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The rise and fall of the Atlantic City casino industry over the past 40 years has been well document. Billionaire real estate moguls such as Donald Trump and Carl Icahn have been central figures in this story over the years, but a new player in town is leading the charge for the rebirth of this New Jersey coastal real money gambling town. The grand opening of the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino could signal that Atlantic City’s luck is about to change. This is one of two casinos to reopen their doors to real money gamblers at the end of June. Hard Rock completed a $500 million-dollar renovation of the shuttered Trump Taj Mahal and the Ocean Resort is the reinvention of the failed Revel Casino.
Moving forward from the ruins that sent five of the 12 Atlantic Casinos into default, the new Hard Rock Casino made its presence felt in town with the grandest of grand openings on June 28. A 60-foot guitar as the centerpiece of this half-a-billion dollar renovation greeted visitors in what Hard Rock hopes to be the entertainment king in town. A heavy emphasis has been placed on bringing A-list entertainers to this venue with concerts booked throughout the year. The addition of the Hard Rock and the Ocean Resort has helped raise the bar for all the real money Atlantic City casinos. The premier casino and resort for the past 15 years in town has been The Borgata in the Harbor District. It joined in the celebration with a star-studded list of entertainers and special events. Many of the existing casinos located on the famed Atlantic City Boardwalk have added new restaurants and night clubs while also renovating their hotel rooms.
The biggest addition coming to town when it comes to real money gambling options is legalized sports betting. Most of the casino properties have already began renovations to add a full-service sportsbook to its casino floor with high ambitions to have sports betting up and running in time for the new football season in the NFL as well as the college ranks. Rummy Pandit is the executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality & Tourism at Stockton University. He was quoted in the USA Today report as saying that Hard Rock and Ocean Resort “are keen to provide guests with experiences that go beyond the traditional casino hotel model.”
His university is all-in on this rebirth in Atlantic City with plans for a new campus at the southern end of the boardwalk. He adds that the town “continues to evolve into a multi-faceted destination resort.”
Added attractions to the area that go beyond the scope of real money gambling center on the Atlantic Ocean and the town’s free beaches as well as numerous high-end golf courses. Iconic restaurants such as Tony’s Baltimore Grill, Knife and Fork and Dock’s Oyster House remain an integral part of the local scene.
