Visit Atlantic City and the Atlantic City Sports Commission enjoyed a strong Q2 with 22 events, conventions and conferences generating 23,320 room nights booked and 153,285 attendees, resulting in a total economic impact of $50,431,607. This summer, the iconic beach and boardwalk destination is gearing up to host a series of fan-favorite events including JJFISHWEEKAC, Arett Lawn and Garden Show, USA Pickleball Indoor National Championships and US Open Pool Championships.
Three Atlantic City hotels are also celebrating milestones this summer with Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa marking its 20th anniversary and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and Ocean Casino Resort each toasting to their fifth. Spiegelworld’s long-awaited The Hook also opens as the only permanent live entertainment destination in Atlantic City.
“As the ultimate sun, fun, beach and Boardwalk destination, summer is always an exciting time in Atlantic City,” said Larry Sieg, President and CEO of Visit Atlantic City. “With a host of newly opened restaurants and attractions beckoning visitors, in addition to all the major events taking place, we are expecting a jam-packed season and recommend guests book early. We are already hearing from partners that accommodation demand is strong, and we only expect it to grow in the weeks to come.”
Q3 SPORTING EVENTS IN ATLANTIC CITY
Hoop Group Jam Fest: Boys
The Hoop Group once again takes over the boardwalk with a return to Atlantic City July 5 – 7, 2023. The Atlantic City Jam Fest will take place at the Atlantic City Convention Center and will feature over 18 courts under one roof. The AC Jam Fest features some of the best competition, exposure, and vacation experiences you can’t match anywhere else. The event expects 7,000 attendees, generating 4,455 room nights and $5,081,621 in economic impact.
Jersey Jumps Beach Vault
Jersey Jumps Beach Vault brings Olympic-grade pole vaulting to the scenic Atlantic City beach for a weekend of vaulting, music and food on July 8 and 9, 2023. The event expects 750 attendees, 100 room nights and $223,893 in economic impact.
Jimmy Johnson’s Atlantic City “Quest For The Ring” Championship Fishing Week
JJFishWeekFL, which annually takes place in March in South Florida, will be making its way up the east coast to Atlantic City, NJ for the upcoming Northeast summer tournament season to host the 3rd Annual JJFishWeekAC, in partnership with the Atlantic City Sports Commission from July 16-23, 2023, hosted at the Frank S. Farley State Marina at Golden Nugget Casino, Hotel & Marina. The tournament will include a $1 Million+ Guaranteed Purse and a week full of the ultimate hospitality with approximately 90-100 teams. The event expects 1,500 attendees, 1,132 room nights, and $1,031,491 in economic impact.
Hoop Group Jam Fest: Girls
Taking over the Atlantic City Convention Center July 21 – 24, 2023, the Hoop Group Jam Fest Girls competition will feature 18 courts and fierce competition. The event expects 7,000 attendees, generating 5,842 room nights and $5,886,920 in economic impact.
Boardwalk Boxing
Rising Star Promotions, in association with the Atlantic City Sports Commission, is bringing world-class boxing back to Atlantic City’s historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on July 22, 2023, with Boardwalk Boxing, an action-packed event headlined by N.J. native and middleweight title contender Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna (35-5-1, 14 KOs) in the 10-round Main Event for his WBA Fedelatin Middleweight Championship. The event expects 1,800 attendees resulting in 45 room nights and $276,905 in economic impact.
Santa Hustle “Christmas in July”
Get into the holiday spirit early with the first-ever Santa Hustle “Christmas in July” Atlantic City 5k, 9k, 12k, and Kids Dash on Sunday, July 23. Proceeds from the 2023 Santa Hustle Atlantic City will support Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Atlantic & Cape May Counties. The event expects 700 attendees, 208 room nights and $158,716 in economic impact.
Atlantic City Triathlon
The 13th Annual Atlantic City Triathlon returns to Atlantic City on Saturday, Aug. 12. As the most beginner-friendly triathlon course in New Jersey, participants will compete in a .25-mile swim, 11-mile bike and 5k run on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. The event expects 3,000 attendees, 35 room nights, and $438,510 in economic impact.
Amerikick Internationals
The Amerikick Internationals will take place at the Atlantic City Convention Center from Aug. 18 – 19, 2023. This tournament will feature black belt martial arts competitors competing in a variety of sparring matches for the ultimate title. The event expects 3,200 attendees, 678 room nights, and $1,038,041 in economic impact.
