Vol. 5 No. 1, January 2008
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People to Watch 2008
Our view of 13 people who will influence the 2008 Atlantic City landscape
Last year may have been an important transitional year for Atlantic City, but 2008 will be a year that sets the industry up for a bright future.
In the coming year, the nature of the city for the coming decade will become clear. We will find out details about three major new mega-resorts, while welcoming a new hotel product at the Borgata and a new boutique-style hotel on the Boardwalk. We will discover the fate of the Tropicana, presumably under a new owner with a different direction.
On the political side, recently elected assemblymen and state senators will provide new direction on the state level as they take office. The city will elect yet another mayor.
New additions will continue at the Walk as the city’s retail and entertainment attractions continue to grow. It will become clear that additions to the city’s package of resort amenities are going to be an effective hedge to the increased competition from Pennsylvania.
The future is bright, and there is a special collection of people who will serve as catalysts for that bright future. Here is our view on who those people will be.
Minority Rule - Assemblymen John Amodeo and Vince Polistina
As Republicans in a largely Democratic state assembly, John Amodeo and Vince Polistina might feel outnumbered. But the newly elected assemblymen are both optimistic they can work effectively with their peers in Trenton.
“We have to form working relationships in a nonpartisan way to get things accomplished,” says Amodeo. “I was able to do that on the Linwood City Council, and that’s my goal for the state.”
“I haven’t really thought about being in the minority too much,” says Polistina. “Generally, I think people are Republican or Democrat based on national issues. I don’t believe a lot of the issues at the district or state level are going to be affected. I’m looking forward to working with everyone in Trenton, trying to address some of the issues that will keep Atlantic City moving forward.”
Amodeo and Polistina are both newcomers at the state level. Lifelong residents of Atlantic County, each brings his own unique background to the table.
Amodeo was born in Camden and raised on Absecon Island. He attended Margate City schools, played Little League, and was a competitive swimmer for the Margate City Beach Patrol. After graduating from St. Augustine's Prep, he earned a BA in political science at Mount St. Mary's College in Maryland before going to work as a licensed crane operator. He’s currently operating one of the cranes for the new Revel casino project.
“I’m a blue-collar worker,” he says. “And as an hourly wage employee, I think I can bring some of those concerns to Trenton. I’m going to work diligently, for example, to prevent another government casino shutdown from ever happening. That income is too important to hourly wage-earners.”
Polistina agrees. “We’re looking to keep the casinos open, and we want to make sure to have a plan in place.”
Polistina is owner of his own business, Polistina & Associates in Egg Harbor Township, where he also lives. The firm serves as the official engineer for several towns and municipal boards and authorities in South Jersey.
Raised in Galloway, Polistina graduated from Rutgers. He has specialized in the design and construction management of water and wastewater systems throughout his career, working as the township planner for Galloway Township, Egg Harbor Township and Hamilton Township.
“My background is perfectly suited for the job,” he says. “Being an engineer serving local governments, I see firsthand the stress the state puts on them. Working together, we can develop better processes, improve schools, manage traffic and work on all the issues to improve our quality of life.”
One issue agreed on by both men is the role of the casinos. “The casinos are the economic engine that has transformed us from a four-month resort to a year-round one,” says Amodeo. He points to the construction at the Revel site. “This is just the beginning. After the building’s up and opened, it’s a lifelong opportunity for jobs for service people. Naturally I would support anything the casinos would do to benefit the economy and the state.”
“Casinos enjoy one of the lowest tax rates, and we’ll fight to keep those taxes low,” says Polistina. “They paid a total of $482 million—$417 million in taxes and $65 million to the CRDA. That’s a tremendous fiscal impact to the state. This money funds a lot of senior programs. But I also think we can invest more of that money locally. Maybe we can change the formula so this region gets a bigger share of the money spent by the CRDA.”
“We don’t want to take away from programs or projects that are deserving,” adds Amodeo. “We just want to make sure we address the issues affecting the districts with casinos—for example, traffic congestion as more properties open.”
They’re also concerned about state spending. Both campaigned against part-time politicians receiving healthcare, and both have declined their rightful share.
