Mention Atlantic City and most people think of gaming, the Boardwalk and saltwater taffy. But the city that’s “always turned on” has become much more than that, thanks largely to a renewed focus on meetings and conventions business by area hotels.
“We’ve had three straight years of growth in the MICE market, and that’s because group business is a focus of every property right now,” says Gary Musich, vice president of convention sales at the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority. “They all want to grow that market segment.”
As a result, many hotels are either planning to improve their guest room inventory or have done so in recent years. Meanwhile, new meeting and convention space is available at some properties, existing square footage has been enhanced at others, and unique venues are coming on-line. All of this upgrading makes the destination a greater value than many in its competitive set, Musich contends. In addition, the destination has grown to cater to a couple of surprising market segments.
“The evolution of Atlantic City has taken us from offering gaming to becoming a multifaceted destination,” he says. “We have 20,000 rooms now and they’re being used in a different way.”
For example, Revel, a new property that’s calling itself a “resort playground,” will open on the beach next spring. Slated to provide 160,000 square feet of meeting space and more than 1,000 rooms, it will feature a host of meeting spaces overlooking the water. Also, the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is about to undergo a renovation.
This all started a few years ago when the Taj did a major renovation and introduced a 780-room tower, Harrah’s added a 964-room tower, the Marriott Courtyard opened, and the Chelsea, a boutique, non-gaming property, debuted.
Today, groups that need function space will also find enhanced offerings around the city.
The Golden Nugget is undergoing some big meeting space changes, other properties are planning upgrades, and several unique spaces for events recently opened.
At the Golden Nugget, a new ballroom is coming on-line. The Grand will be a 17,000-square-foot ballroom suitable for general sessions, trade shows and banquets. It can be sectioned off into smaller rooms with built-in partitions if desired for more private parties. The Grand will accommodate up to 2,000 guests, have high-speed Internet and state-of-the-art audiovisual. The hotel plans to add other new meeting spaces that will accommodate anywhere from 10 to 2,700 meeting or event attendees.
Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, along with Bally’s Atlantic City, are gearing up to renovate in the near future. However, further details were not available at press time.
Borgata has 2,000 guest rooms and suites, and 70,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 30,000-square-foot, column-free ballroom with 30-foot-high ceilings. Bally’s features 1,760 guest rooms and suites, including two towers with recently renovated accommodations. The property also offers 80,000 square feet of meeting space, all on one level.
One Atlantic, a 10,000-square-foot event venue that opened last year at the Pier Shops at Caesar’s, sits 100 yards out over the Atlantic Ocean. Meanwhile, the House of Blues recently opened private spaces for small meetings, as well as the Foundation Room, previously a private club.
“That all adds to the quality of the product and creates value,” Musich notes. “If you look at the group average rate, for example, it’s about $115, and that’s cheaper than other Northeast destinations like Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.”
The destination also has surprises in store.
Eateries all around town feature celebrity chefs at the helm, giving the destination new appeal among the foodie crowd. Food Network mainstays Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck have spots at the upscale Borgata, as does Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina. Additionally, several well-known restaurants in New York City opened branches in Atlantic City in recent years, while some companies that oversee several establishments in the Northeast have branched out to A.C., according to Musich.
The city boasts outposts of famed Big Apple Italian restaurants Il Mulino (at the Trump Taj Mahal) and Carmine’s (in the Quarter at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino). Meanwhile, Starr Restaurants is at Caesar’s with Buddakhan, a trendy NYC spot that serves Asian cuisine, and Continental, which offers global tapas; BR Guest just opened Atlantic Grill and Dos Caminos at Harrah’s Resort; and Gallagher’s Steak House has opened at Resorts Casino Hotel.
Another upscale restaurant, Luke Palladino Seasonal Italian Cooking, opened at Harrah’s this summer. Chef Luke Palladino, a former protege of chefs Emeril Lagasse and Todd English, previously opened three restaurants at the Borgata.
“Given the quality of our offerings, such as unique spaces and restaurants, the value to meet here is tremendous.”
And the city is getting attention from another unlikely audience: golfers.
“We’re a great golf destination,” Musich says. “There are 23 golf courses within 30 minutes of us.”
The Atlantic City Country Club, which opened over 100 years ago, is the place where the term ‘birdie’ was coined, and it’s a wildlife sanctuary and a golf course all in one. Then there’s Galloway National Golf Club, which boasts a Tom Fazio-designed course that’s one of the top 50 courses in the country; the Sand Barrons, designed in a beach theme; and the Renault Winery, where the course is set within a grape vineyard.
And for those who think golf is best left to Southern destinations because of weather concerns, Musich has this to say: “The weather on the coast of New Jersey is actually pretty mild. It’s nice here from the end of March thru October and November.”
Besides, those looking to tee off in the Garden State likely wouldn’t get dismayed by Mother Nature anyway.
“Other than when there’s snow on the ground, we play golf 12 months of the year,” Musich says.
All of the enhancement is likely to continue, he notes.
“A lot of investment is coming into Atlantic City. The state has shown great support,” Musich says, adding that the destination is continuing to invest in major capital improvement projects.
