Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City body-painted street team hands out free rooms to Caesars, Harrah’s Resort, Showboat and Bally’s Atlantic City as part of its Caesars Luvs NYC campaign.

Talk about creative marketing strategies! On Tuesday, May 21, Caesars Entertainment’s sexy body-painted models invaded the streets of New York City — and braved some sweltering heat! — handing out hotel-room key cards to thousands of clamoring passer-bys for a free room at one of Caesars Entertainment’s four Atlantic City resorts and casinos.

It was part of the Caesars Luvs NYC campaign.

Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City body-painted street team visited lunch goers in Bryant Park, two-legged and four-legged friends Madison Square Park, suits in Wall Street, and finally showed commuters some love near Penn Station — all of whom snatched up a room at either Caesars, Harrah’s Resort, Showboat or Bally’s after spotting one of the four body painted models emblazoned with the hotels’ logos.

Summer is just around the corner and Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City is ready to sizzle and welcome back all their visitors and fans to  the beloved shore.

ATLANTIC CITY — In conjunction with the eighth annual Atlantic City Beer (& Music) Festival Friday and Saturday, April 5-6,  the Viking Cooking School at Harrah’s Resort — Atlantic City’s premier hands-on cooking classroom — will host nightly food and beer pairings with Brooklyn Brewery, Goose Island Brewery, and celebrated author and beer enthusiast Gary Monterosso for three days, Monday through Wednesday, April 7-9.

“The Viking Cooking School Atlantic City has a reputation for creating innovative, experimental, and desirable classes, and our April schedule featuring three beer specific classes is no different,” says Robert Schoell, executive chef of Harrah’s and Showboat Atlantic City.

“Over the last decade breweries like Brooklyn and Goose Island have really risen to prominence. Combine that with the consummate expertise of Gary Monterosso (pictured below right, with his book Artisan Beer) and you have an all-star lineup.”

Class details are below. Visit harrahsresort.com and click the “Things To Do” link to find more on the Viking Cooking School.

Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival Brooklyn Brewery Class
•    Sunday, April 7, beginning 4pm
•    $49 per person
•    Menu Highlights: Local 1 Beer paired with Crawfish Étouffée in Miniature Phyllo Cups; Local 2 Beer paired with Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Ham, Jalapenos and English Cheddar; Sorachi Beer paired with Smoked Salmon “Nachos” on Wonton Chips with Herbed Crème Fraiche, Scallions, Red Onions and Red Peppers; IPA Beer paired with Spicy Jumbo Lump Crab, Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Homemade Chili Rubbed Pita Chips and Purple Potato Chips; Local 2 Beer paired with Chocolate and Cherry Fondue.
•    History: Founded in 1988, Brooklyn Brewery has made quite a name for itself over the last few years, literally quintupling in size and distributing to over 25 states and 20 countries.   Their year-round, seasonal, and specialty brews embody the life, tradition and culture of the New York communities that surround them and epitomize the American craft brewery.

Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival Goose Island Class
•    Monday, April 8, beginning 6pm
•    $49 per person
•    Menu Highlights: Sofie Beer paired with Edamame Puree in Wonton Cup topped with Ahi Tuna; Matilda Beer paired with Individual Seafood Pot Pie; Pepe Nero beer paired with Homemade Spiced Sausage Sliders with Pepe Nero Caramelized Onions and Black Pepper Fries; Père Jacques Beer paired with Malted Cookie and Caramel Ice Cream Sandwiches.
•    History: Founded in 1988, Goose Island was the brainchild of native Chicagoan John Hall. Hall felt he could create a beer even better than the ones he experienced on his travels throughout Europe. The public has agreed.  Goose Island offers guests over 50 distinct craft brews and is located next to historic Wrigley Field.

Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival — Gary Monterosso Beer Class
•    Tuesday, April 9, beginning at 6pm
•    $65 per person (includes Monterosso’s book Artisan Beer)
•    Menu Highlights: TBA
•    Biography: Monterosso is an award-winning writer, who has written for several national and regional publications. He currently appears on the History Channel special The Epic History of Everyday Things, and regularly appears on popular television programs, lending his insight and knowledge about the world of beer.

The Las Vegas Weekly’s blog calls Don Marrandino, who resigned as president of Caesars Entertainment’s eastern division on Friday, Jan. 4, “a free agent.”

Which basically means one of the most powerful casino heads in Atlantic City does not currently have a job.

According to reports, Marrandino, who ran Caesars Entertainment’s four Atlantic City properties — Caesars, Harrah’s Resort, Bally’s and Showboat — for three years and was an active member of the community, will be “pursuing other interests.”

His resignation means that Kevin Ortzman will become GM of all four of the Caesars properties in Atlantic City — except for Harrah’s — if regulators approve.

John Smith would remain the GM at Harrah’s.

Marrandino, who got his buddy Sammy Hagar to bring his Sammy’s Beach Bar concept to Atlantic City (at Bally’s), is a native of Atlantic City and a big cheerleader for the resort. He was integral in the formation of the Atlantic City Alliance, and was one of its board members.

Before securing his position back in his hometown in 2009, Marrandino worked and lived in Las Vegas for 20 years.

Here are a couple video highlights of Don Marrandino during his time with Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah’s Entertainment)  in Atlantic City:

MBCA 20th Anniversary Gala honors Harrah’s Entertainment & Don Marrandino

Sammy Hagar’s Beach Bar at Bally’s & Interview with Don Marrandino

Click here for photos from this event!

On Wednesday, Dec. 5, The Pool After Dark at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City brings in international YouTube sensation PSY.

