Is the Showboat Casino coming back to life?
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Jan 29, 2020 Showboat Atlantic City Casino: Great buffet at the Quarter - See 382 traveler reviews, 44 candid photos, and great deals for Atlantic City, NJ, at Tripadvisor. 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. Jan 29, 2020 Showboat Atlantic City Casino: Saturday Night Seafood Buffet - See 382 traveler reviews, 44 candid photos, and great deals for Atlantic City, NJ, at Tripadvisor. For two years I have been told that the best casino buffet in Atlantic City, New Jersey is at the Showboat Casino. When the casino first opened many years ago, I went to the Showboat's buffet a number of times. They were known THEN for their all you can eat lobster buffet and way back then it was served every night. Equally suited for a family getaway or a romantic weekend for two, the Showboat Hotel features 872 comfortable guest rooms and spacious suites, many with balconies overlooking Atlantic City’s iconic Boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean.
Property owner Bart Blatstein is at least seriously considering the idea. He appeared before the Casino Control Commission on March 18 and was granted preliminary approval to pursue a casino license.
The Philadelphia developer is not offering much in the way of details. But according to an Associated Pressarticle, he believes the Atlantic City market can handle one more casino.
“There are 104 casinos in Las Vegas in the middle of nowhere. We have nine casinos well within a short trip from one-third of the nation’s population. The market is looking for something different.”
Reviving former casino sites is becoming an ongoing theme along the Uptown section of the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
Showboat sits between the two newest additions — Hard Rock Atlantic City and Ocean Resort. The rebranded Trump Taj Mahal and Revel, respectively, both reopened on June 28 of last year.
But are 10 casinos a good idea for AC right now?
What we know about the Showboat casino plans
Caesars Entertainment closed the Showboat in August 2014 for not being “profitable enough.” The company placed a deed restriction on the property that it could not operate as a casino for 10 years. That restriction expires in 2024.
But Blatstein found a loophole around it.
According to the AP, the casino will not be part of the existing structure.
The plans are to build it on a vacant lot that Blatstein owns next to the Showboat. The former outdoor volleyball court is not included in the deed restriction. The two buildings can easily be connected.
Table games, slot machines, sports betting, and yes, NJ online gambling are all expected to be part of the proposed casino.
Blatstein plans on operating it through a third undisclosed party. And that company would need to be approved for a license.
10 casinos in Atlantic City: good or bad?
But there is an elephant in the room. How many casinos are too many for Atlantic City?
The opening of Hard Rock and Ocean brought fresh excitement to this previously struggling casino town. While the excitement was real, some see a downside.
According to the AP story, six of the seven casinos that were operating before the Hard Rock and Ocean joined the market won less from gamblers in 2018 over the previous year.
Once the gambling industry started expanding in nearby Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New York, AC was hit really hard.
Showboat was one of four properties to close its doors in 2014. Trump Plaza, the Atlantic Club, and Revel were the others. Trump Taj Mahal finally closed its doors in October 2016.
As such, the AC market fell from 12 casinos to seven in a matter of two years. Trump Plaza and Atlantic Club remain vacant with no plans to reopen.
At Ocean, the name is different but the story remains the same.
The casino portion of the business continues to struggle. In the meantime, the property is in the process of switching ownership once again, this time to Luxor Capital Group.
Showboat gambling in AC: then and now
But to understand the wishes of Showboat, you have to look back at its history and the history of the AC market.
The Showboat originally opened with a 60,000-square-foot casino back in 1987 and continued to offer slots and table games all the way up to its 2014 closing.
Blatstein purchased and reopened the property as a non-gaming hotel on July 8, 2016.
When Caesars Entertainment closed the property, NJ online gambling was still in its infancy. And the launch of legal sports betting in New Jersey remained an ongoing legal battle.
Fast forward to 2019, and NJ online casino revenue soars to the tune of back-to-back $30 million months.
The sports betting handle for the first two months of this year is at more than $700 millionand climbing. With mobile sports betting accounted for the majority of that total, there are obviously new avenues to generate revenue.
Online gambling makes 10 casinos seem possible
So the upside is that gambling sites in New Jersey have allowed casinos to grow despite increased competition.
Case in point is Golden Nugget. On any other day without its NJ online casino, Golden Nugget would likely be on its last legs. Its land-based casino revenue falls way behind Borgata.
But with its market-leading casino app, Golden Nugget finds an edge among the nine casinos.
In January, AC casinos generated $230 million in revenue and 21 percent of that came from online gambling.
Bart and his big AC plans
Bringing back gambling is just part of Blatstein’s vision for the Showboat.
Last summer, around the time Hard Rock and Ocean opened, the property completed a series of renovations that included the addition of 479 guest rooms and a renovated restaurant.
Blatstein also is in the process of converting 400 of the property’s hotel rooms to 264 market-rate apartments and rentals. There is no update as to when the project will be completed.
There also is talk of converting the Showboat’s former bus depot into a family entertainment center.
But with Blatstein, the biggest question is when.
For example, Blatstein also owns The Playground that connects to Caesars via a skywalk over the Boardwalk.
He reopened the property in 2015, but things have not exactly played out according to the $50 million transformation plans. T Street, a row of bars with different themes, was short lived.
And the complex that was once home to an Apple Store, Tiffany’s, and Gucci remains mostly vacant.
Blatstein is clearly invested in Atlantic City and willing to take a gamble. But time will tell whether or not his big gambling plans come to fruition.
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.
In 1998, the property's parent company, Showboat, Inc., was purchased by Harrah's Entertainment, later known as Caesars Entertainment.
Showboat Casino Buffet Atlantic City Nj Boardwalk
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.
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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. In early 2019, Bart Blatstein was approved to apply for a casino license. Blatstein has plans 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 is a way around it. The new casino is expected to break ground in 2020.[19] Later that year, Blatstein announced plans to convert 264 of the Showboat's hotel rooms into apartments.[20]
Dining[edit]
Current Restaurants
- Worship Surf Bar
- Canal Street Coffee Shop
- 12 Bar
- Bricker's Burgers & More [21]
- 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]
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Showboat Gaming Floor
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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.[22]
Upon the reopening of the Showboat, the hotel rebranded the former House of Blues as the Bourbon Room[23] which hosts concerts and other events. The hotel also introduced a video arcade called Starcade[24] and a glow-in-the-dark miniature golf course sponsored by Glow Golf[25] However, both the Starcade and Glow Golf establishments have closed.
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.
- ^Nicholas Huba (February 20, 2018). 'Is casino gaming returning to the Showboat?'. Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
- ^David Danzis (October 24, 2018). 'Showboat may soon offer market-rate apartments'. Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
- ^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]
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Coordinates: 39°21′42″N74°25′5″W / 39.36167°N 74.41806°W
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