Many businesses that undergo a total renovation would err on the side of caution, take the financial hit and shut down while the work is being completed.
Not the new Golden Nugget Hotel Casino and Marina. It handed out hard hats to its guests and told them to have fun watching the transformation from the drab and almost lifeless Trump Marina into what is essentially a brand new property.
“We probably should have closed [during the remodeling], but that just wasn’t an option,” admits Tom Pohlman, executive vice president and general manager of the Golden Nugget.
Instead, the Golden Nugget encouraged its guests, through a variety of construction-related promotions, to be part of the sweeping makeover that actually began a few weeks before the casino’s parent company, hospitality industry giant Landry’s Inc., purchased the former Trump Marina for $38 million. The company immediately began an 11-month, $150 million makeover of the smallest of the three gaming resorts in the city’s Marina district, which included gutting and renovating all 740 guest rooms and suites.
Golden Nugget will pop the cork and mark the completion of its remodeling April 26 when it begins a four-day grand opening celebration that includes: Three nights of headline entertainment (Third Eye Blind on Friday, Whoopi Goldberg on Saturday and the Oak Ridge Boys on Sunday); two nights of fireworks (Friday and Saturday); personal appearances by former Philadelphia Eagles Brian Westbrook and Jeremiah Trotter; a live, interactive show with Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro, and more.
Pohlman and Landry’s Inc. chairman Tilman Feritta will be joined in the hotel lobby at 4pm Thursday, April 26, by New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Landry’s got into the casino business seven years ago when it purchased the original Golden Nugget in Las Vegas and a sister property in Laughlin. Last month, Landry’s announced it was expanding its small casino empire by purchasing the Isle of Capri casino in Biloxi, Miss., and was planning a similar, property-wide makeover just as it did in A.C.
At its new Atlantic City property, Landry’s left virtually no stone unturned in removing all traces of Trump Marina, a property that hadn’t been upgraded in more than 20 years.
Even while gamblers played slot machines and sat at table games, construction workers maneuvered around the guests and completely redesigned and reconfigured the entire casino floor.
In spite of the cordoned-off areas of the casino and scissor lifts carefully moving around the floor, gamblers didn’t seem to mind. For the past three months casino revenue at the Golden Nugget has increased measurably compared to the same three months last year.
Golden Nugget partners with Paulaner, an ancient European brewery and originator of Germany’s Oktoberfest, for this year’s Craft Beer Festival.
If there is any one quality that defines great cooking, it just might be courage. Restaurateurs are largely by nature risk-takers, willing to push and prod their enterprises forward.
Summer is the prime season for hosting festivals and the Golden Nugget is taking part in the tradition with a trio of indoor/outdoor festivals in August and September.
Comedy impressionist Gordie Brown doesn’t do the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia in his fast-paced, one-man variety show. But he should probably consider adding the late front man to his repertoire, if only for one line from one song.
Atlantic City’s newest, biggest and richest cheerleader is a 54-year-old native Texan with the requisite drawl, who refers to his guests as “y’all” and apologized, with a sheepish, aw-shucks grin, for being underdressed at the grand opening of his Golden Nugget casino last week.
Any notion that the Golden Nugget intended to sit back in the shadows and allow Revel to bask in the limelight alone is one that will be thoroughly dispelled this weekend.
Ever since Tilman Fertitta, CEO of Landry’s Inc., took over the former Trump Marina last May and brought back the Golden Nugget brand to Atlantic City, the casino’s slogan has been, “Watch the Transformation.” Now the transformation is complete, and the Golden Nugget is throwing a four-day party April 26-29 to celebrate with its official Grand Opening Kick-Off Weekend.
Some of the qualities that allowed Tilman Fertitta to reach the apex of the business world, and transform Landry’s Restaurants Inc. into a conglomerate worth nearly $4 billion, he seems to carry around like a set of car keys.
By his own admission, Tilman Fertitta isn’t a gambling man. But that didn’t stop the Texas billionaire from recently placing a $38 million bet in Atlantic City when his company, Landry’s Inc., bought the financially-strapped Trump Marina and immediately re-branded it with one of the most iconic names in the gaming business: the Golden Nugget. “I’m really not a gambler in casinos, I never really have been,” Fertitta says. “I’d rather take a multi-million dollar gamble in business than spend a few dollars in a casino. Put it this way: Before I got into this business, they didn’t send many limos to pick me up.” Fertitta’s company was best known for its various restaurant brands before it got into...
There’s a new player in Atlantic City as the Golden Nugget officially took over operations of the former Trump Marina Tuesday, promising a $100 to $150 million renovation of the aging, and frankly, somewhat boring casino.
In what they hope will be a sweetheart deal announced on Valentine Day yesterday, Tilman J. Fertitta, Chairman, President, CEO and owner of Landry’s, Inc., parent company to the Golden Nugget Las Vegas and Laughlin, announced that Landry’s has agreed to buy the Trump Marina Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.
Area casinos provide opportunities to win cash and prizes, as well as offering special room rates and other upgrades and amenities based on your casino play
A one-off U.S. concert, Wood's first-ever solo show in the United States, smoked from start to finish Saturday night in Atlantic City.
How does it feel — to be a Rolling Stone? “Feels great,” says Wood. “It’s an unbelievable thing that’s been going on for this length of time and we’re certainly covering new ground by being the first rock and roll band to be 50 years old.”
Penn Jillette may have been fired during the 11th episode of the current season of NBC’s 'Celebrity Apprentice,' but that didn’t stop the magician from pulling off what might be his most impressive trick during his 40-year career.
When comedian and left-leaning political pundit Bill Maher brings his stand-up act to Caesars Atlantic City this weekend, his primary goal will be to make an audience of about 1,500 people laugh for 90 minutes.
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1. Anonymous said... on May 1, 2012 at 05:41PM
“Is there a players club simular to the Amphora Lounge at the Borgata.”
2. Anonymous said... on Aug 23, 2012 at 12:24PM
“LOVE that you have LIVE MUSIC 7 days a week and year round!!! Love the Duo on Monday Night at the Rush Lounge!!!”