“You don’t do this for the healthcare benefits,” says Amodeo. “You do it to make a difference.”
— Felicia Lowenstein Niven
Media Mogul - Lisa Johnson, Owner, Lisa Johnson Communications
2 008 will be the year Lisa Johnson decides if it was a good idea to become her own boss.
The former TV 40 anchor launched her own business in 2007—Lisa Johnson Communications—offering public relations and media consulting for casinos, restaurants, retail, real estate and entertainment businesses, including corporate identity, brand strategy, crisis communications, executive media training and more.
So far, the decision has paid off for the Mainland Regional High School and University of Pennsylvania grad. Her clients already include tenants of the Tropicana’s Quarter, Lyons Group restaurants including Sonsie, Game On! and Trinity at the Pier Shops at Caesars, and more, including the Greater Atlantic City Chamber.
Of course, public relations isn’t new for Johnson, who left her Las Vegas morning TV anchor position to join the Venetian’s executive board as director of brand communications.
“While overseeing PR at the Venetian, I worked closely with some of the owners of PR firms and saw how much they loved leading their own business and creating campaigns for clients,” says Johnson, who returned home after a family illness. “I decided to move home, gain some experience in a small firm, and then make the jump into being the captain of my own entrepreneurship.”
Realizing that PR isn’t a “one-size fits all” proposition, Johnson enjoys catering to each client’s unique demands as she grows her company.
“But I want to keep it small enough to offer a personal touch while providing exceptional public relations and media services,” she says. “I do hope to provide public and community relations for one of the new mega-resorts. I believe my experience overseeing the development and openings of entertainment productions, restaurants, retail outlets and some of Las Vegas’ highest-profile special events is invaluable to Atlantic City resorts.”
In the cutthroat world of public relations, Johnson believes her company will not only survive, but thrive.
“My media experience will set Lisa Johnson Communications apart from the competition,” she says. “As a former news anchor and reporter, I know what it takes to attract media coverage. I know what journalists want and need, and have maintained close relationships with local regional and national media.”
— Joseph Harrison
There’s No Place Like Home - Rosalind Krause, General Manager, Trump Taj Mahal
For Rosalind Krause, 2008 will be a landmark year in more ways than one.
Personally, Krause will celebrate 30 years in the casino industry. Professionally, the general manager of Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City will see the opening and completion of the casino’s new 800-room tower.
Krause, known for her amiable personality as much as her great business sense, started as a cocktail server at Resorts in Atlantic City. She worked while putting herself through school and moved through the ranks at different casinos. She later relocated to Las Vegas, where she served as a senior vice president of casino services for Caesars Palace and assistant general manager for Bally’s Paris.
But she couldn’t resist returning to Atlantic City, which she did in 2005.
“It’s such a dynamic industry,” says the 47-year-old Krause, an Atlantic City High School graduate. “My roots are here, and I love Atlantic City. It’s very rewarding to be able to run a property that is full of very qualified people, in an organization with such an abundance of talent.”
As big as 2008 should be, 2007 was anything but shabby. The casino opened Spice Road, a promenade that features new restaurants and retail outlets, and debuted renovated penthouse suites that rank among the best in the city.
In December, the Taj also opened its new $5 million baccarat and high-end gaming pit. Sixty percent of the casino floor was renovated—the other 40 percent will be completed in 2008—and $11 million has been invested in new slots over the last two years.
In addition to the new $255 million tower, which is expected to open 380 rooms in late summer with more following monthly, as well as more casino floor renovations, the Taj will announce a branded restaurant that will open in the former Bombay Café location in 2008.
“2008 should be an amazing year for us,” Krause says. “The new rooms will help increase our convention business while accommodating a segment of the casino market that we haven’t been able to with just 1,250 rooms. There are so many customers who want to stay here, but couldn’t. Now they can. We also believe that our loyalty program with the Trump One Card will really pay off in 2008. Our cross-property play has doubled, and we’re excited about where that will take us.”
