The new Margaritaville themed complex at Resorts is rolling out its sandy red carpet for the Memorial Day Weekend. The Five O’clock Somewhere Bar right by the Boardwalk entrance is already open, along with a gift shop featuring Margaritaville items for sale.

However it is across the Boardwalk from Resorts that the heart of the Jimmy Buffett-theme is located, the LandShark Bar & Grill. The first LandShark locale that is actually on the beach, this beach bar is designed to be open year round operation, making it the first  Atlantic City Beach Bar with that distinction.

Resorts and Margaritaville hosted a special sneak preview yesterday, May 18, so Parrotheads and members of the media could check out the flip-flop friendly decor, the cheeseburger-in-paradise sliders being passed around and of course the margaritas and LandShark Beer.

Here are a few pictures from the event:

The cool surf's up decor.

The rear deck facing the ocean.

Vocalist Jessica Kartaois is an Island girl, Staten Island that is.

Don’t be surprised if you see gladiators such as the one pictured above fighting in the lobby at Caesars Atlantic City over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

However, if you’re inside Caesars (or reading this) Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday (May 24-27), you probably will already be expecting some sort of “epic battle” from the Roman era via the on-property announcements stating:

“Friends, Romans and countrymen … lend me your eyes and ears. This is the moment you’ve all been waiting for as these courageous gladiators will battle for legend and glory. Indeed entertainment like this can only be found at Caesars Atlantic City for the mere price of your presence. … Now, let the epic battle begin.”

The battles will be staged May 24-27 and then again from July 4-Sept. 2 across from Mia in the Caesars lobby and are free and open to the public to watch.

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.

Photo: Christine Steiner

Danielle Gomes, daughter of the late Resorts CEO Dennis Gomes — who passed away suddenly at the age of 68 in February 2012 — would have made her father proud last Friday (May 10).

Danielle was the center of attention at Cuba Libre inside the Quarter at Tropicana in Atlantic City — a venue Dennis Gomes had much to do with during his time at Tropicana, just one of many jobs he held around the country during his prolific career in the gaming industry — as she signed her new book Hit Me!, based on interviews she conducted with her father in relation to his life and specifically how he fought the mob in Las Vegas as Gaming Control Board division chief, a story partially told in the Nick Pileggi book and Martin Scorsese film Casino.

Hundreds, including family, friends and long-time associates of the Gomes family, came out for the book signing, which was also a fundraiser for a local charity. Danielle said hopes to do a second one in Las Vegas.

Danielle was gracious enough to give Atlantic City Weekly an on-camera interview just moments before the event began. In the video below, she is interviewed by Atlantic City Weekly’s Jeff Schwachter about her new book, co-written with Jay Bonansinga.

The ultimate car guy’s fantasy comes to life on the Atlantic City Boardwalk on May 15 and 16 as Harry’s Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant at Bally’s hosts the ‘Chance of a Lifetime Exotic Car Festival.’

The public is invited to check out a showcase of elite ‘exotic’ cars, and Premier Luxury Rentals  will be offering a once-in-a-lifetime deal to sit behind the wheel of some of the most expensive cars around.

For $500, you can forget about the cars’ large price tags and feed your thirst for speed by driving a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, Audi R8 Spider, Maserati GranTurismo, or a Ferrari California Convertible.

On Wednesday, May 15, the cars will cruise down the Atlantic City Boardwalk — from Showboat to Bally’s — starting at noon. The cars will then be parked on the boards for car lovers on a budget who would like to pose with and take pictures of the racing machines.

The festival will also feature live music and vendors. Harry’s will be featuring revved up specials as well.

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.

Tom Ballance, president/CEO of Borgata, delivered the keynote address.

ATLANTIC CITY — The Atlantic City Hotel and Lodging Association (ACHLA) Scholarship Foundation recently awarded scholarships to 17 students pursuing hospitality and/or culinary careers at its annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon at the Borgata. During the course of its history, the ACHLA Scholarship Foundation has awarded in excess of $300,000.

