Atlantic City casinos increasingly take advantage of beach locale

John Curran

Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2001 | 10:47 a.m.

ATLANTIC CITY -- On the beach in front of the Atlantic City Hilton, you can get a massage, rent a hammock or get a fishing rod and go surf casting from the water's edge.

Hotel guest or not, you can rent a cabana, a boogie board, an umbrella or a kayak.

Increasingly, Atlantic City casinos are taking advantage of the ocean at their doorstep by offering amenities to gamblers and beachgoers.

The aim is both to hang on to regular customers and attract new ones by using the one natural attraction that no other casino market can offer: an ocean beach.

"The casinos, in this day and age, with all the competition, they're looking for all the entertainment they can to offer their guests," said Bob Filoon, of Sunny Side Up beach rentals, which handles beach concessions for Resorts Atlantic City.

Less than half of the 10 casinos that line the oceanfront Boardwalk offer beach equipment and services:

* Trump Plaza rents chairs, umbrellas and gazebos ($50 a day) to hotel guests only. The casino also stages four-hour "beach parties" for its loyal gamblers Saturday and Sunday nights, with live bands playing from a terrace above the Boardwalk and catered food -- sandwich wraps, hot dogs, beer and wine. "Casinos are discovering that the beach is a desired asset, whether it's a walk-up customer or a database customer," said Steve Calabro, vice president of marketing.

* Resorts Atlantic City's beach concession rents wooden beachfront gazebos ($50 a day), umbrellas ($8), chaise lounges ($7) and chairs ($5). The gazebos are for hotel guests only, the others can be rented by anyone.

* Showboat Casino-Hotel offers complimentary umbrellas, chairs and towels, for hotel guests only.

The Borgata casino, which is currently under construction in the marina district, has maintained a beach rental operation on the beach between Caesars Atlantic City Hotel Casino and Trump Plaza for two years.

The bright yellow umbrellas, sporting The Borgata logo, are aimed at drumming up brand name recognition in advance of the casino's 2003 opening, officials said.

Other beach rental operations are set up along the Atlantic City beach that are unaffiliated with the casinos.

But the Atlantic City Hilton is the undisputed king of the beach when it comes to fun and games. And the best stuff is available to the general public, not just the high-rollers.

There, you can get a cabana massage ($75), or rent a gazebo ($75), hammock ($20 daily), ocean kayak ($15 per hour), or boogie board ($5 per hour), whether you're a hotel guest or not.

The casino beach operation also offers fishing gear for surf casting ($10 for two hours).

In addition, hotel guests can hang out at the Beach Club, an enclosed area on the beach next to the Boardwalk that offers food and beverage service inside a bright white double-gazebo.

Open from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, the Beach Club costs $35 a day per person -- $20 for children.

"It's reminiscent of the old Atlantic City, relaxing out on the beach like this," said one beachgoer, lounging in the shade of a gazebo. "It's a grand way to spend the afternoon," she said.

Two gazebos away, Jeffrey Wolfer, 34, of Alpine, N.J., was packing up after spending half the day on the beach with his wife and three small children.

"The truth is, I wouldn't even be here if they didn't have this," said Wolfer. "I've been coming to Atlantic City for 20 years, but we never came to the beach until they started doing this."

"It's a great deal. Since I'm a hotel guest, it's $50 for the day, and you get towels, beach chairs, all the bottled water and apple juice you want. Plus, you lose a little less in the casino if you're out here," Wolfer said.

Nearby, Dan Grisan, 38, of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., sat in a beach chair under a blue-and-white canvas Hilton umbrella, reading.

"Not everyone comes down here to gamble, you know," he said, looking up from his book. "I play cards a little bit but my wife doesn't gamble at all, so we're out here. They have the nicest beach, and the amenities are great."

Steve Whiteside, vice president of hotel operations for the Hilton, said the casino has lobbied City Hall for permission to serve alcohol on the beach, to no avail.

It can be served weekends in the Beach Club area under special permits the Hilton has, but not to the general public on the beach.

Whiteside says "Hilton beach" has helped drum up business for the casino.

"We're not right at the foot of the expressway like some other casinos, so we have to do something special to get people down this way. And this is the most wonderful, beautiful natural resource, why not take advantage of it?" Whiteside said.