It's a Small World After All

"Two Worlds beats one City"
"Way beyond the boredwalk"
"Escape the Jersey snore"

This is some of the language used in the advertising campaign by the two Connecticut casinos in an attempt to lure the Atlantic City customer base away from our market and paint their region as a resort and entertainment destination. Working in a law firm, permit me the use of an old cliche- Let the record reflect.

In a side by side comparison - there in none. Let us begin with one of the most glaring observations. We have the Atlantic Ocean as our swimming pool and it provides our visitors hours of outdoor recreation - swimming, surfing, boating, fishing. And if that is not enough, we even have our own Aquarium.

Atlantic City is home to 11 casinos, Connecticut two. We have nearly 500 restaurants in and around Atlantic City, they have 43. And if you are in the mood for dancing the night away you get to choose from 45 different venues, not counting the numerous bars, taverns and clubs surrounding the shore towns (here is a fun fact - hotel industry experts have picked Harrah's The Pool as one of the top hotels for nightlife in the country).

Atlantic City can provide up to 15,000 hotel rooms, while the Connecticut comes in at 3500. As for the ability to provide entertainment, Atlantic City casinos have 15 theaters to choose from, not including Boardwalk Hall. If you go to Connecticut you get a choice of three. Spas; they have two, we have 18, including the new Immersion Spa on the 32nd and 33rd floor of the Waterclub. As for shopping, hands down it goes to Atlantic City. We have The Walk, Pier Shops and the Quarter.

All this and still more to come. When the Revel project is complete, Atlantic City will add another 150,000 sq. feet of gaming space, 1900 hotel rooms, three theaters/entertainment venues, a 30,000 sq. ft. spa, 20 restaurants and 45 retail shops.

Our job as members of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber is to sing this message loud and clear throughout our region and particularly to our legislators. Atlantic City is a true destination resort that provides recreation, gaming, and world class dining and entertainment 365 days a year.

However, if you are still interested in visiting the Connecticut casinos, you can look forward to experiencing one of their state's greatest attractions... the world's largest parking lot - Interstate 95.

Kenneth J. Calemmo, Jr., Chairman
Greater Atlantic City Chamber

Photo by Alex Anton, Anton Images