— Joseph Harrison
Back in the Game - Dennis Gomes, President, Gomes+Cordish Gaming
A few years ago, Dennis Gomes was the man in Atlantic City. Directing the design, construction and operation of the Quarter at the Tropicana, he was deep in the midst of the revitalization of the city.
Then came a change in leadership at Aztar and the subsequent buyout by Columbia Sussex, and Gomes was on the outside looking in. But not for long, if he has his way.
In late 2007, Gomes announced a partnership with the Cordish Group of Baltimore, Maryland, the developers of that city’s Inner Harbor and the Walk in Atlantic City. He says he truly connected with the company’s president, David Cordish, his partner in Gomes+Cordish Gaming.
“He’s a tremendous guy and a very smart businessman,” says Gomes. “He cares about his family above all, and I think we have a real desire to do something special.”
To start, the company will develop a slot parlor at an Indiana racetrack. But Gomes still has his eyes on his first love: Atlantic City.
“I just believe it’s the most dynamic jurisdiction in gaming today,” he says. “We all love the demographics—30
million people within one tank full of gas—but to me, it’s the way the Jersey Shore was the top vacation destination in the East during the 1930s and ’40s. I believe it can be that way again. We’ve got everything here, even more than Las Vegas: the demographics, the natural beauty. And soon we’ll have just what Las Vegas has: more rooms, retail, dining and entertainment. It’s an exciting time to be developing here.”
Gomes won’t say if he’s involved in negotiations to take over the Trop now that Columbia Sussex has been booted. It’s a natural fit, but Gomes says it’s just one of several options.
“I want to get back in the game in Atlantic City,” he says.
For his former employees at both the Trop and Trump Taj Mahal, that’s good news. Because Gomes has a philosophy unlike any other casino operator when it comes to employees.
“I know it sounds silly coming from a businessman,” he says, “but I believe love is the most powerful force in the universe. And if you apply that force to the people who work with you, and you truly care about them, you can succeed in any venture you attempt.”
Gomes explains why he depends so much on the people who work for him.
“No matter what kind of property you’re running,” he says, “whether it’s the most amazing casino in the world or just a slot parlor, the people should come first. If you put your people first, the customers will be taken care of very well.
“I always try to show my employees how to get the most out of themselves. Sometimes that costs me employees when they leave for better and more lucrative situations, but it’s the only way I know to do business. I care about the people.”
— Roger Gros
Defending Your Life - James J. Leonard Jr., Defense Attorney
Talking with criminal defense attorney James Leonard, it’s hard not to watch the watch.
That gleaming timepiece, with a face as big as a half-orange, bristles with gems that do not resemble cubic zirconia. Asked about it, Leonard is offhand. It’s just a bauble from one of his clients, rapper Lil’ Kim, who also gave Leonard a jewel-encrusted pinky ring. He represented Kim in 2005, when she was charged with perjury.
It’s not just bling by association. At 33, Jim Leonard has only been in Atlantic City a year, but he is already making a name—and headlines—as a criminal defense attorney on the rise.
Most people know him as the lawyer for Terry Oleson, questioned in the murders of four women found last year near the Black Horse Pike. (Oleson is no longer the primary focus of the investigation; Leonard ended up taping a segment about the case for America’s Most Wanted.) The attorney is currently representing one of the defendants in the alleged sports betting ring at Borgata.
Though he hails from a staunch law enforcement family (his brother’s an Atlantic City cop, his dad’s a retired cop, and his wife is a former prosecutor), Leonard was drawn to the defense table by two things: the chance to earn a great living, and the opportunity to ensure due process for the accused.
“Most of the people I represent are low-income, from broken families,” he says. “Sometimes I’m the first person in their lives who has ever tried to give them counsel... And nine times out of 10, they’re only doing what they’re doing to provide for their families.”
If a defendant is innocent—as he believes Oleson is—Leonard is a tireless advocate. If a defendant is guilty—as some undoubtedly are—he works just as hard to “navigate them through the process, and give them the best possible result.”
That altruism doesn’t stop his wife Rebecca from joking that her husband has gone over to “the dark side.”
Both studied law at Villanova and started as interns for Philadelphia DA Lynne Abraham. But Leonard cut his teeth on two capital murder cases in the office of a Camden County defense attorney. He started his own firm in 2004, at the tender age of 28.
