September 2021 Snapshots
In LIGHT of the data.
Based on a variety of matrices, September 2021 exceeded even 2019, which was a very good year for Atlantic City. Sports betting saw record highs and land-based gaming revenue for the month exceeded September 2019.
With the arrival of football season, the city’s sportsbooks recorded a boost in revenue increasing 54.5% over August 2021 ($22 million) and 152.8% over September 2020 ($13.5 million). At $34 million, September monthly sports betting revenue for Atlantic City’s sportsbooks surpassed the record high set in January 2021 ($31.7 million)
Mild weather and declining COVID infection rates seem to have extended the season for resort visitors. The return of large-scale events, like live entertainment and concerts, gave visitors further reason to frequent the resort. Land-based casino revenue for the month $248.5 million (September 2021) was just shy of the previous month ($262.4 million, August 2021) and was better than the five-year average for September ($220 million, 2015-2019).
With three months remaining, year-to-date 2021 land-based casino revenue ($1.9 billion) has already exceeded total land-based revenue for 2020 ($1.5 billion), but is still 7.5% ($153.5 million) behind land-based casino revenue for the same period (January – September) in 2019 ($2.05 billion).
In contrast, total casino revenue, which also includes internet and sports wagering revenue, has not only exceeded the 2020 total annual revenue, but has outpaced year-to-date 2019 total revenue by over $633 million (25.7%).
With mild weather continuing into October, and indications that the worst of the pandemic may finally be behind us, we should expect to see strong land-based revenue numbers into the fall even as other revenue streams – sports betting and internet gaming – continue to generate solid revenue for operators. If this trendcontinues we may see one of the best shoulder seasons in the resort in recent memory.
Atlantic City Gaming Win & Total Casino Revenue
Source: N.J. Division of Gaming Enforcement
| Monthly Revenue (Industry, $ In Thousands) |
September 2021 |
% Change from Prior Year | September 2020 | YTD September 2021 | % Change from Prior Year | YTD September 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Gaming Win (includes Internet & Sports Wagering) | 405,146 | 38.9% | 291,667 | 1,898,241 | n/a | 1,032,776 |
| Sports Wagering Revenue | 34,027 | 152.8% | 13,461 | 988,725 | 44.2% | 685,609 |
| Internet Gaming Win | 122,595 | 39.9% | 87,634 | 214,519 | 137.4% | 90,356 |
| Casino Gaming Win | 248,525 | 30.4% | 190,573 | 3,101,486 | 71.5% | 1,808,741 |
| Quarterly Revenue (Industry, $ In Thousands) | Q2 2021 | % Change from Prior Year | Q2 2020 | YTD June 30, 2021 | % Change from Prior Year | YTD June 30, 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino | 445,781 | 299.5% |
111,593 |
822,932 | 76.3% | 466,871 |
| Rooms | 145,472 | n/a | 37 | 235,696 | 141.5% | 97,614 |
| Food & Beverage | 90,933 | n/a | 73 | 154,653 | 49.1% | 103,753 |
| Entertainment & Other | 44,340 | 356.4% | 9,715 | 77,934 | 54.7% | 50,413 |
| Casino Licensees Total Revenue | 726,526 | 498.4% | 121,418 | 1,291,215 | 79.7% | 718,651 |
Atlantic City Hotel Lodging
Source: N.J. Division of Gaming Enforcement
| Casino Hotel Lodging Statistics For the Period Ended June 30, 2021 & 2019 |
Q2 2021 | Q2 2019 | YTD 2021 | YTD 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Occupancy percentage | 70.0% | 81.5% | 61.2% | 77.1% |
| Average Daily Room Rate (ADR) | $158.00 | $139.76 | $146.32 | $134.37 |
| Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR)* | $110.60 | $113.90 | $89.55 | $103.60 |
* RevPAR= ADR X Occupancy Percentage
Atlantic City Statistical Transportation Data
Source: South Jersey Transportation Authority
| Travel Mode | August 2021 |
Change from Prior Year |
August 2020 |
YTD August 2021 |
Change from Prior Year |
YTD August 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AC Expressway | ||||||
| Total Toll-Paying Traffic Pleasantville Toll Plaza |
1,959,601 | 13.0% | 1,734,454 | 11,539,193 | 22.6% | 9,415,554 |
| AC Airport | ||||||
| Scheduled Service Passengers | 68,500 | 313.1% | 16,581 | 536,645 | 65.3% | 324,754 |
| Charter Passengers | 9,598 | 315.5% | 2,310 | 34,084 | 69.0% | 20,166 |
| Total Air Passengers | 78,098 | 313.4% | 18,891 | 570,729 | 65.5% | 344,920 |
Atlantic City Meetings and Conventions Data
Source: MeetAC
| September '21 | September '20 | % Change from Prior Year |
TOTAL 2021 YTD |
TOTAL 2020 YTD |
% Change from Prior Year |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventions/Tradeshows/Meetings* | ||||||
| # of Shows | 4 | 0 | n/a | 18 | 22 | -18% |
| # of Room Nights | 4,077 | 0 | n/a | 17,238 | 72,188 | -76% |
| # of Delegates | 7,882 | 0 | n/a | 62,389 | 217,187 | -71% |
| Delegate Spending | $2,348,166 | $0 | n/a | $15,283,173 | $56,790,400 | -73% |
| Boardwalk Hall Bookings | ||||||
