Winter storm threatens to put a crimp in casino New Year’s celebrations

Brendan Schurr

Saturday, Dec. 30, 2000 | 10:16 a.m.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - The big snow storm that swept up the East Coast on Saturday threatened to put a damper on one of the biggest weekends of the year for this city's 12 casinos.

"Y2K last year slowed down our New Year's Eve, and it looks like this year it's going to be the storm," said Kevin Davis, executive casino host at Trump Plaza Hotel Casino.

By midmorning Saturday, the 4 inches of snow that had fallen in this seaside resort was mixing with sleet and rain, but snowfall amounts were double that inland, and the storm was disrupting travel throughout the Northeast. Flights in and out of Atlantic City International Airport were canceled Saturday morning.

Traditionally, Atlantic City casinos go all-out to entertain their best customers at invitation-only New Year's Eve galas.

Harrah's Casino Hotel, for example, has transformed its ballroom into a wild mix of red, black and white zebra stripes for a party with a "Red, Hot and Blue" theme. Each of the 800 guests will receive a limited-edition crystal egg and zebra-striped throw rug.

The Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort was scheduled to entertain 3,000 guests at a "24 Karat Gold" celebration, including a three-course dinner with champagne.

But Davis said some guests who were due to arrive Friday night had canceled. "It doesn't look good for New Year's Eve," he said.

Meanwhile, on the casino floors, the few gamblers who ventured out Saturday morning had their pick of hundreds of slot machines.

Norean Mansueto, 52, takes a casino bus three nights a week from her home in Newark. Normally, there are 40 passengers on board, she said, but there were only 12 on Friday night.

"No one wanted to travel," Mansueto said.

Bernard Hooper, 48, of Baltimore, said many buses from his hometown were canceled.

Some casino employees were using specially arranged car pools to get to work.

Stephen Hughes started picking up casino executives and others at 5:30 a.m. in his Chevy Blazer sporting the license plate "SHOFUR."

Hughes, 56, of Egg Harbor Township, said this is the first year for the pickup program organized by three casinos.

"It's working. We're able to get the people in to work," he said as an overnight worker came out of Bally's Park Place and asked for a ride home.

Not everyone thought the gamblers would stay away for long.

"They'll be here. Nothing stops them," said Jimmy Felton, 43, a doorman at Bally's Park Place.