Casino news source: NY Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
The Donald smolders over casino smoking ban
By PHIL ROURA
Friday, August 24th 2007, 4:00 AM
Donald Trump is concerned that profits at his three casinos and the eight other Atlantic City playpens might soon turn to ashes, so he's calling for a smoking break from the smoking ban.
The Donald, who after nearly 30 years is still the biggest name on the Boardwalk, is demanding that the mayor and city council repeal the law limiting smoking to 25% of a casino.
"I'm a nonsmoker," Trump tells the Daily News. "But Atlantic City casinos have been put in a very bad position with other places that don't have a smoking ban."
Since the law was enacted, casinos have seen profits shrink nearly 4% over the past seven months.
"That is due to a large extent by the smoking ban," Trump insists. "People are going to Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New York where they can smoke if they wish."
In a letter to the mayor and local lawmakers last week, Trump wrote:
"The negative impact of the city ordinance is even more than the mere loss of a large number of smoking patrons to Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut casinos and the perhaps permanent decline in Atlantic City gaming revenue. It also requires that each casino operator expend millions of dollars to enclose its gaming-floor smoking areas with structures which will significantly obstruct the customary flow of gaming patron activity and at the same time look absolutely terrible.
"City government has the authority to remove this substantial impediment to our ability to compete with the [the other casinos]. Many millions of dollars are being lost by Atlantic City and the state of New Jersey. Please act quickly (before it is too late)!"
But while he still wields a lot of influence, Trump isn't sure what will happen.
"I'm hopeful they will do something," he says, "but it's a political situation. And you know about politicians. A lot of them agree with me, but that doesn't mean they will follow through."
Casinos have until Sept. 15 to submit their building plans for fully enclosed smoking areas. |
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