Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 19 June '85 23

Landlords: Three Types

WILD WOOD - When senior weeks are over and done, three major types of landlords survive. There are those who do not rent to seniors but also do not reap the monetary benefits. There are the absentee landlords, who, much to Mayor Victor Di Sylvester's despair, spend a peaceful 14 days in another community while their bank accounts increase and the sanity of Wildwood decreases. And finally, there are the few successful survivors who make it through the weeks by ruling by with a firm hand. - Strict rules and regulations for the spirited senior crew. "When they first come in they're all keyed up and ready to have a good time," said Dan Gareau, owner of the Beachwood Hotel. "We tell them to have a good time but to use discretion and consideration." Gareau feels that the managers to some hotels cause trouble for themse ves because they would rather overwork themselves than pay for extra help. "IF YOU'RE WILLING to spend the money and have someone assist you with management, you're going to do all right," he said. Gareau limits his number of guests to the number of beds available. He used to add cots but the seniors wouldn't go to sleep. In five years of hotel accomodations in senior week he has • learned: • Don't overcrowd a room. • Don't allow overnight guests. • Don't allow alcohol on the premises. He also said his daily maid service wakes the seniors in the mornings. "If we let them sleep in 'til 2 p.m., they are up until 5 a.m.," he explained. Gareau's hotel is also well equipped with brochures of where the graduates can go in Wildwood for entertainment. "We try to let them knowwhere there are things to do," he said. Connie Meyers, an owner of the Tide Winds Motel, said she prepares for senior week "very carefully," She begins by giving each graduate a list of 10 rules that must be followed during their stay — violation can be grounds for eviction. One major rule involves room checks each night to make sure all visitors are out of the building. Meyers is not shy about her eviction threats. "I give out a few warnings, but I do evict," she said. On Tuesday of the first senior week, she already had 13 evictions.

"YOU HAVE TO be strict with them," she said. Meyers has taken senior week guests for six years. Has the police clamp down on the week's rowdiness caused this year's senior^ to be a little more mellow? "No," Meyers shook her head firmly. "You still have to try to quiet them. You have to enjoy and appreciate young people to enjoy senior week," she added. "Get as much sleep as you can beforehand," advised Joan Gentile of the Seabird Motel, "because you're not going to sleep these two weeks." Gentile and her husband. Mike, have been in education for some years and compare the senior week experience to the experience of going in as a substitute teacher. "And you know how kids treat substitute teachers," she joked. Problems with rowdiness are not quite as bad for the Gentiles because they don't live in the heart of the city. "If we were up in the center part of town I wouldn't take seniors," said i Gentile. "I don't know what I'd do if I were up there," she puzzled. When the seniors arrived at the Seabird they were treated as guests, according to Gentile. Likewise, she expected them to act like guests. She also informed the senior guests that they were not here to party "It's kind of a fine line between having a good time and a party," she explained. Gentile doesn't encounter many problems with damages to her building. "I think the security deposit makes the difference," she reasoned. "They're much more careful when they know their money is involved. The people who are not staying with you cause the problems." Gentile described the atmosphere around her during the week as "tense most of the time." She only takes the first week of seniors. " I COULDN'T TAKE two weeks," she said. "I've seen people who have." John Caterini, owner of the Midtown, has a reputation of running a tight ship during senior weeks. He, like the others, sends a letter to the seniors which describes his regulations and authorization to evict them if necessary with no rental return. Caterini adds an extra desk clerk during the weeks to help keep an eye on the rambunctious youths. "Generally it's maybe one out of 20 that wants to be macho and we have to calm him down," he said. "And mostly after the first day or two they do calm down."

^COUNTRY HOUSE BAKERY^ (Next to Country House Restaurant) W OPEN TUESDAY THRU SUNDAY 8-6 iSfei 465-CAKE jU. U.S. Rt. 9-Burleigh -J Rj'a Between Exits 6 & 8 Garden St. Prkwy. aw

Don. Wart RITE OF PASSAGE — Grads from regional high schools celebrate on the steps of their vacation haven in Wildwood the traditional senior week passage into adulthood.

'Dry Bars' Not What Kids Wanted

WILDWOOD - Mayor, city council and the beverage association all thought it was a good plan. The bars couldn't do much regular business anyway. Who would be in the town besides under-age seniors? So six bar owners decided to open as under-21 night spots or non-alcoholic "dry bars" for the minors from Sundays to Thursdays during the two senior weeks. "Apparently it's not what the kids want," said Bob Gerhard, owner of Cheers. Gerhard said he tried to offer the dry bar scene for two nights and lost money. He planned to try the plan one more time this week. Gerhard has one major argument about drinking age regulations: "The kids can't come into my place because of the 21 year drinking age," he complained. "However, the same kids can bring truckloads of alcohol into their hotel rooms, and what can the liquor control do about that? Nothing!" The London Ale House tried two dry nights. Employ Ken Dieffenbach said the response was "okay", and was unsure if the bar would try the underage scene next year. Michael Da vies, employe at the Rainbow, said the club tried to offer the service. There too the effort only lasted one night, and "they .don't plan to do it again," said Davies. A spokesperson at the Fairview said the club had considered the dry move, but decided against it. It was believed that it would be in the club's best interests not to invite the seniors in for dry nights to prevent that age group from feeling that they are welcome there any time, he said. Ben Lauriello, Quartroom owner and president of the beverage association, held similar opinions. He found it ironic in New Jersey, where a minor has the right to marry, enlist, carry a rifle, and even buy a liquor store and or

license, but still cannot drink legally, he said. Lauriello said he tried the dry bar for one night and it proved to be unsuccessful. "THE YOUNG ARE not about to party dry," he said. In the past, when the drinking age was 18, Lauriello believed drinking was better controlled. He said the bars provided a

social gathering place, and the seniors came more for socialization than to drink to excess. "When we had them, they weren't drinking as much. "Now there is no real place to party other than in their apartment. The minute you can do something, it is no longer a big deal," he explained. He believes some of the

wildness of senior week is due to the drinking being illegal and a challenge for the underaged youth. Lauriello cited major problems he has with minors trying to enter the Quartroom with illegal ID. "It's been so bad with them trying to get in we'd rather close during the ' ftjge 43 Please >

i /SLr v * - v ■ •- I jr.- = DIGGIN" IN — Kevin Lynch from Pittsburgh grits his teeth and grinds his heels with other high school grads in the Senior Week tug of war with Wildwood police.