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With 11 casinos—and only one of them in the past 15 years built to the luxury standards of the Strip—Atlantic City is far from Las Vegas by any definition. By most measures, Las Vegas out-sizes Atlantic City (number of guestrooms, square feet of convention and exhibit space, restaurants, spas, shopping, etc.). For years Atlantic City has been labeled a smaller, frumpier sibling.
 Market Metrix casino index |
But according to a new casino study, some things are changing. Atlantic City is now challenging Las Vegas in fundamental measures including guest satisfaction and certain emotional experiences. Compared to the Las Vegas Strip, Atlantic City guests are more satisfied with their hotel and casino experience and, in turn, are more likely to recommend Atlantic City hotels and casinos to others. For example, Atlantic City guests are impressed with Harrah's service and employee attitudes and love The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa's celebrity-chef-run restaurants.
Atlantic City hotels and casinos also get higher marks for pampering their guests. Here are some comments about why guests feel pampered:
- The quality of their goods is excellent. I stayed in the suite, which offers a huge bathroom, ceiling-to-floor windows and an unusually comfortable bed.
- Lots of comfortable pillows and a fruit basket.
Atlantic City has an advantage in its pursuit of Las Vegas-size success. It used to be a popular destination, a summer resort for the wealthy, before Las Vegas existed. The Borgata's success, and New Jersey's low tax rate, is paving the way for a wave of multibillion-dollar resorts.
And while the Market Metrix results show that customers generally are pleased with the new Atlantic City hotels and casinos, there is, of course, The Boardwalk, the ocean and the beach...Look out, here comes Atlantic City's transformation.
Jonathan Barsky and Lenny Nash work for Market Metrix LLC (www.MarketMetrix.com|~), a firm that provides customer and employee programs for the hospitality industry. For more information, call (800) 239-7515.
