Claridge Casino at Bally's
Encyclopedia
Claridge Atlantic City was a casino and currently is a Hotel Tower for Bally's Atlantic City
in Atlantic City, New Jersey
. Formerly known as the "Del Webb's Claridge Hotel and Casino" and "Claridge Hotel and Casino", the resort was officially acquired by Bally's on December 30, 2002. Located between Park Place and Indiana Avenue, with an attached parking structure extending to Ohio Avenue, the Claridge is set off the Boardwalk behind Brighton Park. The Claridge stands next to the site where the Sands Atlantic City
used to be located.
who designed the 24-story, 400-room hotel. Opened in 1930 during The Great Depression, the Claridge became the last of the great hotels built in Atlantic City near the Boardwalk; no new resorts rose in the city until the 1960s when a Howard Johnsons hotel was built along the boardwalk. Due to the hotel’s tall, slick, slender appearance it gained the nickname “The Skyscraper By The Sea.”
The Claridge was a successful hotel during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Marilyn Monroe
was a special guest there in the 1950s when she was grand marshal of the annual Miss America Pageant. Despite Atlantic City’s downturn as a premiere vacation resort in the 1960s, the hotel continued to operate and survived into the casino era.
Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas
, bought the Claridge and turned it in to a casino. The hotel was expanded with 200 new guest rooms being built. The Claridge had the distinction of being the last of the pre-casino Atlantic City hotels to be refurbished into a casino. New Jersey then Governor Brendan Byrne
had been dissatisfied with what he called “Patch and Paint” jobs of the city’s old resorts, this had been done with Resorts Atlantic City
, and the Dennis Hotel, which is part of Bally's Atlantic City
, and lobbied hard for the old structures to be torn down in favor of new resorts.
In July 1981 the new casino opened under the name Del Webb’s Claridge Hotel and Casino (the hotel eventually became known as Del Webb’s Claridge and eventually just The Claridge). The hotel saw success early on but as bigger casinos were built in the city, the Claridge had a hard time competing as a small casino in a large market. In the 1990s a parking garage was added.
In 2001, Park Place Entertainment purchased the property and a year later formally announced plans to merge operations with Bally's Atlantic City
. As a result, the Claridge became a hotel tower for Bally's. In 2009 all of the Claridge's own restaurants ceased operation but a small cafe, "The Bagel & Doughnut Connection", that continues to operate in the Gateway area that connects the Claridge Tower with Bally's.
In 2009, the Claridge's casino floor was rebranded as theRIDGE, a dance club style casino. It features table games with a dance floor and DJ in the center. The Claridge went through a $3 million restoration of all its rooms and a facelift of the outside structure during the summer of 2010 through spring 2011. This also included the outside structure for a total amount of $20 million.
Bally's Atlantic City
Bally's Atlantic City is a luxury hotel and casino on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey that opened in 1979. It is one of the largest casinos on the boardwalk with nearly 2,000 rooms. Bally's is unique in that two of its four hotel towers are at least 80 years old. The Claridge Tower was...
in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. Formerly known as the "Del Webb's Claridge Hotel and Casino" and "Claridge Hotel and Casino", the resort was officially acquired by Bally's on December 30, 2002. Located between Park Place and Indiana Avenue, with an attached parking structure extending to Ohio Avenue, the Claridge is set off the Boardwalk behind Brighton Park. The Claridge stands next to the site where the Sands Atlantic City
Sands Atlantic City
The Sands Casino Hotel was a casino and hotel that operated from August 31, 1980 until November 11, 2006 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It was formerly known as the Brighton Hotel & Casino. It consisted of a 21-story hotel tower with 532 rooms and a 5-story podium housing the casino and various...
used to be located.
History
The Claridge is different from most Atlantic City resorts, since it did not grow out of a modest boarding house. It was the idea of Philadelphia architect John McShainJohn McShain
John McShain was a highly successful American building contractor known as "The Man Who Built Washington."...
who designed the 24-story, 400-room hotel. Opened in 1930 during The Great Depression, the Claridge became the last of the great hotels built in Atlantic City near the Boardwalk; no new resorts rose in the city until the 1960s when a Howard Johnsons hotel was built along the boardwalk. Due to the hotel’s tall, slick, slender appearance it gained the nickname “The Skyscraper By The Sea.”
The Claridge was a successful hotel during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
was a special guest there in the 1950s when she was grand marshal of the annual Miss America Pageant. Despite Atlantic City’s downturn as a premiere vacation resort in the 1960s, the hotel continued to operate and survived into the casino era.
Casino era and current status
In 1981 the Del Webb Corporation, owners of The MintThe Mint Las Vegas
The Mint Las Vegas was a hotel and casino in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Opened in 1957, a 26-story hotel tower was added in 1965. In 1988, The Mint was sold and became part of Binion's Horseshoe....
Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas
Downtown Las Vegas
Downtown Las Vegas is the central business district of Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the original gambling district of Las Vegas, prior to the Strip, and the area still incorporates downtown gaming.-Tourism:...
, bought the Claridge and turned it in to a casino. The hotel was expanded with 200 new guest rooms being built. The Claridge had the distinction of being the last of the pre-casino Atlantic City hotels to be refurbished into a casino. New Jersey then Governor Brendan Byrne
Brendan Byrne
Brendan Thomas Byrne is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served as the 47th Governor of New Jersey, from 1974 to 1982.-Early life and education:...
had been dissatisfied with what he called “Patch and Paint” jobs of the city’s old resorts, this had been done with Resorts Atlantic City
Resorts Atlantic City
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.Resorts Casino Hotel is a hotel and casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Resorts was the first casino hotel in Atlantic City, becoming the first legal casino outside of Nevada in the United...
, and the Dennis Hotel, which is part of Bally's Atlantic City
Bally's Atlantic City
Bally's Atlantic City is a luxury hotel and casino on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey that opened in 1979. It is one of the largest casinos on the boardwalk with nearly 2,000 rooms. Bally's is unique in that two of its four hotel towers are at least 80 years old. The Claridge Tower was...
, and lobbied hard for the old structures to be torn down in favor of new resorts.
In July 1981 the new casino opened under the name Del Webb’s Claridge Hotel and Casino (the hotel eventually became known as Del Webb’s Claridge and eventually just The Claridge). The hotel saw success early on but as bigger casinos were built in the city, the Claridge had a hard time competing as a small casino in a large market. In the 1990s a parking garage was added.
In 2001, Park Place Entertainment purchased the property and a year later formally announced plans to merge operations with Bally's Atlantic City
Bally's Atlantic City
Bally's Atlantic City is a luxury hotel and casino on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey that opened in 1979. It is one of the largest casinos on the boardwalk with nearly 2,000 rooms. Bally's is unique in that two of its four hotel towers are at least 80 years old. The Claridge Tower was...
. As a result, the Claridge became a hotel tower for Bally's. In 2009 all of the Claridge's own restaurants ceased operation but a small cafe, "The Bagel & Doughnut Connection", that continues to operate in the Gateway area that connects the Claridge Tower with Bally's.
In 2009, the Claridge's casino floor was rebranded as theRIDGE, a dance club style casino. It features table games with a dance floor and DJ in the center. The Claridge went through a $3 million restoration of all its rooms and a facelift of the outside structure during the summer of 2010 through spring 2011. This also included the outside structure for a total amount of $20 million.