ATLANTIC CITY — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was among the distinguished guests on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, May 24, to celebrate the opening of the new Margaritaville and LandShark Bar & Grill at Resorts. The new $35 million complex opens today (Friday, May 24) and will be open every day throughout the year.

For a photo gallery of the event, click here.

“Last July, I stood here to announce the start of the Margaritaville project,” said Christie. “Less than a year later, I’m extraordinarily pleased to be back for its grand opening and ribbon-cutting.

“With all eyes on the Jersey shore this summer, the new Margaritaville entertainment complex at Resorts is one of the most promising examples of optimism for New Jersey and for Atlantic City,” adds Christie. “The arrival of this high-profile national brand offers a superb destination for visitors and local residents alike, and is more evidence that the shore is open for business and stronger than ever this summer.”

The ceremony also included Margaritaville CEO John Cohlan, Resorts Casino Hotel owner Morris Bailey, and Mohegan Gaming Advisors CEO Mitchell Etess. The group presented Christie with a pair of bronzed Margaritaville flip-flops (pictured right) to celebrate the opening and the start of summer on the shore.

Click here for Atlantic City Weekly’s cover story on the opening of the Margaritaville complex, and click here for a review of the May 18 sneak peek of the LandShark Bar & Grill.

“Resorts Casino Hotel is an Atlantic City icon with a rich history and great future,” said Bailey. “Margaritaville is a perfect example of that future.  With its trademark beach vibe, it broadens our casino hotel’s appeal and gives travelers a new reason to visit Atlantic City.”

“We’re thrilled to finally be here in Atlantic City, where the Margaritaville experience — great food and drinks, live entertainment, gaming and year-round beachside fun — is another reason for locals and tourists alike to come for a visit,” said Tamara Baldanza, Margaritaville director of new business. “Summer should feel a whole lot cooler and winter a little bit warmer with Margaritaville on the Boardwalk.”

Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City body-painted street team hands out free rooms to Caesars, Harrah’s Resort, Showboat and Bally’s Atlantic City as part of its Caesars Luvs NYC campaign.

Talk about creative marketing strategies! On Tuesday, May 21, Caesars Entertainment’s sexy body-painted models invaded the streets of New York City — and braved some sweltering heat! — handing out hotel-room key cards to thousands of clamoring passer-bys for a free room at one of Caesars Entertainment’s four Atlantic City resorts and casinos.

It was part of the Caesars Luvs NYC campaign.

Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City body-painted street team visited lunch goers in Bryant Park, two-legged and four-legged friends Madison Square Park, suits in Wall Street, and finally showed commuters some love near Penn Station — all of whom snatched up a room at either Caesars, Harrah’s Resort, Showboat or Bally’s after spotting one of the four body painted models emblazoned with the hotels’ logos.

Summer is just around the corner and Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City is ready to sizzle and welcome back all their visitors and fans to  the beloved shore.

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.

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.

REVEL BEACH, ATLANTIC CITY — Binglo at Revel is an all new way to enjoy a “black light lit” Bingo series at The Social, the mega-resort’s 700-seat showroom located adjacent to the casino floor.

Binglo, which started in early April, is billed as a “ladies night out,” with hot guys calling numbers and checking cards, but it is open to anyone 21 or older, as long as you have a Revel players’ card. The card, and admission to the Binglo games, are free, and prize money totaling at least $2,500 is up for grabs each week.

Doors open at 4pm, the first round is at 5pm and the second session is at 7pm every Monday.
See a video about Binglo and learn more about other programming at The Social below.

ATLANTIC CITY — Entertainment tryouts are being held on the 13th floor Screening Room of Resorts Casino today and tomorrow (Thursday and Friday, April 18-19), as local entertainers vie for the opportunity to perform at the soon-to-be-opened Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and LandShark Bar & Grill, which is set to open in May.

The band Route 9 auditions at Resorts Thursday afternoon, April 18

The tryouts are by appointment only both days from 10am-6pm. Auditions are available to full bands, duos and trios, and solo acoustic guitar solo artists.

Musicians will compete for a spot on an entertainment roster that will feature seven-night-per-week performances at the new Margaritaville Café and at the LandShark Bar & Grill — the first-ever full-service bar and restaurant directly located on the famous Atlantic City beachfront at Resorts.

Talent scouts will be evaluating talent with a particular focus on fun, upbeat acts specializing in cover songs ranging from classic rock to Top 40.

Spicy Tuna rolls, Sashimi, and Samuel Smith England Oatmeal Stout are just some of featured fare being offered at Atlantic Grill Seafood and Steaks’ Suds and Sushi celebration on Friday, Feb. 22.

Located inside Caesars Atlantic City, the restaurant boasts a lounge and dining, both with surreal sweeping views of the ocean, where guests can sample some of the most savory hand-rolled sushi and beer selections available.

With expert chefs crafting the cuisine, and companies such as the New Jersey Beer Co. and Anderson Valley, amongst others, supplying the suds, this is sure to be a delectable affair. Space is limited, with tickets available for $50 per person at 317-2006.

The following beers will be available:

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ATLANTIC CITY — Chicago’s Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti claimed his fourth straight King Cake Eating World Title on “Fat Tuesday” afternoon, Feb. 12, at Showboat’s House of Blues Party Pit, taking the $2,000 top prize out of $4,000 in total prize money.

Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti with his fourth King Cake Eating championship trophy. Photos by Christine Steiner

Bertoletti downed a dozen of the tasty treats in eight minutes for the victory, relegating Alexandria, Virginia resident Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas to second place and a $1,000 payout (third through fifth places got $500, $300 and $200, respectively).

The diminutive Thomas (left, with Bertoletti) is the top-rated female competitive eater in the world, weighing in at only 105 pounds. Bertoletti fell a bit shy of his 2010 record of 14 cakes (10.5 pounds) in eight minutes, but was nonetheless very satisfied with the effort on Tuesday.

“I feel great,” said Bertoletti, who has competed in 38 states and six countries, and holds 38 Major League Eating records including, along with king cakes, eating 275 jalapeno peppers in eight minutes and 72 cupcakes in six minutes. “There’s no better place than Showboat casino in Atlantic City to hold a competition like this. I’ll be back every year they do it.”

ATLANTIC CITY — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the high-energy nine-piece ensemble that shows, in its own inimitable way, that it’s still cool to swing big-band style, returns to Golden Nugget on Saturday, March 9, as part of its 20th anniversary tour.

The Los Angeles -based group, which takes the stage 9pm at Golden Nugget’s intimate Showroom, is touring behind the release of its latest CD Rattle Them Bones, the follow-up record to its much-lauded 2009 release How Big Can You Get?: The Music of Cab Calloway. 

The band’s past notable hits include “Go Daddy-O,” “You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)” and “Mr. Pinstripe Suit.”

For tickets call 800-736-1420 or go to ticketmaster.com to book online.