Casino executives push for safer, more walkable Atlantic City

“Look at Atlantic City, and what’s missing? The absence of (tourists) on the streets. You go to Las Vegas, there are people everywhere,” said Mark Giannantonio, president and CEO of Resorts Casino Hotel and president of the Casino Association of New Jersey.

Outreach by the Atlantic City Police Department and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office has gotten dozens of homeless people into substance abuse and mental health treatment programs, but they are quickly replaced by new arrivals, law enforcement officials have said.

“Last night I personally counted 40 homeless I have not seen before,” said Assemblyman Don Guardian, R-Atlantic. “There are more new people coming here all the time.”

McDonald’s restaurant owner Anthony Mack said he has seen people sleeping in front of the DCO Energy building on Atlantic Avenue near Tanger Outlets The Walk. “The flow of people in Las Vegas, until we get rid of that kind of setting, we’re not going to get there,” Mack said.

Police Chief James Sarkos said if people are just standing around they can’t be arrested. “We can ticket them if they are blocking the sidewalk,” Sarkos added. “It’s an ordinance violation, and we ask them to move on. ... Frequently we move them along, and they come back (when police leave). “We will definitely try to give it more attention,” Sarkos said.

Homeless people congregate at the energy building because the sidewalk there is warm, he pointed. This winter is going to be a challenge for brick-and-mortar gaming in the city’s casinos, Giannantonio said, citing declines this year compared to last year.

Figures released Thursday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement showed that money won from in-person gamblers at the casinos fell by more than 7% in October from a year earlier, but still surpassed the level of October 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

The city needs to prioritize safety so visitors feel comfortable on its streets, Giannantonio said.

“’Clean and safe’ is what we talk about all the time,” said Mike Sampson, senior vice president of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. He has commuted to work in the city for 32 years. “I’ve been driving to Hard Rock each and every day, and it’s not always pleasant,” Sampson said. “When I look at it like a guest or newcomer coming in to the city, it pains me.”

Sampson said brick-and-mortar gaming is at a pivotal point. “The economic crisis we are facing is starting to show itself. We’ve been seeing it for five to six months now,” Sampson said.

Hard Rock first saw a drop-off in independent guests, then in lower-level gamblers, he said.

Sampson said Hard Rock staff have seen more homeless people recently. “There is a tremendous influx of new homelessness. We have to hunker down. I fear it’s going to be a cold winter for Atlantic City.”

The next Clean and Safe meeting will be 8:30 a.m. Dec. 2 in Council Chambers at City Hall, Shabazz said.

By Michelle Brunetti