor is crazy busy with bringing Stockton to the shores of Atlantic City by Fall 2018, he was kind enough to invite us in for a little digital chit-chat. It was informative and fun. We packed up the mobile ACprimetime Radio Podcast Studio and pointed our GPS to the Galloway campus of the very impressive Stockton University. Some topics discussed & stuff we learned: Mayflower Hotel, The original, temporary Stockton on the Boardwalk....back in 1971. Dr. Kesselman once had longer hair than me. Much longer. A beard too. We're both South Philly & Delco (Delaware County, PA) guys. Stockton Safe vs Sanctuary. Atlantic City Campus, Island Campus or Boardwalk Campus? The skinny on those past Showboat issues. Yes, former Atlantic Club/Hilton/Golden Nugget property was considered, among other locations. Stockton is a designated 'anchor' project for Atlantic City. Creates positive ripple effect for Absecon Island economy. Dr. Kesselman is quite amused by my old Radio DJ name, Mel Toxic. I blatantly ask for a job at Stockton. I have no shame. Who are the smart peeps that design/develop Stockton expansion? Chris Paladino from AC Devco, Jingoli Construction, Stockton's in-house, skilled architect/facility development staff Bader Field potential. Ice rink, baseball field, slice of Bader for research.
Will Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian get a second term? Not if long time resident & former city employee Joseph Polillo has anything to say about it. LISTEN to the ACprimetime Radio Podcast for March 6, 2017. Polillo is quite the man about town. Whip smart and well-bearded. Knows where most of the bodies are buried. Well known for his Atlantic City postcard shop, King Neptune parade floats, and his position as former Director of Licence & Inspections for the city, 'Postcard Joey' is taking a serious look at running for Mayor of Atlantic City. 'Postcard Joey' Polillo is taking a serious look at running for Mayor of Atlantic City.
As we reported two weeks ago, Hard Rock entertainment will soon be the new owner of the former Taj Mahal Casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. That is very good news for this section of our wooden way that was sitting empty and quiet for much of the summer of 2016 all thanks to daily picketing by using 54 members many of whom did not want to strike against Taj Mahal owner Mr. Carl Icahn . But that's another story for another day. It looks like by the summer of 2018 hard rock will be up and running on that massive property the Taj Mahal. This is certainly good news for Anthony Catanoso…the man who runs Steel Pier, right across the Boardwalk from the former Taj Mahal. This should also speed up development of the $14 million observation wheel the 227 foot high, new age Ferris Wheel that's been sitting offshore in containers ready to be erected on the historic Pier. The Taj Mahal Casino has been closed since October 10. It will soon be controlled and owned by a group of investors one of them being Hard Rock. They’re teaming up with two well-known developers in the area Jingoli and Morris. Jingoli is best known for the current redevelopment of the Albany Avenue area site of the former Atlantic City high school. Moving very fast at building the brand-new Stockton University Boardwalk campus here in Atlantic City. They call it the Island campus. I like to call with the Boardwalk Campus, a much cooler, more intuitive name. I’ll have to ask Dr Harvey Kesselman if he agrees with me, when ACprimetime visits with the Stockton President in a few days. Getting back to HARD ROCK & TAJ, it looks like $300 million is what it will take to allow Hard Rock & Jingoli and Morris to transform this massive property. One of the biggest, if not the biggest footprints in Atlantic City. Maybe the best part of the story is that it's probably gonna provide up to 3000 new temporary and permanent jobs. We always had a sneaking suspicion that Hard Rock was going to eventually take over the former Taj. One clue: Hard Rock Cafe was staying put. Even though it was quite dead down on that side of the Boardwalk in front of the shuttered TAJ. Hard Rock Cafe knew that eventually the mother ship would come in and save that property. Operating through thick and thin even with the casino hotel shutting down back in October 2016. Another success story or another smiling adjacent property would be Bart Blatstein's Showboat Hotel. That certainly bodes well for his investment in the former Showboat Casino now focused on being primarily a Showboat Hotel that's good news. This should also boost evaluations of Blatstein's recently purchased volleyball court / parcel of land, a spot in between Showboat and the former Revel Casino Hotel. And Garden Pier, right in front of the former Revel, now owned by Bart and his Tower Investments, that value most likely has increased from its $1.5 million price tag. So does Glenn Straub and his former Revel casino benefit from the Taj Mahal purchase by hard rock? In the long-term probably yes. But we think in the short term, the value or the interest in getting the Revel up and running is muted at best. Think about it, what investor now wants to come in and try to deal with Mr. Strabo and get the former Revel up and running while knowing that arguably one of the most successful aggressive and smart brand names hard rock is getting to ready to launch just down the Boardwalk? What's our guess? We like to speculate just a little bit. We think that Mr. Straub will eventually find it more advantageous to sell. Still no gaming license for Straub, or his partner/tenant in the property Robert Landino. Both have NO Gaming Licenses. REVEL property will most likely see half-decent profit since Straub purchased it for just $82 million. The building price was closer to $2 billion. We believe now this is pure speculation, that investors that might gain access to that incredible property formerly known as the Revel and the surro...
