Borgata

Casino infobox
casino=Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa
theme=Tuscany
address=One Borgata Way
Atlantic City, New Jersey 08401


image_caption=Arial view of Borgata
rooms=2,002
date_opened=July 2, 2003
space_gaming=161,000 square foot (15,000 m²)
attractions=The Borgata Poker Room
shows=Borgata Comedy Club
restaurants= Bobby Flay Steak
Mixx
Old Homestead Steakhouse
Ombra
SeaBlue
Specchio
Wolfgang Puck American Grille
owner=Marina District Development Corporation, LLC
casino_type=Land
renovations=2005-'06: $200 million - Casino and Retail Expansion 2007-'08: $325 million - Water Club at Borgata
names_pre=None
website= [http://www.theborgata.com http://www.theborgata.com]

Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a hotel, casino, and spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey owned by Marina District Development Corporation, LLC. The name means "little village" in Italian. The $1.1 billion luxury casino hotel features 2,000 rooms at Renaissance Pointe. The Borgata has been seen as a catalyst for recent expansions by nearby casinos and reinvigorating the Atlantic City casino industry.

After igniting Atlantic City’s revival with its 2003 opening as the first new hotel property in 13 years, Borgata – a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and MGM MIRAGE – has experienced overwhelming popularity and near-capacity occupancy since its debut. The Borgata has been the top-grossing casino for all but one month since its debut in Atlantic City.

History

The Borgata was part of a major project in Atlantic City nicknamed "The Tunnel Project" around 1999. When Steve Wynn had planned the new Mirage Resort in Atlantic City, he wanted to connect a $330 million convert|2.5|mi|km|sing=on tunnel from the Atlantic City Expressway to the new resort, named the Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector, which would funnel incoming traffic off the Atlantic City Expressway into the city's marina district.

This caused major controversy, as it would go through a middle-class African American neighborhood. Competitor Donald Trump sued Wynn for it saying that it was a "driveway" to his new casino.

The Tunnel Project did go on, finally opening in 2001 to foot traffic. Four days later it opened to vehicular traffic. The Borgata opened on July 2, 2003 at 11:45pm. The main tower is the tallest building in South Jersey and is visible from many miles away.

In late 2005 and early 2006, the Borgata underwent a $200 million casino and retail expansion. The new wing opened in June 2006. A $325 million hotel addition is planned for 2007. [cite news | last = Sloan | first = Gene | title = Atlantic City is building a Las Vegas image| publisher = USA Today | date = 2006-07-07 | url = http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2006-07-06-atlantic-city_x.htm | accessdate = 2007-10-22]

In July 2006, the Borgata opened its new poker room -- the largest in Atlantic City.

The Hotel

Designed in classic Italian style, the hotel’s 2,000 guest rooms and suites include six tiers of luxury accommodations — 1,600 Classic Rooms (460 square feet); 313 Fiore Suites(700 square feet); 8 Studio Suites (900 square feet); 39 Opus Suites (1,000 square feet); 40 Piatto Suites (1,500 square feet); and two Residences (5,000 square feet). In-room amenities include floor-to-ceiling windows; 300-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and Egyptian cotton bath sheets; custom-made Sealy Plush mattresses; large bathrooms with granite countertops and marble walls and floors; oversized glass-enclosed showers with therapeutic showerheads and body sprays; high-speed internet access, and three phones, each with dual lines.

Casino

The convert|161000|sqft|m2|sing=on casino floor incorporates 4,100 slot machines and 200 table games. Among the available table games are poker, blackjack, roulette, Baccarat, novelty games, Racebook, Pai Gow tiles and Sic Bo. Borgata’s poker program features daily tournaments in the 85-table Poker Room, the largest in Atlantic City and high-stake tournaments in conjunction with the World Poker Tour.

Dining

Borgata’s 13 destination restaurants include the Italian eateries, Specchio and Ombra; the New York–landmark Old Homestead Steakhouse. Also on-site: The Metropolitan Café, Oyster Bar and Gelato Bar; Gypsy Bar; Risi Bisi; B Bar; Borgata Buffet, Izakaya and Noodles of the World (N.O.W.). Acclaimed chefs Bobby Flay, Michael Mina, and Wolfgang Puck join Borgata's lineup of fine dining restaurants with Bobby Flay Steak, SeaBlue and Wolfgang Puck American Grille.

Entertainment

The 2,400 seat Borgata Event Center has been host to the likes of Avril Lavigne,Depeche Mode, Pearl Jam, Gwen Stefani, Sting, Carly Simon, Kelly Clarkson, Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz and Bon Jovi. The Music Box, a 1,000-seat theater hosts more intimate events and is home to Borgata's nightly Comedy Club. Live bands and pulse-pounding beats can be found at Borgata's four nightlife hotspots: Gypsy Bar, B Bar, MIXX, and mur.mur.

