From the Publisher

By Robert L. Miller

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.