Atlantic City

Reopened for meetings business, and ready to conduct it safely and successfully By George Seli

Pre-COVID-19, Atlantic City’s meetings business was on a roll thanks to the dynamic team at Meet AC, major hotel re-brandings and timeless entertainment assets, including casinos, shows and the legendary Boardwalk. Beyond meetings and conventions, the city’s overall hospitality industry was responsible for an unprecedented economic impact. As Meet AC’s new President and CEO Larry Sieg points out, “Atlantic City couldn’t have had a better year than 2019. My sales team here at Meet AC had stellar performances in going out into the market and getting new business.”

Like all other successful meeting destinations, Atlantic City is now working toward reliving those glory days. Replacing Jim Wood, Sieg took the helm of Meet AC in July and immediately addressed the challenge of facilitating the city’s reopening efforts. “When I first came on board, I was working in partnership with the convention center, Boardwalk Hall and the CRDA [Casino Reinvestment Development Authority] to put together what the guide for reopening was going to look like,” says Sieg, formerly Director of Communications and Marketing with the CRDA and a 30-year veteran of the city’s tourism and hospitality industry. The finalized guide focuses on cleanliness and sanitation as the top priority. “For example, all of our restrooms [in the Atlantic City Convention Center] have been changed over to contactless, from the soap dispensers to the sinks to the facilities. [We’re also] working on filtration and HVAC for indoor air quality. Our partner, Spectra Venue Management, has done a really good job of putting together a plan to welcome back our convention attendees.”

While Meet AC retains large conventions on the books through 2026, the New Jersey government is currently restricting meetings to 25 or fewer participants indoors and 500 outdoors. Despite this limitation, “the city is open and doing well,” Sieg reports. “The casino industry has been doing really well since reopening, and many of the hotel properties have come up with creative ways [to host meetings]. Harrah’s, for example, created an outdoor meeting and convention space, so they’ve been able to do some events. Also, Ocean Casino Resort just had a tradeshow called Action Expo; it took place in their parking

“Our partner, Spectra Venue Management, has indoor dining, and more. Apart from new COVID-related safety initiatives, groups returning to the ACCC will note two significant upgrades. done a really good job of Last spring, the facility achieved LEED Gold certification, putting together a plan and in September 2019, the ACCC completed a $9.1 million to welcome back our convention attendees” renovation of its 32 restrooms. The ACCC houses 500,000 contiguous sq. ft. of exhibit space, five exhibit halls ranging in size from 29,400 sq. ft. to 199,500 sq. ft., 45 meeting rooms and —Larry Sieg, 29 covered loading docks. A pedestrian air bridge links the President and CEO, Meet AC convention center to the 502-room Sheraton Atlantic City, to provide consistent standards for all six facilities to follow in safely hosting events.

“We are excited to partner with convention centers and event facilities around the state of New Jersey on a safe, responsible and successful reopening,” said Spectra’s Jim McDonald, General Manager of the ACCC and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. “Our facilities directly impact the economies in the communities in which we serve and support thousands of jobs and union employees throughout the state. We support and provide a positive impact on local businesses and understand the continued operation of our organizations is a major component of their business model.”

The standards are being developed in collaboration with each venue’s staff and local health departments in each town, and will be informed by reopening and the New Jersey Department of which has its own 21,000-plus sq. ft. of meeting space. Back in 2015, Atlantic City welcomed a major addition garage. If you didn’t look at the walls, you would never even to its inventory of convention facilities when Harrah’s know you were in a parking garage; you would think you Atlantic City debuted the Waterfront Conference Center. were on a tradeshow floor.” The venue offers two 50,000-sq.-ft. ballrooms that can