Flushing more money? Some topics we cover on the FEB 22 edition of ACprimetime Radio podcast: Bart Blatstein is Mr. 'Buy & Hold'. Smart vulture investor, not so hot business operator. See: Playground Pier. CRDA $2 million toilet upgrade for Boardwalk Hall. More money being foolishly flushed? How to make AC more business friendly. Streamline permitting process ( AC Councilman Jesse Kurtz on Dan Klein Radio show ) Councilman Jesse Kurtz: encourage street fairs, festivals. The struggle to make Atlantic City more business friendly. Streamline & simply permitting process. Remove unneeded red tape. Less paperwork. Encourage more events in Atlantic city. Event promoter. LISTEN > Dan Klein WOND Radio show: shouldn’t we entice producers to come in? Am I missing something? Chad Minnes is best known for his Lacey Cleaning company. And with that success, is able to invest $$ in SWFpro.com; a professional wrestling show that draws 1,000+ to these family friendly events. Minnes wants to bring SWF to Atlantic City this Summer. How many hoops will he need to jump thru? How many diff departments will need to give the OK? City, state, CRDA, mercantile, license & inspections? New, but empty strip of retail stores next to Boardwalk Hall will stay vacant for the foreseeable future. TOLL BROTHERS (developer) is already looking to sell that property....just one year after completion. Can CRDA exert influence on TOLL BROTHERS...to use properties for ART SHOWS...or other 'pop-up' stores for the summer? CRDA sadly said 'no'. Casino Reinvestment Development Authority has approved spending $2 million to upgrade four sets of out-of-service bathrooms at Boardwalk Hall. Renovation of eight bathrooms, not used in long time. If you are going to have a world-class facility, you can’t tell them that the bathrooms are unusable Project involves the pipes and other infrastructure. It’s not just fixing the bathroom.” Blatstein’s “multifaceted entertainment destination with art, music and food” for Garden Pier. Former volleyball court, Tower pitched a $40 million “multi-use event center”. Blatstein bought lots using name: A.C. Main Street Renaissance.
Bye Bye Ocean Views LISTEN > Atlantic City is already well aware of the harmful affects of mountainous dunes along the Boardwalk. And in a few weeks, Margate & Ventnor will get to enjoy some ugly dune building as well. Listen to ACprimetime Radio Podcast. Here come the Downbeach dunes... featuring discussion on Harry Hurley WPG 1450 Radio show. Obstruct the summer views & cool breezes on Absecon Island. These unsightly & un-needed sand mountains hurt home & business values as well. Most real estate agents think so too. NOTE: sand replenishment IS needed in front of Showboat & REVEL.....as well as in Longport. A handful of Margate homeowners kept up the good fight though. They dug deep and bankrolled their own lawsuit to keep fake dunes out of this section of Absecon Island. On Feb 3, those homeowners suffered another loss. A U.S. District Court Judge ruled the proposed dunes would NOT cause a nuisance, be a public health hazard, or harm any beachfront homes in Margate. The City of Margate reluctantly raised the white flag months ago. In addition to unsightly, view-killing, mountains of sand, Margate ( AC & Ventnor too ) residents know all too well that flooding comes from back bay surge, not the front beaches. Bulkheads worked rather well. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the NJ Dept of Environmental Protection have been pushing to start dredging and pumping for years. They might get their wish, come this spring. Tractors, bulldozers and pump barges will fire up their diesel engines to begin the loud dirty work in early April. They’ll start in Atlantic City, and will work their way down towards Longport throughout the spring… and maybe early summer? We shall see. The proposed dunes could be a whopping 100 feet wide and up to about 13 feet high. Ventnor is now the only portion of the Absecon Island boardwalk where you can sit, walk and bike ride….and actually see the beach and ocean. Why is unpopular dune project with limited benefit still moving forward? It’ all about the $63.3 million of taxpayer money specifically earmarked for this project. It’s waiting patiently to be spent. If not used for Absecon dune building, that cash goes back into the general fund, for use in future emergencies.
Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian says Atlantic County non-casino taxpayers should be OK with a smaller share of the hated, casino-friendly PILOT bill. The good Mayor likely got un-friended and lost many Facebook followers after that statement got out. LISTEN to Atlantic County Exec Denny Levinson. He responds on the Don Williams Radio Show. WOND 1400am. In 2015, the Mayor signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Atlantic County Exec Denny Levinson for 13.5%. (SEE DOCUMENT BELOW) As AC's financial outlook sunk ever further, Guardian had a change of heart about that 13.5%. The Atlantic City Mayor now wants to offer the county just 9.92 % – that's $4 million less per year for the county taxpayers. That's more than $40 million less... over life of the PILOT’s 10-year term. https://youtu.be/VN72PdRZJ28 All of this could be a moot point. The signed document (MOU below) needed OK from City Council. That never happened. Many were miffed that Guardian went rogue and did a deal with Levinson. County Exec Levinson says he's got a 13.5% deal. Mayor Guardian says 9.92%. The State says: you guys battle it out among yourselves. Levinson says the Mayor of Atlantic City misses two important points. All 22 other county municipalities were opposed to the PILOT because they believed it unfair they should bear any costs for Atlantic City’s financial mismanagement. Second, as a result of the PILOT, casino valuations are artificially low. Atlantic County Mayors are being blackmailed by Denny Levinson, so says Mayor Guardian. 'The Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce is getting political' says Mayor Don on the Harry Hurley Radio Show. Guardian is disappointed and downright rattled with the confusing actions of Chamber President, Joe Kelly. A frustrated Chamber membership is also scratching their heads. Why doesn't Kelly focus more on local business, tourism and new biz dev... instead of playing politics? Listen to the FEB 8 edition of the WPG 1450am Harry Hurley Radio Show: ‘Ask The Mayor’. LISTEN > Borgata Atlantic City sold 50 percent ownership for $900 million, while its total assessment is $880 million The County Exec Levinson continues: The mayor also ignores the fact that since 2008, county taxpayers will have refunded the city $65 million because of improper assessments. Although property tax refunds are not unusual, the magnitude of these are – more than 40 times higher than the county with the lowest refund and three times higher than the highest in New Jersey. This cost must be paid by non-casino taxpayers. The PILOT, payment in lieu of taxes freezes Atlantic City casino taxes until 2026. Atlantic County, along with the Mayors Association agreed to 13.5 percent so taxpayers wouldn't have to pay a larger share of taxes...due to Atlantic City’s fiscal mess. We recognized the PILOT was flawed and would negatively impact taxpayers. But the state and Atlantic City insisted it was vital. The county and municipalities gave their reluctant support only when the 13.5 percent was guaranteed. Dennis Levinson, County Executive
Casino Control Commission Chairman Levinson Thousands of new Atlantic City jobs were put on hold this week. Is that the fault of Casino Control Commission Chairman Matt Levinson...or former REVEL owner Glenn Straub? Read on and decide for yourself. Straub feels that government regulations are the impediment, along with too much red tape. Straub (operating as a lessor under the name 500 Broadway) believes that since he’s leasing the casino to a third-party (Robert Landino), he shouldn’t personally need a casino license. Straub attorney, the highly respected LLoyd Levinson defended the REVEL owner and sourced a section of the New Jersey Casino Control Act. Listen to LLoyd Levinson defend Straub's position > According to LICENSING & APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY, and to the untrained eye....it kinda looks like Straub does NOT need a license since he will NOT operate the casino. But in Levinson's remarks below, he strongly states that Straub has far too much control over the entire property, and has not sufficiently removed himself from future operations within that building. Thus, he would need a license. (1) The commission, with the concurrence of the Attorney General which may not be unreasonably withheld, may determine that any person who does not have the ability to exercise any significant control over either the approved casino hotel or the operation of the casino contained therein shall not be eligible to hold or required to hold a casino license. The Straub / Landino lease agreement: Ten / Landino would only control 900 of 1,500 rooms in the resort. Straub would control the rest. This is not a lease of the entire casino hotel ( as Straub has pitched ) under the Casino Control Act,” said Levinson. Casino Control Commission Chairman Matt Levinson Remarks from JAN 31, 2017 We are again here today on the application of 500 Broadway for a declaratory ruling on whether it needs any kind of license whatsoever since it leases parts of the former Revel building to a third party. We are not here today to determine the suitability of 500 Broadway, Polo North or Mr. Straub to hold any such license. Developer Glen Straub Casino Control Commission Chairman Matt Levinson continues..... In my opinion, we could dismiss this petition for several reasons. We are asked to waive licensing for a landlord that does not own the land in question. The company that does own the land, Polo North, isn’t a party to this petition. Mr. Straub could have transferred the property to 500 Broadway, but he has failed to do so. But rather than deny this petition on procedural grounds and delay the process, we will deal with the substance of the request by Mr. Straub and his companies. 500 Broadway plans to lease portions of the complex – including all of the gaming space – to an unaffiliated company, Revel North Beach LLC., which does not currently hold a casino license. Under Section 82 of the Casino Control Act, anyone who owns a casino hotel, is the lessor or lessee of a casino hotel or who has control over a casino hotel or the land it sits on is required to hold some sort of a casino license. Mr. Straub and his companies fit all of those categories. The question of the license status of a landlord is not a new one, in fact, it is something this commission considered for the first time more than 35 years ago. In some instances, the owner of the property was required to get a casino license while in other cases owners had to get a Casino Service Industry Enterprise license. In this case, Mr. Straub has not asked for a ruling on what kind of licensure, if any, is required. He had that option. Instead he asks for a ruling that no license is required. Given the extent of Mr. Straub’s control over the property and the state’s interest in upholding the Casino Control Act, I find it difficult to comprehend how Mr. Straub and his attorneys could suggest the state does not need to determine if he ...
WATCH VIDEO & Listen to Podcast. > City Council of Atlantic City drained a little more of the swamp... and voted NO. They denied local socialite Gary Hill with getting another 5 yr MUA / AC Water Company board-member term. The fiscally responsible vote went down on Wednesday evening, Jan 25, inside Council chambers. This coveted MUA / Municipal Utilities Authority position costs Atlantic City taxpayers $36,000 annually. For the past 10 years, Mr. Hill, who also serves as a CRDA board member, received an annual $6,000 MUA / salary. In addition, Mr. Hill has enjoyed a platinum healthcare package for himself and his husband, ex AC Councilman; John Schultz. WATCH ATLANTIC CITY COUNCIL VIDEO from Jan 25, 2017. If re-appointed, the MBCA & Schultz-Hill Foundation executive would have been grandfathered into another 5 year MUA term that includes full healthcare. Since 2011, health-care is no longer offered to part-time municipal personnel in AC. On the Jan. 27 edition of the 'Hurley in the Morning' radio show, Harry Hurley shared this news with his listening audience. AC Councilman George Tibbitt called in to discuss this failed MUA resolution. WPG's Hurley calls this audio clip: "seven minutes of gold." It's how political sausage is made. LISTEN HERE > http://media.blubrry.com/acprimetime/content.blubrry.com/acprimetime/hurley_hill_tibbitt_jan_27_2017.mp3 Opponents of Hill say his MUA board position barely qualifies as a part-time job, but still provides for platinum health plan including eye care & dental. MUA board-members. A plum gig for sure.....for a few easy hours per month....estimated to be valued at close to $500 per hour.
