THE BORGATA & JOE LUPO

[THE SHRINK]

Just when you think it can't get any better...

I have been spending the weekend in Atlantic City at THE BORGATA, courtesy of JOE LUPO...

For those of you who may be living in a vacuum,, JOE was the main man behind the STARDUST HOTEL in LAS VEGAS, when the STARDUST was a leader in sports betting. For many years, JOE ran their sports book and his lines were considered the Bible.

This is the first time I have stayed at this unbelievable hotel, which is the only one of its kind here in AC that compares to the MEGA ones in Las Vegas!!!

When I get back to Virginia, I will have lots more to report about my fantastic stay here at THE BORGATA...

I think it is fair to say that there is none of its kind here in AC and that this casino is so far ahead of the competition, it's not even close!!!

Stay tuned for more and HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

THE SHRINK

 

[VaultedTreehouse]

That's where I play all my poker here in Jersey. First class, first rate,...it's too bad you didn't realize the place sooner.

 

[THE SHRINK]

It's ironic that you should say that as today marks their ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

 

[WildBill]

I think they win a lot of goodwill just because their competition is weak. I don't think they would even be top 10 on people's lists if they were in Vegas. Nice place yes, but unless you are a serious player putting serious coin on the felt you will have a hard time getting a room there and you will be paying through the nose for it.

Another thing that sucks royally about AC is the tax on parking. If you park at a casino there is a $4 tax to the state. So just hopping around casino to casino with a car requires you to take out a five-spot or more just to leave your car in a big garage at least a 15 minute walk from the casino. Boardwalk to hop around this time of year isn't much of a problem, but just try going to AC in winter and you won't even want to walk next door. Another way the state just doesn't "get" it, stupid tax that discourages visitation and spend just to be greedy and why I have a hard time imagining AC ever getting that much better.

 

[winkyduck]

i stayed in the area on t-giving night, 1991. instead of staying at an AC hotel we stayed in nearby Absecon and paid a hell of a lot less for the room.

 

[ChuckSims]

Save it SHRINK. The Stardust has not missed a beat since Lupo left. Its actually inproved. NFL Over/Under Win Totals for the first time. The $10,000 Stardust Contest had REAL handicappers from top to bottom for the first time in 2003. If you recall Joe would have scamdicappers like Wayne Root in the contest scamming people. Horrible moneylines and laying -140 on 2 team teasers was what Joe was known for.

 

[bulldog77]

Agree with Chuck here. Lupo is a good match for Borgata as it doesn't have a sportbook at all, of course. Finally he's working at a place where no sports bettors can test him!

 

[WildBill]

The poker room does have an almost Stardust feel to it with nice big sports results boards in rotation order with lots of line rundowns. Almost feels like you could have bet the games there, but thankfully you did it offshore and got some good prices

I totally agree though with Chuck, enough with the well known names in the handicapping business as most of them aren't the best. And the almost annual price increas on the two team teaser was hideous. And everyone knew that his number 2 and 3 guys were far more into the business than he was, Lupo was always a political guy to begin with and it paid off for him with his job now. Must be making 3 times what he did at the Dust.

 

[krackman]

"I don't think they would even be top 10 on people's lists if they were in Vegas. Nice place yes, but unless you are a serious player putting serious coin on the felt you will have a hard time getting a room there and you will be paying through the nose for it"

For the first time I have to disagree with WildBill and his statement above. The Borgata cost more then a billion dollars and architecturally is a masterpiece with 10 million in hand blown glass by the same guy that did Bellagio's is a site in itself. The buffet is one of the best I have ever been too. Old homestead steakhouse opened their second location in over 100 years here and is fantastic.

If you want a good gamble they have 100% video poker and a few hours a trip will get you a room Sun-Friday. The also have cleanest and classiest poker room I have ever seen. If you have a black card(1000 comp points in a year) you get free parking and tons of perks like the front of the line in all the restaurants. Other casinos you can ask for a voucher when you pay for parking and use it at any other casino for parking within 24 hours. (Still sucks parking should always be free. This was a tax that the government came up with)

This casino would definitely be on most people's top 10 list as a must see in Vegas. Just the weekend eye candy is a must see as the Borgata is "the place to be seen"

 

[SHAWN GOTTI]

SO IM AT THE BORGATA PLAYING 10/20 AND LOOKING AT THE SPORTS ROTATION BOARDS COMPLETE WITH LINES!!! I SAY HMMMMM I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO SPORTS BETTING HERE....THE DEALER LOOKS AT ME AND SAYS... "IF YOU KNOW RIGHT PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM YOU CAN BET WHATEVER YOU WANT!!!"

