What's new
Streak Gaming Online Gambling Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Atlantic City Cuts Back On Comps

Users who viewed this discussion (Total:0)

vixen777

Owner
Staff member
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
61,181
Atlantic City Cuts Back On Comps
10-04-08

The economic slowdown in the United States seems to have hit at the heart of one of the land-based casino industry’s biggest advantages over their online brethren, the comp.

According to a recent piece from the Associated Press, the amount of freebies handed out in Atlantic City casinos declined 2.4 percent last year with the city's eleven gambling halls split on how desirable it is to continue to hand out free meals, hotel rooms or show tickets to gamblers.


For the first time since casinos opened in the New Jersey seaside resort 30 years ago, revenues have declined with out-of-state slot parlours continuing to steal the most reliable customers, senior citizens.


'You can definitely tell it's slowing down,' retiree Charles Lafferty from Pennsylvania told the Associated Press.


'One woman we come down with used to get hundreds of dollars at a time. Now she says it's a lot less.”


However, it is not cheap and the city's casinos collectively spent $1.63 billion last year on comps in an environment forcing venues to tighten their belts in order to deal with an economic slowdown and intense competition from out-of-state gambling halls.


'It's a difficult culture to break,' said Nick Danna, Senior Equity Analyst at Sterne Agee and Leach.


'The expectation is still there and the customers are used to it. There are certain customers that Atlantic City really shouldn't attract anymore because they're just not profitable. Then there are other customers they'd like to comp less but it's very difficult because they are used to it.'


Danna stated that the real opportunity for Atlantic City is in attracting customers who currently look down on the resort as the domain of elderly people who clamber off buses with buffet coupons in hand.
http://www.igamingbusiness.com/article-detail.php?articleID=16855
 

CareyG

Owner
Staff member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
66,257
Damn! Tropicana better not cut back on my comps!
 

CALizzz

Lifetime Streaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
2,503
Damn! Tropicana better not cut back on my comps!

I hope not Ms. Carey!!

This started in Vegas a few years ago... I forget the amount off hand, but my best bud who works in the industry told me how much you had to spend just to be on low level comps. I was blown away.. Thought, ok, I'll buy my dinner- thank you!

XoX
 

vixen777

Owner
Staff member
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
61,181
Man Vegas is begging me to go and I don't gamble there ever:money, I got a free flight for me and my oldest(used mileage for that) Paris is giving us 3 nights free, 2 day spa treatments, $150 cash, 2 tickets to Pen and Tell and 2 tickets to go to the Eiffel Tower ...:grinclap
 

MotelPrisoner

Lifetime Streaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Messages
1,071
I noticed a cut back last year.

I used to get more AC Casino mail than bills/ junk mail. I used to have to choose which casino I wanted to stay at. Sometimes if I timed it right; I could spend a whole week in comp rooms.
Now, sadly; I get a lot more junk & bills.:(
 

Top