Atlantic City, N.J., is undergoing a face-lift, and waterparks often are in the plan. The Atlantic Club is the latest defunct Boardwalk casino property to include waterparks in its renovation. The first of four A.C. casinos to close in 2014, its redevelopment plan includes, among other things, an 81,000-square-foot indoor waterpark and another, nearly 27,000-square-foot waterpark.
For the city long known as the Gambling Capital of the East Coast, this trend is remarkable. The tide began to turn as gaming came to nearby states and people no longer had to make the long trip to Atlantic City casinos if they wanted to gamble. Approximately nine years ago, the city’s casino owners realized they had to offer more if they were going to survive. Indeed, casino revenue plummeted from a high of $5.2 billion in 2006 to $2.74 billion in 2014, according to NBC10 in Philadelphia.
This year, Aquatics International has reported other instances of casino properties being renovated to include waterparks. For example, the bankrupt Revel Casino-Hotel in Atlantic City is undergoing just such a makeover -- and over in Biloxi, Miss., Casino Magic is being totally transformed.
Meanwhile, developers are moving forward with a number of nongaming attractions for the former Atlantic Club site. Read More