There are some cases he won’t touch. For example, approached last year by the family of Robert Shaver, accused in the murder of an 87-year-old woman, Leonard took his father’s advice and passed on the case. But he’s hardly reluctant to work with high-profile clients.
“I enjoy it,” Leonard says. “I think it’s fun, and it’s certainly a good vehicle to promote yourself and your business. But you should never go too far to be a hot dog… You always have to be mindful that you’re talking about people’s lives.”
Leonard also advised City Council President William “Speedy” Marsh when Marsh became the city’s latest interim mayor (he believes Marsh will be a front-runner in the next election).
But his best work, Leonard says, is the work no one hears about, like defending casino employees with problems on the job. With a new office just blocks from the Boardwalk, he expects to be busy.
“One of the reasons I moved from Camden to Atlantic City was that my practice here was taking off,” he says. “I recognized that Atlantic City is on the cusp of a significant boom, and I wanted to be a part of it.”
—Marjorie Preston
Taking Flight - Elisa Monroe, Director, Member Events, Greater Atlantic City Chamber
Next time you see a formation of fighter jets soaring over the Boardwalk, think of Elisa Monroe.
The petite Monroe—who prefers to shine a spotlight on her city, not herself—is the powerhouse behind the phenomenally successful Atlantic City Air Show. Since its inception in 2002, the event has drawn an estimated half million people annually to South Jersey, who gather from Brigantine to Ocean City for high-flying maneuvers by the Air Force Thunderbirds, the 177th Fighter Wing, and the New Jersey Air National Guard among others. Economically, that Wednesday afternoon in August has become the equivalent of a Saturday night for local merchants and other businesses.
And Elisa Monroe is behind the whole shebang. With characteristic energy and effervescence, the onetime Chamber bookkeeper assembles all the working parts that make a special event truly special.
Her ascent was rapid. After working at several casino gift shops, the Sands, and Tiffany & Co. at Trump Taj Mahal, she went to Showboat, and was a team member when that company won its bid to develop a casino in Sydney, Australia.
Then she was hired as an administrative assistant at the Chamber of Commerce. It was a good fit.
“I took a leap of faith,” says Monroe, “and changed careers.”
Within a year, she was director of member events.
“I have held the position—with a couple of detours as director of member development and communications—for 10 years,” she says.
Yet Monroe is modest, and initially balked at being named a Person to Watch. She gives all the credit for her success to Chamber President Joe Kelly, the chamber board, and particularly the growing number of chamber members, whose support of community activities she calls “an investment in Atlantic City’s future growth.”
As the city grows in importance, so does Monroe’s visibility. At a recent tribute to Senator Bill Gormley, more than 1,000 people showed up, including Governor Jon Corzine, former Governor Brendan Byrne, federal prosecutor Chris Christie and former FBI investigator James Kallstrom.
And there, presiding over it all, was Elisa Monroe, as relaxed as if she was hosting a nice little dinner party at home.
— Sharon Harris-Zlotnik
Menu for Success - Pete Ciarrocchi, CEO and Owner Chickie’s and Pete’s Crab House and Sports Bar
Pete Ciarrocchi didn’t know much about the business when he acquired his first bar. But, as he told his father, “I know how to drink.”
In 1977, the young entrepreneur joined his mother Henrietta (aka “Chickie”) to buy the corner bar at Robbins and Frankfurt in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia. His father, Peter, supported the venture while managing the family’s neighborhood grocery.
“It was a stand-up bar with a separate ladies’ entrance in the back—the first thing we did was bring in barstools,” the younger Ciarrocchi remembers. “It was an uphill battle to take a corner bar and make it into what it is today, with several locations and our own product line. It was all done by hard work and not by plan.”
As it turned out, Pete—who refers to himself as the “re-Pete” after his father—knew more than how to drink. He knew how to cook, too.
He developed a menu that took bar fare to a higher level. Along with sandwiches and pizzas, Chickie’s and Pete’s offers crabs, clams, shrimp, mussels and lobsters. The sports bar is well-known for its Crabfries—generous baskets of crab-seasoned fries served with cheese dip. Rumor has it that you can’t eat just one.
