After the rumors were flying all week, the on-line gambling journal GGB News is reporting that the Rational Group, the parent company of PokerStars and FullTilt Poker, has agreed to buy the Atlantic Club (above) for an undisclosed amount

The casino would represent Rational’s first purchase of a land-based casino operation. It appears that the company wants in on the ground floor of operations should Governor Chris Christie sign the online gaming legislation currently on his desk.

Stay tuned as more details arrive on this story.

ATLANTIC CITY — Why not ring in 2013 in grand style at a price that won’t break the bank? Atlantic Club Casino Hotel is offering several New Year’s Eve getaway packages that include deluxe room accommodations, in-room service and gourmet dining.

The NYE “Atlantic Club Stay Package” is $450 (tax not included with any package) and features one-night deluxe accommodations from New Year’s Eve to New Year’s Day (Dec. 31-Jan. 1).

The NYE “Wine & Dine Package,” priced at $600, features one-night deluxe accommodations, a $200 gourmet dining credit to be used at any of Atlantic Club’s specialty restaurants, an in-room bottle of champagne with fresh strawberries, a $40 credit for breakfast on New Year’s Day in the Coffee Shop, and spa access.

The NYE “Play All Night Package” is priced at $545 and includes one-night deluxe accommodations, a $100 free slot play credit a $50 beverage credit for the Dizzy Dolphin Lounge, a $40 credit for breakfast on New Year’s Day in the Coffee Shop, spa access, and a 2pm late check-out.

Room package prices are based upon double occupancy. Reservations can be made online by visiting atlanticclubcasino.com or by calling 1-888-224-4586. Parking at the Atlantic Club is always free with an Atlantic Club Casino Hotel Player card.

Arlene Fadigan (left) and Wendy Honeycutt (right) get their manicures at the Atlantic Club. (Photo by Lew Steiner)

The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel’s all new gaming floor is built for comfort with wider aisles, ergonomic, high back adjustable slot chair seating, table games with the same comfortable high back seating and a 360-degree multimedia gaming pit with sixteen 70” flat screen televisions featuring regional and national sports and local and regional news 24/7.

To get the word out about the comfortable seating, Atlantic Club ran a contest with each winner receiving a manicure while sitting in the chairs. Five lucky participants along with SoJO morning show host Tom Morgan, enjoyed their manicures.

Di Martino

ATLANTIC CITY — Ono Chinese Bistro at the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel recently started a Sunday night jazz series from 6-10pm, and this Sunday, June 17, the featured guest will be famed New York City composer, arranger and pianist John Di Martino. Joining him on stage will be another noted NYC musician, two-time Grammy award-winning electric and acoustic bassist/arranger/composer Boris Kozlov.

Noted for his versatility, Di Martino has performed and recorded with such notables as Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Joe Lovano, David “Fat Head” Newman, Pat Martino, Paquito D’Rivera and Houston Person.

Kozlov

Di Martino is a sought after musical director and has accompanied Jon Hendricks, Diane Schurr, Kelly Smith and Billy Eckstine. His latest CD is entitled Turnaround and was just released this spring.

Born in Moscow in 1967, Kozlov started playing piano at the Evening Music School and migrated toward the electric bass at the State Musical College and later the acoustic bass. Kozlov has won many performance awards, and has performed and recorded with some of the top musicians in the jazz field including James Moody, Vincent Herring, Louis Hayes and Alex Sipiagin, and is the musical director of the Mingus Dynasty Bands.

Atlantic Club Casino Hotel's chief operating officer Michael Frawley

ATLANTIC CITY — The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel is working with community businesses in association with its Locals Program —  a program that offers members the opportunity to redeem comps for vouchers at participating establishments. It is also contracting with area vendors to supply goods and services for the casino hotel.

“We see ourselves as a small business, doing business with other local small businesses,” says property COO Michael Frawley in a media release. “We are a part of this community and want to actively support the success and growth of area commerce. We will continue to seek out opportunities and toward business to local enterprises.”

Over the past three months property food and beverage executives conducted numerous tastings to compare the products they were currently using with goods produced locally. What they discovered was that local quality and consistency was equal to what was being used, but local businesses had the ability to provide faster turnaround time and react quickly to last minute requests.

Prior to the switch, the former ACH Casino had been dealing with vendors that made daily deliveries from as far north as New York City providing the casino hotel with breads and pastries fruits, vegetables and specialty items.

Additionally, The Atlantic Club continues to grow partnerships with businesses in Atlantic, Burlington, and Cape May Counties as part of its Locals Program. Currently there are over 20 partnerships, including the 95 retailers at The Walk/Tanger Outlets. Anyone can become a member of the Locals Program and redeem their comp dollars for goods and services vouchers to be used at partner businesses.

— Julie Pipitone

ATLANTIC CITY — At a recent press conference, it was announced that the former Atlantic City Hilton (which has gone by the moniker ACH Casino Resort in recent months) will now be known, starting in March, as the “Atlantic Club Casino Hotel.”

Atlantic City Weekly editor Jeff Schwachter attended the press conference and will post more information  at acweekly.com on this late-breaking news.

Read full story here.