Pride Run Series
Taking over the Atlantic City Boardwalk on Saturday, Sept. 9 attendees can run or walk a 5k or 10k and show their pride and help support an excellent #IDEA – inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance for everyone. Following the run, guests can join in on the fun at the Pride Run Atlantic City Celebration Party and Health & Wellness Expo with a fun atmosphere, entertainment, exhibitors. This event expects 200 participants, 20 room nights and $124,925 in economic impact.
IRONMAN 70.3
IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon will return to Atlantic City on Sunday, Sep. 10. The triathlon takes place on a flat and scenic course in Atlantic City in one of the East Coast’s iconic seaside towns. IRONMAN 70.3 Atlantic offers slots to the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship. The event expects 5,000 attendees and $697,038 in economic impact.
USA Pickleball Indoor National Championships
The 2023 USA Pickleball Indoor National Championships will be hosted by the Atlantic City Pickleball Open and include five days of competition featuring singles, doubles and mixed doubles in skill/age brackets. Gold medalists from each division will receive a Golden Ticket, or pre-registration spot, for the 2024 USA Pickleball National Championships. Top professional pickleball player Kyle Yates returns to Atlantic City as an ambassador. The event takes place at the Atlantic City Convention Center from Sept. 18 – 23, 2023 and expects 4,000 attendees 600 room nights and $959,060 in economic impact.
US Open Pool Championship
The US Open Pool Championship, in partnership with the Atlantic City Sports Commission, takes place at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City Sept. 25 – 30, 2023. During this exciting event, a field of 256 competitors aim to win one of the most prestigious titles in pool. Visitors will witness some of the biggest names in the sport, including Shane Van Boening, Earl Strickland, Rob Hart and Jennifer Barretta as they attempt to claim the title. The event expects 1,500 attendees, 2,820 room nights and $1,920,580 in economic impact.
Q3 CONVENTIONS, CONFERENCES & EVENTS IN ATLANTIC CITY
Visit Atlantic City Airshow
The Visit Atlantic City Airshow “A Salute to Those Who Serve” will be held on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. Powered once again by premier sponsor Visit Atlantic City (formerly Meet AC), this year’s show is celebrating 20 years in Atlantic City with the announcement of a new viewing experience and aerial performances by top military acts – U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier Demo Team, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team and 177th Fighter Wing of the N.J. Air National Guard.
New Jersey Bar Exam
The New Jersey Bar Exam will be held at the Atlantic Convention Center on July 25 – 28, 2023. The standardized exam is administered to law school graduates seeking admission to the New Jersey Bar and tests general principles of law, legal analysis and communication skills. The event expects 1,400 attendees, 83 room nights and $251,588 in economic impact.
New Jersey Cannabis Convention
NECANN’s New Jersey Cannabis Convention continues to grow as the local market develops, with 2022’s attendance more than doubling the first event in 2019. With recreational stores opening and the number of licenses rapidly expanding, the number of license holders, medical dispensaries, suppliers, cultivators, investors, entrepreneurs, and ancillary businesses is growing daily, and the 2023 New Jersey convention will be one of the largest cannabis industry events in the Northeast. The event will take place Sept. 8 – 9, 2023 at the Atlantic City Convention Center and expects 3,089 attendees and $758,640 in economic impact.
Philadelphia National Candy Gift & Gourmet Show
The Philadelphia National Candy, Gift & Gourmet Show is the premier show for those seeking retail, wholesale and manufacturing solutions within the Specialty Confectionery Industry. The Philadelphia National Candy, Gift & Gourmet Show gives candy shops the opportunity to network with some of the most successful people in the industry. In addition to covering the latest trends, the show includes a seminar line-up led by top confectionery professionals. The event will take place Sept. 10 – 12, 2023 at the Atlantic City Convention Center and expects 3,500 attendees, 462 room nights and $1,289,201 in economic impact.
Arett Lawn and Garden Show 2023
Arett Sales Corporation is a leading U.S. lawn, garden, home and outdoor living distributor covering the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, and focused on providing extraordinary service to its retail customers. During this event, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with and shop some of the premier lawn, garden, home and outdoor living products in the county. The event takes place at the Atlantic City Convention Center Sept. 10 – 12 and expects 2,200 attendees, resulting in 2,193 room nights and an economic impact of $4,662,691.
