ATLANTIC CITY — Resorts Casino Hotel could not have asked for better weather or a finer debut for its summer beach concert series dubbed the “Salt & Sand Fest” on Saturday, June 15, at LandShark Beach in front of the new $35 Margaritaville complex.

“We’re really thrilled you could all be with us here today to start this great event,” said Resorts president Mark Giannantonio.

Jimmy Buffett and Mac McAnally joined two other members of the famed Coral Reefer Band for the second of three hour-long show components beginning around 4pm.

Pop-star Andy Grammer (pictured left) started the show with his Dec. 2011 debut single “Keep Your Head Up” and would go on to play 17 songs in his hour-long set.  Wilson Phillips (the female trio of Carnie and Wendy Wilson, and Chynna Phillips) closed out the show from 7-8pm.

And estimated 50,000 people attended, the vast majority Buffett’s flock of fans called Parrotheads.

ATLANTIC CITY — An estimated 50,000 people fanned out across the “LandShark” beach and lined the Boardwalk in front of Resorts Casino Hotel on Saturday, June 15, for a free concert that featured famed singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

A partner in the new $35 Margaritaville complex at Resorts, Buffett was a late addition – or at least late-announced addition – to the first of what Resorts and Margaritaville will present as a series of free beach shows this summer. Along with Buffett and his longtime Coral Reefer Band ally Mac McAnally, Saturday’s show also included pop-rock star and opening act Andy Grammer, and the popular trio Wilson Phillips that includes Carnie and Wendy Wilson and Chynna Phillips.

“Built it and he will come,” said Buffett shortly after taking the stage. “Surfs up, Atlantic City! Look at this view. The best thing we did was build this place in Atlantic City.”

In a set that lasted about an hour, Buffett played “Fins,” “Volcano,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” “Another Saturday Night,” “Come Monday” and, of course, “Margaritaville.”

ATLANTIC CITY — Resorts Casino Hotel is hosting a premiere screening of The SPE@K Project on Saturday, March 23, at 6:30pm.

The SPE@K Project by Devan Be (aka fifth-grade Richmond Avenue School teacher Devan Blackwell) is a feature-length film about issues faced by today’s youth. The message of this film is that each individual has a voice that needs to be found and heard. The film will be used as a teaching tool in middle and high schools to tackle issues such as bullying, gang violence, mental illness, substance abuse and more.

Blackwell created this film using iPhones after receiving a grant from Atlantic City Education Foundation. Blackwell is also the founder of Be Unlimited, LCC that is committed to producing educational media that promotes critical thinking skills, personal growth, and a sense of well-being among young people.

This film is meant to encourage dialogue among teens and their peers. There will be a Q & A panel discussion with the filmmaker and cast following the premiere screening.

Seating for this event is limited. To attend RSVP to contact@beunltd.com. Doors open at 5:30pm in the Screening Room on the 13th floor at Resorts  For more information, visit beunltd.com.

— Christina Rodriguez

ATLANTIC CITY — Resorts Casino Hotel announced on Wednesday, Jan. 2, that Mark Giannantonio will take over as president and CEO of the property effective Monday, Jan. 7, and Mark Sachais will take on the role of vice president of hotel operations, subject to regulatory approval.

Giannantonio

Giannantonio joined Resorts in September 2012 as vice president of hotel operations, quickly making recommendations and instituting policies to improve the experiences for guests and team members. His previous experience includes over 20 years at Tropicana Casino and Resort, last serving as that property’s president and CEO.

“Mark Giannantonio has already proven to be a very strong asset, and we are confident in his abilities to lead Resorts as it embarks on a new era with the addition of the Margaritaville entertainment complex,” says Gary Van Hettinga, president of Mohegan Gaming Advisors.  “We are excited about all of the opportunities Resorts will have in 2013, and we feel Mark is the perfect choice.”

Sachais

Subject to regulatory approval, Sachais will assume Giannantonio’s former role as vice president of hotel operations, where he will oversee all aspects of the hotel, food-and-beverage, and facilities operations. Sachais has more than 20 years experience in gaming, including his most recent role as general manager of Trump Marina. His background in all aspects of the gaming industry, including positions as vice president of marketing and finance, should help provide key insights into the position of overseeing all non-gaming operations at Resorts.

