Guide to Meeting & Event Planning in

Atlantic City

Event Venues, Additions & Renovations in Atlantic City

• The Atlantic City Convention Center and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall are open for business and operating at 100 percent capacity. Our Plan to Keep You Safe outlines Meet AC's safety and health protocols.

• Meet AC offers a number of tools designed to help planners and visitors become better acquainted with the destination and the CVB’s services. The Atlantic City virtual reality experience features two distinctly different virtual tours, Meetings and Conventions and Destination. The Meetings and Conventions tour spotlights everything planners and attendees need to know and see in Atlantic City. The Destination tour focuses on special offerings provided by the destination’s hotels as well as information on its beach, Boardwalk and shopping opportunities. A YouTube channel features podcasts captured throughout the city, along with client testimonials and behind-the-scenes footage of past events. Also available are a meeting planning guide that contains specs for Atlantic City’s venues, a convention services kit, and an Atlantic City Convention Center event planning guide where planners can find information about holding future events at the venue. 

• The Atlantic City Convention Center has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification in accordance with the LEED rating system developed by the U.S. Green Buildings Council. In addition, the Atlantic City Convention Center and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall became New Jersey’s first Convention Center and Arena to achieve GBAC STAR facility accreditation.

• Atlantic City’s steakhouse scene is sizzling even more with the opening of B-Prime Steakhouse at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. Billed as a “modern, chic alternative to the classic steakhouse," the restaurant serves steaks sourced from Japan, New Jersey, Idaho, and Texas, along with local produce. Non-carnivores can enjoy fare including Dover sole Veronique, cauliflower steak, organic chicken with a choice of sauces, and scallops. A large selection of raw-bar items is also available.

• Ground has been broken for the 103,000-square-foot ISLAND Waterpark at Showboat Atlantic City. The indoor portion of the attraction will have a transparent, retractable roof and approximately 100,000 square feet of water slides, pools, and lazy rivers, plus food and beverage outlets, party rooms, lounge areas, and more. Outdoor features include an additional lazy river, an enclosed water slide, and a bar facility facing the Atlantic Ocean. A family entertainment center with an arcade and other games is also in the works for the waterpark. A state-of-the-art go-kart racetrack has debuted at the resort's Lucky Snake Entertainment Center. Featuring an “Escaping Las Vegas” theme, the 40,000-square-foot Raceway at the Lucky Snake is an experience for drivers of all ages via custom electric go-karts manufactured in Italy. Drivers can record their ride and upload the footage to social media using 4K cameras attached to their helmets, and spectators can view the action from elevated viewing areas. 

• Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City has announced plans to reinvest a minimum of $20 million in capital improvements to the property. Most of the investment has been earmarked for a renovation of the casino resort’s 66 Celebrity and 25 Roxy suites. Other enhancements include upgrades to the resort’s meeting and convention space and indoor pool; the addition of gaming units in the Asian and High Limit areas of the casino; and an expansion of the main casino floor and cage areas to include new table games and slot machines. Upgrades of the Hard Rock Beach Bar will involve the construction of new restrooms and the addition of more than 1,000 beach chairs. Sandpiper Coastal Bar & Grill is the newest restaurant to join the resort's lineup of dining venues. The menu features an eclectic seasonal fare designed for sharing.

• Bally’s Atlantic City has a new Carousel Bar—the first venue of its kind in Atlantic City — that offers visitors 360-degree views of the property’s casino and adjacent areas on a 24-seat platform that makes several revolutions per hour. The menu of libations features modern craft cocktails inspired by Atlantic City, including the Merry Go Round (lemon vodka, Hammonton blueberries, lemon bitters, and cotton candy cooler); Shore Breeze (cucumber gin, Aperol, sweet vermouth, and lemon tonic); Funnel Cake Espresso Martini (vodka, espresso, house-selected coffee liquor, funnel cake syrup, crème, espresso cocoa bean, and a powder dusting); and the Sea Spray Spritz (prosecco, Blanco tequila, dry vermouth, passion fruit). Another new food and beverage outlet at the property is The Yard. Open year-round, the beer garden-style venue offers live entertainment, a "gastro pub" menu, a curated tap list featuring brews from local and national brewers, and craft cocktails. Lounge-style seating and ‘90s-themed outdoor games add to the atmosphere.

