Developments in the PIPELINE for Atlantic & Cape May counties
(Last update 7/01/03)
Atlantic County
- A Rainforest Café, China Café, Sbarro Café and Barron men’s shop will open this coming winter on the Boardwalk in the Trump Plaza hotel-casino.
- A 22-store shopping center that will include an 80,000-sq. ft. ShopRite supermarket is under construction in Somers Point at a site adjacent to the existing ShopRite at the intersection of Route 9 and Bethel Rd. The project should be completed by the summer of 2004.
- Egg Harbor Yachts (Egg Harbor City) has purchased North Carolina-based Buddy Davis Yachts and will shift production back to their Egg Harbor, NJ facility. The move will create about 50 – 100 new jobs and require a 25,000-sq. ft. addition to the company’s existing plant.
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia plans to open a specialty care center on the Black Horse Pike (Route 322/40) in Hamilton Twp. The hospital has purchased the 19,000-sq. ft. Tom’s Garden and Winter Wonderland and will upgrade the building for the new use.
- The Towne Stadium Megaplex, a 14-screen movie theater is being developed at the Shore Mall in Egg Harbor Township. The facility will incorporate portions of the movie theater previously located on the site that was damaged by fire in September 2002. Expected to be completed in phases throughout 2003, the 60,000-sq. ft. complex will feature stadium seating and digital sound
- Somers Point officials have approved plans for a $10-million, 30,000-square foot cancer treatment center at Shore Memorial Hospital. Construction should begin this year.
- Egg Harbor Township officials are reviewing plans for a Wal-Mart and three additional commercial stores at the intersection of Fire Road and the Black Horse Pike -- on the site of the former headquarters of the Atlantic Electric Company.
- Plans for a 12-screen movie theater on Route 30 (White Horse Pike) in Absecon appear to be back on tract. Construction of the theater is expected to begin in 2003.
- A developer is investing $2 million to upgrade 20 shops and restaurants in the 1700 block of the Atlantic City boardwalk. Work began in the fall of 2002.
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- The Urban Revitalization Incentive Program (URIP) legislation is expected to spur the development of nongaming attractions in Atlantic City and up to twelve other communities in New Jersey. Under the program, casinos would redevelop two Boardwalk amusement piers and build elaborate shopping plazas in six new retail-entertainment districts throughout Atlantic City. To qualify for state grants and tax incentives, gaming companies also would be required to invest a minimum of $20 million in selected urban areas of the state.
The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, overseer of the URIP, has approved six projects for Atlantic City that total nearly two million square feet and represent more than $1 billion in construction. These projects, which are briefly summarized below, will be developed over an extended time frame.
- A nearly 200,000-sq. ft. retail village called The Quarter, which is part of a $225-million expansion of the Tropicana Casino and Resort, is now under construction.
- An $80-million transformation of the 900-foot-long Shops on Ocean One pier mall into 280,000 square feet of retail and entertainment attractions. Redevelopment of the pier mall began in early 2003. When completed in 2004, the complex will be linked to Caesars hotel-casino by a pedestrian bridge over the boardwalk.
- The reconstruction of the former Steeplechase Pier into a retail and entertainment showplace by Resorts hotel-casino.
- Nearly 200,000 square feet of new retail, entertainment and restaurant space in the neighborhood surrounding the Sands Casino Hotel.
- New shopping and entertainment attractions at Harrah’s Atlantic City in the Marina District and at the Showboat Casino Hotel on Pacific Avenue.
- A 500,000-sq. ft. shopping and entertainment complex next to the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.
- The $1-billion, 2,000-room Borgata hotel-casino will open July 3 in Atlantic City’s marina district. The hotel-casino, a joint project of Boyd Gaming Corporation and MGM Mirage, will employ about 4,800.
