Atlantic City casinos optimistic about summer season

Good weather for much of the Memorial Day weekend lured visitors to the resort city where officials say the boardwalk, beaches, shows and gaming halls were all packed.

After more than three years of declining revenues, Atlantic City casino executives are optimistic about the summer season.

Good weather for much of the Memorial Day weekend lured visitors to the resort city where officials say the boardwalk, beaches, shows and gaming halls were all packed.

Harrah’s Entertainment eastern division President Don Marrandino says Atlantic City needs to put more emphasis on activities other than gambling to boost business.

“We have to reinvent the market,” says Marrandino. “The core gamer is still the most important person that we have in Atlantic City. But we have to attract new people, and we’re doing that through more entertainment. The nightclub scene here is as good as any.”

Trump Entertainment Resorts CEO Mark Juliano says it was the best Memorial Day weekend in the resort city in five years.

“I think that it’s going to be a great summer,” says Juliano. “I think we’re going to have great weather and I think we’re going to have a lot of really, really good entertainment this year – much better than what we’ve had in the past couple of years.”

Marrandino and Juliano say Atlantic City casinos are not very concerned about the startup of table games in Pennsylvania and Delaware this summer. They believe non-gaming activities will help boost business in the casinos at the shore.