
Atlantic City Casinos Face Beach Erosion Crisis Ahead of Crucial Summer Season
Atlantic City’s beaches are eroded, jeopardizing the summer season and casino tourism. Beach replenishment is delayed, impacting the city's core business.

As the summer season approaches, Atlantic City is facing a major concern with its beaches. Winter storms have taken a toll on the northern section of the city, causing severe erosion and leaving little to no sand for beach activities, except during low tides. The situation has raised alarms among the executives of the northernmost casinos: Ocean Casino Resort, Resorts, and Hard Rock, who are urging federal and state governments to expedite a beach replenishment project that was originally planned for the previous year.
Summer Season at Risk
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, responsible for overseeing such projects, has indicated that the best-case scenario for the arrival of new sand on the beaches would be late summer. This delay has the casinos worried about the potential impact on their tourism appeal, as the city has always prided itself on its beaches, setting it apart from other gambling destinations in the region and the country. Without the beaches, attracting tourists and gamblers could become more challenging.
Casino Impact
Mike Sampson, the general manager of the Hard Rock casino, expressed concerns about the situation, stating that the absence of beaches and the Boardwalk would pose a significant challenge for Atlantic City. The casino had already lost its popular beach bar to winter storms, facing total destruction with parts washing out to sea and debris remaining on the beach. There is hope to still offer beach cabanas and umbrellas this summer, albeit on a smaller beach, unless intervention leads to a post-summer refill.
Impact on Tourism and Gambling
The potential decline in visitors due to the beach erosion is troubling for the gambling resort, which is still on the path to recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak. Only three of the nine casinos have seen an increase in revenue from in-person gamblers compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019. While online gambling and sports betting have introduced new revenue streams, the casinos share these earnings with partners and do not solely benefit from them. This underscores the significance of in-person gambling revenue and emphasizes the need for usable beaches as a core element of their business.
Financial Challenges
Last summer, the Ocean Casino had to spend $600,000 to transport and deposit sand on its beach, which was in a better condition than the current state. However, most of the sand was washed away, leaving the beach in an even worse state. With only two out of twelve beach entrances accessible, the situation poses safety risks for visitors. Although federal funding of $25 million is available for the $30 million beach replenishment cost this year, the government contracting process does not allow for quick solutions, indicating a potential delay in the project's commencement.
Urgent Action Required
Mark Giannantonio, president of Resorts casino and the Casino Association of New Jersey, emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting the importance of obtaining the necessary sand. There is a collective realization of the critical nature of the beach replenishment, with efforts to explore an interim "beach-lite" option for early summer. Despite the challenges, there is a shared commitment to address the beach erosion issue and ensure a successful summer season for Atlantic City.
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