• Ocean Casino Resort will debut a venue this summer that combines an elevated bar and lounge, table gaming and sports betting in one spot. 

• Resorts Casino Hotel has reopened its rooftop pool, adding a retractable roof that will enable the pool and pool deck to be used year-round. The enhancement will allow the space to be available for meetings and events. Other new features added  as part of the renovation include a 12-seat, cabana-style bar, an upgraded fitness center, and 100 new loungers for the pool enclosure and adjacent outdoor sun deck.  

• Caesars Entertainment has embarked on a project intended to help propel the company toward its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 100 percent before 2050. Included in the project are  the installation of two solar canopies at Caesars Atlantic City; two solar canopies, plus a rooftop system at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, and a canopy at Tropicana Atlantic City. In addition to generating clean energy, the canopies will provide shade to guest and staff parking areas and reduce snow removal costs, while the rooftop system will limit UV exposure to the roof, reducing cooling needs and extending its lifespan. Slated for completion in late 2022, the installations are expected to generate enough clean, renewable energy for the three properties each year to avoid 8,144 tons of carbon dioxide annually and equivalent to removing 1,592 gas-powered cars from the road annually.

• In other news from Caesars Entertainment, the company has inked a $75 million deal with entertainment conglomerate Spiegelworld to create three new shows at its resorts in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and New Orleans. The Atlantic City portion of the deal calls for Spiegelworld to refurbish and reopen the historic Warner Theatre, a 4,300-seat showroom and movie palace located on the Boardwalk steps from Caesars Atlantic City. Once considered the crown jewel of Atlantic City, the theater—which is slated to make its debut in early 2023—will retain its original, sweeping Spanish-Mediterranean façade. The company has pledged to spend $400 million on renovations at its three Atlantic City properties, Caesars, Harrah’s Resort and Tropicana Atlantic City, by 2023. As part of the project, Caesars has partnered with Nobu Hospitality to open a Nobu restaurant and turn several floors at Caesars in to a Nobu Hotel; both are expected to debut in 2022. Another addition, set to open summer 2022, is Chef Gordon Ramsay's Hell’s Kitchen restaurant. The three-level eatery will feature Ramsay’s signature classics, like beef Wellington, sticky toffee pudding and the Smoke on the Boulevard cocktail, served in a lantern adorned with dry ice. At Harrah's, the new Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay has opened. The menu features classic burger options plus burgers with a twist, such as the Bobby Blue & Bacon Burger topped with bleu cheese sauce and bacon and the Nacho Burger with hot queso and jalapenos.

• Eight new dining and entertainment concepts, along with gaming enhancements, are on tap for Tropicana Atlantic City starting this summer.  Restaurant arrivals include the now-open Wild Honey Smokehouse and Tavern, a 5,000-square-foot spot serving regional barbecue specialties from across the U.S., and Ossu Japanese Tavern, billed as a “modern Japanese tavern experience” focusing on small plates, yakitori, sushi, and more. Later in the year, look for Hash House A Go Go, known for “twisted farm food” and crafted cocktails with a Midwestern flair; Purple Zebra, a daiquiri bar; Gin Rickey’s, a live music singalong bar with live entertainment; The Royce Social Hall, “an American beer hall-meets-adult rec room;” Il Verdi, already ranked as one of Atlantic City’s top restaurants and now in a new beachfront location; and Hawthorne & Cork, an intimate, refined signature bar and lounge serving bespoke cocktails, fine wines, and spirits. In gaming enhancements, a Caesars Rewards experience center will combine digital and in-person gaming, with tablets and a Caesars Sportsbook app center in a shared space. Being added as well are 240 new games, with more than 200 new titles on the gaming floor.

