Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority
Located in the heart of the Northeast and within easy driving distance of a third of the population of the United States, Atlantic City is the gaming capital of the Northeast and one of America’s premier resort and entertainment destinations. Settled in 1783, Atlantic City is just 11.92 square miles long but boasts many historic firsts, such as being the site of the world’s first Boardwalk and salt-water taffy’s first development. The famed Monopoly board’s streets are named after Atlantic City’s. Atlantic City is 60 miles from Philadelphia, 125 miles from New York, and 175 miles from Washington, DC.
The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) markets the Atlantic City region as a favored destination for visitors and conventions. The ACCVA owns, operates and markets both the Atlantic City Convention Center and Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall, as well as two Visitor Information Centers.
The Atlantic City Convention Center set a new standard for convention facilities when it opened in 1997. The convention center’s main level is more than six football fields long and two football fields wide. It offers unparalleled features with 486,600 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, 45 meeting rooms totaling 109,100 square feet, and advanced business communications technology, all in a bright and airy atmosphere. Plus, quality in-house catering, 29 covered loading docks for easy move-in and move-out and 1,400 on-site parking spaces for the convenience of our visitors.
The Convention Center is also home to one of the largest single-roof solar arrays in the United States. The solar power system covers two-thirds of the main roof of the convention center or about 290,000 square feet and provides approximately 30% of the Atlantic City Convention Center’s electrical usage. The solar project was the first in a series of green initiatives both big and small in order to use natural resources to run the convention center more efficiently, including reducing energy usage in the center and initiating a stringent recycling program. The ACCVA is also a charter member of the Convene Green Alliance and recognized for an aggressive recycling program.
Historic Boardwalk Hall, built in 1929, reopened in October 2001 after $90 million in renovations and has consistently been ranked as one of the top grossing mid-sized venues in the country and the world by Billboard and Venues Today magazines. The building is a first class multi-purpose facility for family entertainment such as the Atlantic City Boardwalk Rodeo, concerts including headliners Lady Gaga and Michael Buble, ice skating shows, boxing, college and other special events. Additionally, the renovated Boardwalk Hall complements the Atlantic City Convention Center as a unique venue for meetings.
Atlantic City provides high-voltage nightlife, accommodations including non-casino hotels such as the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel, Fairfield Inn by Marriott, The Chelsea, and The Water Club by Borgata, among others; and 12 world-famous casinos including the newly renovated Golden Nugget (at the site of the former Trump Marina) and the all-new Revel lifestyle resort on the Boardwalk.
Revel, with nearly 1,900 hotel rooms, a 150,000 square foot casino, retail, convention space, event center, spa, nightclub and more is just one of the latest of many new investments in the city. The third phase of Tanger Outlets The Walk includes name brand retail outlets like Puma and Hanes Brand.
The Walk is now served by The Wave parking garage, providing convenient access to the outlet stores as well as to the Convention Center, Boardwalk Hall and shops and restaurants in the Ducktown neighborhood.
The aforementioned Trump Marina Hotel Casino was purchased by international restaurant and gaming operator Landry's Inc., which now operates it under their Golden Nugget brand. It features completely redesigned rooms, a new pool with the H2O lounge and deck, nightly entertainment, a new spa and salon, a Chart House restaurant and Red Room Nightclub, among other amenities.
Atlantic City’s first casino, Resorts, now features a roaring 1920s theme and expanded entertainment options including Pro Bar, the first GLBT-friendly nightclub within a casino, Night Fever dance club, the Piano Bar and Torch Whiskey Lounge.
The venerable and historic Steel Pier is also undergoing a transformation. A three-phase project over three years is adding a nightclub, new midway and food options, a ballroom and new rides, and will be partially enclosed, enabling it to remain open most of the year.
Atlantic City is one of the world’s favorite destinations and the beach differentiates it from any other gaming locale. Running the length of the beach, the first permanent Boardwalk was built in 1870 as a way to keep sand off of hotel carpets. It is now lined with casinos, hotels, shops and eateries.
Atlantic City’s oceanside location also provides ample opportunity for day cruises, sailing, fishing, boat, canoe or kayak rentals. Gardner’s Basin offers an aquarium, dockside restaurants, a crafters village, dolphin watching cruises, fishing excursions and parasailing, while nearby parks offer scenic views, hiking trails, bird-watching and log cabins.
Atlantic City is increasingly becoming known for its thriving culinary scene with some of the top chefs in the industry, including Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck, opening restaurants here alongside other nationally acclaimed locales such as The Palm, Cuba Libre, and Buddakan, among many others. Atlantic City’s world-class shopping venues include Atlantic City Outlets – The Walk, The Pier Shops at Caesars, and The Quarter at Tropicana. And with 30 golf courses located within 30 miles, is it any wonder that Atlantic City was ranked among the Top Ten Golf Cities in America by ForbesTraveler.com?
Whatever you like to do on a getaway, you can do it in Atlantic City. To learn more about the Atlantic City region, call toll free 1-888-AC-VISIT, or visit www.doatlatniccity.com. Also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AtlanticCityNJ.