Zipcar Philadelphia general manager Peter Bruvick, right, said they are “selling convenience and accessibility” as he unveils a DO-AC decked out hatchback with Zipcar employee Lesley Berkowitz.

Philadelphians’ list of excuses not to visit Atlantic City this summer took another hit, as the Atlantic City Alliance announced a partnership with Zipcar on Wednesday, May 15.

The arrangement will allow visitors to beat the summer shore traffic by taking a NJ Transit train from Philly’s 30th Street Station, enjoying a leisurely 90-minute ride to AC, then picking up their Zipcar vehicle at the Sheraton Hotel next to the train station.

The partnership agreement was announced at The Porch in Philadelphia — a recently created open space/recreational area in the University City District right next to Philly’s 30th Street Station.

Zipcar is a car-sharing company that rents cars to members at hourly and daily affordable rates. The loaner cars come with gas, reserved parking spots, insurance, roadside assistance and up to 180 miles of driving per day. The car-sharing network serves about 250 college campuses, more than 50 cities in North America, and also has locations in Europe. See zipcar.com

According to an article on cnn.com, “For drivers who already share movies via Netflix and stream music rather than buying CDs, the idea of sharing a car is the natural extension of a hip, financially smart, and environmentally conscious urban lifestyle.”

Revel CEO Jeff Hartmann (center) cuts the ribbon during the grand opening of the Pearl Lounge May 10.

ATLANTIC CITY — On Friday, May 10, Revel launched its new 3,000-square-foot, $3 million private VIP area for premier slot players called the Pearl Lounge, located just off the main gaming floor and designed to complement casino’s Ultra Lounge, a private space for high-end table players.

In a media event May 10, Revel management noted that slots business was particularly slow for the casino, and was a significant part of the reason it underperformed in its first year of gaming. The Pearl Lounge will have about 70 new slot machines that will range in betting denominations from $5 to $100 (capable of accepting bets of up to $300).

All Revel guests are welcome to play the slot machines inside Pearl Lounge, but only “Beach” level players will be permitted to access a private players’ lounge Mondays through Thursdays. The lounge will have a bar (which includes four bar-top video poker machines), a dining area with leather upholstered walls, granite counters, three LED flat-screen TVs, and a bottle-storage system. The highest-tier players, known as “Pearl” level, will have the lounge all to themselves Fridays through Sundays. All food and drink will be complimentary for club members and card holders inside the lounge.

The Pearl Lounge also features its own private cage with a cashier, an ATM machine, and private bathrooms.

“The Pearl Lounge is really the first in a series of steps were taking to re-launch the property,” said Revel chief executive officer Jeffrey Hartmann in the media event.

Other Revel changes include the addition of designated smoking areas for gamblers, a 24-hour moderately priced value-priced restaurant called Relish, a noodle bar by chef Jose Garces, and the HQ Beach Club beach bar. All are schedule to be open by Memorial Day weekend.

See a video of the ribbon-cutting ceremony below.

Revel will introduce a new dining experience with the opening of Relish, a casual 24 hour café this Saturday, May 18. As part of a broader strategy to enhance the guest experience (guests who wanted a cheaper dining option), Relish will offer an affordably priced menu in a prime location on the casino floor.

The all-day menu will include breakfast dishes, homemade pastas, burgers, fresh sandwiches, salads, and soups—along with classic comfort foods like beef stroganoff and meat loaf.  Relish will be operated by Revel’s Food & Beverage team, who also operate SkyCafe and Alcove, on the Lobby Level of the resort.

Relish will initially open on Saturday, May 18, with lunch & dinner service through the month of May, followed by 24 hour service, including breakfast, which will begin in June.

Courtesy of borgatanightlife.com

On Tuesday, May 14, the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa announced that its popular dance club mur.mur has gotten “a fresh new look.”

The redesign will be unveiled on Saturday, May 18, as Borgata’s resident DJ, DJ Vice, mans the turntables for the celebration.