“We have limited items on the menu, and they are all excellent,” says Ciarrocchi. “No one does them better than we do.”
Loyal patrons at each of his locations appear to agree. In addition to the original bar, Ciarrocchi now has four others: in the Stadium district in South Philly, in Northeast Philly on the Boulevard Plaza, in Bordentown, and the newest location in Egg Harbor Township. He also has 14 licensed concession stands at locations including Philadelphia International Airport and the Wachovia Center.
His reputation has also grown along the way. ESPN has rated Chickie’s and Pete’s as the third best sports bar in the country and number one on the East Coast, according to Ciarrocchi. His venues are also a great draw for the sports teams themselves.
“After an Eagles game, we’ll have 30 to 40 players in here,” he says. “People are used to seeing them. They come with their families. They’re here for the great food, the inexpensive prices and the warm, friendly atmosphere. There’s no phoniness here.”
Ciarrocchi says his is “the ultimate business.”
“I love what I do. It’s like having a party at my house everyday. If I had to work 20 hours a day, it’s fine with me.”
— Felicia Lowenstein Niven
Design Master - Drew Schlesinger, Vice President and General Manager, The Water Club at Borgata
“ People laugh at me. I go into meeting rooms and straighten the furniture; I walk around and pull the tags off chairs. I’m not a micro-manager, but I certainly set standards for what we want to deliver, and say, ‘This is what it should look like.’”
Such picky attention to detail might be annoying in, say, a visiting mother-in-law. But in a hotel general manager, perfectionism is an asset. It’s taken Drew Schlesinger—alumnus of soignée hotels like the Paramount in New York, and the Mondrian in LA—to the top of his field.
In his latest role as vice president and GM of the upcoming Water Club at Borgata, Schlesinger applies the same strict principles. He’s been known to audition bathrobe hangers, take opinion polls about window treatments, and sleep on 50 pillows to find one with just the right heft and firmness.
“Anything and everything a guest touches, you really have to think about,” says Schlesinger. His goal for the Water Club is to provide “authentic service. Not stuffy service, but service with soul.”
His résumé is suitably impressive. From humble beginnings as a pot washer and short order cook, the Philadelphia-born Schlesinger worked his way through college, then went on to manage Kimpton hotels and restaurants in both Manhattan and Miami. He launched Kimpton’s first New York City hotel, four-star luxury digs that were one of just 12 U.S. hotels on Condé Nast’s 2005 “Hot List.” He worked alongside famed club owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager (founders of Studio 54 and Palladium) as well as designer Philippe Starck, all of whom helped originate the boutique hotel concept.
But his first and most important influence, he says, was his mother.
“It sounds so corny,” he says. “It was really my parents, especially my mom. She entertained a lot, and of the three kids, I was always the one who was in the kitchen cooking with her. I just loved the idea of creating stuff, whatever it was, and watching people enjoy it.”
Born in Philadelphia, young Drew spent many summers at the Jersey Shore, and though he’s lived and worked around the country and traveled around the world, he’s right at home here, and happy to be at the Water Club. He describes the new hotel (to open in the summer) as “contemporary, very sleek and classic but comfortable, with materials that are beyond reproach.”
Under his direction, service will be “very pampered and very sophisticated,” with a staff-guest ratio of one to one.
“It will absolutely set a standard that has not been seen” in hotels in Atlantic City, he says.
That’s not surprising. These are Drew Schlesinger’s standards.
— Marjorie Preston
Many Hands, One Vision - Margaret Belfield, Vice President and Administrator, AtlantiCare’s Atlantic City Campus
When AtlantiCare cuts the ribbon on its new state-of-the-art seven-story tower and renovation project in Atlantic City this June, Margaret Belfield will be beaming with pride. With her background as a critical care nurse, and her belief that “patients have to come first,” Belfield made it her mission to give Atlantic City a hospital to be proud of. And she did it by getting the community involved, every step of the way.