• Two local developers are in the process of purchasing The Madison Hotel Boardwalk Atlantic City, an historic property situated near the up-and-coming Orange Loop district. According to press reports, they plan to upgrade the 124-suite property and open in late May 2022.

• Work on Phase II of Stockton University’s  residential expansion project is well underway and slated to wrap up by 2023.  The project involves the construction of a six-story, 416-bed, 135,000-square-foot student residence hall at Atlantic and South Providence avenues, across from O’Donnell Memorial Park. Other accommodations and facilities at the university include the 533-bed Boardwalk residence hall and a three-story academic building that opened in fall 2018.

• A local development and investment firm has proposed to build The Cardinal Restaurant & Hotel on the site of a currently vacant building at 151 New York Avenue. The plans call for the construction of a five-story building with 12 boutique hotel rooms, rooftop dining and a 300-seat restaurant.

• Two iconic Atlantic City restaurants—the Knife & Fork Inn and Dock’s Oyster House have joined forces to introduce a Dougherty's Steakhouse & Raw Bar at Resorts Casino Hotel. The restaurant features a classic steakhouse menu, a raw bar, and live entertainment.

• A honeybee colony has been installed on the roof at Tanger Outlets Atlantic City in partnership with social beekeeping company Alvéole. The latest extension of Tanger Outlets’ commitment to environmental responsibility, the seasonal program integrates sustainability practices locally and highlights the importance of building back biodiversity within communities.  As part of the program, the center hosts educational bee workshops for visitors and retailers, with resident beekeeper Allison Gratton providing a hands-on, interactive experience. Artisanal honey produced by the bees is shared with the community.

• Trendy casual meets New York deli at Water Dog, the newest addition to the restaurant lineup at Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino. An eclectic mix of breakfast, lunch and dinner options including artisanal bagels with house-smoked fish; stacked, New York-style sandwiches; lobster rolls; Poke bowls, and truffle-grilled filet mignon.  Libations include handcrafted cocktails, local craft beers, bottomless Mimosas every morning, and Water Dog’s own bourbon. 

• The 23,100-square-foot Adrian Philips Theater at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall features a stage with a 48-foot proscenium opening, as well as an open-air loggia that overlooks the beach and Boardwalk. With a capacity ranging from 1,000 people in rounds to 3,200 in theater-style seating, the facility is suitable for a variety of functions, including theatrical events, concerts, galas and banquets.
 
• Hold your event in a tented space perched 1,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean. The Ocean Reef Oasis at the Steel Pier serves a wide variety of fare, with catering packages that include everything from barbecue favorites, sliders, crab cakes and a clam bake to Italian specialties and freshly carved roast beef. Groups using the venue can also enjoy optional extras, like bonfires on the beach, assorted rides and amusements, and helicopter journeys.

Getting Active & Outdoors

• Get your golf on: Casino gambling and sports books are not the only games in town. Golf is another option, especially now that several previously private courses in and near the destination are open for public play. One of the oldest facilities of its kind in the U.S., the layout at the Atlantic City Country Club has been named the number-one public golf course in New Jersey by Golf Week, Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. The course is known for its finely manicured fairways and large sloping green complexes protected by sand bunkers. Long carries over natural ponds and saltwater marshes make a formidable challenge for any golfer. The Vineyard National Golf Course at Renault at Renault Winery Resort & Golf features a 7,200-yard layout with vineyard views. Meandering subtly through South Jersey’s Pinelands, the course offers challenges at every turn — such as an island green surrounded by treacherous bunkers at the third hole, and a bentgrass hollow at the 10th hole. Situated on 350 acres of land, the Ballamor Golf Club has wide, easy-to-hit fairways and large greens. One highlight is the 15th hole, a 347-yard par four with a challenging tee shot. After clearing the water, players must decide whether to carry a massive bunker on the left corner of a dogleg with a 220-yard drive or take a long shot with bunkers everywhere in sight.

