Stephen Starr To Open 2 New Restaurants In Atlantic City — His First There Since The Pandemic

The Philly restaurateur, who grew up going to the Jersey Shore, says preparing the establishments at Ocean Casino Resort is a 'full circle moment.'

Stephen Starr plans to open two new restaurants this summer in Atlantic City — one that serves Thanksgiving fare year-round and another with a menu centered on steak frites.

The restaurants, located inside the Ocean Casino Resort on the boardwalk, are the restaurateur's first in Atlantic City since he closed his Buddakan and Continental locations there during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those restaurants — offshoots of two of his best-known Philadelphia restaurants — operated at the former Playground Pier from 2006 to 2020.

The names of Starr's new restaurants, which will replace the Ocean Casino's former Sky Cafe and Harper's, and their opening dates have not been announced. The menu for his Thanksgiving-themed restaurant also includes comfort foods like pigs in a blanket, tuna tacos, pierogis and home-style meatloaf, a spokesperson for Ocean Casino Resort said Thursday.

"It feels like a full circle moment for me to work on restaurant projects in Atlantic City, a place where I formed some of my finest childhood memories, both at the beach and on America's most popular boardwalk, where I worked as a teenager," Starr said in a news release.

Starr, who built an eclectic empire of restaurants in Philly over the last three decades, has ventured outside the city over the years to open restaurants in New York City, Washington and a handful of locations in Florida.

Ocean Casino Resort previously had planned to open four new restaurants from Philadelphia restaurateur Michael Schulson last summer. But Schulson — known for Double Knot, Harp & Crown, Sampan and nine other restaurants — backed out of the arrangement months after the announcement.

"It has become more of a haven for me and my family — a place where we escape, reconnect, and relax together," Schulson told the Philadelphia Business Journal in July. "It was a difficult decision but with closer consideration and after talking more with my family, we won't be opening our concepts there this summer."

Ocean Casino Resort, formerly the Revel casino, has 1,860 guest rooms and suites after completing an $85 million renovation in recent years. In addition to the Gallery Bar Book and Games lounge and Balcony Bar, the hotel's restaurants include the Jose Garces concept Amada, Italian restaurant Linguini by the Sea and Ocean Steak.

Starr, who owns 18 restaurants in Philadelphia, has two more on the way in Center City. Borromini, an Italian restaurant, will open this summer in the former Barnes & Noble at Rittenhouse Square, and Starr also is planning to open another next year at the former Devon Seafood Grill at 225 S. 18th St.

https://www.phillyvoice.com/staff-contributors/michael-tanenbaum/

USA Today Names Mount Airy Casino Resort One Of The Top Ten Casino Hotels In The Country

Mount Airy Casino Resort, Pennsylvania's first AAA Four-Diamond casino resort, placed fifth on USA TODAY's Top 10 Readers' choice award for Best Casino Hotel in the country, topping iconic Atlantic City and Las Vegas properties, including the Borgata and Bellagio.
Mount Airy Casino Resort is also the only Pennsylvania casino resort to make the esteemed Top 10 list.

The USA TODAY Best Casino Hotels list is made up of the leading properties that offer both top-notch gaming along with excellent amenities. Mount Airy's award-winning dining, lavish rooms and suites, luxury spa, championship golf course, countless gaming options and first-class entertainment contributed to the prestigious award.

The 2023 Top 10 Best Casino Hotels named by USA Today are:

1. Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Connecticut

2. Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City, New Jersey

3. Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi

4. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

5. Mount Airy Casino Resort, Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania

6. Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Atlantic City

7. Harrah's Gulf Coast, Biloxi

8. Caesars Palace, Atlantic City

9. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida

10. Bellagio Las Vegas, Nevada

"To be named one of the top ten casino hotels in the country is an incredible achievement," said Lisa DeNaples, Mount Airy owner and managing trustee. "We are honored and humbled to be listed among the industry's elite and are grateful to our employees and valued guests for their support."

This latest award is added to an extensive list of honors Mount Airy has received so far this year, including 26 Best of Gaming awards from Casino Player Magazine, and another Four Diamond rating by AAA for the 13th consecutive year.

