Atlantic City’s been telling its story since before 1854, the year that it was incorporated by the Garden State. Like all good works of fiction, this tale’s had plenty of drama, colorful characters, intriguing dialogue, and its share of plot twists and resolutions.
In the late 1800s, “America’s Favorite Playground” opened the world’s first boardwalk as well as Ocean Pier, the world’s first seaside amusement park. Since those developments, Atlantic City’s been
a popular resort destination enjoyed by Northeast neighbors from Philadelphia and New York, among other areas. There was also a glory time before the end of World War II, when entertainers came from all over to perform on Atlantic City’s stages, until fickle and more-mobile audiences soon started traveling west for vacation and the city fell into a bit of a slump.
Other noteworthy chapters in Atlantic City’s history include the 1964 Democratic National Convention, a time of economic hardship for the city, which was given negative press coverage during the political gathering; and the 1976 passing of the Casino Gambling Referendum, which inspired new development and eventually repositioned the city as a gaming magnet.
Atlantic City’s timeline is certainly marked by distinct ups and downs. But over the past five years it’s been enjoying a victorious story arch, wherein billions of dollars have been spent to assure the destination’s future as not only a standby beachside gaming resort, but as an otherwise entertainment-filled hot spot for both leisure travelers and meeting attendees.
“Atlantic City is maturing,” says Gary Musich, vice president of convention development at the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority (ACCVA). “No doubt about it, we are a gaming destination, but leisure and group guests have been staying longer over the past five years to enjoy all of the other attractions that we have here now. The story we want to tell today is of our renaissance.”
Radical Revitalization
It’s not over-reaching or boastful of Musich to call Atlantic City’s most recent revival “unbelievable.” He explains that during the past five years, $5 billion (80 percent of which has gone toward non-gaming development) has been spent to upgrade the city’s infrastructure.
“A big part of our development is meant to attract groups. We’re mainly a Northeast destination, but the national market is growing fast because this renaissance is piquing so much interest,” Musich says, citing the annual Atlantic City Beer Festival held in March, which draws an increasing number of attendees from across the U.S. and from Europe.
Situated an hour-and-a-half from New York and an hour from Philadelphia, Atlantic City is indeed a popular regional drive-to destination for association and other groups located nearby. But there is also a great number of airlift options for groups of a national scope, who could fly in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport, Atlantic City International Airport or Philadelphia International Airport.
Once settled in, attendees will find Atlantic City at once vibrant and exciting (think nightlife and roller coasters), and welcoming and accessible (think saltwater taffy and walkability).
For starters, according to Musich, the bustling boardwalk is situated within an easy trek of many hotels and the 500,000-square-foot Atlantic City Convention Center.
At just 10 years old, the convention center is still a new kid on the block that planners enjoy discovering. Whether putting on a conference, trade show or sporting event, a dedicated event manager will work with the planner to ensure the function’s smooth execution. Recent and upcoming events at the Atlantic City Convention Center include the World Spirit Federation National Cheerleading Championship, the International DJ Expo, the National Association of Elevator Contractors, and the American Retail Bakery Exposition and Frozen Desserts Expo.
According the Musich, the convention center and the city’s hotels—many with ample square footage of their own for meetings—completely complement each other. Attached to the convention center, the 502-room Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel, for instance, features 18 meeting rooms and a nearly 12,000-square-foot ballroom.
Three major hotel expansions that are scheduled for completion at various points in 2008 will add function space and nearly 3,000 rooms, boosting the city’s total room count to 20,000, Musich says. The Water Club at Borgata will add 800 rooms and 18,000 square feet of meeting space; Harrah’s Atlantic City tower addition will include 964 rooms; and the Trump Taj Mahal’s new tower will feature 786 rooms.
The city’s renaissance has not gone unnoticed to three major resort developers who will unveil new venues with all the necessary top-rate amenities—dining and conference space among them—in 2011 and 2012. Included are Pinnacle Entertainment, which just recently imploded the former Sands casino resort and plans to build a multibillion-dollar resort with 1,000 guest rooms on the site; Revel Entertainment, which is on track to build a multibillion-dollar facility with more than 3,000 rooms; and MGM Mirage, which will develop a multibillion-dollar project that will be situated next to Borgata in Atlantic City’s Marina District.
Fun and Games
Inviting accommodations aside, Musich explains that Atlantic City is an increasingly appealing destination for groups these days.
“We’re attracting a broader market with our entertainment, shopping, music, and high-end dining options,” he says, citing two such restaurants of marquee chefs Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck. “Plus, there are 23 golf courses within 20 minutes of Atlantic City that are first-class and group-friendly.”
Musich recommends the Bay and Pine courses at the Seaview Marriott Resort and Spa, located in nearby Galloway, N.J.; the Vineyards Golf Course at Renault Winery in nearby Egg Harbor City, N.J.; and Twisted Dune Golf Club, also in Egg Harbor City. Planners can contact the Greater Atlantic City Golf Association for more ideas.
Musich adds that Atlantic City sports all tiers of retail for enthusiastic shoppers in the group. The Pier Shops at Caesars opened not long ago with stores including everything from Starbucks and Levi’s to Apple, Tiffany & Co. and Burberry.
“Groups are very interested in our non-gaming development,” Musich says, citing another shopping and dining paradise: Atlantic City Outlets, The Walk.
The three-and-a-half-year-old project was developed by the Cordish Company, which also spearheaded the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Phase three of The Walk broke ground and is scheduled to open by the beginning of 2009; retail and restaurant space, according to Musich, is already sold out. The Walk currently includes stores such as American Eagle Outfitters, Atlantic City Harley Davidson, Borders, and Coach; and dining options include Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Stewart’s Root Beer and the 40/40 Club, a 15,000-square-foot sports bar owned by rapper Jay-Z that’s available for private events.
While it appears Atlantic City shares many similarities with Las Vegas in terms of casino action, entertainment galore, plenty of meeting space, and terrific hotels, Musich maintains that the only thing the two really have in common is that they are both gaming resorts.
“We sit on a barrier island so we’re very unique. We’ve always been an oceanfront resort town,” he says.
Unlike Vegas’ desert locale, Atlantic City commands a stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, it’s a four-season destination with a summer peak, but groups are welcome year-round, Musich says. Therefore, the non-beach/amusement attractions are important for attendees who might be too chilly in the colder months to people-watch along the boardwalk.
There is one appropriately heated (or cooled) venue in Atlantic City that also happens to provide a traditional experience that attendees should have when they’re in town: a show at the historic Boardwalk Hall. The 80-year-old venue was restored to its original luster when it underwent a $100 million renovation in 2001, Musich says, and was voted Billboard magazine’s top-grossing midsize entertainment venue for two years running. Headline acts such as Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen have taken the stage at Boardwalk Hall.
The city’s music scene and influx of nightclubs, including Club Providence at the Tropicana, attracts a young crowd, according to Musich. Of course, this isn’t to say Atlantic City isn’t an ever-evolving destination that tells a story for characters of all ages.
For More Info
Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Bureau 609.449.7101
www.atlanticcitynj.com
