The Borgata has become the face of the new Atlantic City. Today, in a GALA bash, the casino opened the first phase of its expansion project. Straight from the press release:
Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) and MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM) today announced the opening of its public space expansion at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, located at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City. The newly opened expansion is anchored by three new signature restaurants led by Bobby Flay, Michael Mina and Wolfgang Puck and adds additional casino games, an 85-table poker room, and a second nightclub experience called mur.mur.
Borgata’s next expansion is already underway and will include a second hotel adjoining the property. The Water Club at Borgata is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter 2007. The second hotel will feature approximately
800 guest rooms and suites with its own porte cochere and entrance, along with four swimming pools and a spa in the sky.
William S. Boyd, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming, commented on the opening, “We began working on this expansion only five months after we opened Borgata in 2003. We believe this will add considerably to Atlantic City’s revitalization as an overnight destination with an abundance of entertainment options.”
Terry Lanni, MGM MIRAGE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, noted, “We’re very excited about how the public has embraced Borgata. These new amenities will further enrich the Borgata experience and herald a new era for Atlantic City as a center for dining, entertainment and leisure on the East Coast.”
Because I’m so industrious, I was on the scene and can give you a first-hand report. First, the expansion continues the winning design of the original Borgata. with a lot of interesting touches. It’s still light years ahead of 90% of the market here.
About 200 or so dignitaries, media people, and casino people were treated to the official ribbon cutting, which was followed by a fireworks display–a nice touch.
As we made our way through the expansion from the outside, the massed throngs were making their way in from the main casino. It’s always an experience to see a casino opening, with all of those optimistic people rushing in, looking for an empty slot machine.
The poker room is particularly impressive. There are 85 tables, which makes it one of the biggest in the world. As of 12:30, about 1 1/2 hours after the opening, I think that all of the tables were buzzing. There’s a separate tournament area, and even a program that lets people/company rent tables for special events. I’m guessing this might become a popular bachelor party stop.
I’d describe the overall design as somewhere between the more formal Bellagio and the more contemporary Red Rock Station, probably falling on the Bellagio side by a hair.
It’s good news for Atlantic City and for Boyd Gaming–hopefully this is a preview of some elements of Echelon Place.