“Mur.mur was a game-changer when it debuted in 2006, bringing with it a Las Vegas-style alternative for our nightlife customer and truly shaping the landscape within the market,” said Joe Lupo, Borgata’s senior VP of Operations, in a release to the media.

“As Borgata celebrates its 10-year anniversary in July, we felt now was the ideal time to refresh and update one of our most successful and acclaimed spaces on property.”

Aside from boasting a brand new color scheme, the club now features “pristine carpeting, drapery and lighting.”

The release from Borgata continues:

Partygoers escape the moment they enter the club, as they descend into the sensual atmosphere where the dance floor meets the personalized table service complementing mur.mur’s pulse-pounding beats from artists the likes of Steve Aoki, Samantha Ronson, D-Nice, Ruckus, and Martin Solveig.

Mur.mur’s re-opening follows an extremely successful 2010 transformation of Borgata’s other signature nightlife option, MIXX, which saw the inception of state-of-the-art, built-in DJ booths along with an eye-catching LED lighting display. Both clubs boast an impressive roster of celebrity guests and clientele including Gwen Stefani, Fergie, Paris Hilton, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Joe Jonas and Cee-Lo Green and have garnered national attention as premier celebrity hotspots.

The club will be open Friday, Saturdays and Mondays throughout the summer (10pm-party ends).

Click here for more on South Jersey Nightlife.

Wilson Phillips

You can feel it in the air — fans of the Jersey shore are looking forward to a sizzling summer of sun, sand and entertainment. Resorts is certainly encouraging that summer fun vibe with the announcement that the casino will present a free beach concert on Saturday, May 15 starring Andy Grammer, Mac McAnally and Wilson Phillips.

Taking place at the brand new Jimmy Buffett-themed Landshark Bar & Grill at Resorts from 1pm into the evening (the last concert starts at 7pm), this major event include a series of 90-minute sets interspersed with DJ entertainment, prize giveaways, and more.

Kicking off a summer series of great entertainment at Resorts, the June 15 concerts will celebrate Resorts’ enhanced beach vibe and the launch of its $35-million Margaritaville casino and entertainment complex. Margaritaville is slated to open Memorial Day Weekend. Among the attractions it will introduce to the Boardwalk is the only year-round beach bar, LandShark, just steps across the sand from the concert site.

The Performers
Andy Grammer launched onto the national music scene in 2012 as the first male pop star since John Mayer to reach the adult pop radio Top 10 on his first two singles. His “Keep Your Head Up” is certified gold, and a recent national tour with Train set the stage for the former Santa Monica street performer’s own 2013 headline tour in 2013.

Mac McAnally, the Country Music Association’s Musician of the Year for five years running, is celebrating the release of his 11th album, Live in Muscle Shoals. His longtime association with Jimmy Buffett – as songwriter, producer of several Buffett albums, and member of his touring Coral Reefer Band – makes him a natural for the June 15 concert. McAnally cemented his status as a hit maker in 1981 when Alabama took his “Old Flame” to No. 1.

Wilson Phillips comes to the Atlantic City beach fresh off the April release by Sony Masterworks of Dedicated, the female trio’s album covering hits by The Beach Boys and the Mamas and the Papas. Sisters Carnie and Wendy Wilson, daughters of The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, and Chynna Phillips, daughter of The Mamas & The Papas’ John and Michelle Phillips, first merged their talents in 1990 with the eponymous, chart-topping Wilson Phillips. The lifelong friends also starred in Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On, a TV Guide Network reality show.

This year's Host Award winners at Boardwalk Hall

ATLANTIC CITY — The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA), a division of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), recognized 27 individuals in the hospitality field during the annual Host Awards on Wednesday, May 8, at Boardwalk Hall.

Presented each year during National Travel and Tourism Week, the Host Awards salute and encourage outstanding customer service by employees in the tourism, hospitality and retail industries who contribute to Atlantic City’s success as a friendly, world-class destination.

