Hard Rock, Ocean and Resorts Casinos Team with Businesses to Jointly Tout Atlantic City

The Hard Rock, Ocean and Resorts casinos of the Atlantic City have jointly launched a new marketing and entertainment effort to brand the north end of the historic boardwalk as “North Beach.”

Together with attractions like the Steel Pier, the non-gambling Showboat Hotel, and businesses on a rejuvenating Tennessee Avenue, they are holding block parties at the beginning and end of summer and music-themed events each Monday. The collective effort will cost “tens of thousands of dollars,” Hard Rock President Joe Lupo said.

“We were all working together for the first time to highlight what is a great experience here in North Beach. A guest can have three totally different casino experiences with maybe 40 different restaurants within a 10-minute walk,” Eric Matejevich, acting CEO of the Ocean Casino Resort said.

“It makes no sense whatsoever not to work together and promote this end of town. No doubt about it, it’s a new way of looking at things. It will raise all boats,” Resorts President Mark Giannantonio said.

Five of Atlantic City’s 12 casinos shut down between 2014 and 2016; the remaining seven casinos adjusted to the smaller market with less competition and stabilised their finances.

Overall casino revenue has increased since last year because there are now two more casinos winning money from gamblers, even as profits shrank due to the greater competition.

“It’s great to see the sports betting revenue and online revenue figures increase, but a lot of that is going to third parties. It’s about how do we increase revenue and visitation for the brick and mortar properties here,” Lupo said.