ATLANTIC CITY — The Atlantic City Hard Rock Cafe is returning its third annual “Fly Zone” packages, offering exclusive access to the “Fly Zone” on Hard Rock Cafe Atlantic City’s outdoor patio overlooking the Boardwalk.

Adult VIP packages include a four-course menu and choice between Hard Rock merchandise — classic white T-shirt and limited edition 2012 Airshow Pin — or two hours of unlimited beer and wine. Children’s VIP packages include a kid’s menu meal and dessert paired with a Play Pack for hours of “Fly Zone” fun.

VIP packages are $75 for adults and $15 for children. All ages are welcome. Stop by the Hard Rock Café at the Trump Taj Mahal, 1000 Boardwalk at Virginia Avenue, or call (609) 441-0007.

USAF Thunderbirds

ATLANTIC CITY — The 10th annual Atlantic City Air Show, dubbed “Thunder Over the Boardwalk,” will take place for the first time on a Friday — this Friday, in fact, August 17, with an Armed Forces Parade slated for the A.C. Boardwalk on Wednesday, August 15.

Reports indicate that the air show organizers expect the biggest crowd yet for the resort’s annual show, with the 1 million number being tossed about. Last year’s air show drew about 750,000 people, with about 100,00 less the year before.

In preparation for this year’s big, free event in the sky — and over the Atlantic City beach and Boardwalk — here are some highlights from previous years, including video and photographs.

2011 Video Highlights

2011 Photos Part 1

2011 Photos Part 2

2010 Video

2010 Photos

2009 Photos

More 2009 Photos

2009 Video Highlights

2008 Video Highlights

See who’s playing in Atlantic City this weekend and click here for Atlantic City casino promotions and deals.

The Atlantic City Air Show and the events surrounding it have had pretty good luck weather–wise through the years, so it’s a bit of unusual bad luck that this could shape up to be the rainiest week of the season so far.

But maybe the air show’s luck is still holding, as the forecast for Wednesday, the day of the show, is for partly sunny weather with only a 10 percent chance of rain.

As for today, the Boardwalk Armed Forces parade scheduled for 6pm is a rain or shine event and is still on according to officials. So even if it rains on the city’s parade today, the air show is still looking forward to clear skies.

We’ll keep you updated on any schedule changes.

Geico's Skytypers raced its speedboat crew at a previous event. The two will go at it again Aug. 17 at the annual Atlantic City "Thunder Over the Boardwalk" Air Show

ATLANTIC CITY — The “Thunder Over The Boardwalk”  Air Show — returning for the ninth year Wednesday, Aug. 17, over the A.C. beaches — will bring flight teams from across the country to the resort.

Part of this year’s air show includes the Geico Skytypers and the Miss Geico Racing Team. The Geico Skytypers are a group of aerobatic stunt pilots who fly WWII planes and “sky type” precision messages in the sky, with each letter being about as tall as the Empire State Building in New York City.

This year the Skytypers will do something special at the A.C. show — they will race the five-time world champion Miss Geico Racing Team powerboat — a catamaran-hulled speedboat equipped with helicopter engines that can travel at speeds of up to 200 miles-per–hour.

The air show starts 10am over the beaches and Boardwalk of Atlantic City, and the Geico demonstrations will begin shortly after noon.  For more on the air show, go here.

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 New Jersey governor Chris Christie came to the Boardwalk July 21, called Atlantic City “A dying town” and announced his proposal for the state to oversee Atlantic City’s casino and tourism district, it unleashed a state and local news cycle that wailed away at Atlantic City. As the busy summer season was entertaining guests with great dining, shopping and entertainment, the news about Atlantic City was mostly negative, some of it justified, some of it warmed-up rehashing of old issues.

Dennis Gomes

Well, this week the news cycle got much brighter, topped by the news that Dennis Gomes, a veteran Atlantic City casino executive who was largely responsible for the development of The Quarter at the Tropicana and before that worked diligently for the Trump Taj Mahal, has purchased Resorts. For all the details, check out Mike Pritchard’s story here.

Dennis Gomes returning to town in the casino biz is a godsend. If anybody can turn around the town’s struggling first casino, he can. That perception is held across the industry. Gomes has an excellent track record, and that is what the moneymen and business analysts look for, previous success.

Dennis Gomes is also a kickboxing enthusiast who helped make the Tropicana one of the top spots in town for mixed martial arts events during his tenure there. I brought that up just to reinforce that Gomes is tough when he has to be.

****
It was announced this week that Atlantic City International Airport is handling a record number of passengers. The South Jersey Transportation Authority, which operates the airport, says more than 688,000 passengers were booked on commercial flights from the airport between January and July. That’s up 29 percent from the first seven months of 2009.

(more…)

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

The Atlantic City Airshow “Thunder Over the Boardwalk” will take place rain or shine Wednesday, Aug. 25, as long as the cloud ceiling and visibility are within Federal Aviation Administration minimums for flying aircraft. There is no rain date for the show.

In the eight years that the Atlantic City Airshow has taken place, it has never been canceled.

Current weather conditions call for a slight chance of rain — 20 percent — for the day of the Airshow. For weather updates, monitor News Talk 1400-AM WOND or WMGM TV40 or your local news affiliate. For any updates on the Atlantic City Airshow, go here.

The USAF Thunderbirds.

When the 2009 Atlantic City Air Show arrives on Wednesday, Aug. 19, the mid-town boardwalk becomes jammed with an insane amount of people. Your best chance to really chill out and enjoy the show is to be part of the Flight Line Club.  Siganos Management, Inc. will be hosting a VIP tent at the 2009 Atlantic City Air Show to give the community an opportunity to view this year’s show from the best seats on the beach.  Tickets will cost $20 each and will include a seat, choice of one hamburger or hot dog, one drink, and one bag of chips. For children under 12 years of age admission is free (seat & meal not included).  Tickets may be purchased through Siganos Management at 609-646-2292 extension 25, by logging on to ticketmaster.com, or by visiting the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall Box office. Go here for AC Weekly’s story on last year’s airshow