LISTEN > In the shadows of towering casinos and highrises, Atlantic City still attracts a passionate crew of fishermen....and women. Many feel the outdoor and water based activities are ripe for growth now that AC is finally forced to diversify it's economy. Tautog Along the Jetties of Absecon Inlet We talk with Noel Feliciano from One Stop Bait & Tackle in Atlantic City, on this week's edition of ACprimetime Radio. Tautog, stripers, and a few blues are keeping anglers busy along the deep waters of Absecon Inlet, flowing between Atlantic City & Brigantine. One Stop Bait & Tackle 416 Atlantic Ave Atlantic City, New Jersey Call (609) 348-9450 Juan Hocker: Someone referred us to this bait shop, an every since then it's been nothing but the best. Friendly, funny, very helpful...and they got nice deals. The owner is the best. Luis Quijano: Every time I go to Atlantic city and fish, I get my bait from them. The owner is a funny character. Great selection. Remember people... always support the local mom and pop! shops. Noel
LISTEN > ACprimetime Radio & ACprimetime.com tracks the Re-invention of Atlantic City. Sometimes we take a look at our coastal neighbors along the South Jersey shore. Some towns compete with each other, some are in the same boat as AC, some are directly affected by what happens in AC. Ventnor, Margate, Ocean City…..and even way down there in Wildwood…. a community that never got fat n happy….and lazy…..relying on casino gaming cash flow…. like Atlantic City did. Wildwood.... the Beach Concert King? Could Wildwood leap frog Atlantic City as the Summertime beach concert king? Wildwood in now in direct competition .. more than ever… with Atlantic City for the most popular shows. Compare the Wildwood promoter concert deal... with the concert deal that AC puts together with their promoter; Live Nation. In Wildwood, the concert promoter ponies up the cash to produce the show and guarantees it won't be a money loser. In Atlantic City, the concert promoter collects all kinds of big money upfront. The city then has to climb out of the hole. Deal Atlantic City did with their concert promoter. Yuk. Some say the 2016 Atlantic City beach concerts season was disappointing. No kidding. Late announcements, too early & wrong announcements by the Mayor (Toby Keith), questionable ticket sales for Jimmy Buffett, free tix giveaways to fill the beach, lack-luster shows….like Blink-182. No re-entry privileges for those who bought a ticket….meaning…concert goers can’t buy stuff on the Boardwalk. Geez. Boosting local business was the main reason for having these beach concerts. But look at Wildwood. What a comeback they’ve made over the years. We LOVED Wildwood in the late 70s, 80’s & 90’s. But by the year 2000….we avoided it like the plague. Wildwood was run down. It was kinda creepy on the boardwalk back then. But boy, how times have changed. Wildwood got it’s act together. Wildwood had, and still has big challenges....a monstrous and always growing beach…and a much longer drive…with stop & go traffic from Philly, NY & North Jersey. Instead of moaning, they invested in their Convention Center and year round events. WW embraced their cool RETRO motels. They invested in the latest amusements & thrill rides. See: Morey's Pier. Kenny Chesney did a Wildwood beach concert in 2012, Tim McGraw performed during the July 4 weekend this past summer. Wildwood has a history of big name concerts….back in the 70’s: Elton John, Alice Cooper, David Cassidy, Black Sabbath, Cinderella and Kiss. Recently, BEACH GLOW; a DJ focused festival, attracted thousands to Wildwood. But did you know...Atlantic City cancelled a BEACH GLOW event this past summer. Our best guess is that Caesars / Ballys didn’t want all those millennials….in front of their buildings on the beach. Maybe the 20 & 30 somethings would be dancing, drinking, eating….on the beach all day & night…..and NOT playing blackjack or slot machines inside of Caesars? Wildwood doing deal with concert promoter; Beach Ball LLC. Atlantic City watches in amazement. They’ll bring at least three beach concerts to Wildwood each of the next 3 summers. Most will be country and rock performers. They draw the biggest crowds. Attendance for each concert could be 30,000 to 70,000. Beach Ball LLC will: Finance the concerts. Providing upfront money Handle sales of alcohol Pay Wildwood $20,000 for each concert Pay Wildwood $1 for each ticket sold Pay for all municipal services, police and cleanup Guarantee at least 5,000 tickets sold for each concert Live Nation prohibits performers who play Atlantic City from also doing concert within 90 miles in next 90 days. PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center / BB&T Pavilion in Camden All Philly Venues Why does Wildwood have all this beach concert momentum? Atlantic City should be kicking a$$ in this category. AC is closer to North Jersey, NYC and Philadelphia.
