ATLANTIC CITY — For years, the coming wave of full-scale casinos in New York City has been portrayed as one of the biggest threats facing Atlantic City’s gaming industry. New Bally’s Atlantic City President Tom Pohlman sees another side to the story.
For Atlantic City as a whole, increased competition from New York remains a serious concern. But for Bally’s specifically, Pohlman believes having a sister casino in New York could give the Boardwalk property something it has been missing — access to customers and a loyalty network spanning some of the biggest gaming markets in the country.
“That is going to be huge when it comes to survival in the Atlantic City market,” Pohlman said Monday during his first interview since becoming president of Bally’s Atlantic City.
Pohlman spoke with Scott Cronick on Off The Press with Scott Cronick on WOND on his first day in the new position.
He said Bally’s growing national footprint played a significant role in his decision to accept the job.
“The one missing piece that I didn't have before is that connectivity to New York City,” Pohlman said.
That connectivity is about to become much more important.
The New York State Gaming Commission awarded three downstate commercial casino licenses in December to Bally’s Bronx, Hard Rock Metropolitan Park and Resorts World New York City. Resorts World converted its existing Queens operation to a full commercial casino this year, while the Bally’s and Hard Rock projects are being developed.
New York Has Largely Been Viewed as a Threat
Pohlman's perspective stands out because the conversation in Atlantic City has generally been much less optimistic.
In a previous interview featured by South Jersey NewsBeat, casino analyst Anthony Marino described New York casino expansion as “clearly a threat to Atlantic City.”
Marino said the danger is particularly obvious because a substantial portion of Atlantic City's traditional customer base comes from New York and North Jersey. His concern is that gamblers who previously made the trip to the Shore will increasingly have full-scale casino options much closer to home.
Marino has said Atlantic City needs to use the remaining time before all of the new properties are fully developed to strengthen the resort and give visitors more reasons to make the trip.
His assessment was that Atlantic City can compete — but there could be consequences.
“There may be some casualties along the way,” Marino said in the earlier interview.
That concern is hardly limited to Marino.
Casino Association of New Jersey President Mark Giannantonio has said the New York expansion will have a “negative impact, over time, on the Atlantic City market,” while Hard Rock Atlantic City President George Goldhoff has warned of potentially severe market contraction once the new competition is fully established.
The concern is significant enough that New York competition was a major topic at this year's East Coast Gaming Congress, where industry leaders discussed how Atlantic City can prepare for the coming challenge.
Pohlman Sees an Opportunity for Bally’s
Pohlman isn't necessarily disputing that New York will create additional competition for Atlantic City.
Instead, he's looking at the issue from the perspective of an Atlantic City casino whose parent company will also have a major property in New York.
“There's only three licenses, one which is already operating,” Pohlman said. “Hard Rock's going to have one. Bally's is going to have one.”
For Bally’s Atlantic City, Pohlman believes that corporate connection could be a significant advantage.
The idea is simple: A Bally’s customer in New York could have a reason to visit Bally’s in Atlantic City — and an Atlantic City customer could remain within the Bally’s system when traveling elsewhere.
“That's what people look for. Loyalty,” Pohlman said. “They want to make sure if I earn points at one place, I'm going to get the benefit somewhere else.”
That means the same New York casino expansion that could potentially keep some gamblers closer to home could also give Bally’s a new pipeline for introducing New York customers to its Atlantic City property.
And New York isn't the only piece.
Pohlman pointed to Bally’s development in Las Vegas and its existing presence in markets including Chicago, Rhode Island and Lake Tahoe.
“So you're going to have the top three markets that loyal customers are going to want to be part of,” Pohlman said, referring to Atlantic City, New York and Las Vegas.
He said the company's overall portfolio “played heavily” in the decision he and his wife made to take the Bally’s opportunity.
A Different Way of Looking at the New York Problem
Pohlman's position creates an interesting divide within Atlantic City's casino market.
Two of the operators selected for New York licenses — Bally’s and Hard Rock — also operate casinos in Atlantic City. That potentially gives those properties an opportunity to use cross-marketing and loyalty programs to turn New York customers into Atlantic City visitors.
Industry observers have previously raised that possibility. Stockton University gaming expert Jane Bokunewicz said after the New York licenses were announced that operators with interests in both markets could potentially use their New York properties to generate additional awareness of Atlantic City.
For casinos without that New York connection, however, the challenge may look very different.
Pohlman understands the competitive pressures firsthand.
He spent 15 years at Golden Nugget Atlantic City before leaving the property earlier this year. During Monday's interview, he said the approaching New York market was one of the factors in his decision to explore other opportunities.
“I thought with New York City gaming, I didn't have much of a future there,” Pohlman said. “So I decided to explore other opportunities before New York City comes online.”
That makes his move particularly striking.
Pohlman didn't leave Atlantic City to escape New York competition.
Instead, he moved to an Atlantic City casino that he believes may be better positioned to benefit from it.
Pohlman Bullish on Atlantic City’s Future
Pohlman was preparing for another option entirely before the Bally’s opportunity emerged.
His wife had been packing for a potential move to Las Vegas when he received a phone call that ultimately led to Bally’s.
Pohlman instead decided to remain in Atlantic City — and said he sees reasons to be optimistic about the resort's future.
He pointed to something neither Las Vegas nor New York can replicate: Atlantic City's combination of casino resorts, beach and Boardwalk.
“You come to Atlantic City. You got the boardwalk and the beach,” Pohlman said.
And despite acknowledging that a turnaround won't happen overnight, Pohlman offered an unusually optimistic five-year prediction.
“I truly believe with the operators we have and all the residential development going on that it might not be the next year or so,” Pohlman said. “But in the next five years, I think Atlantic City is in a position to really change the dial a little bit and get back onto the positive side and gain some positive momentum.”
“And, you know, that's worth sticking around for, in my opinion.”
For an industry that has spent years preparing for New York casinos as a threat, Pohlman is offering a different calculation.
New York may become one of Atlantic City's biggest competitors — but for Bally’s Atlantic City, Pohlman believes it could also become one of its biggest opportunities.
About the Author
Peter Killeen
A 25-year radio news veteran, Peter covers South Jersey for NewsTalk 1400 & 92.3 WOND radio. Known for his concise and impactful delivery, he ensures listeners and readers stay informed without unnecessary filler.