• Atlantic City’s Inlet neighborhood will be home to North Beach Mini Golf, slated to open on the Boardwalk at Euclid Avenue this year. With views of Absecon Lighthouse and Absecon Inlet, the attraction will feature a natural motif with greenery, nautical elements, and flowing water. Several of the course’s holes will pay homage to Atlantic City’s casino gaming heritage. Bike rentals will be available as well.

• Don’t have time to hit the greens? Topgolf Swing Suite at Ocean Casino Resort offers an immersive experience with seven private bays to play; food; beverages, and views of the ocean and Boardwalk.
 
• Bike the boards: A bicycle ride is one of the best ways to experience Atlantic City's famed five-mile Boardwalk and all it offers. Cycle nonstop or pause to enjoy ocean views, shops, restaurants, bars and traditional beach-resort treats like salt water taffy and fudge.

• Ride the waves: Atlantic City has three surfing beaches: Crystal Beach at New Hampshire Avenue, Delaware Avenue Beach and Downtown Beach at Raleigh Avenue. Several surf shops on the Boardwalk, including AC Surf School and the Jersey Devil Surf, provide surfing lessons as well as rent out equipment. Paddleboard rentals and lessons also are available.

• Hit the sand: Atlantic City's expansive beaches are great for a run or walk. There's no need to purchase a beach badge — admission is free, even during the busy summer months.

• All aboard: Boardwalk Tram Service operates electric tramcars that transport visitors anywhere along the Boardwalk from the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel Atlantic City to the Tropicana Casino and Resort. Adult fare is $4 one way and $8 for an all-day pass; group rates are available on request.

Extending Your Trip in Atlantic City

• Award-winning eats: Atlantic City’s Kelsey & Kim’s Southern Cafe has been named to Yelp’s list of the best fried chicken joints in all 50 U.S. states, while Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall has ranked as number six on USA Today’s list of the 10 best beer bars in the country. Try Kelsey & Kim’s fried chicken atop fluffy waffles or by itself, with a side of macaroni and cheese, collard greens, coleslaw, potato salad, candied yams, rice and gravy, broccoli, or string beans. Other specialties include slow-smoked barbecued pork ribs and shrimp and grits. Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall offers 40 different craft beers on draft and more than 60 in bottles and cans. The menu also includes craft cocktails and a modern twist on hamburgers and hot dogs.

• Thrills and chills: The Steel Pier stirs up excitement with more than 20 rides, from classics like bumper cars to extreme options like the Slingshot. The Steel Pier's newest attraction, the Observation Wheel, transports riders 227 feet above Atlantic City to enjoy views of the Atlantic Ocean and skyline from inside one of 40 climate-controlled gondolas. Opportunities to play hoop-shooting, crane, and squirt gun games for prizes of all sizes, along with stands serving boardwalk fare, complete the experience.

• Mural city: Atlantic City is home to more than 50 outdoor murals, most of them created in the past three years through the Atlantic City Arts Foundation’s flagship 48 Blocks Atlantic City program. In addition to Atlantic City’s largest mural arts program, 48 Blocks Atlantic City holds a city-wide arts and cultural celebration held during the third weekend of June each year.

• Off the Boardwalk: View a host of oddities that includes everything from a spider made from scissors and knives to the world’s smallest production car and a roulette table made entirely of more than 14,000 jellybeans at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium. It is located along the boardwalk, just down from the Steel Pier. 
 

Mad for Macaroons

The G. Carl Tripician Co. has been making macaroons since 1910, when the shop was set up on the Boardwalk. The almond and coconut delights are made with the original recipe and join a delicious slate of modern delectables. 

• History lesson: Journey back in time by climbing the 228 steps of the Absecon Lighthouse, New Jersey’s tallest lighthouse, which recently underwent a multi-million-dollar restoration and now features a Fresnel Lens exhibit in its original Oil House, a museum, and a replica of the original light keeper’s cottage.
 
