There’s something about
the ‘Green Felt Jungle’ I
can't resist. Sure, I can resist
counting my losses when I
return home and one of
these days rll get over my
regrets about hitting a “16”

by Ba rbara

McCreadie

when the dealer. sub-
sequently broke. No-one
with a half a brain to spare
EVER hits a 16 but the devil
made me do it.

Atlantic City, New Jersey,
hit the headlines a couple of

THEY MAY LOOK
happy, but according to
Barbara if they're
playing the machines in
Atlantic City and
visiting the clubs, then
to be

they are not go
going home with plenty

of money in their
pockets. But, it is fun.

Join us

Our

years ago when they in-
troduced “Nevada Style
Gambling” on the famous
boardwalk. The quotation
marks are intentional. What
a dreadful place to throw
your money away. It bears
little resemblance to Reno or

Las Vegas.
At this writing, three
enormous casinos are

operating - with the promise
of four more in the next few
months. I visited Caesars,
the Park Lane and the

Resorts last week and should |

have saved my $80.

Here is a partial list of
complaints. I may think of
some more later!

Overcrowding! Employees
told me that Fridays are the
quietest day but you
wouldn't believe the mob
scene. Line-ups for seats at
the $2 tables could last for an
hour. The other tables have
$5, $10 and $25 minimum
bets. Certainly not the place
for your average tourist. In
desperation, I finally sat in
on a $5 table, losing $40 in
about four minutes.

Overcrowding No. 2. One
washroom attendant told me
that waits for cubicles in the
ladies were up to 45 minutes
at peak times. She admitted
that she ran non-stop for her
entire shift but “didn’t have
time to get bored”. I guess!

Overpricing - a bar drink
in the Park Place cost me
$3.25. Although I didn’t
order one at Caesars’, I
inquired and .was told that
they charge $2.75 but since
the Park Place had raised
their prices, They figured
that theirs’ would be going
up soon.

Overpricing No. 2. The
slot machines start at 25¢
which is quite a bit more
than the Las Vegas and Reno
minimums of nickles and
dimes. Not only that, they
encourage you to increase
the ante by giving you the
option of increasing your bet
up to five quarters at one

pull. I searched in vain for.

ONE traditional machine
that took one coin ata time.

Overpricing No, 3. Food
isn’t cheap as it is in Nevada.
Atlantic City Casinos feed
their captive audience on
four and five dollar sand-
wiches in snack bar settings.
That will tell you something
about the prices in the dining
rooms.

Overpricing No. 4. To get
from the two casinos on the
west side of the Boulevard to
the one on the east side, you
can walk (about 3 blocks) or
take a trolley. The trolley

ride costs a dollar! Each
way. On a muggy-hot day
with no shade, many

Highland Dancing
Classes by Nann & Nancy Wilson -
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also Tap. National &

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6
travellers pay up and ride.

“Free drinks” - pardon me
while I laugh a lot. Don't
hold your breath waiting for
a cocktail waitress to serve
you at a gambling table. In
three hours I didn’t see one!

Atlantic City has a long
way to go if they ever want
to compete with Nevada.
They obviously don’t want to
just now - and those poor
travellers (and _ residents)
that put up with the whole
thing don't know any better.
Atlantic City is making sure
that they don’t find out.

The famous boardwalk is a
litter of souvenier stands,
Tarot Card readers and
shops. The amusement
piers, complete with merry-
go-rounds and pitch-and-toss
games are unchanged from
the “good old days”.

For $4 for half an hour,
you can renta “rolling chair”
and driver to move you
around. The chairs seat 3
adults or a family with 2
kids.

Construction is booming.
Why not? With gambling so
profitable, it makes sense to
add all the extras. Down the
Boardwalk you can get a
buffet meal “all you can eat”
for $3.99. Not long on
quality, but if quantity is
your aim give it a try.

Getting to Atlantic City

C3 -Sunday News, August 24, 1980

There’s danger out in the green felt jungle

It’s expensive on the boardwalk

from New York is easy.
FUGAZY, a well-known
tour company - offers the
return trip by coach for
$14.50 and when you reach
your destination you are
given a pouch containing $6
worth of quarters on
weekdays.

The Port Authority Buses
from Manhattan cost $12
return,

The tour buses leave from
a couple of locations in
Manhattan, including the
Statler Hilton Hotel on West
33rd St. at Broadway and the
only complication is that you
must pick up your tickets in
person the day before -
meaning a cab ride for most
of us unless you've gotten
the knack of subways or
buses. The tour leaves at
9:00 a.m. and returns to the
hotel or other stops about
9:00 p.m. The ride takes
between 2'%2-3 hours
depending on the traffic.

We sat right behind the
bus driver on the Fugazy
tour and met another
friendly New Yorker. He
noted our “accent” and
chatted the whole way
down, filling us in on land-
marks.

I'm glad I went to Atlantic
City. Where else will you see
all those famous
“Monopoly” names on

streets? Where else can you
take a walk on the Board-
walk? I’ve gambled in some
of the most famous spots in-
the world (losing money all
the way!) - Monaco, the
Caribbean, cruise ships,
Colombia, Australia, Britain
and Nevada. Give me
Nevada any old day!

passport

photos

hile you wait
North Shore Darkroom
1527 Lonsdale 988-9813

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1666 Robson Street
10507 K. Geo. Hwy. Surrey
689-7117

Reg. Travel Agent No. 157-3

We need your
time & energy

be a volunteer tutor...

North Vancouver School District

requires

volunteers to Staff its Tutoring Program. Train-
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children with learning difficulties on a one-to-

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year. Interested persons are welcome to at-
tend an information Session to be held on
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