A decade ago, the city’s casino industry changed forever as four venues closed over a nine-month period.
Showboat Casino Hotel closed Aug. 31. Revel Casino Hotel shut down Sept. 2. Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino went out of business Sept. 16.
The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel closed in January 2014, which meant that by the fall of 2014, the city’s gaming market had shrunk from 12 to eight casinos, thousands had lost their jobs and the city was sent reeling. Atlantic City currently has nine brick-and-mortar casinos that have generated more than $1.63 billion in revenue so far this year.
“When five casinos closed between 2014 and late 2016, it was a warning that casino gaming revenues may impress, but it’s profits that keep the lights on,” said Tony Marino, a former Atlantic City Expressway executive who now writes a newsletter discussing the city’s tourism and casino trends.