| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 19/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 41 |
| Copyright: Other |
Pow wow: Regional campaign
ATLANTIC City, America’s favourite beach, entertainment and gaming resort on the East Coast, is aiming to lure more UK visitors to the famous boardwalk destination.Spurred on by the success of Las Vegas on the British market, the New Jersey resort has appointed London-based Interface International as its UK representative.
It will be responsible for direct marketing to tour operators and the media, creating an information database, organising educationals and working on other future marketing initiatives, including a direct-mail campaign.
Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority vice-president of tourism development Sara Lindkrantz, said: “This move takes us to the next level of international marketing and our aim is to put the city on the itineraries of major UK tour operators and wholesalers.”
The resort is about a 1hr drive from Philadelphia and within easy reach of other direct gateways such as New York (2.5hrs) and Washington (4hrs).
With this in mind, Lindkrantz hopes to persuade operators to include Atlantic City in their East Coast self-drive itineraries.
Key attractions are the resort’s 12 casinos which are open 24hrs, the US’s first boardwalk that stretches over four miles, sandy beaches and a constant entertainment programme including sporting events, concerts, shows and musicals.
There are also many themed attractions, fishing and boating, more than a dozen golf courses and the Farley State Marina recreational centre.
The Boardwalk Convention Hall, which first opened in 1929, is being remodelled at a cost of $72m and will transform the East Hall into a special events arena for family entertainment.
When completed next year, it will stage concerts, ice-skating shows, the annual Miss America Pageant and be the new home of the Hampton Roads Admirals professional ice hockey team. A new Atlantic City Convention Centre opened in 1997.
The continued investment in the city is also attracting additional multi-million dollar projects from major casino resort developers.
For example, Mirage Resorts is opening a $750m Le Jardin Casino Resort in 2002, offering 1,100 hotel rooms in the marina district – an area which is now connected to the Atlantic City Expressway via a newly designed $330m road link.
Boyd Gaming Corporation is also spending $750m on another casino hotel resort called The Borgata, featuring 1,200 rooms and suites, due to open in mid-2002. It will also have eight restaurants, a European-style health spa, a performing arts theatre and a nightclub.
A further $700m is being invested in the city by MGM Grand for a 500-room casino property on a 35-acre site next to the Showboat Casino Hotel. A date for its opening has yet to be set.
n Atlantic City CVA UK representatives are director Amanda Hills and marketing manager Kevin Harris.
They can be contacted by telephone on 020-8876 1352 or fax on 020-8878 9876.
East Coast appeal: the resort seeks to flag attractions such as its 12 casinos and its boardwalk