Meyer I. (Mike) Segal

Meyer I. (Mike) Segal (September 26, 1922-June 8, 1982) was the New Jersey Republican politician and businessman who led the initiative to legalize gambling in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At that time, the only legal gambling on the mainland of the United States was in Nevada.

Leading the gambling initiative

By the 1960s Atlantic City, the once chic vacation destination of both the wealthy and the masses, had fallen into disrepair and partial obscurity. The city had been hugely successful since the late 1800s, as visitors could travel via train to the stately hotels and the beaches, and escape the heat of the cities; the boardwalk, beaches, Steel Pier’s diving horse and Miss America Pageant were world famous.^[1] Following World War II, the proliferation of automobiles gave the average family access to many more destinations than just those that could be reached via railroad. Atlantic City tourism declined,^[2] and by the mid 1960’s Atlantic City boasted the highest rate of unemployment in the state that had the highest unemployment in the nation.

In late 1968, Mike Segal and a group of influential local businessmen announced they would pursue the possibility of legalizing gambling in the city^[3] as a cure for the ailing economy. The initiative received press coverage locally and nationally, as it was the first serious attempt to challenge Nevada’s monopoly on gambling.^[4] Shortly after announcing, Segal, hoteliers Gary Malamut and Sonny Goldberg, restaurateur Arnold Orsatti, and others, formed the “Action Committee for Legalized Gaming”; Segal was elected Chairman of the Committee. In the week following the official announcement of the Committee, they received over 2,000 unsolicited phone calls and letters.^[5] Leading citizens, like international art dealer and “Merchant to the Rich” Reese Palley, publicly supported the initiative.^[6] Numerous articles appeared in local and metropolitan papers.^[7] To garner additional support, Segal openly supported the State Lottery proposal of Democratic Governor Richard J. Hughes,^[8] who was not a supporter of legalizing gambling in Atlantic City exclusively. Segal also supported the Camden, New Jersey initiative for legalized gambling, which Camden locals saw as a cure to the financial woes of their declining city.^[9] There was overwhelming local support and powerful political allies. Years later Segal admitted that none of them anticipated the resistance that would be mounted by churches and religious groups across the state^[10] and that would derail the initiative. In the short term (1968–72) the efforts of the Action Committee to Legalize Gaming did not result in successful legislation; it did however pave the way for the also unsuccessful 1974 statewide general referendum, and the subsequent 1976 referendum which did win approval. Segal and the other committee members worked tirelessly behind the scenes from 1972 through 1976 to ensure the eventual approval.

The first casino opened in Atlantic City in 1978, and over the next decade tourism in Atlantic City burgeoned to record-breaking proportions. At its’ peak, in the decade immediately following the opening of gambling casinos, Atlantic City hosted >35 million tourists a year, surpassing both Disney World and Las Vegas as the #1 tourist destination in the country. By 2009, Atlantic City had fallen out of the “Top 10” tourist destinations in the US,^[11] and by 2011, the number of annual visitors had declined to 28.5 million.

Political career

Young Councilman Segal with mentor, Senator Frank S. Farley

Segal entered politics in the 1960s on the Republican ticket as a Councilman in Ventnor City, New Jersey. He served as a Councilman, as President of Council^[12] and as a Commissioner before devoting his political efforts exclusively to the Action Committee to Legalize Gaming.

At the outset of his political career, he gained the confidence of powerful State Senator, Frank S. Farley, also a Ventnor resident. Farley was the most powerful of the State Senators, serving 34 years in the legislature. From the early 1940s when he succeeded Enoch "Nucky" Johnson until the early 1970s he was the undisputed leader of the Atlantic City/Atlantic County Republican political machine.^[13] Farley initially refused to support the attempt to legalize gambling, as he feared his involvement would potentially bring increased scrutiny on his powerful political machine. By 1970, Segal convinced Farley, and from that time forward the Senator (and eventually ex-Senator) worked behind the scenes to gain approval. Segal also gained the support of U.S Representative Charles W. Sandman; unfortunately Sandman’s staunch defense of President Richard M. Nixon in the Watergate affair caused him to lose favor with the public, and lose office in the following election.

Marine Corps

Segal joined the Marine Corps in the late 1930s. He was sent to Honolulu, Hawaii, and was present on December 7, 1941 when the base was attacked by Japanese forces.

Segal served in the Second Marine Division, decorated for their outstanding courage in the Pacific Theater of Operations, notably the battles of Guadalcanal, Saipan and Tarawa.^[14] Segal was a Sergeant assigned to a tank crew; his tank, an M4 Sherman, was affectionately nicknamed “King Kong”.

Segal is documented with a platoon attacking a Japanese position on Tarawa. He is seen crawling up a hill with his backpack and rifle in an official Marine Corps photograph which appears in both “FOLLOW ME! A History of the Second Marine Division in World War II”, and “The World Book Encyclopedia”.^[15][16] Following the war he was active in the Second Marine Division Association, serving as President of the Association 1965-66, and serving as Chairman of the 15th Annual Reunion, held in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1964. He remained active as an officer in both the Second Marine Division Association, and the Marine Corps League, until his death.

Personal/Professional Life

Segal was the only son of Polish/Russian immigrants who reached the US in 1919 with 3 daughters; Segal was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1922. He was raised in Philadelphia.

Subsequent to World War II Segal married Natalie Youtie, from a prominent Atlantic City family of professionals and businessmen. Initially settling in Philadelphia, they subsequently moved to Atlantic City in 1959, where they raised their family. Segal joined the Kensington Furniture and Carpet Company in 1959; he stayed with Kensington, as General Manager, until his death in 1982.

Segal lived a very public life as a politician, being seen regularly at Atlantic City’s nightspots, political functions, and casinos. He counted among his closest friends “Mr. Atlantic City” Skinny D’Amato, the flamboyant nightclub owner who discovered Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis,^[17] Samuel H. “Sonny” Schwartz, the highly respected journalist, and Jersey Joe Walcott, former heavyweight boxing champion of the world.

Additional Resources

There are several dozen additional press clippings at the Meyer I. (Mike) Segal Archive.

References