Nongaming amenities included in Tropicana expansion

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2001 | 10:58 a.m.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ATLANTIC CITY -- Atlantic City's Tropicana Casino and Resort is planning a $225 million expansion that will include a 502-room hotel tower, an enlarged gaming room and a shopping, dining and entertainment complex.

Aztar Corp., Tropicana's parent company, plans to pay $175 million itself for the project and seek another $50 million through the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and a casino sales-tax credit program.

Paul Rubeli, chairman of Aztar, said the project will address two common complaints about Atlantic City: a dearth of vacant hotel rooms and nothing for non-gamblers to do.

"This will be partly targeted to the core market of existing customers who still won't come down here because of the complaint, 'My wife has nothing to do,' or, 'We finished gambling. What else is there to do' " Rubeli told the Press of Atlantic City.

The casino expansion, which will be located in space once occupied by Tropicana Pier amusements, is set to begin immediately.

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