The short-term focus for Meet AC, then, is booking be configured 300 different ways, generating more than small meetings. “Because we’re positioned so well — within 60 smaller meeting rooms, as well as 26,000 sq. ft. of driving distance of a third of the population of the United prefunction space. Aptly named, the Waterfront Conference States — we’re in a good place to hold small meetings,” Sieg Center overlooks the Absecon Inlet and connects to notes. “I think you’re going to see associations break their Harrah’s 2,590 guestrooms. larger conventions out into smaller ones and more regional Recently, Harrah’s completed a $56 million upgrade of [meetings]. And I believe that we are positioned really well to the 507 rooms in its Coastal Tower, as well as a $24 million handle those and bring them into the destination.” renovation of the 416 rooms in its Marina Tower. The ATLANTIC CITY CONVENTION CENTER JOINS NEW COALITION over $250 million investment that Harrah’s has made in The ACCC is one of six convention centers located Atlantic City during the last four years. The investment also throughout New Jersey that have recently come together to includes over $3 million in upgrades at the Pool After Dark create the New Jersey Convention Center Coalition. The nightclub and the new Gordon Ramsay Steak. NJCC Coalition (also including Cape May Convention Two other major hotel projects, both completed in the Center, Meadowlands Convention Center, NJ Convention summer of 2018, contributed to the pre-pandemic growth Center and Exposition Center, Ocean City Music Pier/ Atlantic City’s meeting industry experienced. First, Revel Civic Center and the Wildwood Convention Center) aims reopened as Ocean Casino Resort, offering groups 1,399

guidance from the state of New Jersey The Atlantic City Convention Center is a LEED Gold building as of last year renovations and the new conference center are part of an Health. Specific safety procedures already discussed include guestrooms, 160,000 sq. ft. of indoor and outdoor function increasing contact tracing, requiring masks for all occupants, space, and amenities such as Topgolf Swing Suite and the temperature checks at the door, following state guidelines for 32,000-sq.-ft. Exhale Fitness Spa. Second, the Hard Rock

Hotel & Casino Atlantic City resulted from a $500 million investment into the Taj Mahal Casino, redeveloping the exterior as well as the gaming and entertainment experience. The 2,000-room property offers more than 150,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space. Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena accommodates general sessions of 7,000 attendees or 300-plus-booth tradeshows.

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa has been undergoing property-wide enhancements, most recently investing more than $14 million into a new Lobby Bar and adjacent VIP check-in, as well as a redesign of over 300 Fiore Suites. Borgata has also introduced a new sports entertainment venue, Moneyline Bar & Book, and nightlife experience, Level One Cocktail Bar & Lounge, representing a $12 million Private dining is available at the elegant Knife & Fork Inn, established in 1912 investment. The Borgata offers groups 106,000 sq. ft. of function space, including 88,000 sq. ft. at the Boardwalk and on the beach, such as clambakes,” says Sieg, 2,000-room main hotel and 18,000 sq. ft. of high-tech meeting who has resided in New Jersey since 1980. Another option space at the 800-room The Water Club at Borgata. is Steel Pier, which opened in 1898. In 2017, the amusement park introduced a 227-ft.-high Observation Wheel featuring BEYOND THE CASINOS 40 climate-controlled gondolas. Unique packages for groups Atlantic City casinos are a natural draw for many attendees can be put together at Steel Pier. during their free time, and thankfully these venues have been On the topic of offsite activities, Sieg adds that “Our adjusting well to COVID protocols. However, many planners dining scene has exploded over the past 10 years with some will prefer to utilize at least some of that free time for group really great eclectic dining experiences. We also have a events that are conducive to networking. And as long as the lot of local distilleries that are opening up, which are great pandemic remains a concern, outdoor functions have the places to do offsite events.” One option is Little Water advantage of allowing for higher state-mandated attendee Distillery, the city’s first and only distillery to produce caps and, in some cases, better control over social distancing. whiskey, rum, vodka and gin. Along similar lines, planners

Fortunately, Atlantic City is home to the iconic Boardwalk can book a group event at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, and accompanying beaches. “We do a lot of events on the just steps from the Boardwalk and beach. The axe-throwing trend has caught on at some of Atlantic City’s bars; the recently opened AC Axe & Pub at Steel Pier is a case in point. Planners who have had to cancel their 2020 Atlantic City meetings due to COVID have certainly not forgotten the varied entertainment experiences the city offers, from gaming to shows to the beaches and Boardwalk. When those assets are combined with upgraded hotels and meeting facilities and the very proactive team at Meet AC, groups have plenty of incentive to rediscover Atlantic City in the near future. “The most important message is to let everyone know that Atlantic City is reopened, it’s strong and we’re looking forward to all being together again,” Sieg concludes. The historic Steel Pier was graced with a new Observation Wheel in 2017