Presented by ACCVA president Jeffrey Vasser, each Host Award winner received a prize package consisting of a commemorative lighthouse lapel pin to signify that they are beacons of hospitality, as well as a $200 cash gift card, chocolate from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory located at Tanger Outlets The Walk, and complimentary dinner for two in one of Atlantic City’s fine dining establishments.

Host Award winners were nominated for their enthusiasm, exemplary customer service and ability to enhance the overall experience of the visitors they serve. They were chosen from more than 300 nominees by a selection committee consisting of educators, along with representatives from area organizations including the Greater Atlantic City Chamber, Local 54 and the Atlantic City Hotel & Lodging Association, among others.

Frank Dougherty accepting the Spirit of Hospitality Award on behalf of the Dougherty family.

“Tonight’s Host Award nominees represent the best of the best out of the thousands of people who work in Atlantic City, and we thank each of you for your hard word and dedication,” said Vasser. “The experience we give our visitors is a large part of making Atlantic City a ‘must do’ destination, and you are leading the way.”

Additionally, the Dougherty family, owners and operators of Dock’s Restaurant, the Knife and Fork Inn and Harry’s Oyster Bar, was honored with the Spirit of Hospitality Award, sponsored by TD Bank. The Spirit of Hospitality Award is given to an outstanding individual or individuals who made a significant long-term contribution to the region’s hospitality and travel industry.

2013 Host Award Winners

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Chef Richard.

Central Michel Richard, a restaurant at Revel, closed its doors on May 5.

The location will be replaced by Relish, a 24-hour eatery that is in response to customer requests for a less expensive restaurant. It should open by Memorial Day weekend.

Monday, reports the Associated Press, the parent company of PokerStars, The Rational Group, “went to court in New Jersey on Monday and got a temporary restraining order barring The Atlantic Club from selling itself to anyone else.”

This is the latest news related to the Rational Group’s desire to purchase the Atlantic City casino.

Just last week, it was reported that any kind of deal between the owners of the Atlantic Club and the Rational Group was dead.

The AP also reports that:

In its court papers, PokerStars also revealed for the first time just how cheaply it plans to acquire the casino: $15 million. That is $5 million less than the previous low price that a California company had offered for Trump Plaza before that deal fell apart last month, and would be — by far — the lowest price ever paid for a casino in Atlantic City.

Read full story here.

One of the most famous sculptures on Sarasota, Florida's waterfront sculpture walk and park.

The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA), now under the umbrella of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA), released a statement on Friday afternoon that a Monday press conference will be held at Harrah’s Resort with regard to a new non-gaming attraction coming to town.

The Atlantic City waterfront is getting its own Sculpture Walk/Park,  thanks to a partnership between the ACA, CRDA and the Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College.

“The AC Waterfront Sculpture Walk, the newest addition to the burgeoning art program in Atlantic City,  will be located along the existing illuminated trail along the bay in the Marina District of Atlantic City, linking the Golden Nugget Atlantic City with Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa,” reads the statement.

“Located within the Tourism District, this new, eco-friendly, non-gaming attraction will encompass the procurement of 40 sculptures over the next four years, with the first installation scheduled for July, 2013.”

This summer! Fantastic news. And with 40 sculptures planned the project will definitely change the look and feel of Atlantic City’s Marina District.

One of the sculptures on the Sarasota, Fla., sculpture walk along its watefront.

This week, following a report by the Wall Street Journal, the national media has been reporting that the deal that would have had the parent company of the online gaming giant PokerStars buying Atlantic City’s Atlantic Club is likely off as the deadline for the transaction has expired.

It looks like the Atlantic Club will stay the Atlantic Club this summer.

Its owner, Colony Capital LLC, changed the name of the former Atlantic City Hilton to the Atlantic Club Casino & Hotel in early 2012.