By Lauren Wanko
NJ Today
Summer is typically the busiest time of year for Jersey Shore resort towns, but Atlantic City casino revenue slumped again in August — down nearly 5 percent. A Moody’s Investors Service report indicates casino revenue has fallen every year since it peaked in 2006, a decline totaling 44 percent or $2.17 billion, all while casino revenue in New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware has increased by $4.37 billion.
“The different jurisdictions, while they opened years ago, they continue to evolve just as Borgata has. The Atlantic City product and casinos down here has been pretty stagnant expect for the new capitol investment with,” said Joe Lupo, senior vice president of operations for Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. “I think we have to ensure that we keep the city new, fresh.”
And then there’s the convenience factor. Spectrum Gaming Group’s Joseph Weinert says there’s a redistribution of gambling revenue across the country and gamblers will choose to play closer to home. That, in turn, is driving people away from Atlantic City.
“You need that non-gaming attraction because, just face it — if you have a family we don’t want families to check Atlantic City off their list,” said Flyers Skate Zone General Manager Jesse Kurtz.
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa’s Lupo credits the aggressive marketing campaign, launched by the Atlantic City Alliance, with driving that message back to potential visitors. The Alliance just kicked off an extension of their DO AC campaign.
“People have their perception of Atlantic City. It’s about showing them that there’s shopping, there’s dining, we’re still open in the fall and the winter,” said Eric Cortes, social media manager for the Atlantic City Alliance.
But is the ad campaign effective? Wienhert says that’s difficult to measure. He points to the fact that non-gaming revenue numbers are healthy.
Executives hope they can begin offering internet gambling as early as November, although the Division of Gaming Enforcement’s director hasn’t announced the go-live date just yet. Still it’s another factor executives and officials are betting on to turn Atlantic City’s casino revenue numbers around.