Seven years of declining revenue has turned Atlantic City into the butt of jokes in the US casino industry.
But one casino in Atlantic City is determined to change its own fortune amidst the decrepit state of business in the gambling destination, and it’s doing so by tapping into the always popular strip club industry.
The Trump Taj Mahal is set to open a satellite establishment of famed New York strip club Scores inside its premises, making it the first strip club to open in Atlantic City in the 35 years that gambling has been legal in the resort town.
Surprising as it is that no casino has had a strip club in that span, it’s not a surprise that these casinos are trying to do whatever they can to drive up their business, even if it means taking a route that no other casino has apparently taken in 35 years.
“We feel this is the third leg of the Atlantic City triangle: gambling, alcohol and adult entertainment,” Bob Gans, Scores’ managing partner, told the Associated Press. “It’s a natural.”
It is a natural fit and a smart one at that, one that could give Trump Taj Mahal that much-needed jolt in the arm to improve its revenue numbers. Everybody knows that Atlantic City needs that as much as anything else, and if it happens to come courtesy of scantily-clad women giving men of all age and sizes reason to split with their money, then so be it.
Besides, this is Scores we’re talking about. It’s one of the most famous strip clubs to open in New York and its got a reputation for having a lot of beautiful women. The new joint at the Trump Taj Mahal will have all the bells and whistles of a grade A strip club. Gans is already on record saying that he’s invested $25 million on the new Scores, which will come with five private VIP rooms, 11 stripper poles and an ultra-VIP room for celebrities and high-rollers. The club is expected to open its doors on September 12 with cover charges ranging from $10 to $20.
Any business opening in Atlantic City understands the risk of setting shop in a town that has lost so much in revenue in the past seven years. But Gans is confident that Scores will be a big hit, even with the competition of stand-alone strip clubs within the vicinity.
“There are 30 million people who come to Atlantic City every year,” Gans explains. “You have the safety of a hotel casino, and we have the right brand and the know-how to do something that hasn’t been done before.”
Only time will tell if Scores will be a big hit at the Trump Taj Mahal. But you only need to count the number of men with ear-to-ear grins coming out of Trump Taj Mahal to see if the strip club “scores” on their enjoyment scale.