Action Expo 2023
The Action Expo returns to the Atlantic City Convention Center Sept. 13 – 14, 2023. Action Expo brings together the top manufacturers, retailers, reps, gurus and groms in action sports and youth culture. Over 300 action sports brands and approximately 600 retail buyers are set to participate in the Expo. This event expects 200 attendees, 44 room nights and $71,109 in economic impact.
WHAT’S NEW IN ATLANTIC CITY
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa Celebrates its 20th Anniversary
As Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the resort completed a $55 million redesign and rebranding of The Water Club to deliver one of the city’s premier luxury resort experiences. Renamed the MGM Tower, the new offerings feature more than 700 completely reimagined guestrooms and add a collection of luxury Vista Suites located at the tower’s corners with extraordinary wraparound views of the Atlantic City skyline. Borgata’s summer entertainment lineup includes an exclusive performance by Jabbawockeez, Counting Crows with Dashboard Confessional, the Goo Goo Dolls with O.A.R and more.
Ocean Casino Resort Turns Five
Ocean Casino Resort will be celebrating its fifth birthday all summer long with over $5 million in giveaways and promotions. The celebration began Memorial Day Weekend and runs through Labor Day 2023. Ocean unveiled a brand-new Birthday Bar Pop-up Experience located at 1927 Lounge on June 28 that runs through the summer, just steps from the casino floor. Several new openings have added to Ocean’s culinary and retail offerings, including Bottled Wine, Spirits & Tastings – an elevated wine experience featuring enomatic wine dispensers, Wave – a retail experience offering the latest home goods and appliances to drones, laptops and virtual reality devices, and The Soup Spot, which offers a rotating selection of homemade soups.
Hard Rock Atlantic City Celebrates Fifth Anniversary
Hard Rock Atlantic City is celebrating its fifth anniversary with festivities all summer long. This year, Hard Rock Atlantic City has committed over $30 million to presenting world-class entertainment performances during its Summer Anniversary Celebration, cementing itself as the market leader in headliner entertainment. Some of the summer performance highlights include Bill Burr (July 7 and 8), Peter Frampton (July 16), Santana (July 28 and 29), Donny Osmond (July 30), Hit Musical “Grease” (Aug. 2-14), Incubus (Aug. 11), Rick Springfield (Aug.12), Leon Bridges (Aug. 25), Keith Urban (Sept. 1 and 2), Sting (Sept. 3), Machine Gun Kelly (Sep. 9) and Zac Brown Band (Sept. 15).
Two New Restaurants Revitalize Local Dining Scene
The local community continues to attract new investments such as the recently opened Cardinal, a contemporary American restaurant with globally influenced cuisine. Cardinal focuses on seasonal, sustainable, and responsibly sourced ingredients from New Jersey and surrounding areas with a commitment to elevated hospitality and community. Good Dog Bar Atlantic City, features food, drinks and a second-floor game room. With 5,000 square feet located in a two story, fully renovated building, Good Dog Bar in Atlantic City is all about good times.
Spiegelworld’s ’The Hook’ Making a Splash this Summer
Opening June 2023, The Hook will be Atlantic City’s only permanent live entertainment destination. The brand-new and bespoke 400-seat state-of-the-art theater will be home to the splashy production The Hook, directed by the award-winning Cal McCrystal. The show will feature an all-star cast of acclaimed comedians, acrobats, and circus performers from nine countries spanning four continents. The venue will also house Spiegelworld’s hugely successful Italian-American-Psychedelic restaurant, Superfrico, alongside four cocktail bars, each with its own must-taste experience. Tickets are starting at $60 and are on sale now with performances of The Hook beginning on June 30, 2023, at Caesars Atlantic City. For more details, please visit www.spiegelworld.com
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About Visit Atlantic City:
Visit Atlantic City is a 501(c)(6) organization formed and funded as a public-private partnership by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to create economic development through conventions, sporting events, film production and group tourism. Visit Atlantic City focuses on three primary objectives: sales, marketing and services.
For complete Atlantic City tourism and convention information, visit www.visitatlanticcity.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About the Atlantic City Sports Commission:
The Atlantic City Sports Commission was officially formed on January 13, 2015 as a 501 (c)(3) organization with the support of Visit Atlantic City and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to attract sporting events, conventions and competitions to Atlantic City.
For more information, visit www.atlanticcitysports.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Media Contacts
MMGY NJF
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Visit Atlantic City
Jessica Kasunich
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