It’s no secret. Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian is not a fan of Miss America. Listen to ACprimetime Radio> Oh sure, he’ll be on stage with the ladies for photo ops. The bow tied guy will even get front row center seats inside Boardwalk Hall for the pageant…..but he’s NOT a fan of Miss A. Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian is also member of the CRDA; Casino Reinvestment Authority, which is funded by the casinos….who typically don't like Miss America either. Why? Those 'types' are less likely to gamble. They hog up too many casino hotel rooms. How dare they. CRDA declined opportunity to have Atlantic City featured on ABC-TV's New Year's Eve telecast that reaches 59 million viewers. The ( CRDA & Dick Clark Productions/Miss America ) agreement rewarded Atlantic City with significant new broadcast television exposure, social media integration with the organization and retains a truly iconic event in Atlantic City,” said Robert Mulcahy, chairman of the CRDA board. Some, including Mayor Don Guardian, thought the money might better be spent elsewhere. AC Fumbles Marketing Opportunity....AGAIN. "Though we hoped to sponsor a New Year’s Eve performance at Boardwalk Hall this year, scheduling conflicts and other considerations have redirected our focus to the 2017 concert calendar."
Listen> ACprimetime RADIO: Can you trust the mainstream media? Nope. Can you trust Facebook? Fake news and inaccurate reporting …..affects not only who’s in the White House……but what outside investors….and visitors….think about Atlantic City. Will the new Stockton university in Atlantic City…ready for student by FALL 2018.. have plenty of SAFE SPACES available for millenials who are easily offended? New, bigger, longer... Fortified Boardwalk & inlet seawall. Well on it’s way to completion. Will Atlantic City fishermen still have access to jetties? That dynamic duo of the airwaves…..representing the community…..Kevin Hall…and Henry Hank Green…of the Kevin Hall Show Program…invited a rising star in the AC journalism community to their friday night radio show…..we’ll play some clips of Christian Hetrick of the Press of AC. AC councilman William Speedy Marsh. They cant fire him from his Pleasantville school facilities director position Congressman Frank Lobiondo had his personal space invaded by a very angry & sad reporter recently. Did this journalist from Philly.com step over the line…..for a non-story? Is Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian still in charge of his city? Is this bow tied RINO now just a loveable figurehead? Love that crab soup at Back Bay Ale House…. Is there a plan for GardnersBasin yet? Remember Pauline's prairie?……I see shovels in the ground The DUNES in Atlantic City…..and much of Ventnor…..are growing too high….some private homeowners in Margate are still fighting back….privately Local media and many politicians in Atlantic City spent 18 months taking a big giant steamy…you know what…on Donald Trump, Glen Straub…..& Governor Christie….is it time for payback? All that & more….as we track the Reinvention of Atlantic City I am MEL TAYLOR….on ACprimetime Radio……sponsored by Lacey Cleaning…the best in carpet cleaning, construction site cleanup & rental turn-over. LACEYCLEANING.com ACprimetime Radio is also powered by Get Smart Digital…..the fasted growing…most sexy… digital marketing company along the Jersey shore. Need a kick-ass website? Hit 'em up at www.GetSmartDigital.com
On this episode of ACprimetime Radio, we continue tracking the Re-invention of Atlantic City. Imagine that. The man who virtually built the casino industry in Atlantic City, will be our next President of the United States of America. The social justice warriors inside of most local newspapers, TV & Radio hate Donald J. Trump. While not a perfect man, ya gotta love the set of cahones on The Donald. The reporters inside The Press of Atlantic City and The Philadelphia Inquirer.....and a few WOND 1400am Radio dorks..... are now huddled in their 'safe spaces'. These hacks were totally triggered by Trump's populist win. On occasion, these journo-pundits do emerge from their parent's basement to stalk a local GOP Congressmen or two.....record some iPhone video GOTCHA.....and post to their Twitter account. Traditional Journalism is officially over with this past election. Take that one to the bank, cupcake. State take-over of Atlantic City is official. Tim Cunningham could be in charge.....for next 5 years. Take-over Time The NJ state Local Finance Board will take over Atlantic City’s critical decision-making powers. Local Government Services Director Tim Cunningham is now in charge. He has the authority to sell city assets, adjust the city workforce, and most controversial of all.... the ability to break union contracts. Ex-AC veteran employee......Postcard Joey Pollillo checks in to ACprimetime Radio and talks State take-over, casino water, aquifers, Brigantine, his new book, and course...the crooked media. The Kevin Hall Show Program is featured too. We love this WOND Radio show. Bruce Ward of the MUA was a recent guest.
Assemblyman Brown on ACprimetime Radio LISTEN > He fights hard against North Jersey Casinos. NJ Assemblyman; Chris Brown. That's why we had him as a guest on ACprimetime Radio. Didya know? Brown served two military tours and is now a successful Atlantic City attorney. Super-passionate about keeping casino gaming out of North Jersey. We talk about: Atlantic City Casinos. Our love/hate relationship with: Borgata Crazy tax assessments & tax appeals The REAL financial value of Borgata. (it's $1.8 Billion....NOT $850 million.) In an over-saturated market, the NJ sees no net gain by expanding gaming Protecting jobs in Atlantic City & Atlantic County The pros & cons of North Jersey casinos National & local security. Lone-wolf terrorism The 9-11 Memorial on the Atlantic City Boardwalk His new found love of pod-casting What you’re saying is in this over-saturated market, the answer is to add casinos to the market?” Assemblyman Chris Brown.
