Bally's Atlantic City is a
casino hotel
A casino hotel is an establishment consisting of a casino with temporary lodging provided in an on-premises hotel. Customers receive the benefits of both gambling facilities and lodging. Since the casino and hotel are located on the same premis ...
on the
boardwalk
A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of bridge ...
in
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497. . It is owned and operated by
Bally's Corporation
Bally's Corporation is a gaming, betting, and interactive entertainment company headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. It owns and operates 15 casinos across ten states, a horse track in Colorado, and online sports betting operations in 14 st ...
. The
Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel
The Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel was a historic resort hotel property in Atlantic City, New Jersey, built in 1902–1906, and demolished in October 1978.
History
In 1900, Josiah White III bought a parcel of land between Ohio Avenue and Park Place ...
stood on the site before the casino was built. It is famous for its address of "Park Place and the Boardwalk", two locations popularized by the board game
Monopoly
A monopoly (from Greek language, Greek el, μόνος, mónos, single, alone, label=none and el, πωλεῖν, pōleîn, to sell, label=none), as described by Irving Fisher, is a market with the "absence of competition", creating a situati ...
. Bally's is one of the largest hotels on the boardwalk with nearly 1,169 rooms. Its historic Dennis Tower was constructed in stages between 1906 and 1929. In 1997, The Wild Wild West Casino was opened as an expansion of Bally's.
History
First hotels on the site
The site now occupied by Bally's was originally the location of two separate hotels: the
Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel
The Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel was a historic resort hotel property in Atlantic City, New Jersey, built in 1902–1906, and demolished in October 1978.
History
In 1900, Josiah White III bought a parcel of land between Ohio Avenue and Park Place ...
and the Dennis Hotel.
The Marlborough House was built in 1900 by Josiah White III between Ohio Avenue and Park Place on the Boardwalk, in the
Queen Anne style. White expanded the successful resort in 1905, hiring Philadelphia architect
Will Price
William Lightfoot Price (November 9, 1861 – October 14, 1916) was an American architect, a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete, and a founder of the utopian communities of Arden, Delaware and Rose Valley, Pennsylvania.
Early life
Price w ...
of Price and McLanahan to design a new, separate wing, built entirely of concrete, which opened in 1906 as the Blenheim. The hotel was then renamed the Marlborough-Blenheim.
![Hotel Dennis, Atlantic City, New Jersey](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Hotel_Dennis%2C_Atlantic_City%2C_New_Jersey.png)
The Dennis Hotel began as a pre-Civil War cottage along Michigan Avenue, built by William Dennis. After the war, it was acquired by Joseph H. Borton, who extended the hotel and then built a large addition in 1892, in the French chateau style.
[http://cdn.loc.gov/master/pnp/habshaer/nj/nj0000/nj0003/data/nj0003data.pdf ] The hotel was sold to Walter Buzby just after the turn of the twentieth century. Buzby hired Philadelphia architect Walter Smedley a fellow
Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
, to design a huge new six-story eastern wing, which was completed in 1906.
It is the oldest portion still standing. In 1910, the 1892 Michigan Avenue west wing was demolished and replaced with a larger six-story wing, also designed by Smedley.
In 1925, Buzby had Smedley design a huge ten-story rear wing, containing a new lobby and ballrooms, which would connect the eastern and western wings extending to the Boardwalk. In 1929, with Smedley's practice having closed, Buzby hired another Philadelphia Quaker firm, Price and Walton, to design a seven-story addition to the 1910 Michigan Avenue west wing, which extended it seventy feet toward the ocean, bringing it even with the 1906 wing.
This gave the Dennis its current form.
In 1969, the Buzby family sold the Dennis for $4 million to Gary and Lewis Malamut, owners of the adjacent Shelbourne Hotel. When they defaulted on the mortgage in 1975, the hotel was returned to the Buzby family. It was soon after foreclosed by the First National Bank of South Jersey.
Bally's Park Place (1979–2000)
On March 14, 1977, wealthy, flamboyant art dealer Reese Palley and local attorney and businessman Martin Blatt purchased the Marlborough-Blenheim from the White family.
