Asking The Russians

 Back in 2010 when Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maine and Massachusetts were legislatively moving towards allowing expanded gaming I knew this was the decline and fall of Atlantic City as a casino destination, and it was.

 But before it all this happened I decided to experience the historic AC boardwalk and it's 12 casinos.
 
  There were two things that instantaneously jumped out about this storied seaside location. There were at least 100 feral cats underneath the boardwalk and Russians everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Russians in the smallest casino like the AC Hilton once frequented by Frank Sinatra, Russians in the then newly opened Borgata which is like a  multi-level Walmart Supercenter with slot machines. And the boardwalk itself of course.
 
  There were russians everywhere and I decided to find out why.
 
  All of them spoke in broken english if they spoke it at all most wouldn't even make eye contact with me and responded with "nyet." The russian females acted as they were being watched and also responded with "nyet." So I gave up on the ruskies themselves but did get some information from a lo-ball dealer at Caesar's Palace.
 
  "It's the bailouts." he said.  I inquire further, "It's started with Trump's Taj Mahal and Trump Plaza, they couldn't find money anywhere but Russia so now they're everywhere." the dealer said. If this is to be believed the russians bailed out the casinos and the bankrupt real estate ambitions of Donald J. Trump. 

   Now consider the wreckage of what Atlantic City has become. There are now even more feral cats under the boardwalk. Many more.

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