"With more than 1,500 casinos in the country, these accolades are a testament to the extensive amenities, lavish accommodations and unparalleled service Mount Airy Casino Resort offers," said Ben Koff, Mount Airy general manager and COO. "We pride ourselves on delivering one of the best casino resort experiences that guests can find anywhere."

In addition to almost 300 guestrooms and luxury suites, Mount Airy features a variety of signature restaurant options, including Guy Fieri's Mt. Pocono Kitchen and the award-winning Bistecca by Il Mulino. From casual eateries to upscale dining, there's something to suit every palate.

This all-encompassing, adults-only getaway pampers guests even further at the Spa at Mount Airy, which provides a perfect retreat after a day - or night - filled with excitement. The resort also features a 20,000 square-foot convention center and ballroom for those seeking the perfect wedding venue or conference space, while the four-season pool complex offers private cabanas, a poolside bar and lounge, and an outdoor deck area with table-side firepits and expansive views of the resort's award-winning, lakefront golf course.

For those seeking the ultimate gaming experience, the heart of Mount Airy is its impressive casino floor. Boasting nearly 1,700 slot machines, including both classic and modern favorites, as well as a wide selection of table games such as blackjack, craps and roulette, visitors are spoiled for choice. The casino also features a dedicated poker room and a multi-media sports betting lounge.

Renowned for its entertainment offerings, Mount Airy recently announced a diverse fall/winter lineup that includes British rocker John Waite, country crooners Lonestar, pop sensation Debbie Gibson, and Australia's hottest export, Thunder from Down Under.

With Mount Airy Casino Resort's vast array of luxurious accommodations, delectable dining, exciting gaming options and live entertainment, visitors to the Pocono escape can expect an unforgettable experience.

For more information or to make reservations, visit MountAiryCasino.com.

Crucial Summer For Atlantic City Starts With New Investments

This summer is a crucial one for Atlantic City as it tries to recover lost business during the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, and casinos and non-gambling resorts are putting millions into renovations and new attractions to compete for visitors.

Casinos and non-gambling companies are making big investments in what they hope will be a corner-turning season with customers more willing than in the previous two years to visit Atlantic City attractions amid the still-not-over pandemic.

“This is a really important summer for Atlantic City,” said Phil Juliano, senior vice president of Bally’s casino, which opened a 360-degree rotating bar and a part of an indoor-outdoor beer garden on Thursday. The projects are part of $100 million the company is investing in the property.

He said Atlantic City was showing signs of growth in early 2020, only to have those hopes dashed by the coronavirus pandemic which closed the casinos for 3 1/2 months in March, and led to operating restrictions for more than a year afterward.

“This is an interesting summer: You have inflation, you still have COVID and high gas prices, but you also have pent-up demand,” Juliano said. “People are coming out again, and we need that.”

Also on Thursday, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small announced the receipt of a $6 million federal grant to rebuild a section of the Boardwalk between Florida and Missouri avenues that is over 100 years old. Work will begin in the fall and be completed next summer.

The Atlantic City casino industry is vital to southern New Jersey’s economy, said Christina Renna, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey.

“As we continue to rebuild and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry’s growth and prosperity is more important than ever before,” she said.

Atlantic City enters the summer amid some encouraging signs — and some concerning weaknesses. The casinos’ collective revenue and profitability are up this year, but not all the casinos have surpassed the levels they were operating at in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

On Saturday, the Showboat hotel, the former casino, will open its $1.5 million indoor go-kart track, even as it works to build a $100 million year-round indoor water park, private financing for which was secured on Thursday, owner Bart Blatstein said.

He said his go-kart course is “another non-gambling amenity in a market where only 8% of visitors are families. It’s a way to bring in a new market.”

Resorts is working on a multi-million dollar renovation of its rooftop outdoor pool, including a retractable roof and party areas that should be ready in late June. On Friday, Resorts will open Coral Lounge, a new under-the-sea-themed pop-up bar.

The Ocean Casino Resort is in the midst of $85 million worth of projects, including the completion of over 460 hotel rooms and suites; a new sportsbook and lounge, and multiple new food and beverage outlets. It also will offer bicycle rentals outside its main entrance this summer.

