The construction boom of a casino in Atlantic City promises a renaissance of New Jersey

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Atlantic City, once a mecca for the Northeast game, has fallen on hard times. The dilapidated properties, seaside lined shops and vacant skyscrapers have become a constant reminder of the collapse of the city.

But now, after years of falling gaming revenue and a declining workforce, the resort is ready for a comeback. Renaming the capital of "entertainment" in the East, Atlantic City opens two new casinos this week that, according to many, will revive the dying casinos industry of the city – and the local economy.

Two major hotel chains, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and the Ocean Resort Casino, will open Thursday. The sound of drilling can be heard for miles along the promenade and there is a strong smell of fresh paint. All signs indicate that the coastal city may be rebounding from what some have called the lost decade.

The city also hopes to capitalize on a recent US Supreme Court ruling that legalized nationwide sports betting and gave the green light to open sports books in New Jersey for the first time . The two new mega-casinos promise vast entertainment options for guests, and non-gambling attractions for younger guests.

"It's definitely a comeback for this city," said Rummy Pandit, executive director of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Hotel and Tourism at Stockton University. "Both properties open with a significant amount of rooms and food and beverages and other amenities such as spa and entertainment so yes, let's see new market segments [revenue] it will come to the shore. "

A series of casino closures in 2014 transformed Atlantic City into a virtual ghost town. Workers fled to properties located outside the state, such as the MGM National Harbor in Maryland and the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, which thrived as Atlantic City continued to decline . Entire neighborhoods near the beach and the promenade remained untapped.

The city's casino industry, which employed more than 42,000 workers in 2006, employed less than half of last summer with only 22,000 employees. According to the Wall Street Journal, the city's unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent in April – it is the lowest since 2008 – but still double the national average of 4.5 percent.

Hard Rock's international president, Jim Allen, said the brand would not rely solely on casino revenues to revive the local industry – it also plans to bet on entertainment sales.

The city is planning a star-studded weekend for hotels, with shows by Carrie Underwood and Pitbull. Executives said they plan to use their $ 30 million entertainment budget to host 300 live shows in the first year. And with grand theaters like the 400-seat Hard Rock Cafe and the Hard Rock Live of the Etess Arena, which has a capacity of 7,000 spectators, observers say they've created the night-time atmosphere which this part of the shore desperately needs.

The Ocean Resort Casino plans to offer non-game attractions, such as a driving range and a large spa. But the former property of Revel will keep its luxurious poker room, which in the beginning was adorned with lustrous red carpet, awnings and 37 tables.

Experts say they're hoping that the new casino building boom will revive the city's lagging economy. The closing of five casinos – Sand Atlantic (2006), Atlantic City Hilton (2014), Showboat (2014), Revel (2014), Trump Plaza (2014) and Trump Taj Mahal (2016) – crushed the base tax of the city. 11,000 people were fired. The city narrowly avoided bankruptcy after the state took control of its finances in 2016.

"The city of Atlantic was very affected when these casinos closed and people lost their homes. And now that everything seems to be turning around, "said Ken Parnell, a former Trump worker Taj Mahal is now working at Hard Rock Casino.

Parnell, a 30-year-old employee of the Taj Mahal, was dropped in 2017 after the property was sold to new owners. But today, he is back.

"It's a trickle effect," he said. "When the casinos are doing well, the city is doing well, from mom and pop stores to summer employees."

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City has already hired over 3,800 employees, 30% of whom are residents of Atlantic City, Allen said. Its competitor, the Ocean Resorts Casino, is expected to create up to 3,000 jobs.

There are still many challenges besides employment for the city. Failed casinos have all left the city bankrupt and many of its neighbors are struggling.

"The time has come," Allen said, "It's not just about the Hard Rock, it's Atlantic City." Everyone cooperates, from gaming advice to government, and this type of unification will catapult the city. "