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TIME: Almanac 1990
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1990 Time Magazine Compact Almanac, The (1991)(Time).iso
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092589
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09258900.065
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1990-09-17
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FROM THE PUBLISHER, Page 4
Correspondent Priscilla Painton had been in New York City only
a few months when it began to dawn on her that perhaps all roads
led to Atlantic City. When Gaddafi-linked terrorists threatened to
attack the U.S., what city were they rumored to have chosen? When
casino owner Donald Trump insulted hotel queen Leona Helmsley, what
were they fighting over? When Cher made a concert tour comeback
after eight years, where did she open? The answer every time:
Atlantic City. So Painton set out to discover the lure. "The only
thing I knew about Atlantic City was that Louis Malle had made a
movie about it," she says. Painton, an American, grew up in Paris
and attended French schools until college and, like the French
director, found the famous U.S. resort something exotic. "I
approached this American shrine -- and Atlantic City is one -- with
the intense curiosity of a foreigner," she says.
Trump, who owns a sizable chunk of the city, conveniently
popped up on her first visit. Painton had booked a flight aboard
the Trump Air helicopter service, only to discover the tycoon
himself was a passenger. Trump pointed out the town's attractions
and even gave her a ride from the airport in his limousine. On
other visits, Painton traveled less grandly aboard the buses that
carry many of the millions of gamblers who constitute Atlantic
City's primary source of income.
Though she definitely does not qualify as a high roller,
Painton could hardly have reported and written our story on one of
America's gambling capitals without sampling a bit of the action.
Estimated slot-machine losses in the course of two evenings: $50.
But Painton did taste one of the luxuries the casinos lavish on
their best customers. With all its regular rooms occupied, Bally's
Grand Casino Hotel one evening assigned her to a suite with a
Jacuzzi and a TV hidden in a marble plinth. Unhappily, the upgrade
did not result in a night of rest. Explains Painton: "The man in
the next room was a lucky gambler who celebrated his big win by
singing reggae tunes at the top of his voice." That's Atlantic City
for you.