They intended to spend $35 million on renovations, preserving the Blenheim wing, while razing the Marlborough to make way for a modern casino hotel. Palley successfully got the Blenheim wing placed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. In June 1977,
Bally Manufacturing
Bally Manufacturing, later renamed Bally Entertainment, was an American company that began as a pinball and slot machine manufacturer, and later expanded into casinos, video games, health clubs, and theme parks. It was acquired by Hilton Hotel ...
, the world's largest producer of slot machines, leased the Marlborough-Blenheim from Palley and Blatt for 40 years, with an option for a further 100 years.
On August 17, 1977, Bally announced that it had purchased the neighboring Dennis Hotel for $4 million from the First National Bank of South Jersey.
[ On October 25, 1977, Josiah White IV, grandson of the Marlborough-Blenheim's founder, presided over the closure of that hotel, locking its front door.]
After Bally took control of the two properties, it announced plans to raze all three hotel buildings - the Marlborough, the Blenheim, and the Dennis, despite protests, to make way for the new "Bally's Park Place Casino and Hotel", an $83 million casino/hotel designed by California-based Maxwell Starkman Associates. The new resort was to have a 39-story, octagonal hotel tower and a huge three-level podium, containing a 75,000 square-foot casino, along with other resort and convention facilities. However, in an effort to offset costs and open the casino as soon as possible, the Dennis Hotel was retained to serve as the temporary hotel for Bally's until a new tower could be built.
In November 1978, Bally demolished the Marlborough-Blenheim and quickly cleared the land to begin building Bally's Park Place Casino. On December 30, 1979, the casino opened with the newly renovated Dennis serving as its hotel. In 1989, Bally constructed a 750-room hotel tower in a modern style, with an exterior of light pink glass. On July 2, 1997, The Wild Wild West Casino opened as the second casino at Bally's.
Bally's Atlantic City (2000–present)
In 2000, Bally's Park Place changed its name and became Bally's Atlantic City. The adjacent Claridge Hotel and Casino was purchased and incorporated into Bally's in 2003, and was renamed the Claridge Tower. The casino in the Claridge Tower was named The Ridge. The casino was renovated in 2008 from a standard casino floor to an upscale lounge-casino.
In 2005, Harrah's Entertainment
Harrah's Entertainment (later named Caesars Entertainment Corporation, previously The Promus Companies) was an American casino and hotel company founded in Reno, Nevada, and based in Paradise, Nevada, that operated over 50 properties and seven g ...
(later Caesars Entertainment) purchased Bally's along with Caesars. In 2008, Harrah's spent $38.5 million to purchase the row of shops between the Dennis Tower and the boardwalk, and then spent a further $23 million to demolish the shops and restore the open plaza, and to restore the facade of the Dennis Tower and renovate its rooms.
In 2012, The Ridge closed its gambling and food amenities. The tower's 500 hotel rooms continued to be used for Bally's guests until it was sold in 2013 to be reopened as the independent Claridge Hotel.
In October 2017, ownership of Bally's was transferred to Vici Properties
Vici Properties Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) specializing in casino properties, based in New York City. It was formed in 2017 as a spin-off from Caesars Entertainment Corporation as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. It own ...
as part of a corporate spin-off
A corporate spin-off, also known as a spin-out, or starburst or hive-off, is a type of corporate action where a company "splits off" a section as a separate business or creates a second incarnation, even if the first is still active.
Characte ...
, and the property was leased back to Caesars Entertainment.
In April 2020, Twin River Worldwide Holdings (now Bally's Corporation
Bally's Corporation is a gaming, betting, and interactive entertainment company headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. It owns and operates 15 casinos across ten states, a horse track in Colorado, and online sports betting operations in 14 st ...
) agreed to buy Bally's Atlantic City from Vici. The deal excluded the Wild Wild West Casino which contains a sports betting facility, and operations would be transferred to Caesars Atlantic City. Twin River also announced that they would acquire a license to give Bally's their own sports book, online sports betting, and I-Gaming. The sale was completed in November 2020.
