Atlantic City Proves A Winner For Mtgs.

<B>Atlantic City Proves A Winner For Mtgs.</B>

By Frank Rosci

It is not the luck of the draw that enables Atlantic City to slot thousands of meetings annually, but an issue of space--a consideration that has become problematic elsewhere in the state of New Jersey and has led to steady corporate interest in one of the premiere gaming towns in the nation.

With the exception of Atlantic City, the market in New Jersey is such that unless a group plans fairly far out, it runs the risk of being shut out when it comes to finding and booking meeting space, said Mary Bittrich, executive director of the New Jersey Business Travel Association in Bedminster, N.J. "While now expanding, hotel space in New Jersey is still at a premium," she said. "Since Atlantic City offers corporate groups plenty of space and plenty of other options, they prefer to meet there."

"With its hotels and various forms of recreation, Atlantic City offers groups a solid, appealing mix," said Steve Whiteside, president and CEO of the Greater Atlantic City Hotel and Motel Association. "In large- to medium-size properties, groups from five to 1,000 attendees find the city and its hotels know how to anticipate and satisfy corporate meeting needs."

Partial results of a very recent Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority study of casino hotels--where the lion's share of corporate meetings occur because of added value--and resort properties indicated that between 35 percent and 40 percent of all room nights were corporate in 1999, a percentage that has remained fairly constant over a long period of time. "The city offers groups less urban hassle than cities such as Philadelphia and Boston, and for much of our market getting here is a short drive," said Joseph Di Girolamo, vice president of convention development for the CVA.

In his capacity as assistant vice president and general manager of the 804-room Atlantic City Hilton Casino, Whiteside said most corporate meeting interest is "90-day, short-lead, midweek business" from the Northeast. "Groups ranging from 10 to 50 people form the basis of the hotel's meeting business."

At the Taj Mahal, meanwhile, the meetings market is "very strong, with 70 percent of all meetings being corporate," said Albert Lacle, executive director of sales and marketing. "Our corporate business is 100 percent regional from groups that like to drive in and that average 55 rooms."

Meetings at the 1,624-room Tropicana--which has 47,000 square feet of space in 29 meeting rooms--were 62 percent corporate in 1999, said Jim Ziereis, executive director of hotel sales; while at the Sheraton Atlantic City Convention Center Hotel, corporate business slowly is building toward 20 percent to 25 percent, said Eric Reid, director of sales and marketing.