Columnist Joe Delaney: Las Vegas built Atlantic City, then followed it

Joe Delaney

Friday, May 29, 1998 | 10:37 a.m.

ATLANTIC CITY 2: ... When Resorts International opened its doors on May 26, 1978, casino gaming began in the City by the Shore. ... People stood in line for an hour or more to play a slot machine or place a bet. ... Las Vegas furnished the headliners -- Frank Sinatra, Bill Cosby, Buddy Hackett, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Joan Rivers and Neal Sedaka, among others -- and still does.

This Memorial Day weekend, Resorts International was the hot hotel, celebrating its 20th birthday and the advent of gaming, and once again with LV's Steve and Eydie as the headline attraction. ... Las Vegas also supplied Resorts with its top lounge acts, thanks to LV producer Maynard Sloate.

The Treniers were at Resorts in 1978 and they starred in the lounge again this past weekend. ... Other early Resorts lounge stars included Freddie Bell and Sam Butera and The Wildest. ... The Treniers, Butera and Freddie Bell are now Orleans Hotels regulars.

Star policy there

This past weekend, in addition to Steve and Eydie, A.C.'s other star-policy attractions included Donna Summer (Caesars); Alan King, hilarious (Claridge); Frankie Randell's Tribute to Sinatra plus Tom Dreesen (Hilton); Drew Carey (Sands); Clint Holmes (Trump Plaza); and Yanni (Trump Taj Mahal). ... Sinatra recordings could be heard everywhere.

Steve and Eydie included a Sinatra tribute with Steve singing, backed by actual Nelson Riddle-Sinatra arrangements. ... Along with Randell's Sinatra, longtime Sinatra singer Duke Hazlett, plus Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. clones, re-created the Rat Pack at the Sands.

Harrah's was presenting a production of the classic stage musical, "Carousel," through June 28. ... A Legends In Concert company is the summer feature at Bally's. ... A.C. production shows are low-budget revues, no LV competition in this respect.

Who followed whom

When Resorts opened 20 years ago, New Jersey state regulations required each hotel casino to have entertainment seven nights a week. ... Las Vegas built its reputation of seven night a week, two shows a night. ... The New Jersey regulation was rescinded in 1981 and the seashore city quickly reverted to weekends only for star-policy attractions and five- or six-night weeks for low-budgeted revues.

With approximately 60 million people living within an easy day's drive of Atlantic City, driving in on Fridays mostly, that night became the dark night for most A.C. shows. ... The Atlantic City season stretched from Memorial Day to the Miss America Pageant in mid-September.

Las Vegas, with conventions, is neither weekends nor seasonal. ... Most LV production shows are on a five-day-per-week schedule. ... It should be noted that five major LV hotels are dark this Friday and that most star-policy shows are weekend bookings here.

In conclusion

Steve Wynn's Le Jardin and the MGM Grand (more Las Vegas) will have a major impact on Atlantic City as it enters the new century. ... Meanwhile, there is the possibility of legalized gaming in Pennsylvania and New York, which could have a severe impact on the Jersey shore resort. ... With the proliferation of gaming, nationwide, Las Vegas seems to be much better prepared than our casino creations in Atlantic City.

Local events

Marv Koral's All-Stars now appear at the Park Avenue on Sunday, 5:30-9:30 p.m. in addition to 8 p.m.-midnight on Saturdays. ... Pianist Gus Mancsuo plays happy hours there at 5 p.m., Tuesday-Friday. ... Jazz in the Park features the Andrienne Wilson Quartet, free at 8 p.m. Saturday, while Si Zentner's Orchestra plays for the Lamont Patterson Big Band Memorial Dance, 7 p.m. Saturday, Charleston Heights Center.

Candlelighters for Children's Cancer in Southern Nevada will have a fund- raiser, Monday at 7 p.m., in the Joint at the Hard Rock featuring The Checkmates, Jeneane Marie, Randy Anderson, Spectrum, Jonathan's Music Magic, a Temptations Tribute, the Tommy Thompson Tribute and Forward Motion. ... Jimmy Caesar emcees. ... See you next Thursday.