Atlantic County scholarship winners (L to R) include Jaleesha Mills, Miranda Lamey, Olga Koteva-Gorgiev, Catherine McDonnell, Kimberly Richardson, Andrew Huggard, Sofia Sansweet, Sharon Beals, Dylan Higgins, and Nancy Maslowas. Not pictured are Joanne Pereira and Samantha Vicchiarelli.

Tom Ballance, Borgata’s president and CEO and a 32-year veteran of the casino industry, was the keynote speaker.

“Don’t worry so much about advancing at your job,” Ballance told the students. “Concentrate instead on meeting new challenges without fear of failure. That will make you a smarter and more valuable employee.

“If you’re not having fun at your job, figure out how you can,” he added. “Or find another job.”

Ray Bertschy, the newly elected ACHLA president, presented the scholarship awards with ACHLA executive director Howard Bacharach. Bertschy is also vice president of food-and-beverage at the Tropicana.

This year’s scholarship recipients are students at Atlantic Cape Community College (Atl.-Cape), Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey (RSC), and Rutgers University (RU). Many of them also work in area hospitality or culinary jobs.

2013 Scholarship Winners

Sharon Beals, EHT — Atl.-Cape
Dylan Higgins, Ventnor — Atl.-Cape
Andrew Huggard, Galloway — FDU
Olga Koteva-Gorgiev, EHT — Atl.-Cape
Miranda Lamey, Somers Point — RSC
Nancy Maslowas, Pomona — FDU
Catherine McDonnell, Galloway — RU
Jaleesha Mills, Pleasantville — FDU
Joanne Pereira, Galloway — RU
Kimberly Richardson, Mays Landing — FDU
Sofia Sansweet, Ventnor — RSC
Samantha Vicchiarelli, Somers Point — RSC
Louis Rodia, Sicklerville — FDU
Lisa Smith, Seaville — FDU
Aglee Burke, Millville — Atl.-Cape
Jennifer Cittadino, Eatontown — RSC
Magen Davies, Cranford — RSC

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie, show or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or what’s happening in the region. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly.

When Revel opened in the spring of 2012, after a big boost from Gov. Christie in the form of tax breaks to complete the project, it was obvious that the template for this casino resort was the success of Borgata.

In 2003 Borgata debuted as a stand-alone casino resort that was looking for a younger, more affluent crowd and presented itself as a high-end destination. Eventually that included a vibrant nightlife and bringing in big name chefs like Bobby Flay and Wolfgang Puck to front its signature restaurants.

The big difference between the success of Borgata and as of now, the failure of Revel, currently in bankruptcy, is the timing. Borgata opened at the height of Atlantic City’s success as part of a thriving economy, while Revel opened in the middle of an ongoing, crippling recession.

When Borgata opened and established itself, there was no competition from Pennsylvania casinos. Shortly after Revel opened, Atlantic City lost its place as the second largest gambling destination in the US to Pennsylvania.

In that environment, attempting to pull off a high-end only destination has proven to be nearly impossible. Except for the success of its HQ Nightclub (which will be joined by the HQ Beach Club Memorial Day weekend), Revel has been sinking.

However, don’t think that Revel is a goner yet. The Revel brain trust is making adjustments based on the feedback from its guests.

For example, when Revel introduced a player’s card, gamblers weren’t happy that it didn’t have tiers that rewarded the players who spent the most money. Now the Revel card has tiers with a top-of-the-line Pearl Card.

The Atlantic City Weekly Web site fielded complaints from regular AC gamblers about Revel not having an exclusive playing area/lounge for its best customers. Just this week Revel announced Revel’s Pearl High Limit Lounge, which will open on May 10 with a grand opening party and ribbon cutting ceremony. Guests of the Pearl will have access to a complimentary bar and dining area that will be exclusive to Pearl cardholders on a daily basis and Beach cardholders on select days as a benefit of the Revel Card program.

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