Update: Governor Phil Murphy announced on June 22 that New Jersey casinos can reopen at 25% capacity from July 2, in time for the Fourth of July weekend. This comes as part of a new executive order permitting indoor gatherings of up to 100 persons or 25% of a room's capacity. Gov. Murphy added that casino visitors who do not comply with the facilities' safety measures will be escorted off the premises.
- Nj Casino Reopening Rules
- Nj Casino Reopening Plan
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- Nj Casino Reopening Plan
Next reopening stage excludes casinos
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said he hopes to allow Atlantic City casinos to reopen by July 4, but the decision appears to be at least a couple of weeks away. Murphy referenced the aspirational date on the AC Mike Show with Mike Lopez on WOND radio Sunday morning.
Casinos in the east coast gambling hub have been dark since March 16 in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. New Jersey is currently in Stage 1 of its reopening plan, called 'The Road Back'. In a Monday press conference, Governor Murphy announced that because public health metrics have greatly improved and are trending in the right direction, the state can enter Stage 2 on June 15.
According to the DOL, New Jersey's initial claims amounted to 71,017 for the week ending April 25, down 69,122 from April 18 jobless claims of 140,139. Heading into May, some 850,000+ workers have already filed for unemployment. One of the leading employers in the Garden State is the Hotel & Casino. Even when they were allowed to reopen in July, they had to restrict operations to 25% of capacity — limits that remain in place today. Chair of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy published guidance on what casinos should do in order to reopen safely and prevent a resurgence of the virus. Compliance within casinos appeared to be nearly universal. An Associated Press reporter said that in more than two hours on the floor of the Hard Rock Casino. Customers will have 30 days after reopening to redeem expired vouchers at the Casino Cashier. The health and well-being of our guests and employees is, as always, our top priority.
Outdoor dining and limited in-person retail can resume on June 15
Unfortunately for those who want to get back to gaming, he did not mention casinos. Outdoor dining and limited in-person retail can resume on June 15, provided there is no significant 'backslide' in the COVID-19 data, while salons and barber shops can reopen on June 22. Gyms and health clubs, among other venues, will be able to reopen sometime after that.
Casinos would seem to fall into Stage 3, which includes 'limited entertainment' and bars. All places that are permitted to reopen, regardless of the stage, must adhere to strict health and safety guidelines.
'Trying like heck' to get there
In his radio interview on Sunday, Governor Murphy said of a casino reopening date: 'It's probably still too early to give you a very specific answer, but there's a lot of work going into that right now.'
He added that he and his team are 'trying like heck to get toward' a target date of before or on the Fourth of July, where 'subject to a lot of different parameters the casinos can be open again.'
Nj Casino Reopening Rules
It's indoors, no ventilation. You're sedentary, you're in close proximity'
'The bad news is casinos sort of have the attributes that are hardest to deal with this virus. It's indoors, no ventilation. You're sedentary, you're in close proximity,' he said.
Murphy did say, though, that because casinos are 'big footprints', he thinks the health challenges are solvable, implying that despite the inherent disadvantages, the large spaces can lend themselves to social distancing.
Casinos reopening in other states
Though New Jersey's casino future is still up in the air, several states have begun reopening their gambling facilities. Most notably, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced last week that the Silver State's casinos can begin accepting guests on Thursday, June 4.
Most major gaming companies have announced which of their Las Vegas properties will be in the first phase of reopening. Included among many others are the Flamingo, Caesars Palace, Bellagio, New York-New York, MGM Grand, Wynn, and the Venetian.
The Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach has drawn kudos from the poker world
MGM has already reopened casinos in Mississippi, as has Eldorado in Louisiana. Several card rooms and casinos have also reopened in Florida, with Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood serving as a notable exception. The Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach has drawn kudos from the poker world for the safety measures it has taken in its poker room, including substituting the dealer puck with a bottle of hand sanitizer.
| Showboat Atlantic City | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Address | 801 Boardwalk[1] |
| Opening | March 30, 1987 (as casino/hotel) July 8, 2016 (as hotel only) |
| Renovated | 2003, 2007, 2016 |
| Closed | August 31, 2014 (as casino/hotel) |
| Owner | Bart Blatstein |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 1,331[2] |
| Website | |
| showboathotelac.com | |
| Theme | New Orleans, Mardi Gras |
| Total gaming space | 127,978 sq ft (11,889.5 m2)[2] |
| Casino type | Land-based |
The Showboat Atlantic City is a hotel and former casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Showboat opened as a casino hotel in 1987 and closed in 2014; the hotel reopened in 2016. It is owned by developer Bart Blatstein.[3]
History[edit]
On March 30, 1987, the Showboat Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center opened with a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) casino and a 60-lane bowling alley,[4] The complex was built on land leased from Resorts International,[5] just north of the under-construction Resorts Taj Mahal (which became the Trump Taj Mahal upon opening in 1990, now reopening as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City). The grand opening ceremony featured Bob Hope and Al Hirt.[4]
The Showboat opened the city's first racebook in 1993, following the legalization in 1990 of casino simulcast wagering.[6]
Steelman Partners completed a major renovation in 1995, creating a Mardi Gras theme.
Nj Casino Reopening Plan
In 1998, the property's parent company, Showboat, Inc., was purchased by Harrah's Entertainment, later known as Caesars Entertainment.
With the popularity of bowling on the decline, the bowling alley was closed in 2001, and the space was used for a new buffet and a coffee shop.[7]
In May 2003, the Showboat added a 544-room, $90 million hotel tower called the Orleans Tower. In 2007, the hotel remodeled its original tower, the Bourbon Tower.
In the past decade, many improvements were made to the establishment, including a new hotel tower and a House of Blues on the boardwalk, along with a complete renovation of the boardwalk facade.
In June 2014, Caesars Entertainment announced the planned closure of the Showboat, even though the property was profitable. The move was made in an effort to stabilize Caesars's other Atlantic City casinos.[8][9] After a buyer could not be found, the Showboat closed on August 31, 2014, at 4:00 p.m. It employed 2,100 people, but 470 of them were immediately hired at other Caesars casinos.[10] The shutdown came amid a wave of closures of Atlantic City properties, with four of the city's casinos closing in 2014.
On December 13, 2014, Richard Stockton College (later Stockton University) purchased the Showboat for $18 million, with plans to develop a full-service residential campus awarding undergraduate and graduate degrees and other professional training programs.[11][12] The plan was derailed by legal issues, and Stockton sold the property to Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein for $23 million in January 2016.[3][13][14][15][16][17]
Blatstein announced in June 2016 that the Showboat would reopen the following month as a non-gaming hotel.[18] The 'new' Showboat Atlantic City Hotel opened July 8, accepting reservations and welcoming guests. The new hotel features only one restaurant, bar and coffee shop. The former casino space and House of Blues areas are currently closed indefinitely and decorated with images of Atlantic City.
In February 2018, Blatstein took a preliminary step toward applying for a casino license for the property. Blatstein said 'There is over a billion dollars worth of investment in that part of the town that should not be ignored,' referring to the reopening of two shuttered casinos next to the Showboat, the Ocean Resort Casino and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Later that year, Blatstein also announced plans to convert 264 of the Showboat's hotel rooms into apartments.[19] In early 2019, Bart Blatstein was approved to apply for a casino license. Blatstein planned to build a new casino in the lot in between Showboat and Ocean Casino Resort. Due to a deed restriction placed on Showboat by Caesars Entertainment, the building may not be used as a casino, so building a new building was a way around it. The new casino was expected to break ground in 2020.[20] However, in December 2020, the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority approved Blatstein's request for financial assistance to turn the space originally intended for a casino into a $100 million indoor water park. Blatstein also sought to have the park designated as an entertainment retail district project, allowing the park to qualify for up to $2.5 million in annual sales tax breaks for 20 years.[21]
Dining[edit]
Current Restaurants
- Worship Surf Bar
- Canal Street Coffee Shop
- 12 Bar
- Bricker's Burgers & More [22]
- Atlantic City Eatery
Former Restaurants
- Atlantic City Eatery
- Casa di Napoli
- Crossroads
- Foundation Room Dining
- French Quarter Buffet
- Royal Noodle House
- Scarduzio's Steak - Sushi - Lounge
- Sundeck Coffee Shop
- Starbucks Coffee
- Worship Surf Bar
Amenities[edit]
Casinos in the east coast gambling hub have been dark since March 16 in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. New Jersey is currently in Stage 1 of its reopening plan, called 'The Road Back'. In a Monday press conference, Governor Murphy announced that because public health metrics have greatly improved and are trending in the right direction, the state can enter Stage 2 on June 15.
