This year marks the 45th anniversary of Resorts Casino Hotel Atlantic City, NJ, the first legal casino property to open its doors outside of Nevada.
On Friday, May 26th, 1978, a line of eager smartly-dressed customers wrapped around the Atlantic City Boardwalk, waiting for their chance to place the inaugural bet at 10 AM.
Once the doors swung open, Resorts forever transformed the Jersey Shore into a premier East Coast gambling destination. At the peak of Atlantic City’s gambling boom, its twelve casinos raked in well over $5.2 billion in combined annual gaming revenue, a record set in 2006.
Today, the remaining nine casinos, along with NJ online casinos and sportsbooks, make roughly $4.7 billion in total annual revenue. Figures released by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE), and seen by Fortune Magazine, show that the state gaming revenues matched the 2006 record of $5.2 billion in 2022.
And it can all be traced back to Resorts AC’s opening on that cozy Memorial Day weekend in 1978.
What we cover
45th Anniversary celebrations kick off an action-packed summer
To kick off the summer season, Atlantic City’s oldest casino hotel celebrated its Sapphire anniversary during Memorial Day weekend with an exciting lineup of boardwalk entertainment, discounted rates, and a bagful of giveaways. Resorts held its annual beachfront traditions, as well.
The highlight of the action-packed weekend was certainly TV superstar and New Jersey native Kelsey Grammer co-hosting the Opening of the Sea ceremony, alongside Atlantic City’s Mayor Marty Small Sr, with the event culminating in the famous Beach Ball Drop.
The “Opening of the Sea” event is a time-honored tradition on the Jersey shores, and it marks the official start of the summer season in the Garden State.
This year, the Frasier star turned a giant key in the beach sand, symbolically unlocking the Atlantic Ocean for the summer season. The Atlantic City Beach Patrol escorted the guests of honor through the breakers and back to the shore.
To start the holiday weekend on the right note, the Resort’s Star Card holders were welcomed to the Promotions Booth to collect their Sapphire Anniversary-themed eco-friendly tote bags. They also enjoyed displays of John Gowdy’s award-winning sand sculptures.
Daytime entertainment around the Promotions Booth included live performances by renowned artists like Philly Drag Mafia’s Brittany Lynn, the Kilted Rogues Bagpipers, and Wiseguy Entertainment, amongst others.
Then at 5 PM, the casino hotel’s famous beach ball drop signaled the start of nighttime festivities. The popular annual event sees more than 5,000 beach balls dropped at The Atlantic City Boardwalk, drawing crowds of tourists and locals alike.
The New York Bee Gees, a tribute band honoring the Bee Gees’ eight number-one hits in 1978, brought the Friday night celebrations to a grand finale at the Superstar Theater. The band featured former and present members of iconic tribute act who serenaded the crowd with Bee Gees’ 1970s disco hits like Night Fever, To Love Somebody, and Stayin Alive.
Visitors were also invited to the casino hotel’s Margaritaville Lobby on Saturday, May 27th, to pull Atlantic City’s first-ever slot machine (Bally’s 1975 Honey Money), with anyone hitting the top two consecutive draws winning $10,000. Each guest walked away with a commemorative gift.
Resorts continued its 45th anniversary on Sunday, May 28th, by giving away over $100,000 in prizes. On brand with the celebrations, 45 guests won $1,000 each, while four walked away with a $2,500 prize. One lucky winner scooped the $45,000 grand prize.
A brief history of Atlantic City’s iconic casino resort
The road to the modern Resorts Casino Hotel has been long, storied, and colorful.
The iconic Resorts building (formerly called Chalfonte-Haddon Hall) was once two separate buildings connected by a sky bridge, Haddon Hall and Chalfonte Hotel. During WWII, the military leased the combined hotel for basic training and later converted it into a hospital alongside the adjacent Traymore Hotel.
After the war, it reverted to a public hotel until Resorts International purchased it (and the lot around Atlantic City Boardwalk) for $2.5 million in 1976.
Resorts ownership changes over the years
Over the years, ownership of Resorts Casino Hotel changed hands multiple times. Both Merv Griffin and former President Donald Trump held stakes at some point.
In 2010, New York property investor Morris Bailey and Dennis Gomes, a well-known Atlantic City casino executive who died in 2012, paid $31.5 million for Resorts AC, as reported by Wall Street Journal. Bailey still owns a principal stake in the property.
Resorts is currently a Mohegan property, with Mohegan Gaming responsible for the day-to-day operations of the casino hotel since 2012. The Montville, Connecticut-based operator also owns a minority stake and runs ResortsCasino.com.
Resorts Casino Hotel at a glance
After a 45-year reign as Atlantic City’s first casino, Resorts has molded into a premier gambling and entertainment destination. It now sports 942 rooms and suites, a 79,909-square-foot casino with 1,367 slot machines and 75 tables, and a 5,000-square-foot retail DraftKings sportsbook.
In addition to the land-based casino, Resorts AC operates five online casino skins, including Resorts Live, ResortsCasino.com, Mohegan Sun Casino, and Poker Stars. The sports betting side includes three sportsbook skins, including DraftKings Online Sportsbook.
The property boasts more than 20 food and beverage outlets, including a food court and upscale restaurants like Dougherty’s Steakhouse & Raw Bar, Mukashi Sushi Bar, and Capriccio Italian Restaurant. It has over a dozen casual dining options, such as Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, LandShark Bar & Grill, and Tex-Mex joint, Bubbakoo’s Burritos.
Leisure amenities include the 45,000-gallon indoor/outdoor pool that reopened last year after a $4 million spruce-up, as well as seven high-end retail shops, a spa, and two theaters that regularly feature headlining musicians and DJs like Disco Inferno.
Resorts Casino Hotel is also home to 64,000 square feet of convention space, with multiple wedding and meeting venues. It employs a 1,600-strong staff.
Conclusion
Resorts Casino Hotel Atlantic City transformed the East Coast gambling scene as the first legal casino outside of Nevada. Its recent Sapphire anniversary celebrations were a testament to its success in bringing joy and excitement to millions of visitors. A true gem of the Garden State, the hotel offers impressive amenities and attractions.
