Atlantic City celebrates 45 years of gaming, welcomes big changes just in time for the summer season

Atlantic City, New Jersey

As Memorial Day and the unofficial start of the summer travel season approaches, Atlantic City is marking 45 years since the first casino hotel outside of Nevada opened in the resort destination and is welcoming visitors with exciting new and updated offerings.

“Summer in Atlantic City offers the best the Jersey Shore has to offer for travelers looking to have some fun in the sun,” said Larry Sieg, President & CEO of Visit Atlantic City. “The city has been busy over the last several months, and visitors are in for a treat this summer. Opening this summer is Spiegelworld’s The Hook and the largest indoor waterpark on the East Coast, Island Waterpark at Showboat, and much more.”

In 1929, an icon was born on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Dubbed the “Wonder Theatre of the World’, the Warner Theatre became an east coast mecca for star-studded entertainment. Now, nearly a century later, guests will once again saunter from beach to boardwalk, through the theatre’s beautiful original façade, and into Spiegelworld’s The Hook, a world of entertainment featuring a new live stage show, interactive dining experience, and a myriad of bars — all part of a multi-million dollar renovation at Caesars Atlantic City Hotel & Casino.

Another of the city’s new attractions is The Island Water Park, the largest indoor/outdoor beachfront waterpark in the United States. Part of Showboat Hotel, the park is 100,000 sq. ft. and has a retractable glass-panel roof to allow for year-round operations. It features a wave pool, waterslides, and lazy river.

Newly renovated room at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa’s MGM Tower in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

As part of its own 20th-anniversary celebration this year, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa undertook a $55 million remodel of The Water Club, which has now been rebranded as the MGM Tower. Each of the tower’s 700 guestrooms was completely redesigned, including the addition of a collection of luxury Vista Suites located at the tower’s corners with extraordinary wraparound views of the Atlantic City skyline.

Borgata is also offering special anniversary casino promotions, including The $1,200,000 Road to Riches promotion featuring a 2023 Lexus GX460 and two Tomberlin golf carts. With drawings every Saturday through May and June, it will award an astonishing $102,000 in FREEPLAY to over 1,200 winners, with the Grand Prize drawings on May 27 and June 24.  Its $2,000,000 Roaring Twenties promotion runs June 25 through August 26, with over 2,000 winners winning their share of $2,000,000 in prizes, including a Cadillac CT5 Sport Sedan given away every Saturday in July and August.

Atlantic City visitors will find a number of new dining options throughout the city, such as La Strada at the Shore, serving creative Italian cuisine in Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City; Dos Caminos, serving authentic Mexican dishes at the Golden Nugget; The Soup Spot, offering a rotating selection of homemade soups at Ocean Casino Resort; Cardinal, a Contemporary American restaurant in the city’s Orange Loop District, and Good Dog Bar Atlantic City, a casual bar and restaurant located just four blocks from the Boardwalk

Upcoming Atlantic City summer events include:

  • Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival: From June 3 to 4 at Bader Field, visitors will enjoy over 120 breweries with exciting live music. For more information, visit.
  • Jimmy Johnson’s Atlantic City “Quest for the Ring” Championship Fishing Week: From July 16 to 23, NFL Coach Jimmy Johnson has teamed up with the Atlantic City Sports Commission for an entertaining and competitive sportfishing experience hosted at the Frank S. Farley State Marina at the Golden Nugget.
  • Santa Hustle: On Sunday, July 23, the inaugural Santa Hustle Christmas in July Atlantic City 5k, 9k, 12k, and Kids Dash will take place at Brighton Park.
  • TidalWave Music Festival: From August 11 to 13, the TidalWave Music Festival returns with country superstars Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, and Thomas Rhett serving as headliners.
  • Visit Atlantic City Airshow – Thunder Over the Boardwalk 2023: On August 15 and 15, the annual Visit Atlantic City Airshow will draw the attention of thousands of military and aviation lovers.
  • Deck Music Festival: The Golden Nugget Atlantic City’s The Deck will feature live performances throughout the summer, including The Deck Band on May 26, No Pressure on May 27, Don’t Call Me Francis on May 28, Red on May 29, Fakefest from June 19 to 25, British Invasion on July 22, and Deckstock August 12.

More information on visiting Atlantic City is available at www.atlanticcitynj.com.

Troy Petenbrink

Troy, also known as The Gay Traveler, is a well known travel and food writer. His has been a regular contributor to a variety of outlets including National Geographic, Travel Channel, DCRefined, CBS Local, and Metro Weekly. He also appears on local Washington news outlets as a travel expert.

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