According to the DOL, New Jersey's initial claims amounted to 71,017 for the week ending April 25, down 69,122 from April 18 jobless claims of 140,139. Heading into May, some 850,000+ workers have already filed for unemployment. One of the leading employers in the Garden State is the Hotel & Casino. Even when they were allowed to reopen in July, they had to restrict operations to 25% of capacity — limits that remain in place today. Chair of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy published guidance on what casinos should do in order to reopen safely and prevent a resurgence of the virus. Compliance within casinos appeared to be nearly universal. An Associated Press reporter said that in more than two hours on the floor of the Hard Rock Casino. Customers will have 30 days after reopening to redeem expired vouchers at the Casino Cashier. The health and well-being of our guests and employees is, as always, our top priority.
Outdoor dining and limited in-person retail can resume on June 15
Unfortunately for those who want to get back to gaming, he did not mention casinos. Outdoor dining and limited in-person retail can resume on June 15, provided there is no significant 'backslide' in the COVID-19 data, while salons and barber shops can reopen on June 22. Gyms and health clubs, among other venues, will be able to reopen sometime after that.
Casinos would seem to fall into Stage 3, which includes 'limited entertainment' and bars. All places that are permitted to reopen, regardless of the stage, must adhere to strict health and safety guidelines.
'Trying like heck' to get there
In his radio interview on Sunday, Governor Murphy said of a casino reopening date: 'It's probably still too early to give you a very specific answer, but there's a lot of work going into that right now.'
He added that he and his team are 'trying like heck to get toward' a target date of before or on the Fourth of July, where 'subject to a lot of different parameters the casinos can be open again.'
Nj Casino Reopening Rules
It's indoors, no ventilation. You're sedentary, you're in close proximity'
'The bad news is casinos sort of have the attributes that are hardest to deal with this virus. It's indoors, no ventilation. You're sedentary, you're in close proximity,' he said.
Murphy did say, though, that because casinos are 'big footprints', he thinks the health challenges are solvable, implying that despite the inherent disadvantages, the large spaces can lend themselves to social distancing.
Casinos reopening in other states
Though New Jersey's casino future is still up in the air, several states have begun reopening their gambling facilities. Most notably, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced last week that the Silver State's casinos can begin accepting guests on Thursday, June 4.
Most major gaming companies have announced which of their Las Vegas properties will be in the first phase of reopening. Included among many others are the Flamingo, Caesars Palace, Bellagio, New York-New York, MGM Grand, Wynn, and the Venetian.
The Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach has drawn kudos from the poker world
MGM has already reopened casinos in Mississippi, as has Eldorado in Louisiana. Several card rooms and casinos have also reopened in Florida, with Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood serving as a notable exception. The Palm Beach Kennel Club in West Palm Beach has drawn kudos from the poker world for the safety measures it has taken in its poker room, including substituting the dealer puck with a bottle of hand sanitizer.
