Quote: A couple weeks ago while up in LA I heard a radio spot (on KNX 1070) for Hustler Casino that made me think of this thread and how Flynt's trumped Heffner in branding; it advertised playing in a Poker tournament for a chance to play against Larry in the final round. It actually sounded kind of cool.
Flynt's done everything right when it comes to expanding to casinos and strip clubs; owning controlling interests in Deja Vu and physical real estate rather than putting all your eggs in the magazine-business like Hef's stuck to for years.
I maybe wrong but Hef tried...key word TRIED to open a casino in AC....but they were allegedly denied a permanent gaming license.
Quote:
Casino number seven in Atlantic City was the ill-fated Playboy Hotel & Casino. The casino was owned by Hugh Hefner’s PlayboyEnterprises and the Elsinore Corporation. Built on a postage stamp size of real estate on Florida Avenue and the boardwalk the unique three-level casino with the minimum 500-room hotel opened on April 14, 1981. The three level design did not go over too well asmost gamblers disliked it. Each of the three floors were long and narrow making it difficult for an “even flow” to the casino. Hefner and Playboy were not granted a license and the casino was run by their partner; Elsinore Corporation. The casino retained the bunnydealers and cocktail waitresses and still operated as Playboy till April of 1984. After two years of appeals, Playboy Enterprises gave up on its effort to become licensed and sold its 45.7% interest in the casino to Elsinore. In June of 1984, after weeks of work byElsinore crews removing the bunny logo from every nook and cranny of the hotel and casino, the huge Playboy sign atop the hotel was lowered and up went the new one - Atlantis! Elsinore continued to run the hotel - this time under the Atlantis name for five more years, unprofitable ones at that. In April of 1989, the Casino Control Commission refused to renew the license for the Atlantis and placed the property under the control of a conservator. The following month, the casino at the Atlantis was closed. It was the first casino in Atlantic City to fail. In June of 1989, Donald Trump took over the Atlantis as a non-casino hotel and re-named it TrumpRegency. At the time, Trump already owned three casinos in Atlantic City, the legal limit in 1989. In 1996, the casino at the Trump Regency was re-opened under the name Trump Worlds Fair Casino. Earlier, the law limiting the number of casinos owned by one individual/corporation to three was abolished. Even though, Trump is operating this casino as an “arm” of his Trump Plaza casino.
The narrow three-level design of the Playboy/Atlantis was never embraced by gamblers in Atlantic City and probably led to its’ demise. Maybe under the Trump name and open as only a part of a much larger complex, the property may be able to hold its own in the highly competitive Atlantic City market.
This when he still had viable Casino's in England. The most profitable Casino in the World at the time. In Fact his profits at the time came 100 percent from the revues through his Casino's in England. The Problem was that he fell victim to a anti porn witch hunt lead by the Conservative Political Movement of Old Margret Thatchers Party in England in the Early Eights and he sold/ lost his Casinos in England.
I think if he had the Fight of Larry Flynt at the time he may have help the Long Term Outlook of Playboy Enterprises. Also Like Willie D said, he shouldn't have made his daughter "CEO". It's all in the book "The Day the Bunny Died" , the picture I posted is the cover of the book. Like Burg said he should have entered into partnerships with some big casino Companies in the late eighties to early nineties and maybe the company wouldn't be in such a mess.
talk about a string of bad luck....dorothy stratton gets offed around the same time i think....
I dont think hef as well as most members wading in the porn pool like to share....they want it all...the whores, the glory, the fame/attention and gratitude.....and natuturally the $$$. I can see the nepotism to a degree....who else can you get to give you all the power and just use her as a figurehead/rubber stamp.
If I hadnt said it before It kinda sucks to see someone asleep at the wheel of such an "iconic" brand.
could have been a contender....but with everyone pushing the envolpe and their suscription base dwindling due to lack of disposable income + the older readers just DIED.....you have to keep up with the times to make a profit....especially if there are clones of your stuff selling at 1/2 price....what would you buy.....
only people with money to burn or those that say I have a "lifetime subscription"....and I think they used to actually do this....get the print publication anymore....just another sad story of what would have/could have if ya just kept up with the competition....
easy choice of retail....companies that actually honor regular/sale prices of other local stores....why do they do so well??? I wouldnt have the foggiest
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