Three community groups helped design, build and decorate the facility. Because art is soothing for both patients and their families, a committee commissioned local artists to create pieces that represent the hospital’s theme of harmony through nature.
“We have over 500 pieces of art in the building and it’s absolutely breathtaking,” says Belfield.
A second group addressed complaints that the old facility looked out-dated and tired. “We put together a group of ex-patients and family members who gave us input on the design, the furniture, the colors used and the features of the room,” she says.
The third community group Belfield organized was an oversight committee to ensure that there was inclusiveness in hiring for the construction of the tower.
“We set out some goals to make sure we had a percentage of Atlantic City residents working on the building, as well as women, disabled and minority workers,” she says. “We also worked with the trades to get a few new local people into trade unions.”
The new building has been opening in stages. The new heliport at the top of the tower opened in May 2007. The new emergency department opened in October 2007, and a new imaging suite followed in November. In 2008, the ICUs and medical/surgical units on floors three through seven will begin to open.
“It’s a beautiful facility,” says Belfield. “That’s what we promised city council and everyone else that worked on it with us. This is the community’s hospital.”
— Heidi Heath Tony
Golf and Gaming - Mike Bowman, Vice President Food & Beverage, Harrah’s Entertainment Atlantic City; General Manager, Atlantic City Country Club
It was a historic landmark, but without a liquor license, the Atlantic City Country Club was hardly a casino amenity. When the country club was acquired by Harrah’s in 2005, it fell to food and beverage VP Mike Bowman to turn things around.
“They said, ‘Let’s give it to Mike,’” Bowman remembers. “We had one of the best golf courses in New Jersey, and you couldn’t get a beer! So I got involved, got the liquor license and we opened to the public. It’s been a home run ever since.”
Bowman carries dual titles as a result. In addition to his responsibilities at Harrah’s, he is general manager of the country club. It’s a fitting role for a man who dreamed of a career in the culinary business since the age of 14.
A Philadelphian and self-professed “crazy Eagles fan,” Bowman got his start washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant. That led to positions as a waiter, cook and chef, and ultimately study at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.
Then it was off to the Caribbean for a few years, working for the Philadelphia-based Wyndham International Hotel and Resorts. Bowman joined Harrah’s in May 1999 after stints as executive chef in some of the finest restaurants and high-end catering operations in Philadelphia and Boston.
As vice president of food and beverage for Harrah’s, Bowman is responsible for more than 60 restaurants and bars at Showboat, Harrah’s, Bally’s and Caesars. He’s also involved in development of new projects for Harrah’s Entertainment, including the Baha Mar mega-resort in the Bahamas. In addition, he maintains an office at the country club, where he oversees operations.
“We’re serving dinners on the weekends and staying open year-round,” Bowman says. “We’re doing great group and meeting business. We’ve put a lot of capital reinvestment back into the club and are committed to the club and the community.”
Toward that end, the Atlantic City Country Club just introduced Sunday brunches featuring talent from local schools, including Mainland Regional High School and Charter Tech High School for the Performing Arts.
“Brunch is back,” says Bowman. “People like to go out on Sunday afternoons and relax. And this is community-driven—we’re going to donate instruments to the schools.
“This is a great amenity. We have our casino players, the retail play and the members. You can’t have too much of any of these, but balance all three together, and you’ve got a successful model.”
— Felicia Lowenstein Niven
CRDA’s Go-to Guy - Tom Meehan, Director of Development, CRDA
Whether you’re driving into town via the Atlantic City Expressway or strolling along the city’s famous Boardwalk, Tom Meehan has made his mark on your surroundings.
A former banker, Meehan was hired by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority 12 years ago to do financial analysis—or so he thought.
“My first day on the job, I was asked to go to a meeting on the corridor road-widening project and report back to my boss,” Meehan says. “After I explained what went on at the meeting, she said, ‘That’s your new job; you’re in charge of the corridor project. We’re going to redevelop the entrance to the city.’ And I haven’t looked back since.”
Meehan’s most recent project has been the façade improvements on the Boardwalk. Funded in 2005 with a $99 million bond issue ($50 million went to the casinos for their façade improvements), the project is at the halfway mark.
