Hard Rock given Casino License in Atlantic City

In a recent development, New Jersey gambling regulators have granted casino license to a new Hard Rock property in Atlantic City. The casino, which replaces the former Trump Taj Mahal, already has construction underway and they have obtained their license just weeks before their launch which was planned for the end of June.

The State’s Casino Control Commission granted the venue permission for gambling, on Wednesday, 9th May. The property is set to open as a music-themed resort and it is one of two shuttered casinos re-opening on the same day this summer. The other one is the Ocean Resort Casino, set to reopen on 28th June 2018.

The brand itself is about entertainment. Within these amenities we certainly offer hotel, dining, and other experiences. But there is one universal language and that’s music. We are the only brand that works to bring people together through music,” commented Hard Rock chairman, Jim Allen, during a hearing in Atlantic City.

Allen also mentioned that with a $30 million entertainment budget, Hard Rock will help to bring a wealth of tourists to the Atlantic City market. Hard Rock, along with Ocean Resort Casino, are set to restore as many as 6,500 of the 11,000 jobs that were lost when 5 out of 12 Atlantic City casinos shut down from 2014 onwards.

Ahead of the opening next month, the company has been on a hiring spree. Matt Harkness, Hard Rock Atlantic City’s General Manager, mentioned that they have received over 50,000 job applications, out of which 3,200 have been hired and 850 of those are from Atlantic City itself. “I can’t tell you how many people literally had tears in their eyes once we extended them job offers,” Harkness said.

With both casinos opening on the same day, it’ll be interesting to see which does better. Keep reading GutshotMagazine.com for all casino-related updates.