 

[josephlupo]

Gosh, now I remember why I miss you guys so much. As usual, thanks for the kind words. I will say, you are on the money as Bob Scucci, now the Stardust Director, is not only a great friend, but a great bookmaker. As well, I was political. Someone had to be. Sorry, but I was never shy about speaking up, so if that is political, then I am proud of it. But C'Mon, bad money lines? A dime line on bases and competitive splits in Boxing and all other sports. As well, 7 to 5 on teasers? Maybe a 7 point teaser, so let's be accurate. Anyway, it was a pleasure meeting the one and only Shrink. Great guy, hope to see him again. Alright, I'm done, can't fight the press. Pick some winners and for crying out loud, relax. Some of you are just way too uptight!

 

[THE SHRINK]

Joe,

The feeling is mutual. It was great meeting you, and please don't let some of these posters get to you.

If you are successful at what you do (which you are), surely there will be some people here who will automatically be on the attack mode.

THE BORGATA is one of a kind here in Atlantic City. and I am very thankful that you spent all the time that you did with me to show me around...

THE SHRINK

 

[lander]

Ken,
Be careful buddy. Names don't get any more mafioso-sounding

that Joe Lupo ... I know how you usually lose most of your money with your "LOCKS",

so I'm just asking you to be careful ...

we don't want to read about you floating up on the Jersey Shore

 

[Fishhead]

Joe is a first class guy!!

 

[theswami]

WildBill-

You and I went thorough this before regarding the Borgata and the quality of the rooms and food. In the end I thought you had come to the conclusion that you had not spent enough time dining and staying there to form an opinion.

Additionally, you are 100% WRONG about rooms. I am far from a whale and they are VERY generous with the comps. I pretty much play BJ and poker and far from high stakes. Have stayed there many times on the house and dined at Old Homestead and Susana Foo's place (in addition to the buffet and cafe) also on the house. If you are referring to going there and siting at a BJ table and playing $25 hands and asking for a room 2 hours later then sure they will not take care of you. If you've been there before and play a little they seem to entice you to return to the hotel.

The hotel/casino would easily place in the top 10 in Vegas.

BTW, what top 10 hotel in Vegas will enable you to get free rooms without putting serious coin on the felt?

 

[WildBill]

Man, why do we have to constantly go through this. Look, I am not saying it isn't a nice place, but it definitely looks better thanks to the competition. For decades people talked about what a gem the Golden Nugget was, but a lot of that was thanks to the competition. The GN could never hold a candle to the Strip once we got to the mid 90s. Same for the Borgata. Nice place, but it would be a Monte Carlo level place if you dumped it into Vegas. Part of the reason why is they could never attract the talent they have if they were faced with Vegas. The talent they have is the best of AC and some good talent from other parts that are attracted to the market demographics, location, and of course pay. And something that will become increasingly important is their ownership. The best money makers today thrive in part from being part of the big stable of casinos. Unless they could convince Boyd to put them 100% on their marketing programs with MGM Mirage, the place just wouldn't do as well financially. There is a huge benefit to being part of the big conglomerate in Vegas right now and the gambler isn't the one that sees the difference up front.

You are speaking purely from your point of view on this place as you see it. I speak from the point of view of being someone that spends hours a day studying all the gaming markets worldwide. I know if they tried to replicate the Borgata in Vegas it wouldn't be nearly as nice, nearly as profitable, and nearly as popular. That is just a reality of how the gaming world operates today. I even suspect Mr. Lupo could tell you that. He and his house gets a shot at every good customer on the East coast because of their relative position. They wouldn't get that in Vegas and the place would suffer as a result. And without a doubt I feel that thankfully the Monte Carlo experiment of 50/50 casinos is ended with the merger. It just hurts the property in today's Vegas market. That slot card and marketing team are just too important to be able to try to split a place down the middle, at least on the Vegas Strip.

 

[THE SHRINK]

That's a very intesting point being discussed but it isn't relevant...

Although I believe The Borgota could hold its own competing with the best that VEGAS has to offer, it's a MUTE point guys!

The fact is that the BORGATA is so far ahead of second place in Atlantic City, that it is going to do just great where it is...

Trying to predict what would happen if it were in Vegas will only be a hypothetical, that nobody will ever know...

THE SHRINK

 

[HateTheRiverCard]

Fish I agree Joe is first class, my girlfriend wasn't really big on going to Vegas but after the way Joe took care of us when we went it sold her on it, probably the reason I was able arrange a trip to AC this summer without any problems.

HTRC

 

[theswami]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by THE SHRINK:
....SNIP

Trying to predict what would happen if it were in Vegas will only be a hypothetical, that nobody will ever know...

THE SHRINK<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

True Shrink BUT it is nice to see WildBill and others offer what can be a spirited debate regarding an issue without mudslinging and the like.

 

[THE SHRINK]

theswami,


I agree...