Borgata
Encyclopedia
The Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa is a luxury hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...

, casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...

, and spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...

 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...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is owned by Marina District Development, a joint venture between Boyd Gaming
Boyd Gaming
Boyd Gaming Corporation is a Paradise, Nevada based business engaged in the development, ownership and operation of hotels and casinos throughout the United States...

 and a divesture trust established by MGM Resorts International. The $1.1 billion casino hotel features 2,000 rooms and is the largest hotel in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

.

The Borgata opened in July 2003 as a Las Vegas-style megaresort and is the top-grossing casino in Atlantic City.

History

The Borgata was part of a major project in Atlantic City nicknamed "The Tunnel Project", started around 1999. When Steve Wynn
Steve Wynn (developer)
Stephen Alan "Steve" Wynn is an American business magnate who played a pivotal role in the 1990s resurgence and expansion of the Las Vegas Strip...

 had planned the new Mirage Resort
The Mirage
The Mirage is a 3,044 room hotel and casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, United States.The Mirage is connected by a free tram to Treasure Island. The marquee in front of the Mirage is the largest free standing marquee in the world.-History:The Mirage was built by...

 in Atlantic City, he wanted to connect a $330 million 2.5 miles (4 km) tunnel from the Atlantic City Expressway
Atlantic City Expressway
The Atlantic City Expressway is a , controlled-access toll road in New Jersey, managed and operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority...

 to the new resort, later named the Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector
Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector
The Atlantic City – Brigantine Connector, also known as the Atlantic City Expressway Connector or simply the Brigantine Connector, is a highway connector in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It connects the Atlantic City Expressway with Route 87, which leads into Brigantine, a beach resort along the...

, which would funnel incoming traffic off the Atlantic City Expressway into the city's marina district.

This caused major controversy, as it would cut through a middle-class neighborhood and competitor Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...

 sued Wynn for it saying that it was a "driveway" to his casino.

The Tunnel Project did go on, even after Wynn's Mirage was cancelled, finally opening in 2001. The Borgata opened on July 2, 2003 at 11:45pm. The main tower is the third tallest building in Atlantic City and is visible from many miles away due to its facade of reflective gold glass.

In late 2005 and early 2006, the Borgata underwent a $200 million casino and retail expansion and the new wing opened in June 2006. As part of the expansion, the Borgata installed a poker room, the largest in Atlantic City. In June 2008, the Borgata opened its upscale hotel, The Water Club
The Water Club
The Water Club is a hotel that is connected to the Borgata and is located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The $400 million Water Club was Atlantic City's first boutique-lifestyle hotel when it opened in June 2008. Its opening date was delayed by a September 2007 fire that damaged portions of its...

.

In early 2010, it was reported that MGM Mirage may sell its ownership share in the Borgata. On March 12, 2010, MGM Mirage announced it would sell its stake in the Borgata and stop doing business as a gaming licensee in New Jersey. On March 17, 2010, MGM Mirage announced that the New Jersey Casino Control Commission (CCC) approved the settlement agreement between the Company and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) under which the Company will sell its 50% ownership interest in the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa and related leased land in Atlantic City.
Boyd Gaming has right of first refusal, but Boyd is also engaged in its own high profile bid to purchase Station Casinos
Station Casinos
Station Casinos Inc. is a gaming company based in the Las Vegas suburb of Summerlin, Nevada, founded by Frank Fertitta Jr.Station Casinos along with Boyd Gaming, Cannery Casino Resorts, American Casino & Entertainment Properties, and Herbst Gaming, dominate the Locals market in Las Vegas.The...

, and may not be able to raise the capital to make two large purchases at the same time.

Gaming

The 161000 square feet (14,957.4 m²) casino floor offers about 4,000 slot machines and 200 table games. Borgata’s poker program features daily tournaments and high-stake tournaments in conjunction with the World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...

.

Fine Dining

The property offers six fine dining restaurants. There are five original properties and one expansion location, Old Homestead, having its original location in New York City. Two of the fine dining restaurants bear the names of their celebrity restaurateurs; Bobby Flay Steak
Bobby Flay
Robert William "Bobby" Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur and reality television personality. He is the owner and executive chef of 12 restaurants: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, New York City, and the Bahamas ; Bar Americain in New York City and Uncasville, Connecticut; Bobby Flay Steak...

and Wolfgang Puck American Grille
Wolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Johannes Puck is an Austrian-American celebrity chef, restaurateur, businessman and occasional actor. Wolfgang Puck restaurants, catering services, cookbooks and licensed products are run by Wolfgang Puck Companies, with three divisions...

. The property's italian restaurant is chef Stephen Kalt's Fornelletto. Also part of the fine dining offerings, a Japanese cuisine restaurant, Izakaya, billed as a "Modern Japanese Pub", and chef Michael Mina
Michael Mina
Michael Mina is an award-winning American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author. He is the executive chef at his two namesake restaurants in San Francisco and Las Vegas, Nevada, and partners with Andre Agassi in Mina Group, a restaurant management company that owns 16 restaurants in...