Jeff Gural, owner of Meadowlands Race Track, called into ACprimetime Radio to discuss benefits of North Jersey Casinos. Click to listen. On Nov 8, NJ voters will decide on whether to expand gaming in New Jersey. The referendum, if OK'ed by voters, will allow 2 casinos to operate in the northern portion of the state. One of those potential casinos could be Jeff Gural's Meadowlands. Listen to ACprimetime Radio Interview Gural tells ACprimetime Radio that the $200 million per year that Atlantic City could get, if the referendum passes, could help the beleaguered city re-invent itelf and diversify it's economy, something AC might be forced to do... before long. Atlantic City Considers North Jersey Casinos. Jeffrey Gural Preps Meadowlands for Gaming. Gaming is spreading, says Gural. NJ can take that casino tax money....or those dollars will find a home in New York, Philly or Maryland.
CEO Haskell & COO Randle CEO Sam Haskell and COO Josh Randle are the men behind the women of the Miss America organization. We visited the MISS AMERICA ORGANIZATION in Atlantic City on Aug 29, inside the beautiful Claridge Hotel. Listen. They're featured guests on ACprimetime Radio. CEO Sam Haskell http://media.blubrry.com/acprimetime/content.blubrry.com/acprimetime/Miss_A_HASKELL_8.31.2016_aup.mp3 COO Josh Randle http://media.blubrry.com/acprimetime/content.blubrry.com/acprimetime/AC_Miss_A_Josh_b.mp3 Topics covered: It's more than just a beauty pageant, ABC-TV, ratings, Return on Investment, diversity, first openly Gay contestant, scholarships, 15 year anniversary of 9-11, etc. The Miss America Organization is the nation's largest scholarship provider for young women, featuring 52 state license organizations, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Miss America 2005 pageant held on September 18, 2004, would be the last one televised live on ABC. It the last one held in Atlantic City for ten years. The Miss America 2006 pageant was moved to a January broadcast in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino). It was broadcast live on cable outlets like CMT and TLC. Miss A returned to network TV with the 2011 competition. By the 2014 crowning, the Miss America pageant (held on September 15, 2013) returned to Boardwalk Hall Atlantic City. Due to dramatically better ratings, thanks to help from DICK CLARK PRODUCTIONS, n March 24, 2016, the Miss America Organization announced a new deal with ABC TV to continue carrying the pageant for the next three years to the 2019 edition.
Listen to South Jersey weather expert; John Bolaris, as he explains the likely impact of Tropical Storm Hermine on the South Jersey shore.
Listen to our behind the scenes look at the Miss America Organization. We talk with Sam Haskell, CEO and Chairman of the Miss America Organization. Miss America and Atlantic City. 2 classics on the rebound….and after a brief separation… 2 iconic brands that have been joined together once again. How are things working out so far? How do we track ROI.. RETURN ON INVESTMENT? Is the Miss America Pageant helping to RE-INVENT Atlantic City? Yes. CLICK HERE for interview with Miss America COO Josh Randle Mel, Sam, The Crown.
Atlantic City may soon WEBCAST it's council meetings. Atlantic City Councilman Jesse Kurtz introduced that no-brainer idea, part of his so-called Transparency Act on Wednesday night. It quickly passed the 'first reading'. LISTEN TO PODCAST. Background: In 2013, next door in Brigantine; the island just north of Atlantic City, began Internet broadcasting....and archiving... video of their City Council meetings. It was great & cheap way for MORE people to watch city government at work....either live or later on-demand. Councilman Jesse Kurtz The Brigantine City Manager said the plan was to create an archive of recordings for residents to peruse on demand. This archive would live on Youtube. Much like Atlantic City, Brigantine Taxpayers had been asking for this for a long time....for greater transparency, and better accessibility for second home-owners and those who can't attend 5pm meetings at City Hall. Some on council initially balk at being recorded. Some suggest they're just fearful more taxpayers will see how they vote and spend taxpayer dollars. At one time, it was too expensive to WEBCAST.....and ARCHIVE city council & commissioner meetings. But Brigantine Police Chief and tech-guru; Jim Bennett, set up the webcast for Brigantine in 2013. It only cost the town $199 for a digital encoder that sends the live video to the Internet. UStream.tv, is the third-party website that processes the video. That costs about $99 per month. These fees could be underwritten by local advertisers if so desired. To long-term archive these 'webcasts', most use Youtube, which is free. Costs involved: Camera: $200. Digital Encoder: $199. Monthly U-STREAM Fee: $99 Youtube Channel for Archiving Meetings: FREE “The more transparency, the better,” said the Brigantine Taxpayers Association. “The more access people have to public information, the better they can evaluate the way their government’s working.”
