Will Atlantic City be the master of its domain or will Gov. Chris Christie (R) insist upon a state takeover? That’s the question after Mayor Don Guardian (R) steered a five-
point rescue plan through a heavily divided city council. In addition to the sale — already announced — of Bader Field, there will be additional privatizations (payroll, emergency dispatch, garbage, recycling, etc.), cuts in city services, reduction in the city’s workforce and restructuring of benefits packages … But no tax increases. That could be a deal-breaker for Trenton, which wants Atlantic citizens, already hard-hit by taxation, to pay more.
The Bader Field sale is meant to cover most of the tax shortfall caused when Borgata and several other casinos successfully challenged their property-tax assessments. That caused what’s been described as “a shock to the system” along the Boardwalk. Stockton University and South Jersey Gas will also be ponying up over a million dollars out of the goodness of their hearts. Council President Marty Smalls made it clear what was at stake, saying, “If not for this plan, you’ll clearly be looking at Mayor Christie in this city.” Who would have thought that Christie, once so supportive of Atlantic City, would one day be looking to micromanage it? The Guardian plan now goes before lawmakers for their approval.
* Official obfuscation continues to cloud the case of The Crown 18, employees of Crown Resorts who were recently caught in a police dragnet on the Chinese mainland. Government officials have said that none of the 18 were from Macao but have refrained 
from commenting on whether the arrests had any connection with the enclave. Liaison Office of the People’s Central Republic Deputy Director Yao Jian said frostily, “I don’t have much comment on this case. But what needs more attention is the improvement of the laws regulating Macao’s gaming industry, especially the casinos’ internal controls.” Top Macanese casino regulator Paulo Martins Chan was no more helpful, saying, “this case is a reminder for the gaming companies here: When they are conducting their marketing activities in mainland China, they have to have a clear understanding of its laws and abide by them.” In other words, Crown crossed an as-yet-undefined light and will be made to pay.
* Have you ever been confronted by a nostril-filling attar upon entering a casino? (Las Vegas Sands is a particular offender in this regard.) There’s a term for it: to “odoriferous” your property. Hard Rock International even employs on-property “vibe managers” to fine-tune the ambient guest experience. “Your sense of smell is tied directly to the part of the brain that categorizes memory and emotions. They remember these things for all eternity,” says Allison Shipp, account manager for Air Aroma. But there are those who understand the importance of not overdoing it, as Sands does. Valencia Group Director of Operations Trent Freeman says, “When doing room inspections, we make sure the scent is up to par, but we don’t want to overwhelm. Guests love it, but the practice can face overexposure if they experience it too much.” Sheldon Adelson, are you listening?