“We are very excited to have Mark join our team,” says Van Hettinga.  ”He has a wealth of talent and will play a very important role in our future success”

Mohegan Sun wanted a piece of Resorts for the specific purpose of expanding its reach into the New Jersey casino market and the cross-marketing promotion has now officially begun

In the official release the company states, “In this case, three isn’t a crowd as Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania, and Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City will now offer guests a new way to use and earn their rewards points. Effective October 1, the three properties will offer a cross-marketing promotion which allows guests to use their rewards points at any of the three properties.”

“With both our properties in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, our approach has always been focused on the guest experience and ensuring that each time a guest experiences one of our exciting destinations, they leave wanting to come back and do it all over again,” said Mitchell Etess, Chief Executive Officer for the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. “With the addition of Resorts, we are now able to expand and augment our unique offerings to include an iconic beachfront destination. It’s our hope that guests will really take advantage of this new platform to try one of our properties that they might have not considered in the past.”

The release goes on to state that the three properties will retain their membership card programs but will now be able to utilize the points earned at each of the other properties to purchase retail, dining, hotel accommodations, entertainment and more by presenting their rewards card. Rewards points at all three properties will be used at a one-to-one ratio, meaning one point will be equal to one dollar for purchase.

Gary Van Hettinga.

As an expected part of the management change made at Resorts with Mohegan Sun running the day-to-day operations, it was announced that Gary Van Hettinga, former president of Mohegan Gaming Advisors, has been named president and Chief Operating Officer at Resorts Casino Hotel.

This announcement was made the day before Hettinga is scheduled to be the featured speaker at a networking luncheon for the Atlantic City Hotel & Lodging Association tomorrow, Sept. 27, at the Ballroom at Resorts Casino Hotel.

Mohegan Sun, which owns two casinos in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, not only is managing Resorts; the company owns 10 percent of the casino. New York real estate magnate Morris Bailey, who bought Resorts in December 2010 for $31.5 million, owns the rest.

A 30-year veteran of the casino industry, Van Hettinga had previously experience as an A.C. casino executive at Caesars World and Tropicana Casino and Resort.

The executive shuffle at Resorts includes Aaron Gomes leaving Resorts for a position as managing director of Echo Entertainment’s Jupiters Gold Coast Casino in Australia. Other Resorts executives brought to Resorts by the late Dennis Gomes have also left recently, Sherry Amos and Stephanie Nielsen.

One of the new Resorts executives is Mark Giannantonio, a former Tropicana president who has been named Resorts’ new vice president of hotel operations and food and beverage. Tom Cantone, former Atlantic City casino entertainment executive (with the Sands, Trump Plaza and Trump Taj Mahal) will be in charge of entertainment bookings at Resorts through his position as vice president of sports and entertainment at Mohegan Sun.

ATLANTIC CITY — Gary Van Hettinga, president of Mohegan Gaming Advisors, will be the featured speaker at the next scheduled networking luncheon for the Atlantic City Hotel & Lodging Association (ACHLA) on Thursday, Sept. 27, at the Ballroom at Resorts Casino Hotel. A reception, networking and business-card exchange starts 11:30am, and the luncheon at noon.

Van Hettinga

ACHLA members and non-members are welcome, and companies may purchase tables for their business. Tickets are $40 and may be purchased by going here. For more information call (609) 345-8910 or e-mail info@achla.org.

Resorts recently announced a new partnership with the Connecticut-based Mohegan Gaming Advisors, who will have a minority ownership in the property. This is the first time an Indian-owned casino operator will own and manage a property in Atlantic City.

During his keynote address, Van Hettinga will discuss the opportunities and challenges of operating in Atlantic City at the present time. Resorts and Mohegan Gaming Advisors are at the forefront of major changes that continue to establish Atlantic City as a premier resort destination on the East Coast, including the addition of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville entertainment complex.

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or what’s happening in the region. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly.