Nightlife

The clubs at Borgata include the Gypsy Bar, a rock and tequila bar; B Bar an ultra-lounge; MIXX Nightclub; and mur.mur, an intimate nightclub with celebrity guest DJs.

Spa Toccare

Borgata’s European-style, convert|54000|sqft|m2|sing=on Spa Toccare is complete with salon, fitness center, barbershop, an indoor pool and outdoor gardens.

Retail

The 11 specialty boutiques located in “Via Borgata,” are Whim, Misura, Carina, Borgata Jewels,Borgata & Co., Borgata Collection, Ciao!, Essentials, Starbucks, Bambino and A. Kadenn.

The Water Club at Borgata

"The Water Club" is a new upscale boutique hotel-within-a-hotel that opened in June 2008. The expansion includes 800 additional guest rooms, four unique pool environments, a two-story, convert|36000|sqft|m2 spa, convert|18000|sqft|m2 of meeting space, and additional retails shops. [cite web
title = Borgata Appoints Key Executives to Senior Management Team
publisher = Borgata
date = 2007-03-07
url = http://www.theborgata.com/Main.cfm?Category_1=10000&Category_2=10100&ReleaseID=46E379FC-F9F5-DDB6-1445AE50E1159118 | accessdate = 2007-04-04]

On September 23, 2007, the south side of the partially-built Water Club caught on fire. The blaze burned from base to roof, but was extinguished within a half-hour. Damage was reported to be superficial in nature. Due to the incident, the planned early 2008 opening was delayed by several months though the resort opened in time for the 2008 peak tourism season. [cite news | last = Parry | first = Wayne | title = Fire to Delay Borgata Expansion | publisher = 6ABC | date = 2007-10-09 | url = http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=5687109 | accessdate = 2007-10-22]

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Water Club offers five tiers of accommodations, totaling 800 guest rooms and suites. In-room amenities include a Sony 40" LCD Flat Panel HD TV, Sony iPod docking station, 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, bathrobes and slippers, large bathrooms with granite countertops, glass-enclosed showers with Rain Dome showerheads and hand held European style shower heads, fully enclosed separate water closets, L'Occitane bath products, Signature Water Club Beds custom designed by Sealy, Mini-bars, Wireless high-speed internet accessand IP Phone and Television.

AMENITIES

The Water Club features The Sunroom Lounge which opens into 2 outdoor pools. Additionally, The Water Club has 2 indoor pools and a convert|25|yd|sing=on Infinity-edge lap pool located at Immersion, a convert|36000|sqft|m2, two story spa located on the 32nd floor. It includes 16 ‘experience’ rooms.

The hotel's six designer retail outlets include La Perla, Just Cavalli, Hugo Boss, Hearts On Fire,Fixation and Cameo.

MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS

The Water Club boasts convert|180000|sqft|m2 of meeting space. Facilities include 2 glass- enclosed boardrooms and 2 additional boardrooms, 9 meeting rooms, state-of-the-art technology, and advanced computer electronic systems.

Controversy

In 2005, the Borgata issued a policy that it would fire any cocktail waitress who gained more than 7% of their body weight and didn't lose it within 90 days. [cite news
coauthors = Associated Press
title = N.J. casino to fire weightier waitstaff
publisher = USA Today
date = 2005-02-17
url = http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-02-17-casino-staff_x.htm
accessdate = 2007-10-22]

On November 14, 2007, authorities charged twenty-three people in connection with an illegal sports gambling ring that was allegedly run out of the Borgata's poker room. Six of the twenty-three were Borgata employees, and four of the others were known mob associates. [cite news
last = Chen
first = David
title = 23 Are Charged With Illegal Sports Betting at Borgata Casino in Atlantic City
publisher = The New York Times
date = 2007-11-14
url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/nyregion/15bust.html
accessdate = 2007-11-16]

tructural detail

"Does not include The Water Club"
*1,971 guest rooms and suites
*6 story parking garage
*70,000 ft² (7,000 m²) Event Center
*161,000 ft² (15,000 m²) Casino
*22 Restaurants
*50,000 ft² (5,000 m²) European Health Spa & Pool
*11 Retail Boutiques
*1.5 million ft² (140,000 m²) tower
*1.5 million ft² (140,000 m²) low rise

References

External links

* [http://www.theborgata.com Borgata Website]
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20010620080206/www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=104550&TICK=BYD&STORY=/www/story/01-13-1999/0000843690&EDATE=Jan+13,+1999 Boyd Gaming Unveils 'The Borgata' Name and Concept for its Atlantic City Resort Joint Venture With Mirage Resorts]
* [http://www.marnellcorrao.com/Divisions/Architecture/2000/Borgata.php Architectural Information]
* [http://poker.wikia.com/wiki/Borgata_Hotel_Casino_%26_Spa Poker Room Information on poker.wikia.com]
* [http://www.thewaterclubhotel.com The Water Club Website]