| # of Shows | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0 | 11 | -100% |
| # of Attendees | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0 | 129,722 | -100% |
| Hotel Bookings | ||||||
| # of Shows | 9 | 4 | 125% | 83 | 38 | 118% |
| # of Room Nights | 6,453 | 825 | 682% | 75,986 | 25,789 | 195% |
| # of Attendees** | 18,417 | 1,025 | 1,697% | 107,497 | 39,000 | 176% |
| Delegate Spending | $4,229,876 | $451,360 | 837% | $45,015,869 | $14,863,579 | 203% |
| Monthly Totals | ||||||
| # Convs_Trade_Mtgs / Boardwalk Hall / Hotel | 13 | 4 | 225% | 101 | 71 | 42% |
| # of Room Nights | 10,530 | 825 | 1,176% | 93,224 | 97,977 | -5% |
| # of Attendees | 26,299 | 1,025 | 2,466% | 169,886 | 385,909 | -56% |
| Delegate Spending | $6,578,042 | $451,360 | 1,357% | $60,299,042 | $71,653,979 | -16% |
Notes:
Reduction in figures beginning mid-March 2020 are due to cancellations and/or shut downs as a result of COVID-19
January 2021 hotel attendees reflect virtual attendance numbers
*Includes Meet AC events booked at Boardwalk Hall
** 2020 figures may have been adjusted due to COVID-19 related updates
LIGHT Snapshots is a publication of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality
& Tourism, Stockton University School of Business
Jane Bokunewicz, Ph. D., Faculty Director and Associate Professor of Hospitality
Atlantic City Information
AtlantiCare holds beam ceremony for new Medical Arts Pavilion - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, on September 10, AtlantiCare doctors, nurses, administrative staff and local officials celebrated the completion of the steel frame for the new $38 million, three-story, 69,700-square-foot Medical Arts Pavilion. The pavilion, an extension of AtlantiCare's services in Atlantic City, will house a dialysis unit, maternal and fetal health programs, and teaching facilities for medical students and physician residents. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) approved the project in December and it broke ground in March. The CRDA has allocate more than $15 million to the project and provided the building lot estimated to be worth $3 million. The pavillion is expected to open in October 2022.
Atlantic City receives $50,000 grant to help develop plan for site of former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, on September 22, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) awarded $400,000 to eight communites throughout the state, including $50,000 to Atlantic City. Working with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the city hopes to use the funds to redevelop the former Trump Plaza site and surounding properties into a 'development corridor' between the Atlantic City Convention Center and new retail development to the Boardwalk and beach.
Atlantic City's financial health improving - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, the city is about halfway to paying off past debts after nearly five years of state oversight. In 2021, the city will pay $38 million in debt payments, almost 20% of its $200 million annual budget. After hitting a high of $41.1 million in 2022, the city's annual debt payments will begin to decrease droping to $23.5 million by 2027 and to $15 million six years after that. No new debt has been annunced since 2018 and current debt will be paid off by 2042.
Atlantic City to tax recreational cannabis sales - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, City Council passed an ordinance on September 22 enacting a 2% tax on retail recreational cannabis sales and a 1% tax on wholesale sales. Collected fees will be use to address the impact of legalizing recreational cannabis use.
Casino Reinvestment Development Authority Board of Directors unanimously approves site plan for Atlantic City ShopRite - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, on September 21, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) Board of Directors voted in favor of a site plan that would see a 44,000 square-foot ShopRite supermarket built at 1801 Baltic Avenue. The board also approved $175,000 in professional services fees for the project including environmental remediation of the site. The estimated $18.7 million project hopes to end Atlantic City's staus as a "food desert" and bring the first full-service supermarket into the community in over 15 years.
Closure of Atlantic City needle exchange postponed - As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, closure of the Oasis Drop-In Center, operated by the South Jersey AIDS Alliance (SJAA) on Tennessee Avenue, has been postponed pending a preliminary hearing set for November 12. The needle exchange was slated to be closed on October 12. Representatives of the SJAA have filed a lawsuit against the city to stop the program from being shut down. Atlantic City Council members voted 7-2 in July to repeal the program with the goal of relocating the Oasis center outside of the city's Tourism District.
