The countdown to Labor Day weekend is in its final days, but there is much more happening around Atlantic City this summer, and it cannot be contained within a holiday weekend.
Two casinos in the North Shore section of the city have exciting events lined up as June 28 (the anniversary of opening day) approaches.
Additionally, the Showboat Hotel is making progress with the construction of its Island Waterpark.
It’s Jersey Shore time, and if you’re eager for updates on new restaurants, we have just the scoop for you.
This sets the table for June’s Ocean City Boardwalk Talk.
Challenging Rock together with Ocean remember 4 several years
Yes, the Fourth of July weekend is less than a weekend away. However, before celebrating America’s Birthday, two Atlantic City casinos will be turning four.
June 28, 2018, was the day when Ocean Casino Resort and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino both opened their doors. There have certainly been some serious bumps along the way, with the biggest being the COVID shutdown for 100-plus days due to a global pandemic.
Fast-forward to today, and Hard Rock and Ocean are among the top-performing Atlantic City casinos.
As for the celebrations, there will be special Fourth of July casino promotions, exciting entertainment, and grand openings.
Hard Rock will be holding its fourth-anniversary $400,000 sweepstakes from Friday, June 24, to Monday, June 27. Four winners will receive $4,000 in free play every 30 minutes from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Participants can earn entries daily between 12:01 a.m. and 7:59 p.m.
And on June 27, gamblers will earn four-times rate points while playing slots and table games.
Shifting gears to the entertainment lineup, 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Lionel Richie will take the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena stage on June 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $99.
Renowned Italian mezzo-soprano Andrea Bocelli will perform on June 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $249.
Over at Ocean Casino Resort, Iron Chef Jose Garces is hosting a special Mediterranean-inspired dinner. Guests will enjoy a three-course meal with wine pairings while professional flamenco guitarist Gypsy Joe Vlado provides live music. Tickets are $89 per person (18% gratuity and tax included).
And for those wondering when the Ocean retail sportsbook will be reopening, the answer is Friday, July 1.
The Gallery Bar, Book & Games will be a new 12,000-square-foot space complete with 150 feet of LED walls, blackjack and roulette tables, and a 17-foot open-air staircase connecting to Balcony Bar.
The Ocean B-Day celebration also includes the Summer Kick-Off $750,000 Tournament taking place Saturday, June 25, through Tuesday, July 5. And there will be over 1,300 winners.
The casino’s 10X free play multiplier will be in effect on June 22, 28, and 30.
To the north Beach Ocean City fireworks
The North Shore Atlantic City fireworks celebration is penciled in for Friday, July 1, at 9:30 p.m. In addition to Hard Rock and Ocean, there will be other great viewing locations:
- Resorts Hotel & Casino
- Showboat Hotel
- Steel Pier
Tropicana Saturday nights fireworks can be back
Speaking of fireworks, waiting until the Fourth of July weekend sounds like a drag, but we have the perfect solution.
All summer long, the weekly Tropicana AC Saturday night fireworks light up the sky starting at 10 p.m. Just step out onto the Boardwalk and look up. The fireworks are accompanied by music. If you have never seen them, you should definitely consider adding them to your summer to-do list.
Tropical island Waterpark modify
If you happened to be walking past the Showboat Hotel on Thursday morning at 5:30 a.m. (although we’re not sure why you would be), you might have noticed several construction trucks.
And they were there for a good reason. Construction crews were onsite pouring over 700 meters of concrete for the main pump room of the Island Waterpark. This will house the waterpark pumps for the slides.
Showboat is calling this a “major construction milestone.”
There is still plenty of work to be done as the 103,000-square-foot year-round attraction isn’t expected to be ready until summer of 2023. A retractable glass-pane roof will cover the entire project, making it a year-round destination.
Read more about Tropical island Waterpark ideas here .
B Outstanding arrives at Borgata
Unlike the Boardwalk casinos, there hasn’t been much news from MGM Resorts about what’s new at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa.
Well, at least until earlier this week. B Rare is opening on Thursday, June 23. Yes, one steakhouse is replacing another. Those familiar with the Marina District property will know that this new concept is taking over the space previously occupied by Bobby Flay Steak.
Even more Atlantic Metropolis restaurant media
Other properties around town are busy with restaurant openings of their own. However, from what we are hearing, none of them are expected to be ready in May.
Ossu Japanese Tavern at the Tropicana is targeted for an early July debut. We expect the Trop to share the exact date soon.
Bobby’s Burgers at Harrah’s Resort may be ready by mid-July, but nothing has been officially announced yet.
PlayNJ will continue monitoring the Atlantic City restaurant scene. This includes Hell’s Kitchen at Caesars Atlantic City, where a later summer opening is still a possibility.
Next door at Bally’s AC, the outdoor portion of The Garden is opening on Friday, July 1. Live bands and DJs are scheduled throughout the Fourth of July weekend.
Fakefest delivers to Older Nugget Ocean City
You know it must be summer when the four-day Fakefest is taking place at the Golden Nugget Atlantic City. Basically, it’s a free open-air event featuring a lineup of some of the top East Coast cover bands.
The entire event is happening at The Terrace. You must be 21 or older to attend.
Here is the lineup:
Wednesday, June 23:
- B Street Band (Bruce Springsteen), 8 p.m.
- Friday, June 24:
- Completely Unchained (Van Halen), 6 p.m., 9:50 p.m.
- Nightrain (Guns & Roses), 8:20 p.m., 10:10 p.m.
Saturday, June 25:
- Refugee (Tom Petty), 1:30 p.m., 8 p.m.
- Tuesday’s Gone (Lynyrd Skynyrd), 7:10 p.m., 9:35 p.m.
- Stairway to Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin), 4:50 p.m., 11:20 p.m.
Sunday, June 26:
- Fleetwood Macked (Fleetwood Mac), 1 p.m., 7 p.m.
- Beginnings (Chicago), 2:50 p.m., 8:35 p.m.
- Separate Ways (Journey), 4:52 p.m., 10:20 p.m.
Bill Gelman has been reporting on the NJ gambling industry since 2018, right around the time when the Garden State launched sports betting. Bill transitioned from lead writer at PlayNJ and NJ Gambling Sites to his current role as managing editor in 2020. In addition to providing in-depth analysis on NJ gambling industry trends and news, Bill regularly sits down with Atlantic City casino industry executives to offer readers exclusive interviews and comprehensive coverage. Bill received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ithaca College. He has contributed to various Catena Media publications such as The Lines, Legal Sports Report, PlayPennsylvania, and PlayCanada.