- Work began in April 2002 on a major expansion of the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City. In addition to a 502-room hotel tower, a 25-room conference center, a 2,500-space parking garage and an enlarged casino floor, the centerpiece will be a 200,000-square-foot themed shopping, dining and entertainment complex called The Quarter. The expansion will create an estimated 2,000 jobs when completed in the first half of 2004. In addition, the casino is spending $16 million to transform its boardwalk facade into “Marketplace on the Boardwalk” a 21,000-square-foot combination of slot machines, restaurants and kiosks that will feature a variety of street performers. “Marketplace” should be completed before the summer of 2003. A Starbucks and a Corky’s Ribs & Barbecue are two new additions to “Marketplace”.
- Construction of a $6-million, 100,000-square-foot sports complex is expected to begin in 2003 on Washington Avenue in Egg Harbor Township. The Premier Sportsplex will include a skate park, an artificial turf athletic field, basketball/volleyball courts and an indoor track. The outdoor portion will include a soccer field, baseball/softball field and parking for 200 vehicles.
- A May 21, 2003 grand opening was held for a $90-million, 480-room room addition to the Showboat hotel-casino. Showboat officials also are spending $34 million during 2003 to transform their boardwalk facade into an ornate cityscape with classic New Orleans decor. The project will convert the casino’s Boardwalk entrance into a lively tourist attraction that will include an open-air bar and lounge with dance floor, an expanded restaurant, new food court and a 426-slot casino expansion.
- Construction of a $125-million, 500-room hotel tower by Resorts Atlantic City began in the fall of 2002. Also, Resorts has received federal approval to rebuild the former Steeplechase Pier.
- The Walk, a $76-million, 320,000-square foot retail/entertainment/ restaurant development is under construction along Atlantic City’s entranceway corridor, between the boardwalk and the new convention center. The project will be completed in phases beginning in the fall of 2003 and include merchants such as Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Kenneth Cole, Brooks Brothers, Liz Claiborne, Casual Corner, Coach, Maidenform, Izod, Geoffrey Beene, Bass, Van Heusen, Nautica, Timberland, Reebok, Guess and Jockey.
- A developer has announced plans for a 100-room all-suites hotel near the Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Twp. First on the agenda is a $23-million parking garage and surface parking lots.
- Ventnor officials are planning the redevelopment of a 26-block area in the northeast section of the city. Plans include the demolition of 17 properties and their replacement with open space, senior housing and commercial businesses.
Cape May County
- A major shopping center is coming to the intersection of Routes 47 & 9 in Middle Township. A home improvement retailer (Lowe’s), a supermarket (Giant Food) and possibly a discount department store will anchor the project.
- The Montego Bay Ocean Front Motel (North Wildwood) is adding 66 rooms, meeting and banquet facilities, a fitness center and a glass-enclosed water park. The $6-million expansion will be completed by the spring of 2004.
- The Star Diner has opened on Spruce Ave. in North Wildwood.
- Acme Markets Inc. plans to construct a supermarket on a 36-acre tract at the intersection of Route 9 and Avalon Boulevard in Middle Township. Work is not expected to begin until 2004. Previously, township officials had approved plans for 100,000 square feet of retail space, a restaurant and entertainment complex on the site.
- Woodbine officials have received funds from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to expand their municipal airport. Plans for a business park and 18-hole golf course at the airport also are progressing thanks to $2.1 million in federal and state grants, most of which are earmarked for a sewer treatment plant to serve the area. The airport recently received another $1.5 million in federal funds to expand the airport runway to accommodate corporate jets and other larger planes.
- Woodbine officials have approved plans for a $4 million public golf course on 127 acres near the municipal airport. The 18-hole golf course with pro shop, clubhouse, restaurant and meeting rooms is expected to open in the spring of 2005.
- Groundbreaking for a $15 million Cape May County branch campus of the Atlantic Cape Community College was held October 3, 2002 at a site along Court House - South Dennis Road in Middle Township.
- A $40-million high school is under construction in Ocean City and slated to open by September 2004.