• Retail therapy: From quaint boutiques and kitschy stores on the Boardwalk to malls and outlet centers, Atlantic City is a paradise for shoppers. The Quarter at Tropicana beckons with more than 25 luxury shops. Tanger Outlets The Walk is the place to go for discounts on a wide variety of brand-name merchandise, including apparel, shoes, home furnishings and accessories.
 
• See the Cape: Not far from Atlantic City — and well worth the short trip — is the seaside resort town of Cape May. Stroll the Historic District for a look at the Victorian architecture for which Cape May is known. The Emlen Physick Estate, built in 1879, offers a glimpse of life as it was lived more than 100 years ago. Eclectic and traditional shops, along with restaurants, line the Washington Street Mall, a pedestrian promenade that spans three blocks.

• A corking good time: Take a break from cocktails and casinos with a visit to one or more wineries in the Atlantic City region. Bellview Winery in Landisville produces more than 20 estate-grown varietals and more than two-dozen wines. Renault Winery, one of the oldest continuously operating establishments of its kind in the U.S., is now being revitalized by Vivamee Hospitality to reflect the vision of Master Vintner Louis Nicholas Renault, who hailed from Rheims, France, and established his winery in Egg Harbor City in 1864. Hamilton is home to Plagido's Winery, which specializes in hand-crafted, artisanal wines produced from small lots of grapes using a basket press, as well as DiMatteo Vineyards and Winery, whose Pasquale Red, Chambourcin, Niagara and other varietals are consistently featured in the Winner’s Circle at the prestigious International Wine Competition and other events.

Sports Betting in A.C.

The legalization of sports betting in New Jersey puts Atlantic City at the forefront of being able to support esports, while legally betting on esports. Today, in Atlantic City you can place sports bets at any of the nine casinos Sportsbooks and online!

In Walking Distance

The following are in walking distance of the Atlantic City Convention Center:

Grab a bite (and a brew): The historic Tun Tavern, Atlantic City's first brew pub, offers a rotating menu of handcrafted beers along with casual fare. Lunch specialties include a "super-sized pretzel" served with Ale-infused cheese sauce, sweet stout mustard and cheddar crab dip; or try the Blue Claw Fries covered in melted cheddar cheese and blue claw crabmeat, and dusted with Old Bay seasoning.

For another extensive beer menu plus pub fare prepared from locally sourced ingredients, check out Wingcraft Kitchen & Beer Bar. Wingcraft's "The Manhattan Project" burger, named the "#1 Burger in South Jersey" by At the Shore magazine, is topped with smoked gouda cheese, crispy fried onions and honey barbecue steak sauce. Voted "Best Tequila & Rum Bar" in Atlantic City Weekly's Reader's Choice 2018 Nightlife Awards, Los Amigos goes beyond nachos and tacos in its culinary repertoire to feature creative and Southwestern-inspired dishes. A vegan menu is available.

More Food & Fun in Atlantic City

 • The Orange Loop, the three-block expanse is chock-full of one-of-a-kind restaurants, bars and live music venues and this hip district continues to grow. Among the venues are attractions here are Rhythm and Spirits and Bar 32 Chocolate & Cocktails. Bar32’s menu includes a wide variety of desserts made with its own hand-crafted chocolate, as well as cocktails. The Bar32 Chocolate & Cocktails experience also includes music, with playlists tailored to each of the establishment’s chocolate bars. All chocolate is made from premium cacao beans and incorporates ingredients from around the world.

• Cuzzie’s Pizzeria Kitchen is the newest addition to the roster of dining venues found along the increasingly vibrant beach block of Tennessee Avenue. The restaurant bills itself as “pushing the boundaries” of pizza, with offerings included a square pie with pepperoni cups. 

• Atlantic City’s The Seed: A Living Beer Project has been ranked first on the USA TODAY 10BEST “Best New Brewery” list for 2021. The 5,000-square-foot craft brewery and tasting room features a seven-barrel brewing system with nine taps and a dedicated side-pull lager line. Specialties include saisons (highly carbonated pale ales) and mixed-fermentation ales made from local fruits, grains and botanicals. 

