the world had become known for was born.
“I was walking the boardwalk one morning,” recalls Jack
Morris, “and it was just a sad place to be. Atlantic City was
hurting, and I knew that we could help. I called up my friend
Jim Allen (another Jersey boy who happens to be chairman of
Hard Rock International), and knew there was something we
could do. A year later, here we are.”
And, here I was, sitting in front of a packed press conference
with “the Jersey boys” – Jack Morris, Joseph Jingoli and Jim
Allen, along with the Seminole Tribe of Florida who owns Hard
Rock International – announce that this $500 million renovation
project was complete. Right at that moment, you could
feel the energy return to the city.
As you drive up to the valet of the new Hard Rock Hotel &
Casino in Atlantic City, you quickly realize that they didn’t just
throw a coat of paint on an existing building. The miraculous
transformation from the Taj, which Donald Trump once called
the “eighth wonder of the world,” to the new Hard Rock is astounding.
The entryway is grandiose, but in a subtly sophisticated
way, rather than the typical glitzy Trump way. Of course,
a signature Hard Rock guitar shoots some 50 feet in the air,
marking your arrival to what is now most likely New Jersey’s
largest collection of music memorabilia – from Elvis’ Cadillac
to all things Bruce Springsteen and some of Nicki Minaj’s more
unique wardrobe choices.
It was clear that the team behind the new hotel and casino
had seen Atlantic City’s plight. No longer was a hotel going to
survive just off of gambling. With that, Hard Rock Atlantic City
took the “America’s Playground” moniker to a whole new
level.
Set on 17 acres on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, Hard Rock’s
2,100 slots and 120 gaming tables is just a taste of the worldclass
entertainment they promise to deliver. The Hard Rock
Live at Etess Arena, where Carrie Underwood and Pitbull performed
on opening weekend, is an intimate arena where you’ll
see top notch performers in a small venue – a feat only the
likes of an organization like Hard Rock could pull off. The hotel
already has hundreds of acts booked for the next year.
If concerts aren’t your thing, then the Howie Mandel Comedy
Club might provide you the perfect setting to laugh off
some of those early afternoon slot losses. Then it’s off to
DAER Nightclub to see some big name talents in the DJ booth.
108 BC The Mag FALL 2018