Hard Rock will spend $20 million this year on renovations including adding 70 slot machines and seven more table games; renovating its convention space, beach bar and employee areas.

Caesars casino will start work this year on a new theater and resident show due to open in the first quarter of 2023. The project will incorporate the facade of the former Warner Theatre from 1929, which is currently part of the casino’s exterior facing the Boardwalk.

Also planned for Caesars in 2022 is a new restaurant, opened by a hospitality company involving actor Robert De Niro that also will renovate hotel rooms there. Caesars Entertainment is partnering with Nobu Hospitality for a project to be called Nobu Hotel Atlantic City.

Tropicana is adding eight new food and beverage outlets this year and Harrah’s will open three casual dining outlets.

By WAYNE PARRY

Investments In New Projects On Tap For 2022 In Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Atlantic City’s casinos are forging ahead with ambitious new projects in 2022, even as the coronavirus pandemic continues to make it harder to do business.

And non-casino projects involving family entertainment, education and the offshore wind industry will take flight in the new year.

But challenges lurk, as well.

In-person gambling revenue at seven of the nine casinos is down compared with 2019, before the pandemic hit. Sports betting and internet gambling revenue has filled some of the gap, but that money must be shared with third parties, including technology platforms and sports books, and is not solely for the casinos to keep.

A law passed signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in December gives the casinos some relief from big increases in payments they were due to pay to Atlantic City, Atlantic County and the schools system in lieu of property taxes.

A big unknown is how long and how seriously the COVID19 pandemic, and particularly the fast-spreading omicron variant, will affect customers’ willingness to come out and gamble in person in 2022.

And a big challenge is right around the corner when New York begins allowing people to bet on phones or other mobile devices anywhere in the state, as soon as January but almost certainly in time for the Super Bowl in February.

Gambling industry executives and analysts expect New Jersey to lose at least 20% of its sports betting volume as New York residents who formerly had to cross over into New Jersey to bet will be able to do it at or close to home.

Mark Giannantonio, president of Resorts casino, said he is “tremendously optimistic for a great year” in 2022.

Starting in February, Resorts is renovating its rooftop pool, adding a retractable roof to enable it to be used year-round. Resorts also is investing $5 million into new table games and slot machines, remodeling its high-limit slots area, and creating a new VIP Asian-themed room.

The Ocean Casino Resort plans to begin a $75 million project in spring or summer to finish 12 floors of hotel rooms that were never completed when the casino first opened as Revel in 2012.

Caesars casino will start work in 2022 on a new theater and resident show due to open in the first quarter of 2023. The project will incorporate the facade of the former Warner Theatre from 1929, which is currently part of the casino’s exterior facing the Boardwalk.

Also planned for Caesars in 2022 is a new restaurant opened by a hospitality company involving actor Robert De Niro that also will renovate hotel rooms there. Caesars Entertainment is partnering with Nobu Hospitality for a project to be called Nobu Hotel Atlantic City.

Bally’s will unveil 750 renovated hotel rooms, a redone hotel lobby and bar, and an indoor-outdoor entertainment venue in 2022.

A $100 million indoor water park to be built next to the former Showboat casino, which now operates as a nongambling hotel, plans a ground breaking for early 2022.

Atlantic City will host a three-day country music concert on the beach in August headlined by Luke Bryan and Morgan Wallen.

Construction is to begin in 2022 on a new ShopRite supermarket in Atlantic City, designed to end the city’s status as a “food desert” without a major supermarket. The project should open in 2023.

Stockton University hopes to complete a new student residence hall in the city in 2022.

Atlantic City will play a big role in the burgeoning offshore wind energy industry. Atlantic Cape Community College plans to open a wind energy workforce training center on its city campus in the fall, and wind developer Orsted hopes to start work in 2022 on a maintenance and operations center in Atlantic City to support its offshore wind projects in the area.

And a plan that has gotten little attention outside of Atlantic City but which will affect most visitors to the city is due to begin in 2022.

The city plans to reduce Atlantic Avenue, one of its two main north-south thoroughfares, from two lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction, in the name of pedestrian safety.

But many residents and businesses oppose the plan, predicting that traffic that is already difficult to navigate under current conditions will become even worse with only one lane in each direction.