Listen to ACprimetime Radio for AUG 16, 2016. We cover the re-invention of Atlantic City, and we celebrate the awesomeness that is Brigantine, Ventnor, Margate and Ocean City. Atlantic City Primetime Radio SHOW NOTES: In this episode, we talk about so-called 'road diets' in Margate and Ventnor, which will slow speeding traffic and create a more pedestrian and bike friendly Downbeach. Could Margate re-build it's Boardwalk? We head to Ocean City for an examination of feeding the seagulls could get you fined, or thrown in jail. The owner of the Press of Atlantic City admits papers are losing advertisers and readers. Even Radio is hiding the fact that their advertisers are ditching AM & FM for the fertile fields of Internet marketing. Over on THE ROCK, better known as the beautiful island of Brigantine, we dive into another brazen example of Greenhead Politics in action. Mayor Phil Guenther defends re-hire of Doran Engineering, a firm well-known for illegal billing and invoicing.
In this episode of ACprimetime Radio, we talk Bader Field and the lowball offers that were submitted. Beach concerts. Do’s and don’t. New digital parking meters rake in $15,000 in the first weekend. Taj Mahal strikers still striking. Beach concert set-up is exciting. Where to park cheap for beach concerts & special events. The benefit of Boutique casinos. Bart Blatstein buying too much? Who really owns the pier in front of Caesars? Rumor mill: Who is considering a deal with REVEL? From the archives: The Gary Hill Interview. Miss’d America. ACprimetime Radio News. Show Notes.
What we're talking about.... on this episode of ACprimetime Radio for the week of AUG 1, 2016: Can the Mayor of Atlantic City trust a '60 year old white guy' to revive AC? Bart Blatstein and Tower Investments buying too much Boardwalk in Atlantic City? $74 million bridge loan is coming. But the City has to dissolve the MUA. Boardwalk Bike riding til noon, woo-hoo. Bike vending at Claridge too. Does Atlantic City have clear title for all the land that's being sold & auctioned off? Taj Mahal strike update. 4 weeks and counting. Councilman Marty Small money ideas. Marty asked for a rescue plan extension. Guv & Senator Sweeney says no. CRDA providing reduced parking rates for major events. Why is Mayor Guardian down on Miss America?
Atlantic City - AC Primetime Radio News. Show Notes for JULY 15, 2016. Sponsored by Lacey Cleaning & Get Smart Digital. Blatstein held a party on Garden Pier. Many question that event. Dust-up at Council meeting over that. WAV club, Showboat, Party on pier. WavAC.com site is dead. Liens on AC property? No permits. Wants to buy it. Vague as to his plans Council approved selling Garden Pier to developer Bart Blatstein.... for $1.5 million. Attorney for Glenn Straub, describes deal as risky for the city. The Bader Field auction was postponed. The new deadline for bids is now Aug. 4. Straub says there were no bids. He didn’t put one in. Taj Mahal AC looking for replacement workers? Strikers have til Monday to accept offer from Tony Rodio. SEE AD > http://www.trumpemployment.com/ Atlantic City Gaming Revenue was down a bit for JUNE 2016, year over year. (yoy) Resorts is UP 10% yoy Trump Taj was UP 13% yoy Will there be any shows at the Pinky Pavilion this summer ? A suggestion was made instead of 6 beach concerts use some of that money for things that have been eliminated like International Night, Broadway on the Boards, etc. These things brought people to the boardwalk and are being missed New Bike ordinance -12 noon. Needs to be enforced . BIKE vending machines in front of Claridge. Concerns raised about the proposed Open Container Law. Where does it stand? Tick tock. Nov 3 deadline. City needs plan to have balanced budget for 2017 They can cut, downsize, shared services, outsource. Water company? Outsource Towing? Trash? They can also consider new MONEY MAKERS 4x4’s on beach Food trucks on beach More concerts on the beach Beach tags Councilman Marty Small wants to put wage tax on those who work here…but live elsewhere. Council wants $10 dollar room fee too? Council approved awarding a contract to a company to sell ads on the exterior of some city vehicles. GREAT IDEA New parking meters - When does installation begin ? Will it be in papers and other sources so residents and visitors will know about the upgrade Marijuana Laws. See Denver. Strict. Highly controlled. Much needed tax dollars. Stigma? Yes. So was gaming, alcohol, cigarettes, adult shops, go-go and strip clubs… Good News. Clean & Safe….2 critical components of an AC turnaround….. Beaches streets dunes dramatically cleaner. Boardwalk lighting, security cameras almost completely installed Central monitor Impactivate screens, wifi, smart phone chargers Downbeach Jitney FAIL 45 day trial completed. Not renewed. Bad marketing. No appropriate advertising. RIDE SHORE SHUTTLE & Uber Our favorite FOODIE PLACES…… in AC, and Downbeach area Wings….Ducktown tavern….. Honorable mention to Piccalli in AC…..and Roberts in Margate Ribs….. Kelseys in AC & BACK BAY BBQ causeway between Somers point & Longport. Best breakfast - Gilchrist Best seafood dinner - Crab Trap Somers point, Best take-out…and best 5 dollar fish sandwich - BARBERA Seafood. Best subs: tie-- Saccos & White House Best Pizza – insane ingredients & toppings….Tony Baloney….Old school pizza…Carusos in Ventnor….Thin crust brick oven style…..I go with LISA’s in Ventnor. Best Burgers…..Wingcraft in AC. Best breads - tie - Rando & Formica Best cakes: Minos…Strawberry Shortcake Pleasantville & AC Best chocolate & fudge, candy…. Many…on Ocean City Boardwalk…… and we love SUGAR on the Boardwalk, in front of Caesars. Best coffee shop… # still love Starbucks in Margate…..but I love the fact that 7311 in Ventnor….has a bike rack….and small batch baked goods too. NEW PLACES to check out > OASIS in Margate. Next to Bocca. Coffees, ice cream, smoothies. Best sandwiches, Jewish delicacies. Downbeach Deli, Casels,…..and we are keeping our eyes on the new 'Poppies' in Ventnor. They took over Malelani. They blew up the basement cafeteria at Borgata….