As a condition of New Jersey casino license approval, Bally's Corporation, during the first two years ownership, started to implement the expenditure of over $90 million for property improvements. These included renovations to 750 hotel rooms, additional suites and penthouse, remodeled high-betting table games room, 400 new slot machines, and remodeled hotel lobby. An addition to the lobby was the Carousel Bar, a stationary circular lounge and bar, in which a bar top and its adjacent seats slowly rotate 360° for a ride-like experience. In the Courtyard adjacent to the Boardwalk was a new entertainment venue, The Yard. It includes a versatile transparent structure with a retractable roof, which stands between indoor and outdoor seating. "Bally's Legend’s VIP Beach", an addition to the existing seasonal beach bar, is exclusively for top level casino players.
Gaming
The casino at Bally's has over of gaming space with approximately 1300 slot machines. Table games include Blackjack, Baccarat, Craps, Roulette, Spanish 21, Let it Ride, and Pai Gow Tiles. Specialty games and poker variations known as "Carnival Games" include Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
Stud, 3-Card Poker, 4-Card Poker, Heads Up Hold’em, High Card Flush, and Pai Gow Poker. Recent developments include games which combine the features of live table games with those of slot machines: The multi-player Roulette automatically spins the ball, but the bet and payout function is mostly handle by computerized video terminals for each player. A similar multi-player machine throws a pair of large caps dice. Bally's also has a FanDuel
FanDuel Group is an American gambling company that offers sportsbook, daily fantasy sports, horse racing, and online casino. The company operates sportsbooks in a number of states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana and West Virginia, as ...
sportsbook
In the United States, a sportsbook or a race and sports book (sometimes abbreviated as book) is a place where a gambler can wager on various sports competitions, including golf, football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, soccer, horse racing, ...
which offers sports betting
Sports betting is the activity of predicting sports results and placing a wager on the outcome. The frequency of sports bet upon varies by culture, with the vast majority of bets being placed on association football, American football, basket ...
. As provided by local and state law, there scattered areas where smoking is permitted, totaling 25% of the official gaming space. (Aside from this exception, smoking is banned by law throughout the rest of the casino and hotel). Under New Jersey law, persons under 21 years of age are not permitted to gamble. They may only pass through the main aisles of the casino when accompanied by someone over 21 years old to cross between hotel areas and exits, and may not stop or slow down to observe the games.
Up until February 2021, Bally's Atlantic City participated along with other Caesars Entertainment properties in the " Caesars Rewards" loyalty program for their players, guests, and other customers. Rewards were based on casino play, food/beverage/retail/hotel room/entertainment purchases, and other factors. There were four tiers of membership, increasing in status: Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Seven Star.
After the sale of Bally's to Bally's Corporation — formerly Twin River Worldwide Holdings — Bally's has since transitioned to its own loyalty program — Bally's Players Club.
The Wild Wild West Casino
Opened on July 2, 1997, as an expansion of Bally's Atlantic City, it was originally extensively themed to the American Old West
The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...
, with waterfalls, faux gold mines, and a running stream. It is notable for being one of the only fully themed casinos on the East Coast. The exterior features a facade made to resemble an old western town, while the inside featured a large mountain and other western town facades. The western theme has since been toned down in favor of a party atmosphere in order to attract a younger demographic.
Renovations to the Wild Wild West Casino began in June 2012 and were completed on February 21, 2014. The Virginia City Buffet was closed, and the casino floor area was reduced in size; for a period of time in 2012, all live table games and most slot machines were removed. Table games returned to the casino with the completion of renovations, occupying the newly renovated back area. A World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada and, since 2004, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker pla ...
-branded poker room allows simultaneous live and online play. A new stage for live entertainment was also part of the renovations.
Further renovations occurred in 2015 and 2016. The animatronic gold miner and large rock formation/waterfall near the main boardwalk entrance were removed; this space now features a large area for bands to perform, as well as some live table games. The only slot machines besides those in Coyote Kate's Slot Parlor are located near the new stage. The area between the stage and the far back poker rooms remains vacant, but plans may still be in the works for more to be added.
