Disappointing month for N.J. casinos

Thursday, Oct. 16, 1997 | 10:03 a.m.

Revenue from both slot machines (2.7 percent) and table games (15.3 percent) was down from the same period last year, according to figures released by the state Casino Control Commission on Wednesday.

"I wonder what they're going to blame it on this time? It can't be the rain. It can't be the cold. It can't be the calendar," said industry analyst Marvin Roffman of Philadelphia.

There were 12 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the month. Often, poor performance by the casinos has been blamed on the luck of the calendar. If a month has fewer weekend days, the casino revenue typically suffers.

In September, the first of the month fell on a Monday holiday -- Labor Day -- and should have boosted the monthly total.

But nine of the 12 casinos reporting said they won less money in September than they did in September 1996. The exceptions were the Atlantic City Hilton, Bally's Park Place and Claridge hotel-casinos.

Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort's revenue was off 18.3 percent, to $46.9 million, but that may be due more to the casino's strong performance in September 1996, when it won $57.4 million from gamblers.

Bally's Park Place reported a 16.2 percent increase in revenue, which was due in large part to the addition of the Wild, Wild West hotel-casino. The cowboy-themed casino expansion opened in July and continues to be the hottest casino attraction in town, luring gamblers who traditionally play in other casinos.

The Wild, Wild West's revenues are not reported separately. Instead, they are reported as part of Bally's Park Place.

"Wild, Wild West is definitely hurting Caesars and Trump Plaza," said Roffman.

Glenn Lillie, spokesman for the Claridge, attributed the market's poor showing to the novelty of the Wild, Wild West. But he said it may be helping the Claridge by increasing pedestrian traffic on that section of the Boardwalk.

"The new place probably drained a little bit of the market. But we feel that if you have a healthy neighbor, it's good for everybody. In the short term, it's helped us," Lillie said.

The 6.8 percent decrease was the biggest monthly drop since January 1996, when revenues fell 9.6 percent.