Atlantic City has played an important part in the history of the US gambling industry. At the centre of its modern era has been the Borgata Casino. In this article, we discuss the history of this illustrious casino and resort.
Have you ever visited one of the world’s great gambling hotspots, like Macau or Las Vegas? Atlantic City comes a close second and once vied for the spot Las Vegas holds as the US gambling capital. Today, it thrives in the modern era of online gambling and casino mega resorts. In the article below, we discuss the history of the famous Borgata casino.
The early days of the Borgata
Atlantic City has had a past made of mixed fortunes. It has the oldest raceway in the US and once used the revenue from gambling to fund operations during the American Revolution. At the start of the 21st century, the city was a tourist hotspot and while gambling was outlawed in theory, it was widespread and a relaxed attitude was prevalent. This grey area has persisted throughout the history of New Jersey and Atlantic City, with laws changing and adapting rapidly. As an example, in 1974 New Jersey banned casino gambling. Two years later a referendum was held that would allow it in Atlantic City.
Today, it also provides a lot more than just accommodation and casino gaming. There are a host of dining options, regular entertainment including music and comedy, along with a luxurious spa and pools for guests to relax at. It has also ventured into online gambling, using its brand to operate a casino and sports book. With regular Borgata Casino bonus code offers, it has managed to increase its customer sign-up and go into the online realm. These often allow free bets and provide matched deposits for those playing casino games.
None of this would have been possible without the initial ideas presented by Steve Wynn. A famous real estate developer, he had a background in creating large casino hotel resorts in Vegas and Atlantic City. A resurgence in the Las Vegas strip in the nineties was down to his innovations and towards the end of the millennium, he had turned his gaze to Atlantic City.
His idea was to build Le Jardin, a new hotel and casino. However, the stipulation was that Wynn wanted the state to create the Atlantic City Brigantine Connector, a tunnel that took traffic from the Atlantic City Expressway to the marina area. The tunnel was created, but the casino was cancelled when Wynn’s company was acquired by MGM Grand Inc. However, everything a new casino needed to thrive was already in place.
The Borgata Casino building
The Borgata was a joint venture between MGM Mirage and Boyd Gaming. It has now grown to become the highest-grossing casino in Atlantic City. It is also the biggest hotel there, with 2798 rooms.
The building itself consists of a series of towers. The main tower has 1997 guest rooms and was opened with the original casino. The tallest tower is the MGM Tower, a mainstay on the sweeping skyline of Atlantic City, with its golden glass surface. Since its opening on July 2nd 2003, this was added as a major renovation project in late 2005. This saw the installation of a poker room and a second hotel known as The Water Room.
At one point it seemed that the casino may have closed, or at least had a change in ownership. In 2010 MGM Mirage almost sold its share and was poised to leave New Jersey due to a dispute with the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. This was then resolved and in a turnaround of events, in 2016 the company bought Boyd Gaming’s share for full ownership. The company then sold the property to its real estate investment trust, MGM Growth Properties, and leased it back.
The future of the Borgata
The future of the Borgata seems in safe hands. It is a major tourist attraction in the city and as the highest-grossing casino, is a real business asset.
Venturing out of the realms of casino also gives the Borgata a range of income streams to weather any economic climate. For example, every year its Festival Park is used for music events. With a capacity of 4500, it has seen a great increase and benefits from the recent boom in live music, which is now worth over $33 billion a year. In terms of sports, mixed martial arts events are regularly held at the casino, bringing in a new range of clientele who come to see competitive bouts.
Look at the long list of casinos that have come and gone in Atlantic City. Many of them don’t even make it past the planning stage, or some are doomed before they even open due to high operating and build costs. Yet the Borgata has stood the test of time, constantly adapting and reinventing itself for a new age and audience. We may not be able to tell what the future holds for Atlantic City but undoubtedly, the Borgata will play a large part in it.