On President's Day
Presidents' Day, also called Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February to honor all persons who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879 ...
weekend 2016, Bally's opened the new Boardwalk Saloon. The bar offers ceiling to floor windows with views of the boardwalk and beach and an entrance with accordion folding glass doors which can remain open for access to outdoor seating on the Boardwalk. It replaced the Rita's and the North entrance to the casino.
The Wild Wild West casino was not included in Vici Properties November 18, 2020 sale of Bally's Atlantic City to Twin River Worldwide Holdings (later renamed Bally's Corporation). Vici retained the property, to continue be run under Caesars Entertainment as operating license holder, but as part of Caesars Atlantic City. Other than an indoor connection to the Wild Wild West, Bally's Atlantic City, under its new ownership, has no affiliation with the property.
Dining
* Casino Cafe & Grille (6th Level)
* Jerry Longo's Meatballs and Martinis (6th Level)
* Dunkin' Donuts (in the main lobby, 24 hours)
* Guy Fieri
Guy Ramsay Fieri (, ; ''né'' Ferry; born January 22, 1968) is an American restaurateur, author, and an Emmy Award winning television presenter. He co-owns three restaurants in California, licenses his name to restaurants in New York City, Las ...
's Chophouse (6th Level)
* Johnny Rockets
}
The Johnny Rockets Group Inc. is an American restaurant franchise whose themed decor is based upon 1950s diner-style restaurants. Décor includes Coca-Cola advertising, featuring nearly life-size cardboard illustrations of women in World War ...
(Boardwalk area)
* Red Bowl 88 (main casino area)
* The Yard (Courtyard adjacent to the Boardwalk)
Food court
Taste of the Shore is a food court in the "Gateway" area between the hotel lobby and the Claridge Hotel. It comprises:
* Sack O' Subs
* Carluccio's Pizza
Amenities
The 6th level contains ballroom space and several meeting rooms. On the same level is a business center with computer/office machine access, and a Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
vending machine.
Bars, lounges, and nightclubs
* Bally's Beach Bar (On the beach in front of the main casino; weekends during summer months only)
* The bar/lounge at Guy Fieri's Chophouse (6th Level)
* Carousel Bar (Hotel Lobby)
* The bar at The Yard (Courtyard adjacent to the Boardwalk)
Shopping
There are a few stores in the complex:
* Studio (Gateway)
* The Gift Shop (hotel lobby)
* The Spa Pro Shop (8th level)
Spa, pool, and fitness
Bally's Atlantic City contains the Spa at Bally's featuring an indoor heated swimming pool, six hot tubs, two saunas, basketball and racquetball courts, a gym, and a large outdoor deck with views of the ocean all located on the 8th level.
Events
Sports
Boxing matches are held at the casino.
Hotel towers
Bally's has three hotel towers:
*Bally's Tower is the largest and is the main tower. It was opened in 1989 after a long construction phase. This is the premier tower at Bally's, featuring some of the nicest rooms, like the penthouse and executive suites. The foundation for this tower, as well as a second tower (yet to be constructed) was built in the initial construction phase of the casino, executive offices, and restaurant building on the site of the demolished Marlboro-Blenheim Hotels.
*Dennis Tower was built in stages between 1906-1929 and was the original hotel at Bally's.
*Garden Tower was built in the mid-1980s and is located on top of the bus center/valet parking garage. Originally built as the "Garden Rooms", its accommodations were the first totally new hotel rooms in the complex. This is technically a low-rise building built atop the parking structure.
See also
*Bally's Las Vegas
Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly MGM Grand Hotel and Casino and Bally's Las Vegas) is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment (2020), Caesars Entertainment. It originally opened ...
*Gambling in New Jersey
Gambling in New Jersey includes casino gambling in Atlantic City, the New Jersey Lottery, horse racing, off-track betting, charity gambling, amusement games, and social gambling. New Jersey's gambling laws are among the least restrictive in the ...
References
External links
Official website
*
*
{{Authority control
Casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Casinos completed in 1979
Hotel buildings completed in 1979
Hotels established in 1979
Skyscraper hotels in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Boxing venues in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Caesars Entertainment
1979 establishments in New Jersey
Casino hotels