Falcon Chicks Gone, Casino Signs Go up in Atlantic City

Now that the baby chicks are gone, an Atlantic City casino can tell the world its new name.

The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel had planned to put up illuminated signs on the exterior of its building two weeks ago. But four baby Peregrine falcon chicks that were born on a ledge outside the penthouse would have been in danger from the installation work.

So, the casino waited until the birds were gone. On Tuesday, workers were bolting the new signs to the side of the building. The casino was formerly known as the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort, until a name change in March.

Peregrine falcons have been living on a ledge near the top of the casino since 1985, when the facility was known as The Golden Nugget. Two butlers at the casino have been keeping an eye on them since then, just outside the butlers' pantry.

The most recent batch of chicks hatched on April 30. They finally had grown enough to make their way out into the world a few days ago.

A wildlife expert from the state Department of Environmental Protection determined that the birds should be left alone until they departed the ledge on their own, fearing that the presence of employees installing the signs could scare the birds and possibly make them fall off the ledge before they were old enough to fly.

The casino had nearly $1 million worth of signs in storage while waiting for the birds to take flight.

A smaller sign was affixed to the Pacific Avenue side of the hotel portion on Tuesday. A casino spokeswoman says the rest of the signs should be installed by Friday.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)