| Showboat Atlantic City | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Address | 801 Boardwalk[1] |
| Opening | March 30, 1987 (as casino/hotel) July 8, 2016 (as hotel only) |
| Renovated | 2003, 2007, 2016 |
| Closed | August 31, 2014 (as casino/hotel) |
| Owner | Bart Blatstein |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 1,331[2] |
| Website | |
| showboathotelac.com | |
| Theme | New Orleans, Mardi Gras |
| Total gaming space | 127,978 sq ft (11,889.5 m2)[2] |
| Casino type | Land-based |
The Showboat Atlantic City is a hotel and former casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Showboat opened as a casino hotel in 1987 and closed in 2014; the hotel reopened in 2016. It is owned by developer Bart Blatstein.[3]
History[edit]
On March 30, 1987, the Showboat Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center opened with a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) casino and a 60-lane bowling alley,[4] The complex was built on land leased from Resorts International,[5] just north of the under-construction Resorts Taj Mahal (which became the Trump Taj Mahal upon opening in 1990, now reopening as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City). The grand opening ceremony featured Bob Hope and Al Hirt.[4]
The Showboat opened the city's first racebook in 1993, following the legalization in 1990 of casino simulcast wagering.[6]
Steelman Partners completed a major renovation in 1995, creating a Mardi Gras theme.
Nj Casino Reopening Plan
In 1998, the property's parent company, Showboat, Inc., was purchased by Harrah's Entertainment, later known as Caesars Entertainment.
With the popularity of bowling on the decline, the bowling alley was closed in 2001, and the space was used for a new buffet and a coffee shop.[7]
In May 2003, the Showboat added a 544-room, $90 million hotel tower called the Orleans Tower. In 2007, the hotel remodeled its original tower, the Bourbon Tower.
In the past decade, many improvements were made to the establishment, including a new hotel tower and a House of Blues on the boardwalk, along with a complete renovation of the boardwalk facade.
In June 2014, Caesars Entertainment announced the planned closure of the Showboat, even though the property was profitable. The move was made in an effort to stabilize Caesars's other Atlantic City casinos.[8][9] After a buyer could not be found, the Showboat closed on August 31, 2014, at 4:00 p.m. It employed 2,100 people, but 470 of them were immediately hired at other Caesars casinos.[10] The shutdown came amid a wave of closures of Atlantic City properties, with four of the city's casinos closing in 2014.
On December 13, 2014, Richard Stockton College (later Stockton University) purchased the Showboat for $18 million, with plans to develop a full-service residential campus awarding undergraduate and graduate degrees and other professional training programs.[11][12] The plan was derailed by legal issues, and Stockton sold the property to Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein for $23 million in January 2016.[3][13][14][15][16][17]
Blatstein announced in June 2016 that the Showboat would reopen the following month as a non-gaming hotel.[18] The 'new' Showboat Atlantic City Hotel opened July 8, accepting reservations and welcoming guests. The new hotel features only one restaurant, bar and coffee shop. The former casino space and House of Blues areas are currently closed indefinitely and decorated with images of Atlantic City.
In February 2018, Blatstein took a preliminary step toward applying for a casino license for the property. Blatstein said 'There is over a billion dollars worth of investment in that part of the town that should not be ignored,' referring to the reopening of two shuttered casinos next to the Showboat, the Ocean Resort Casino and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Later that year, Blatstein also announced plans to convert 264 of the Showboat's hotel rooms into apartments.[19] In early 2019, Bart Blatstein was approved to apply for a casino license. Blatstein planned to build a new casino in the lot in between Showboat and Ocean Casino Resort. Due to a deed restriction placed on Showboat by Caesars Entertainment, the building may not be used as a casino, so building a new building was a way around it. The new casino was expected to break ground in 2020.[20] However, in December 2020, the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority approved Blatstein's request for financial assistance to turn the space originally intended for a casino into a $100 million indoor water park. Blatstein also sought to have the park designated as an entertainment retail district project, allowing the park to qualify for up to $2.5 million in annual sales tax breaks for 20 years.[21]
Dining[edit]
Current Restaurants
- Worship Surf Bar
- Canal Street Coffee Shop
- 12 Bar
- Bricker's Burgers & More [22]
- Atlantic City Eatery
Former Restaurants
- Atlantic City Eatery
- Casa di Napoli
- Crossroads
- Foundation Room Dining
- French Quarter Buffet
- Royal Noodle House
- Scarduzio's Steak - Sushi - Lounge
- Sundeck Coffee Shop
- Starbucks Coffee
- Worship Surf Bar
Amenities[edit]
Showboat has a 3,500 sq.ft. spa, a fitness center, a pool and two gift shops. Prior to the addition to the House of Blues, shows were performed in two venues, either the Mardi Gras Showroom or Mississippi Pavilion. Bob Hope was the first headliner at the resort. Other headliners included Phyllis Diller, Charo, The Judds, Ray Charles, The Spinners, Jack Jones, Alan King and Willie Nelson. Smaller Las Vegas-style revue shows were also sporadically booked in the Mardi Gras Showroom. The opening of The House of Blues in 2005 saw the entertainment bookings ranging from Cyndi LauperElvis Costello to the White Stripes to Erykah Badu. Boxing matches are held at the casino.[23]
Upon the reopening of the Showboat, the hotel rebranded the former House of Blues as the Bourbon Room[24] which hosts concerts and other events. The hotel also introduced a video arcade called Starcade[25] and a glow-in-the-dark miniature golf course sponsored by Glow Golf[26] However, both the Starcade and Glow Golf establishments have closed.
