Atlantic City

It seems the East Coast gambling mecca is falling on hard times, facing "what analysts predict could be Atlantic City’s first annual drop since gambling was legalized in the state in 1977." The hope is that they'll be able to take AC upscale and make it more like a miniature version of Las Vegas. In principle, it seems like a good idea. Las Vegas is 270 miles from LA, which is about the distance between Boston and Atlantic City -- New York, Philadelphia, and Washington are all much closer. In principle, it could be a place people go a lot. But it's just awful -- really, profoundly unappealing. And it certainly looks as if it's been on the decline in years, though based on that Times account it hasn't.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2007/03/atlantic-city/41741/