Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods have launched a joint advertising campaign to position southeastern Connecticut as a worth gambling destination. The tribes that own the casinos are traditional enemies as well as competitors since they opened but they feel they can garner a larger position in the market together.

Michael Speller, the president of Mashantucket Pequot Gaming Enterprises, which owns Foxwoods, has said that both organizations had agreed that they would be able to drive more business together. He also admitted that the collaboration is “quite historic”.

The main goal of the new joint venture is to compete with the Atlantic City market so the first ads are appearing on billboards in New York City, Long Island and New Jersey to target the “battle-zone area between Connecticut and Atlantic City” according to Mitchell Ettess, the president and chief executive of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. That is the group behind the Mohegan Sun.

“You’re sitting in North Jersey and you think it’s easier to go down the turnpike instead of driving north. We want to aggressively approach those folks and show them Connecticut is a better destination,” said Ettess.

The billboards definitely take some potshots at Atlantic City with such witty slogans as “Two Worlds Beat One City”, “Escape the Jersey Snore” and “Way Beyond the Boredwalk”. The partnership also have launched a joint website contest where people can enter to win a weekend at stay at both resorts.