's SeaBlue, a seafood restaurant.

Casual Dining

Borgata offers six casual dining options on the casino level, a lower level food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...

 with seven eateries, and one option in the Water Club lobby. Many of these locations offer extended hours to cater to patrons of the casino, which operates 24/7. These locations do not take reservations.

The Metropolitan is a contemporary, waitress service, American restaurant themed as a European Bistro which also offers an Oyster Bar
Oyster Bar
The Oyster Bar, officially the Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant, is a restaurant located on the lower level of Grand Central Terminal in New York City. It opened along with the terminal itself in 1913 and has been in business ever since, although it closed briefly for renovations following a...

 and Gelato
Gelato
Gelato is the italian word for ice cream and sorbet. Italians use the word gelato to mean a sweet treat that is served frozen. Indeed, gelato, just like ice cream, is made with Milk, cream, various sugars, flavoring including fresh fruit and nut purees....

 bar. Borgata Buffet, a typical casino buffet
Buffet
A buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels and many social events...

, offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a Sunday brunch
Brunch
Brunch is a meal eaten between breakfast and lunch. The word is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch.-Origin of the word:The 1896 supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary cites Punch magazine which wrote that the term was coined in Britain in 1895 to describe a Sunday meal for "Saturday-night...

. Bread+Butter is a counter service sandwich and beverage restaurant. N.O.W. or "Noodles of the World" is a waiter service Asian Fusion restaurant. Roma, is a Italian cuisine cafe offering counter service. Gypsy Bar, mainly a tequila
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....

 bar, offers limited food selection. In the lobby of the companion hotel, The Water Club, the Sunroom is a tapas
Tapas
Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold or warm ....

 and appetizer restaurant.

A lower level food court called The Cafeteria offers fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...

 style offerings with walk up counter service. The area includes Tony Luke's
Tony Luke, Jr.
Anthony Lucidonio Jr. better known as Tony Luke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, songwriter, restaurateur, sports reporter, and entrepreneur.-Early career:...

, Fatburger
Fatburger
Fatburger is a fast casual restaurant chain. It uses the slogan The Last Great Hamburger Stand. While it is a fast food restaurant, the food is cooked and made to order and the restaurant has a liquor license...

, Lettuce Head, Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's
Ben & Jerry's is an American ice cream company, a division of the British-Dutch Unilever conglomerate, that manufactures ice cream, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and ice cream novelty products, manufactured by Ben & Jerry's Homemade Holdings, Inc., headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont, United...

, Villa Pizza, Panda Express
Panda Express
Panda Express is a fast casual restaurant chain serving American Chinese cuisine. It operates mainly inside the United States, in casinos, shopping malls, supermarkets, airports, train stations, strip plazas, theme parks, stadiums, college campuses and The Pentagon...

, and a Hibachi-San. Although the seating area is available 24/7, only Fatburger is open 24/7, the other restaurants have various hours.

Entertainment

The Borgata Event Center has 2,400 seats and hosts larger concerts and events.

The Music Box, a 1,000-seat theater, hosts smaller events and is home to the Borgata Comedy Club.

Nightclubs

The clubs at Borgata are:
  • The Gypsy Bar, a rock and tequila bar
  • B Bar, an ultra-lounge on the casino floor
  • MIXX, a New York City
    New York City
    New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

    -style nightclub
  • mur.mur, an intimate nightclub with celebrity guest DJs

Spa

Borgata's European-style spa, named Spa Toccare, is a 54000 square feet (5,016.8 m²) spa with a salon, a barbershop, a fitness center, an indoor pool and outdoor gardens.

Retail

The Borgata contains 11 specialty shops in a small shopping center named The Borgata Shops.

Main Tower

The Main Tower is a 400 ft. tall glass structure containing 2,000 guest rooms. The rooms feature HDTVs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and large bathrooms with granite countertops.

The Water Club

"The Water Club
The Water Club
The Water Club is a hotel that is connected to the Borgata and is located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The $400 million Water Club was Atlantic City's first boutique-lifestyle hotel when it opened in June 2008. Its opening date was delayed by a September 2007 fire that damaged portions of its...

" is a boutique hotel connected to the Borgata that opened in June 2008, adding 800 additional guest rooms to the complex.

Controversy

In 2005, the Borgata issued a policy that it would fire any cocktail server who gained more than 7% of their body weight and did not lose it within 90 days.

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.

In popular culture

Several scenes in the 2010 film The Bounty Hunter
The Bounty Hunter (2010 film)
The Bounty Hunter is a 2010 American action comedy film directed by Andy Tennant, starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. The story centers on a bounty hunter hired to retrieve his ex-wife who has skipped bail...

were filmed on the premises of the Borgata,
as were the casino scenes in the The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...

episode "Chasing It
Chasing It
"Chasing It" is the eighty-first episode of the HBO television series The Sopranos. It is the fourth episode of the second half of the show's sixth season, the sixteenth episode of the season overall. It was written by executive producer Matthew Weiner and was directed by Tim Van Patten...

".

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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