Why here?
Atlantic City's metamorphosis is in the works, as it transitions from a gaming-centric destination to one that offers groups superb entertainment, dining, shopping and natural beauty. Among some promising projects is Harrah's new conference center, being built in the Marina District.
New Name, New Budget
Meet AC is the new nonprofit group spun off from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority to develop the destination's meeting, convention and incentive business. With a budget that has tripled from what it was under the old Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, Meet AC is headed by James Wood, former president and CEO of the Louisville (Ky.) Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Coming Soon
The fabled Steel Pier will reopen after a winter hiatus on March 29, 2015, followed by the debut of a new $14 million, 220-foot-high observation wheel adjacent to the pier, featuring 40 cars holding six to 10 people each.
New Bait for Shoppers
The final phase of The Walk, the city's retail-outlet district, will debut next year. Among the new entries is a Bass Pro Shop, which features a 70,000-square-foot showroom for its outdoor clothes and gear.
Local Update
• Scheduled to open next August, Harrah's Atlantic City Waterfront Conference Center will have approximately 125,000 square feet of meeting and event space. At present, parent venue Harrah's Resort Atlantic City has 10 meeting rooms totaling 25,000 square feet.
• The 2,133-room Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City currently is undergoing a $35 million renovation. The project includes the refurbishment of the 434 guest rooms in the resort's north tower, the expansion of Fin's restaurant, and the addition of a fitness center and retail shops. Also under construction is a new Boardwalk facade that will feature an interactive light-and-sound show. The upgrades are slated to debut in late 2015.
• A $1 million meeting incentive initiative from Meet AC has been extended through 2016. The program is open to meetings new to Atlantic City, as well as groups that have not met there for at least three years. To qualify, business booked must take place by 2016 and generate a minimum of 500 room nights at an Atlantic City property; events must use the convention center or one of the hotels. Additional details are available at meetinac.com.
• The 10,500-capacity Boardwalk Hall will be hosting some notable entertainment next year, including the All Stars of Hip Hop Featuring Public Enemy; Fleetwood Mac and Linkin Park (January); Miranda Lambert with Justin Moore (March); and The Who, on its 50th anniversary tour (May). Meanwhile, the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa will present Sarah McLachlan (March) and Jerry Seinfeld and Frankie Valli (April), while the Tropicana will have Natalie Cole (January), and Harrah's Resort will feature Chaka Khan (January). For a complete list of upcoming A.C. concerts, go to bit.ly/11vPqGl.
• Brookfield Asset Management has ended its plans to purchase the 1,400-room Revel Casino Hotel. TheToronto-based real estate firm won the auction for the property in October after bidding $110 million for the two-year-old hotel, which cost $2.4 billion to build. The company planned to reopen the property as a gaming resort. At press time, there was no news on other potential buyers.
• At press time, Trump Entertainment Resorts filed paperwork to close the bankrupt 2,010-room Trump Taj Mahal Casino Hotel this month, after earlier interest expressed by billionaire Carl Icahn to purchase the property came to naught.
• The closed 1,300-room Showboat Atlantic City has been purchased by New Jersey's Richard Stockton College. The school plans to turn the shuttered casino into a satellite campus. At press time, no further details were available.
Restoring Luster
A.C.'s main convention and event venues, the Atlantic City Convention Center (above) and Boardwalk Hall, will get a total of $110 million for maintenance, repairs and cosmetic upgrades over the next five years. The work will be funded by a bond floated by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
Meeting Hotels: Properties in this evolving destination include the 2,590-room Harrah's Resort Atlantic City; 2,133-room Tropicana Casino & Resort Atlantic City; 2,010-room Trump Taj Mahal Casino Hotel (Note: At press time, the resort remained open but is expected to close this month); 2,000-room Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa; 1,756-room Bally's Atlantic City; 1,140-room Caesars Atlantic City Hotel Casino; 942-room Resorts Casino Hotel; 800-room Water Club, a Signature Hotel by Borgata; 728-room Golden Nugget Atlantic City, and 502-room Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel.
To find and compare hotels, and send requests for proposal, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Atlantic City Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 486,600 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 45; (888) 222-3683
Airport Transit: Atlantic City International Airport, about 10 miles northwest of the Boardwalk. Transfer cost by airport shuttle, $13; by taxi, $25-$30
Taxes: Luxury tax, 9%; sales tax, 4%; occupancy fee, 1%; tourism promotion fee, $2 per room for casino hotels, $1 per room for others; total tax on hotel rooms, 14% plus tourism promotion fee
Contact: Meet AC, (888) 222-3683