The South Korean singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, and record producer is well known for his humorous videos and stage performances, and for his hit single “Gangnam Style.”

The song and video, released on YouTube in July “for his Korean fans,” says PSY,  picked up the Best Video” award during November’s MTV Europe Music Awards.

The PSY sensation has taken over the world since its release, with the artist appearing on several TV shows, including a hilarious skit on Saturday Night Live.

It was recently reported that PSY will rake in nearly $8 million this year for the success of “Gangnam Style.”

The Wet N’ Wild Wednesdays @ The Pool After Dark event starts at 9pm and there will be volleyball in the pool at 1:30am.

For VIP Reservations, call 609.441.5585.

Click here for photos from this event!

Neon Hitch, photo by Tom Briglia

London-born singer Neon Hitch performed at the Pool After Dark at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City on Saturday, June 16. The singer, who was has been working the electronic dance music scene for the past few years is expected to release her full length debut album this summer. She is known for her dance single “F U Betta,” released in March.

Photo: Tom Briglia

Photo: Tom Briglia

Despite a new $30 million marketing plan for Atlantic City in the works aimed at attracting more visitors from the tri-state region, in addition to the upcoming debut of the Revel mega-resort, as well as several multi-day music festivals slated for Bader Field this summer, the Associated Press reports today that the breaks have been put on for good with regard to the luxury train service between New York and Atlantic City, known as ACES .

On Friday, the three casinos that paid for the service to start running Feb. 6, 2009 — The Borgata, Caesars and Harrah’s Resort — said they are putting the breaks on the three-year old service, which had yet to make a profit, even with reduced fares.

(Watch video of inaugural ACES train ride from New York to Atlantic City in 2009)

Katie Dougherty, a spokeswoman for Caesars Atlantic City, told the AP that the end of the line for ACES was do in part of the “difficulty in scheduling it for peak times along the congested New York-to-Philadelphia route.”

“It was an issue of tunnel time and track time and being able to provide a convenient schedule for riders,” said  Dougherty. “It just didn’t work out.”

The express purpose of the ACES train, which was dreamed up in 2005, was to lure New Yorkers to Atlantic City “who didn’t want to ride a bus or sit in three hours of car traffic on the Garden State Parkway.”

Joe Lupo, the Borgata’s senior vice president, said the casino was “very hopeful and excited” about the prospect of attracting more New Yorkers with the train.
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(Photo by Tom Briglia)

Yes, everybody, the infamous blogger from Hollywood Perez Hilton (pictured here with Sandra Bernhard) returned to Atlantic City this past Halloween weekend gracing the resort for the first time since he appeared here over the 2010 July 4 holiday weekend.

That was when you might remember he called Atlantic City’s clientele a bunch of “rowdy guidos,” seemingly a dis at both The Jersey Shore MTV show and the Harrah’s Resort patrons who were turned away from a July 4 Diddy show that was overbooked and eventually canceled.

Obviously both Perez and Harrah’s have forgotten about the comment he made on his blog.

You can click here to see Perez with a foot-in-mouth grin as he gets his picture snapped with the Jersey Shore’s JWOWW during this past weekend’s OUT in AC festivities at Dusk at Caesars.

(There are also 15 shots from JWOWW and Perez Hilton’s time together in Atlantic City here.)

(Photo by Nick Valinote)

Above, JWOWW hosts a costume contest at Dusk at Caesars on Oct. 30. See more of JWOWW in Atlantic City in this week’s issue of Atlantic City Weekly, online and in print.

Harrah's Resort

Harrah’s Entertainment reveals — as does columnist Pinky Kravitz in this week’s (Aug. 20) issue of AC Weekly — that longtime eastern division president Carlos Tolosa will retire from Harrah’s after nearly four decades working with the company.

A statement was issued today from Harrah’s Entertainment chairman, CEO and president Gary Loveman, reprinted here from the Las Vegas Sun’s Web site:

“After 38 years of great accomplishment, Eastern Division President Carlos Tolosa will retire from Harrah’s Entertainment, concluding one of the longest and most distinguished careers in the gaming industry. His business acumen and tireless commitment to Harrah’s have greatly contributed to our company’s success.

“Today, we are taking steps to not just fill the void Carlos will leave, but to position our company for long-term success as the economy begins to improve.

“I am pleased to announce some significant changes that are designed to match our leadership talent with the evolving requirements of the business:

“Don Marrandino, who, upon receipt of all required regulatory approvals, will move from his current role as regional president of Harrah’s Las Vegas, Flamingo, Imperial Palace, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and O’Sheas, and become president of the Eastern Division, with oversight of our four Atlantic City properties and Harrah’s Chester. Don will take over this position from Carlos Tolosa.

“Rick Mazer, currently Indiana regional president and general manager of Horseshoe Hammond and Horseshoe Indiana, will succeed Don in Las Vegas as regional president of Harrah’s Las Vegas, Flamingo, Imperial Palace, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall and O’Sheas, upon receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

“Dan Nita, currently serving as Atlantic City regional president, will fill the role vacated by Rick and become senior vice president and general manager for Horseshoe Hammond, upon receipt of all required regulatory approvals.”

Don Marrandino was born and raised in Atlantic City and is expected to live in the city when he returns.

“Atlantic City has to be one of my favorite places,” the reality TV star exclaims on her official Web site. Kardashian was in town recently at The Pool at Harrah’s Resort with fellow pseudo-celeb Brittany Gastineau. They chilled in a private cabana, met Penn & Teller and ate Ben & Jerry’s at Harrah’s Resort. (Photo by Tom Briglia)