“This winter, we’ll have three blocks under way, and the 1500 and 2500 blocks are already done,” Meehan says. “I think the first two blocks went a long way towards saying ‘Hey, things are going to be better here on the Boardwalk,’ and this spring people will see that it’s really coming together.”
For 2008, Meehan’s goal is to finish up the Boardwalk, start construction on a proposed mixed-use parking garage in Ducktown, and replace the bulkheads in Venice Park.
Beyond that, Atlantic City’s anticipated growth spurt has Meehan looking for proactive solutions to the potential housing and traffic problems.
“You’re talking about three new casinos opening up in the next few years," he says. “Where are they going to get their employees? There’s a shortage of residential apartments here in Atlantic City, which needs to be looked at. And traffic needs be addressed.”
A few months ago, Meehan’s son asked him to come to school for career day. He told the kids that his job involves building things and creating jobs. As if to prove his point, a little girl in the class told him her dad was a carpenter in Atlantic City.
“I said, ‘I happen to know your dad, he’s a great guy and you should be proud of him,’” says Meehan. “So it makes you feel good. I think we’ve been doing a lot of great things here.”
— Heidi Heath Tony
In with the New - Carmen E. Gonzales, Communications Director Pinnacle Entertainment Atlantic City
Carmen Gonzales’ first job with Pinnacle Entertainment involved blowing up a building. It was the building in which she happened to work.
The veteran Atlantic City publicist—she spent 10 years at Golden Nugget and Resorts, then became the national press representative for ABC in 1994—was director of communications for the South Jersey Tourism Corporation in 2006, when she got the chance to return to Atlantic City.
That call came from the Sands, where Gonzales became manager of mass marketing and public relations last May. But by July, the casino hotel had been sold.
After several months of uncertainty, she got welcome news: an offer to stay on as PR manager for Pinnacle Entertainment Atlantic City, which bought her old property and will replace it with a major mega-resort. Gonzales moved into Pinnacle's new offices in the historic Madison House Hotel, and hit the ground running.
She hasn’t slowed down since. Her first order of business: close the Sands and prepare it for implosion. Though closing a property and tearing it down is not a publicist’s job, it is the publicist’s job to get as much PR mileage as possible from the big bang.
For Gonzales, it’s been a series of PR home runs for her new employer.
First came an unexpected treasure. As Gonzales promoted a major liquidation sale (it would eventually clear out every piece of furniture and fixture in the casino, hotel and restaurant), she learned that thousands of dollars worth of coins were found when workers moved the slot machines—not an unusual occurrence, but not one that had ever been publicized. Out went a press release noting that more than $17,000 in change had been found underneath the Sands’ slots.
“I thought it was kind of a quirky, fun column item—you know, filler,” says Gonzales. When the Associated Press ran with it, “It took on a life of its own. We received international press. I was receiving breaks from China, Germany, Sweden, Tokyo… people were fascinated.”
She was just getting started. In rapid-fire succession came a successful liquidation of the Sands’ contents, billboards promoting Pinnacle (“Until we open, you'll just have to play somewhere less fun”), the destruction of $62 million in gaming chips (which also garnered widespread press), and the beginning of the process that would lead to Gonzales’ PR home run: the first implosion in Atlantic City casino history.
That implosion created a media circus that drew more attention to the property at Brighton Park than it ever enjoyed as an operating casino. Orchestrated with fireworks and much-publicized fanfare (thanks to Gonzales), the Sands implosion garnered an estimated $22 million worth of international broadcast news coverage alone. Pinnacle was on the map, not only nationally but in every corner of the globe.
The coming year will offer many more events leading to the creation of Pinnacle's Boardwalk mega-resort, and plenty more opportunities for national and international publicity. The parking garage and other buildings will come down. The name of Pinnacle’s new resort will be revealed, along with possible plans and renderings. Finally, there will be a groundbreaking.
Gonzales—who was recently promoted to communicatons director—has proven she will make the most of every opportunity to turn Pinnacle Entertainment into a household name.
Surely, more fireworks are in store.
— Frank Legato
