Through redevelopment and renovation, a star convention city shines brighter
By the numbers With 486,600 square feet of contiguous exhibit space that can be split into five halls, the Atlantic City Convention Center has one of the largest single exhibit halls on one level from Atlanta to Boston.
The storm has passed and Atlantic City is pushing full steam ahead in reinventing one of the country’s most beloved destinations for combining business and pleasure. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authori- ty along with local, state, and federal agencies have assessed the damage from Hurricane Sandy and proposed plans to replenish local beaches as well as to add new protective barriers, such as seawalls, to prevent future flooding and storm-related damage. Amid the rebuilding, the destination is also in the throes of a renaissance — new hotels, attrac- tions, and other developments have opened within the past several years, many of them revolving around the destination’s growing meetings and conventions industry, and more are in the works.
84 PCMA CONVENE FEBRUARY 2013
At the center of it all is the Atlantic City
Convention Center. Large-scale trade shows, conventions, and conferences — they’re all a perfect fit in one of the facility’s many flexible spaces. The largest — 486,600 square feet of contiguous exhibit space on one level — can be split into five separate halls, and 45 meeting rooms totaling 109,100 square feet of space make breakout sessions a breeze. The entire facility is outfitted with state-of- the-art technology for voice, data, and video communications, and in-house catering, 29 convienent loading docks, and a 1,400-space indoor parking garage help please both exhibitors and attendees. One of the Atlantic City Convention
Center’s best assets is its accessibility. The destination is within easy driving distance
of one-third of the U.S. population. Whether it's by air, car, train, or bus, visitors can get there quickly via two nearby international air- ports, three major highways, and New Jersey Transit Rail. And when visitors arrive, getting around is just as easy. Atlantic City’s Jitney mini-buses stop at every hotel and attraction, and taxis are readily available. Atlantic City has a long list of new devel-
opments in the works or recently completed. The Golden Nugget Atlantic City finished a $150-million renovation last year, adding new restaurants, shops, gaming and entertain- ment areas, and a $6-million spa. In July 2012, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa finished refresh- ing all 1,566 of its guest rooms — a $50-million project that also included the hotel’s corri- dors. The Garden Pier, home of the Atlantic