Plans for Coastal Resiliency Institute and Marine Science Center in Atlantic City to move forward - As announced in a September 27 press release, Stockton University will move forward with plans to develop the coastal center based on findings of a recently completed feasibility study. The study recommends that the center be located on the Absecon Inlet, specifically in the Gardner's basin area. The center could serve as the focus of a "blue economy" for the region and a catalyst for further development of Gardner's Basin and Atlantic City. Further reporting from The Press of Atlantic City.
Stockton announces free college course for Atlantic City and Pleasantville high school students -As announced in a September 23 press release, students participating in the GOALS GEAR UP program at Stockton University or the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City Teen Center will have the opportunity to take a two-credit course "African Americans and the Shaping of Pop Culture" for free. The offering is in keeping with the mission of the GOALS GEAR UP program to create a "school-to-college pipeline."
New Jersey Gaming News
Atlantic City Casinos invest in capital improvements - On September 27, The Press of Atlantic City provided a sumary of investments announced by Bally's, Caesars, Hard Rock, Harrah's and Ocean totaling over a half billion dollars. The casino hotels have announced hotel room renovations, as well as new and updated gaming and non-gaming amenities. On September 21, Caesars Entertainment announced an expansion of its partnership with Nobu hotels and restaurants, with concepts planned for Caesars Atlantic City and Harrah’s New Orleans.
New Jersey voters leaning against college sports betting ammendment - According to a September 29 press release from the Polling Institute at the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University, 45% of likely voters oppose a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would allow gambling on college games held in the state or games in which New Jersey college teams participate, while 40% support the proposal and 14% are unsure.
National Gaming News
Arizona launches sports betting with start of NFL season - According to Legal Sports Report, online sportsbooks in Arizona began accepting bets on September 9. Bettors in Arizona are permitted to register for and fund online wagering accounts remotely, anywhere within state borders. Eight of the 10 sports betting licenses available to the state's professional sports organizations were awarded and all 10 of the sports betting licences available to the state's tribes were awarded. Most licensees have announced sportsbook partners including: Bally Bet, Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel Golden Nugget, Unibet, and Wynnbet). Arizona Department of Gaming.
Connecticut launches online casinos, poker, sports betting and iLottery in October - In a September 9 press release from the office of Connecticut Governor, Ned Lamont, the Governor, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler, and Mohegan Tribal Council Chairman James Gessner Jr. announced that proposed revisions to the state's tribal gaming compacts had received federal approval. Following this important step, only licensing and certification of gaming platforms and operators remained before launch of online gambling in the state. Legislation permitting online casinos, poker, sports betting and iLottery (HB 6451) was signed into law on May 27, 2021. Further reporting by Online Poker Report. Connecticut officially launched online gambling on October 19 - Hartford Courant.
Las Vegas Strip sees 20% increase over pre-pandemic levels in August 2021 - As reported by Forbes, casinos on the Las Vegas Stip collected $625.7 million in August 2021 a 20% increase on revenue collected in August 2019 pre-pandemic. Year-to-date gaming revenue for the strip is nearing pre-pandemic levels. Casinos report $4.327 billion in revenue January to August 2021 compared to $4.356 billion in the same period 2019. Statewide, August marked the sixth consecutive month of monthly gaming revenue exceeding $1 billion. Casino.Org. Nevada Gaming Control Board - Win Revenue Summary - August 2021 (not inclusive of Sports Betting); Nevada Gaming Control Board - Gaming Revenue Report - August 2021.
Washington state opens first sportsbook - Acccording to the Seattle Times, Washington state's first legal sports gambling took place at the Snoqualmie Casino on September 9. The state legislature legalized sports betting at tribal casinos only and mobile sports betting is only permitted on tribal lands. According to Legal Sports Report, there are 30 tribal casinos in Washington state operated by 24 tribes.
Hospitality & Tourism News
Monmouth County New Jersey Summer 2021 tourism revenue surpasses Summer 2019 - As reported by the Asbury Park Press, Monmouth County officials report tourism revenue for Summer 2021 surpassed Summer 2019, but may be slightly down from Summer 2020. The county dispursed $46 million in federal CAREs Act funds to hard-hit small businesses.
United States to lift restrictions on international travel - As reported by The New York Times, starting in November, the United States government is expected to call a halt to the 18-month ban on travel from 33 countries. Lifting the ban is expected to aid recovery for the U.S. tourism industry. According to the U.S. Travel Association, the pandemic and related travel restrictions resulted in a $500 billion loss in travel expenditures in 2020. New York City lost approximatly $60 billion in tourism revenue and 89,000 tourism supported jobs.
Yellowstone National Park sees record number of visitors in August - As reported by The New York Times, Yellowstone National Park hosted 921,844 recreational visitors in the month of August 2021 a 12% increase compared to August 2019 and a 4.5% increase compared to August 2020. The pandemic's influence on domestic travel may have contributed to the park's busiest month August since 2017. In 2017 the park hosted 915,000 visitors, many visits coinciding with that year's solar eclipse. The park broke an all time single month visitation record with over a million visitors in July 2021.
