CBS NEWS SPECIAL: BIG GAMBLE IN ATLANTIC CITY WITH BILL MOYERS (TV)
Summary
A CBS News special on the deleterious effects of the introduction of gambling casinos to Atlantic City, New Jersey, hosted by Bill Moyers.
In 1976 the people of Atlantic City, New Jersey vote to legalize casino gambling in their town, hoping that the arrival of powerful casinos will revitalize their failing economy and allow money to be put back into the community. Ten years later and this is not the case; many argue that casinos in Atlantic City have only exacerbated the city's problems. Bill Moyers interviews local residents and people involved with the Atlantic City casinos and economy to get their views on the situation, discussing the reasons behind Atlantic City's decline. Small business owners complain that it is nearly impossible for them to compete with the casinos, as by their nature they offer a complete set of entertainments and diversions, rendering the local small businesses redundant. Many believed that the arrival of casinos would bring with it an infusion of money due to increased property values and that residents would reap the rewards. In reality, only real estate speculators and the casinos themselves profited due to property values rising so high that residents could no longer afford to keep their homes and the casinos bought them all up. Casino owners such as Steve Wynn, owner of the Golden Nugget, argue that the people of Atlantic City had a "false expectation" that casinos would create enough jobs and bring enough money to save their city, when the task of repairing the city's infrastructure "wasn't part of the deal."
Moyers examines the process by which casinos offer complementary services to high-rolling customers to entice them, known as "comping." He draws comparisons between a rich couple whose stay at the Golden Nugget casino is comped, complete with various luxuries, to the experiences of an old woman struggling to get by on social security, and who uses her money to gamble in the casino without the benefit of comping. Each of these people discusses their visits to the casino and the reasoning behind their gambling, and how they try to keep it in moderation. Wynn talks about his conflict with Frances Ginetti, owner of a parking lot near his casino who refuses to sell to the casino. She feels the casino offers unfair competition by giving out free parking, although Wynn describes his parking as only "indirectly" free, i.e. it is offered to customers of the casino who lose enough money gambling to essentially cover the parking fees they would have otherwise accrued, and so on for other such services. Ginetti points out that the casino's price for her lot is no comparable to the cost of nearby real estate in terms of amount per square foot, and she hopes to set an example for her fellow citizens. Despite their seeming enmity, Wynn claims to hold no ill will towards Ginetti, respecting her right to negotiate for price or ultimately find another buyer.
Another effect of the presence of casinos, however indirect, is the decay of the community from both a physical and social perspective. As more space and capital is claimed by the casinos, there is scant room for anything but parking lots and buses, causing landmarks and homes to be torn down. Crime is also on the rise and residents describe areas of the city, such as the famous boardwalk, as "seedy." Since the casinos and their affiliated corporations have seized a great deal of zoning in the city, it is becoming virtually impossible for the rest of the city to build new homes as the old ones fall into disrepair and are abandoned or bought by the casinos and torn down. Many have taken refuge in the suburbs, although to some that proves only a temporary solution as the problems in the central city spread to its environs. Minorities and senior citizens are particularly affected by what they see as the casino's "monolithic" presence. The special ends as Moyers reflects on the changes that have come to Atlantic City and ponders about its future. Includes commercials.
Also includes a "Channel 2 Newswatch" with Rolland Smith.
Preservation of the Post–World War II American Television Documentary Collection is supported in part by a Federal Save America’s Treasures grant administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: August 13, 1986 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:55
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:07492
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/Documentaries; Gambling; New Jersey
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jon Katz … Executive Producer, Writer
- Jude Dratt … Producer, Director
- Kate Roth Knull … Associate Producer
- Michael Christian … Associate Producer
- Bill Moyers … Writer
- Eugene Cines … Music by
- Bill Moyers … Host, Reporter
- Angelo Mancuso Jr. … Guest
- Steve Wynn … Guest
- Curt Kugel … Guest
- Reese Palley … Guest
- Mary Threatt … Guest
- Raul Durant … Guest
- Bunny Futterweit … Guest
- Al Futterweit … Guest
- Helen Sabeh … Guest
- Frances Ginetti … Guest
- Claire Goldblatt … Guest
- Samuel Goldblatt … Guest
- Nicky Nicholson … Guest
- Tony Pratt … Guest
- Israel Tischler … Guest
- Helen Taylor … Guest
- Michael Gordon … Guest
- Fred Dodd … Guest
- Nicholas Russo Jr. … Guest
- Martin Novek … Guest
- Dante Girolami … Guest