Pokerstars set to put big money into Atlantic City casino
News on 4 Feb 2013
News on 4 Feb 2013
With its proposed acquisition of the Atlantic Club land casino still progressing through the New Jersey regulatory system, Pokerstars parent Rational Group has big plans for improvements, it would appear.
Philly.com quotes Atlantic Club chief operating officer Michael Frawley, who along with a colleague first came up with the idea of an online – land convergence through a deal with Rational Group in the last quarter of 2012.
Frawley revealed that the agreement with Rational will see significant investment in the struggling Atlantic City casino, revamping the operation, saving some 1,729 jobs and possibly creating 500 new posts.
That’s of course assuming that the New Jersey authorities approve the acquisition, and Governor Chris Christie revitalises AC by signing into law the online gambling legalisation bill his Legislature recently passed.
Those 500 extra jobs could flow from Rational’s plans to set up a 10,000 square foot data centre and a substantial Support Centre for players in neighbouring New Jersey City.
Rational Group’s PR chief, Eric Hollreiser, told Philly.com: “The future of gaming is to be able to provide a mix of online and offline gaming, and our interest in Atlantic City is being able to offer that mix. The deal is based upon the vision.”
Hollreiser went on to hint that if the current status quo in New Jersey prevails – in other words if the governor fails to facilitate the introduction of online gambling through AC casino operators – the investment Rational is prepared to make could be somewhat smaller than that it envisages if the legal environment is changed and “…we can fulfil the vision of online and off-line; clearly, the investment grows with it.”
