I have a question about Atlantic City. I have been three times. The first time was in 1987 when I was young and dumb. I walked back from one of the Trump properties down Pacific Avenue at about 1:00 A.M. on a Saturday morning to wherever I had parked. As I walked past the abandoned storefronts I watched a couple of guys launch a wino through the window of one of the edifices.

But when I went back in 2002 and 2014 I was stunned how much had been knocked down. The city has lots of empty lots. In August I drove around a fair amount and found the neighborhoods downscale but not terrifying.

When critics of Atlantic City say the government did not fix it up how much are they saying that that more effort should have been given to ejecting these largely non-Angelo residents from their homes and replacing them with a bunch of condos full of upper income whites that the tourists would feel more comfortable associating with.

In other words the city did display sufficient energy in getting rid of the residents of said locale?

Can’t wait to hear from Steelman on a future episode.

My apologies for acting like an ass. Hope you all can get some sleep!

I thought this was a really strong show. Given all the talk about how boozy and crazy VIMFP is, I was expecting something much more loosey goosey. Instead, it was a really tight 45 minute “state of the gaming world” discussion–as Detroit1051 says, Roger and Dave worked really well together and offered concise yet very thoughtful takes on all the various jurisdictions you covered. And I thought you did a really good job guiding the discussion, Hunter.

Not that I don’t enjoy the “regular” VG episodes, but I’m assuming that you were operating under fairly tight time limitations here, and I think it really brought out the best in your team. Speaking only for myself, I tend to tune out a bit more during the intro and conclusion segments of the regular episodes (announcements and sure bets), because I think the analysis and conversation that makes up the middle of the show is so strong.

Anyway, well done, and thanks for posting the episode so quickly. Get some rest, and with luck I’ll be making it to VIMFP one of these years.

NOBODY is more upset about Steelman bailing on us than we are. You can bet a moist and musty blueprint of your cantilevered balls that this is the truth. It seems that nearly EVERY year our big celebrity guest pulls the last minute “something came up” card on us. exceptions being – George Maloof (VPP1), Tom McCartney (VPP2) and Derek Stevens (VIMFP Ballys, VIMFP D.1). MGM PR god Alan Feldman (VPP2) bailed and sent an underling, Caesars stymied our attempts to get anybody from their mgmt to talk to us (VIMFP PHo) , Seth Schorr bailed and sent an underling to (VIMFP D.1) and now Paul Steelman bails on days before (VIMFP D.2).

After working for a whole goddamn year to build a great event, we’re always forced to scramble at the last possible minute causing us (primarily Hunter) to rewrite and reimagine a show from scratch that has been advertised for months. Fortunately Roger Gros stepped up at the last minute and was just as great as he was on the previous Vegas Gang episode he partook in.

Steelman canceled because he had a pressing business issue out of the country. He was apologetic and has promised to do the regular show, which we plan to take him up on.

As for Chuck and why he chose not to participate, you’d have to ask him.

Was more an expression of frustration with Steelman, quite frankly. It’s not nice to commit to something and then bail, relatively last-minute. So as I said above, hope he had a good excuse.

Was also disappointed that Chuck couldn’t join in. Obviously he was there at VIMFP, and so even if he’s still officially “on hiatus,” would have been nice if he could have joined, even as a one-time thing.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when Roger said he met Steve and Sheldon in the Green Room, and they “were old men”. Yikes! Age is in the eye of the beholder 🙂