• Attendees can participate in friendly competition at Westecunk Axe Throwing.

• Book a tour or tasting for your group at Little Water Distillery, a craft distillery founded by brothers Mark and Eric Ganter.

• Boardwalk sweets: Atlantic City is known as the Salt Water Taffy Capital of the World, and James’ Candy Company, offering dozens and dozens of flavors, is the perfect place to get your fix. For $5, you can enjoy a 30- to 40-minute tour to see how the candy — as well as James’ caramels — is made. Steel's Fudge has been an Atlantic City staple since 1919, when Elizabeth and Howard Steel started selling the confection prepared from an old family recipe that’s still in use today. Flavors range from traditional options like chocolate, chocolate walnut and vanilla to more unusual choices such as pumpkin, pistachio and chocolate turtle caramel. Once featured on the Food Network, Steel’s also offers salt water taffy, popcorn and macaroons. Ices from TLC's Polish Water Ice boast a creamy texture and are made fresh daily. New flavors are added to the menu every year; this year, look for sour blast blue raspberry and cola. Vanina’s Ice Cream is a one-stop shop for all the classic shore treats you can think of: soft and hard ice cream (atop a waffle, if you’d like), fried Oreos, fried cheesecake, fried pickles, smoothies, slushies, fresh-squeezed lemonade and funnel cake.

• Solving mysteries is the fun on tap at Escape AC, housed in the Tropicana. Players are given an hour to discover clues, solve puzzles and break out of one of four Atlantic City–themed rooms: The Poker Room, Casino Cage, the Boardwalk and Backstage. Success rates for sleuths vary between 5 percent and 25 percent. Escape AC accommodates groups of up to 200 people, with 40 players hunting for the way out per round.

• Thrilling obstacle courses across 80 acres of forest fields await at AC Paintball. Large groups of up to 100 players can test out the Black Ops course, while smaller teams can square off on the Hyperball Field. Bookings can be made for full- or half-day experiences.

• Bourre brings a New Orleans vibe to the area with frozen Hurricanes and other drinks from the Big Easy, along with Cajun barbecue cuisine.

• A taste of Brooklyn Italian cuisine can be savored at Cafe 2825. Staying true to the owners’ Brooklyn and Southern Italian roots, the famous eatery serves fare prepared from fresh, authentic ingredients. House specialties include Sunday Gravy (homemade meatballs, bracciole and Italian sausage in red gravy, accompanied by rigatoni) and Chicken Sorrentino ala Jacquelina (francese-style chicken breast layered with eggplant, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh tomato), among others. Café 2825 is also known for offering “tableside experiences,” such as the preparation of burrata-style fresh mozzarella cheese straight from the curd; it’s then sliced and served warm with sauteed tomatoes and homemade ricotta topping.

Among other top restaurants in Atlantic City are: 

• Capriccio - Italian
• Kuro - Asian fusion
• Dock's Oyster House - Seafood, American
• White House Sub Shop - Delicatessen, American
• Knife & Fork Inn - Seafood, American
• Chef Vola's - Italian
• Kelsey & Kim's Southern Cafe - American
• American Bar & Grille - American
• Jerry Longo’s Meatballs & Martinis - Italian

 

Featured Meeting Venues



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The Stella Awards Winner 2021

Harrah's Resort Atlantic City

Guest Rooms - 2,590

Meeting Rooms - 60

Largest Conference Room - 49,447 sq. ft.

Total event space - 179,500 sq. ft.

Room Rate Range - $117-$2,916

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Ocean Resort Casino

Guest Rooms - 1,399

Meeting Rooms - 20

Largest Conference Room - 76,702 sq. ft.

Total event space - 160,000 sq. ft.

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Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Guest Rooms - 2,000

Meeting Rooms - 20

Largest Conference Room - 63,172 sq. ft.

Total event space - 151,936 sq. ft.

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