An article in the Atlantic City Press regarding the soon to be released 2,500 $10 "beer chips" at Harrah's, I'll quote the following from a casino executive about it's cost and how much profit..... Susan Schneider, Harrah's VP of Marketing said the $10 Bud Ice chips will cost Harrah's between 60 cents and a dollar each, or between $1,500 and $2,500 for the batch. If they sell out, as expected, Harrah's will generate $25,000. "It's a fun, highly recognizable chip, and chips are highly desired items. They create a memento of their visit to Atlantic City", Schneider said while testifying before the Casino Control Commission.

Commissioner James R. Hurley disagreed. He said the chips pormote alcohol consumption and are unlike true commemorative chips that celebrate famous events or people. "This is not like Miss America", Hurley said, referring to a commemorative chip sold last summer at Harrah's. "This is not wholesome, apple pie." Hurley continued, "I think this sends a duplicitoous messsage. I think it's a mistake. Harrah's does not need it. Anheuser-Busch has all the money in the world to advertise their products." Another commissioner, Leanna Brown, uneasy over the commercial aspects of Harrah's petition, asked that the word "commemorative" be removed from the agency's order. "We're not interested in commemorating penguins unless we're saving them", she said.

The Press article went on to say, "Commemorative gaming chips are prized by collectors, who buy them without the intent of redeeming them, and are profitable for the casinos." Michael Pollack's "Gaming Industry Observer" estimated that local commemorative chip sales could eventually reach $10 million annually. Harrah's expects to begin selling the Bud Ice chips this summer, a casino spokeswoman said.