Short Life for Dance Club The WAV nightclub is no more. The barely broken-in club on Atlantic City's Playground Pier has reportedly closed it's doors. The WAVac website is also offline. Opened with much fanfare in April 2016, WAV was supposed to be a magnet for 20-somethings. The slow-growing Playground Pier in front of Caesars Casino on the Boardwalk really needed that kind of traffic boost. The many bars, retailers and eateries inside the Playground would supposedly benefit from the hundreds that would shop, eat & drink before heading into the WAV for a night of dancing. LISTEN> ACprimetime Radio 7.6.2016 Playground Pier is the brainchild of Bart Blatstein and Tower Investments. Blatstein purchased the struggling 'Pier Shops' at Caesars for $2.7 mil in November of 2014. The deal was not a friendly one, which may explain why Caesars does nothing to encourage their guests to walk across the Boardwalk to enjoy Playground offerings. This bad Playground news dampens the excitement of Blatstein's new Showboat Hotel, opening on July 8. Observers noted: if Playground would clone Tropicana's 'The Quarter', they could have winner on that side of Atlantic City Boardwalk. ALSO CONFIRMED: the GUESS retail store has exited their Playground location. ( is Starbucks next?) Blatstein and Tower Investments is well known for the Piazza at Schmidt's project in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties section. After an exciting debut, The Piazza faltered and Bart sold out. According to Philly.com, Caesars and Blatstein had quite the legal tussle with this prime piece of Boardwalk Real Estate. Our 2 Cents: Dance clubs might be maxed out in Atlantic City. Plenty of competition in this space. Also, it's well known that poorly named 'Playground' was poorly marketed too. PR / advertising campaigns never connected with fun-seekers, and at times seemed non-existent. Still, that pier in front of Caesars is spectacular... it just needs proper management / creative leadership. Is Blatstein over-leveraged? That's what some are asking. With Bart on a buying spree in AC, does the Philly developer have the cash to properly manage his acquisitions? Will Blatstein have the time and resources to properly develop the volleyball court and Garden Pier parcels if those deals close? We look forward to Glenn Straub's next move with this situation. What do YOU think? Leave a comment below.
On Tuesday June 28, Atlantic City residents got an update on the Rescue Plan being developed by Mayor Guardian & Team. Listen to PODCAST > Cut costs? Drive new revenue? Sell assets? LISTEN: Atlantic City Recovery Plan UPDATE. PLAN DUE DATE is NOV 3, 2016
Captain Dave Striped Bass seem to like the 50 degree waters off of Atlantic City and South Jersey. According to Captain Dave of the Absecon Sportsman Center, he says it’s the best striper fishing he’s ever seen in the Atlantic City area. One caveat though, most of the fish are being caught one to two miles off shore. The action in the surf is spotty. Click to listen. Captain Dave Showell talks about Striper fishing, quotas, draggers, and other fishy facts….with Mel Taylor on WPG Talk Radio 1450. The post Listen: Atlantic City Striper Fishing. The Best in Years. appeared first on Atlantic City Prime Time.
The big stories we’re following on ACprimetime.com & talking about on ACprimetime RADIO… Britain voted to exit the European Union….should the AC tourism district exit the City of Atlantic City? Is AC finally rightsized with casinos? THE LAST person you should ask is a competing casino manager or long-distance financial analyst that thinks gambling must stay dominant part of AC economy. Is the PRESS OF AC picking winners & losers in AC? Is local MEDIA ….BAD for AC? $1.7 million…..The most recent AC auction raised selling off vacant land. Up next….the closed bid auction for Bader Field. But the question remains…. Why didn’t city auction off Garden Pier and the old volley ball court between REVEL & Showboat? Guv Christie is NOT confident in Mayor Don Guardian coming up with a financial rescue plan for Atlantic City. Pot is legal in philly, Arizona, wash DC….and soon vegas & Nevada…..but why not AC? Councilman Marty Small is NOT in favor of this smart money raising idea Security cams being installed on boardwalk. Bad guys beware. Your every move is being monitored & recorded. You have been warned. The pop-punk band BLINK 182 has been announced as ANOTHER summer beach concert Atlantic county exec Denny Levinson still looking for someone to lead the charge….in fixing atlantic county….. Marketing & PR of Atlantic City sucks. How do we fix it? UBER is the #1 choice for getting around AC, brigantine, margate ventnor….buses, taxis, jitneys not happy…. All that and more on ACprimetime radio Sponsored by Lacey Cleaning. The best in carpet cleaning, construction site clean-ups, turn—over service for those who RENT…. Reach out to CHAD. Laceycleaning.com
Listen to AC Primetime Radio for the week of June 20, 2016. We talk Blatstein, Garden Pier, Borgata, Uber, Glenn Straub and more. Pretty sure we'll tick somebody off with this one. Speaking truth to power, we are ACprimetime Radio. Enjoy....as we track the re-invention of Atlantic City.