What Phase Is New Jersey In
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Property Record for 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ
- ^ abShowboat Atlantic City Review by Casino City
- ^ abJonathan Lai (January 15, 2016). 'Stockton completes Showboat sale to Blatstein'. Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
- ^ abDonald Janson (March 31, 1987). '12th casino hotel opens, with 60-lane attraction'. New York Times. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ^George Anastasia (February 11, 1986). 'Hearing focuses on Resorts as a redeveloper'. Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^Mike Farrell (May 29, 1993). 'Casino welcomes horses'. The Record. Bergen County, NJ. Archived from the original on March 29, 2015. – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- ^Joe Bob Briggs (January 9, 2002). 'The Vegas Guy: Showboat Atlantic City'. UPI. Retrieved 2014-12-13.
- ^'Caesars closing Showboat Casino 'to stabilize our business in Atlantic City'' | Breaking News | pressofatlanticcity.com
- ^Showboat closes after 27 years in Atlantic City - News - NorthJersey.com
- ^https://web.archive.org/web/20140830182513/http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20140829_ap_3fe0a255bdfd4830ae3c3c79ef8c17a2.html
- ^Forand, Rebecca (December 12, 2014). 'Stockton buys Showboat for $18 million, creating 'Island campus''. South Jersey Times. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
- ^Trump Taj Mahal blocking Stockton University move to Showboat, says school president | NJ.com
- ^Opinion: Showboat good for Stockton and A.C. - Opinion: Guest Writers - NorthJersey.com
- ^Stockton President Resigns Over Purchase of Bankrupt Showboat Casino - NJ Spotlight
- ^[1]
- ^New information indicates Stockton University broke N.J. law in purchasing Showboat casino - News - NorthJersey.com
- ^Costs from Stockton University's casino purchase grow - News - NorthJersey.com
- ^Wayne Parry (June 3, 2016). 'Atlantic City's Showboat is reopening — but without casino'. Seattle Times. AP. Retrieved 2016-06-03.
- ^David Danzis (October 24, 2018). 'Showboat may soon offer market-rate apartments'. Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
- ^Nicholas Huba (February 20, 2018). 'Is casino gaming returning to the Showboat?'. Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
- ^Devin O'Connor (December 29, 2020). 'New Jersey Casino Authority Approves Tax Credits for Showboat Atlantic City Water Park'. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
- ^https://www.showboathotelac.com/atlantic-city-hotel
- ^'Boxing is making a comeback in Atlantic City'. pressofatlanticcity.com. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
- ^https://www.bourbonroomac.com
- ^https://starcade-ac.com/
- ^https://www.opryglowgolf.com/locations/atlantic-city-new-jersey-showboat-hotel
External links[edit]
Nj Casino Reopening Plan
Coordinates: 39°21′42″N74°25′5″W / 39.36167°N 74.41806°W
