July 4, 2004

Underestimated Atlantic City evolves from stodgy to chic
By JOHN BRAND Staff Writer, (609) 272-7275

ATLANTIC CITY - Twenty-two-year-old Alex Gilli sips her cocktail and explains how she doesn't really dig the casino scene.

But the vibe sitting here at the beach bar, a stone's throw from a casino's entrance, is right up her alley.

Her friend, Emily Berzen, 22, hardly considers herself a high-money craps player, but she just scored $60 playing slots and only spent $5.

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey students - well, Berzen just graduated - ditched Berzen's car at Sears earlier so its tires could be replaced.

Then, they came to Bally's Bikini Beach Bar, and are listening to live music - a cover of Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville" - smoking butts and sipping margaritas under a bright, sunny sky on an 80-something degree day.

"We were only supposed to stay for one hour," says Gilli, spinning on her bar stool to look at Berzen.

"Now we're afraid Sears is closed," Berzen adds.

"Oh well, we're having fun," says Gilli.

Who would've thought?

Ten years ago, if you didn't have fistfuls of cash or a senior citizen discount card, this resort was a bit, well, lame - at least to the younger contingent.

Lately, it seems, Atlantic City has gone from a bleak town on the mend to a chic resort that offers high-end dining, premium shopping, rockin' entertainment and, believe it or not, really nice beaches.

"Atlantic City is so underrated," Gilli says, her cigarette smoldering in her right hand. "People still think it's this scummy, dirty town and that it's only about the gambling. There's other stuff to do.

"And the beach is beautiful. It's so clear."

***

The 21- to 35-year-old age group is now more vital to Atlantic City than ever before, and teenagers have become equally important, according to Wayne Schaffel, a public relations supervisor in New York City who also worked at casinos in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and other parts of Nevada.

Nearly every major casino in Atlantic City and Las Vegas has increased its number of hotel rooms and, Schaffel theorizes, that filling them by any means necessary is a great priority.

Ten years ago, Atlantic City had about 10,000-hotel rooms, compared to around 15,000 today. Caesars Atlantic City, the Tropicana and Resorts are adding more rooms right now.

If patrons spend money eating, drinking or watching entertainment rather than on the casino floor, so be it, he said.

"The entertainment is enough (for the casino-hotels) to make money," Schaffel said.

"In the old days, no marketing guy in the world would have attracted people to Atlantic City who couldn't gamble," he said, adding that boxing matches were always a good way to draw the gambling crowd. "The reason that Justin Timberlake comes in, even though his audience will be in conflict with (casinos') other areas of operation, is because it can happen.

"Atlantic City finally has a proven track record of selling tickets and selling them at high ticket prices."

***

After Heather DeVine, 21, of Drexel Hill, Pa., and her close group of high school friends got kicked out of their Wildwood shore house, which they rented for one week, they agreed to head to Atlantic City.

"I hated coming here when I was younger," says Jillian Reilly, 21, of Secane, Pa., whose family had a house in Brigantine.

"I hated it too. There was nothing to do," adds DeVine, who is sitting at a table before a stack of clear, empty cups at the Beach Bar at Trump Plaza. "Now, I love it. We've been here all day."

***

Hotels.com rated Atlantic City the No. 1 road-trip destination in America for July 4th weekend.

Travelocity named the resort one of the best beaches for activity and entertainment.

The June issue of Conde Nast Traveler lauded the city's new, hip image.

And for the last six to eight months the Internet has been buzzing. People want to learn more about this resort, once considered Las Vegas' blue-haired grandmother.

"Atlantic City has gone from gray-haired grannies dumping quarters into slots to va, va, va, voom Vegas style," said Pete Snyder, founder and CEO of Media Strategies, which monitors Internet buzz from its Arlington, Va. headquarters. "It's being seen as a hipper place to go and get away.

"And let's face it. It's not the '30s and '40s. People aren't flocking to the beach," he added.

There have been talks that the X-Games, MTV and hip-hop artist Jay Z's 40-40 Club are coming to town. For the first time ever, that idea isn't as absurd as it would have been a few years ago.

To give you an idea of Atlantic City's latest image makeover, The Walk recently opened, and it features high-end shopping like Tommy Hilfiger, Liz Claiborne, Pacific Sunwear, Nautica and Levi's.

Hotel princess and reality television star Paris Hilton will be at the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort in August for a blackjack tournament that's open to the public.

Incubus, a popular hard-rock group, kicked off its summer tour in Atlantic City.

And Maxim magazine and the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa just held Fantasy Island weekend, which featured the band Velvet Revolver and John Mayer and included celebrity appearances by Sopranos actress Drea De Matteo, Cuba Gooding Jr. and David Spade.

***

Matt Groetsch, 23, and his girlfriend, Krystal Voelker, both of Tannersville, Pa., are drinking beer at Bally's Bikini Beach Bar.

It's Voelker's 21st birthday and they're ready to party.

"It was my idea to come to Atlantic City for my birthday," Voelker says.

"She goes to school in Miami and my favorite thing is hanging out at the Tiki bars. This is just like it," Groetsch says. "Atlantic City's a good place. It's not far, it's inexpensive, it's got a good nightlife and everybody's just having a good time.

"But we just got here. So right now we're going to eat and gamble a little. Then we'll see what happens," he said.

***

Atlantic City's potential during the casino era has always been there, but, many different times, it fell short.

One-third of the nation's population is a car ride away, Susan Ricciardi, director of media relations at the Atlantic City Convention and Visitor's Authority said.

"People want to be seen in Atlantic City," Ricciardi said. "We have celebrities coming here all the time."

But why now?

Mayor Lorenzo Langford said it's a combination of city government moves, tourism official's efforts and savvy casino marketing.

For instance, the Borgata preceded its opening with an aggressive marketing strategy that targeted a younger crowd.

At the same time, other casinos, like Caesars and Bally's Atlantic City and the Convention and Visitors Authority also shifted their attention to today's youth, an effort that has taken nearly a decade, said Brian Cahill, spokesman for Caesars Entertainment Inc., the parent company of Bally's, Caesars and Hilton.

"The focus has been to bring in the type of entertainment our guests have told us they want to see," Cahill said. "We've done that and the public is really responding."

Recently renovated Boardwalk Hall is also bringing in more exciting acts than ever.

"Things happening in Atlantic City today, were not happening five years ago," Mayor Langford said. "There was no booze on the beach, and no tables on the Boardwalk. It's not a perception, (the city's hipness) is a reality."

***

Gilli and Berzen know how to spend a day off from work.

Continuing to chat over a few drinks, Gilli laments about missing the Incubus concert last month.

"Nobody would go with me," she says. "I was so mad."

But they agree that the Three Doors Down show they saw during the winter was really exciting.

Then, they take in their surroundings. The cover band continues playing the Jimmy Buffett tune.

"What more can you ask for than to sit at the bar and look at the ocean?" Gilli says, staring toward the water.

In the distance the waves roll and you can see several children playing in the sand.

Who would've thought?