NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY COMMISSION

MICHAEL LENTINI

CHAIRMAN JAMES: Michael Lentini.

MR. LENTINI: Hello, and welcome to Atlantic City.

CHAIRMAN JAMES: Thank you.

MR. LENTINI: My name is Michael Lentini, and I moved here about four years ago, and coming from Boston, Massachusetts, I really didn't know what to expect from a world famous gambling resort town.

In Massachusetts, good jobs are scarce for those of us who didn't have the opportunity to go to college. So I figured it would pretty much be the same thing here, but I was wrong.

On my first Sunday here, I bought the local newspaper and began my search for a job, and I was amazed to see all of the opportunities available to me here in Atlantic City.

At that time there were 12 casinos, and all of them had numerous job openings in the paper that week, and I thought to myself if I really put my working hard here, I could really succeed.

And seeing that I had previous food and beverage experience, I decided to try for a job at the Trump Marina Casino Hotel as a waiter, and I got the job, and after working organized labor for a while, I really knew I enjoyed it.

I'd never worked in a union job before. I was very surprised at the pay rates, the benefits that I was entitled to. My pay rate alone was two to three times higher for the same job that I was working in Massachusetts non-union.

And so as time moved on and my union involvement grew stronger, now as it stands I'm number one in seniority in the Upstairs Grow, the restaurant at the Trump Marina that I work in, and I was recently appointed shop chairman of the marina by my union president, Bob McDevitt.

And I live a nice, middle class life, nice neighborhood. I drive a nice car, and I'm working on buying my first home, and all of this I owe to Atlantic City, and I don't think it would be possible with the casinos not here.

Thank you.