Hard Rock and Ocean Casino Celebrate Five Years in Operation

Summary:

• Both casinos opened on June 27, 2018.
• Hard Rock and Ocean site 2nd and 3rd in Atlantic City operations.
• The casinos have heavily invested in the properties.

Back in 2014, four New Jersey casinos shut down in Atlantic City due to a poor economy. Just two years later, another casino was out of business.

It was not until a few years later, in 2018, that Hard Rock and Ocean Casino would replace two of the closed venues. Today, the two casinos are in the top three gaming venues in Atlantic City, working quickly to build strong brands on the Boardwalk. The 5th year anniversary is a milestone for both casinos and the future looks bright for the brands.

Hard Rock Replaces Trump Taj Mahal

Hard Rock International purchased the former Trump Taj Mahal Casino, a venue that closed in 2016. A worker union strike took place for over three months before the owner decided to offload the property. Once Hard Rock took over, more than 500 former Taj employees were hired, and the casino was ready to continue helping the community.

The casino was officially purchased on March 1, 2017. The operator worked quickly to renovate and prepare the property for the June 27 opening in 2018. The casino was doing well but was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Once the property was back in operation, Hard Rock was ready to build on its initial success. Right now, Hard Rock ranks second in Atlantic City casinos, just behind the Borgata. The casino just recently earned over $38 million in May. The casino has more than 3,600 employees with the majority living in Atlantic County.

Ocean Casino Takes Over the Revel

The Revel Casino was one of the 2014 casualties, with Ocean taking over and renovating the property for a June 27, 2018, opening as well. The casino struggled greatly in the beginning, and it was not until the pandemic was over that the venue began to gain footing in the industry.

Ocean spent more than $100 million on developing the property in 2022 and continues to invest in the casino. Over $15 million has now been committed to renovating more than 300 guest rooms onsite. There will also be multi-floor residences within the venue and a helipad will be added for high roller visitors.

Ocean Casino comes in third on the list, earning $29.7 million in May. The casino is hopeful that it will be able to move into the number two or even number one spot in the future by way of revenue earnings.

It has been interesting to watch both casinos as they work hard to gain a strong footing in the industry. We may see either brand move into the top two spots as 2023 continues.