Viva Las Vegas! What event planner hasn’t either planned or hoped to plan an event in Sin City? With almost endless options for rooms, meeting facilities and entertainment, Las Vegas has always been a top destination for corporate events.

There’s the price, though. An organization has to have a VERY healthy budget to be able to host an event in Vegas. And in the current economic climate, very few organizations can afford this kind of spend. But that’s okay, because there’s a new (old) playground in town, sure to appeal to your group’s every hope and desire.

Atlantic City has been affectionately called “America’s Playground” for decades, and in recent years, the beachside city has been building up its infrastructure to accommodate meetings and corporate events. Perhaps this is why Forbes listed Atlantic City in its top 20 U.S. destinations to visit in 2023.

From casinos and live shows to boundary-breaking “submersive” entertainment, there is so much to love about Atlantic City!

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5 Reasons Why Your Next Meeting or Corporate Event Could be in Atlantic City

It’s the Ideal Bleisure Destination

According to a survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, 89% of travelers want to add a bit of leisure to their business trips. And according to a poll conducted on behalf of Visit Anaheim, 44% of bleisure travelers have turned down work trips due to a lack of leisure time added on.

Atlantic City is a perfect destination for Bleisure travelers. As we mentioned, there has been a slew of new conference facilities built and overall destination redevelopment. The resort town easily combines business with play thanks to the new innovative restaurants, hotel renovations, and family-friendly and after-hours attractions.

World-Class Venues

When it comes to meetings and event spaces, Atlantic City has no shortage. The city has over 1.8 million square feet of meeting space available from mega-sized convention centers to historic venues and casinos.

The Atlantic City Convention Center is the largest convention center in the state of New Jersey with over 500,000 contiguous square feet of event space. Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center is a flexible meeting space with two 50,000-square foot pillarless ballrooms that can be configured up to 300 different ways. And Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall is the country’s original convention center! The iconic structure was built in 1929 and has a 141,000-square-foot main arena with a capacity of 14,770 seats, as well as the 23,100-square-foot Adrian Phillips Theatre with a capacity of 3,200.

In addition to these fantastic event venues, Atlantic City has top hotels and resorts including the Ocean Casino Resort, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa. And for those seeking contemporary luxury, there is the $55 million remodel of Borgata’s Water Club.

Easy to Get Around

As wonderful as Las Vegas is, it can be a beast to get from Point A to Point B. Heck, you feel like you walk a mile just to get from one end of a casino to the other. It’s awesome, but Sin City can be almost overwhelming to many. While Atlantic City offers the same kind of dining, nightlife and entertainment options, it’s smaller and makes it very easy to walk around and get to where you want to go.

The Scenery

Vegas is known for its miles and miles of flashing neon lights. Atlantic City also has some flash and pizzazz, but it has something Vegas doesn’t: the ocean! There’s something pretty great about strolling the lovely beaches at sunset before getting gussied up and hitting the blackjack tables all night. Atlantic City is far more beautiful than most realize and many people will prefer the smell of salt air and the crashing of waves over the desert any day. And the iconic boardwalk is a great place to do some people watching. Plus it’s just nostalgic and fun!

And that brings me to the next PRO of Atlantic City…

The Vibe

Vegas has its own vibe that I would describe as glitzy and… even a bit pretentious. There’s nothing wrong with it, it’s just a vibe and either you like it or you don’t. But if you think your team would appreciate a more chill and laid back vibe, consider Atlantic City. It’s got the glitz, but it also has a plethora of dive bars over swanky clubs.

The Wrap

There are a lot of wonderful destinations in the United States to consider for hosting your next event. We happen to think Atlantic City should be on top of that list. Between the newly-built meeting spaces, million-dollar hotel renovations and pretty oceanside scenery, Atlantic City offers something for every group.

And if you need help planning your next meeting or corporate event, give us a shout. We help event planners get the best deals so their budget can go even further.