I never watched America’s Best Dance Crew, and all I know about break dancing is what I’ve seen in the movies. Well last night I got skooled on how inventive break dancing can be, especially when it embraces humor, mime, and other forms of dance in the mix at the debut of Jabbawockeez’ Mus.I.C (pronounced Muse-I-C) at Harrah’s Resort. I’ll have a complete story with interviews in next week’s (Aug. 16) issue of AC Weekly, but my first reaction is that show is terrific and family-friendly. Go here for showtimes and more info. No wonder this show has been a hit in Las Vegas. Check out video here.

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Resorts Casino Hotel keeps making news. Just two weeks after its Margaritaville/Buffett business venture announcement, comes the announcement about a new partnership with the Native American Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. After going through the gaming screening process, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority will take over the operations of Resorts, most likely in the fall. The company will make a purchase to become a minority owner, but current owner Morris Bailey made it clear that, “Resorts is not for sale.”

Reaction from industry pundits so far has been positive. Of course when a new company comes in to run a business, they are sure to be major personnel changes. Time will tell about how that shakes out. But the very fact that such a prestigious, profitable company is interested in the Atlantic City market suggests that the business climate is improving here. Take that, all you Revel haters who are already writing off Revel before it has had a chance to take hold.

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I had a chance to see Jimmy Buffett in concert for the first time Aug. 4 and it was quite a show. The positive energy of the Parrotheads bodes well for the success of the Margaritaville complex at Resorts, which will open May 2013 … After enjoying the superb dance crew Jabbawockeez last night (Aug. 7), I’ll be checking out a different style of dancing tonight, Aug. 8, at the opening of the male revue Thunder From Down Under at the Tropicana. These boys from Australia know how to shake it and present an evening that is sexy, not sleazy. The show continues through Aug. 11 … My busy week of show coverage finishes up with Country Superstars, this Sunday at Golden Nugget. The show features tribute artists ala Legends in Concert, highlighting the top country stars around. It will be my first chance to check out the upgraded showroom at GN. I haven’t been to a show there since it was Trump Marina.

The Philadelphia Inquirer and other news outlets are reporting that Resorts Casino Hotel will announce today (Tuesday, Aug. 7), a new partnership with the Native American tribe that operates the Mohegan Sun Casino complex in Connecticut.

According to the report, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority will take over the operations of Resorts, becoming the first tribe to have a presence in Atlantic City.

The native American presence on Absecon Island, the land on which Atlantic City is situated, goes back before any Europeans set foot there. The Lenni-Lenape tribe used the island as a summer home.

The news of this partnership comes just two weeks after Resorts announced a partnership with Jimmy Buffett to build a Margaritaville complex at the casino, which is scheduled to open in May 2013.

The Harvey family won the "Best Dressed Family" award on Easter Sunday.

ATLANTIC CITY — The annual Atlantic City Easter Best Dressed Contest was held on the Boardwalk in front of the world-famous Steel Pier on Sunday afternoon, April 8.

The event was co-sponsored by the Steel Pier, Resorts Hotel-Casino and the city of Atlantic City.

Steel Pier president Tony Catanoso (left) and Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford

Prizes were awarded to the best dressed family, and children from infants up to 15 years old.

The Easter Bunny arrived around 1pm, greeting the public, posing for photos and giving away goodie bags to all the kids. Jim “The Singing Lifeguard” Craine and the Atlantic City All-Stars provided the entertainment, and Billy McCullough was the Master of Ceremonies.

To see a video of the event, click here. Video and still shots by Lew and Christine Steiner.

The Steel Pier is in the midst of a 3 ½ year renovation project that will see eight new rides, about five new food-and-beverage areas, new games, attractions and shows arriving soon.

The Best Dressed Easter Contest winners are as follows:
Boys Ages 0-5 years (tie) — Sayair Branch & Valdre Forbes
Girls Ages 0-5 years— Aazodia Duff Brown
Boys Ages 6- 10 years — Bob Trombetta
Girls Ages 6- 10 years — Savannah Forbes
Boys Ages 11- 15 years — Daniel Saroop
Girls Ages 11-15 years — Maria Gobea
Family — The Harvey Family

Bob Trombetta, winner of Best Dressed Boy (aged 6-10) with event emcee Billy McCullough

Event emcee Billy McCullough with Best Dressed Girl (aged 11 to 15) Maria Gobea