Popular disco dances away from Resorts

Boogie Nights, which has been the signature attraction at Resorts Casino Hotel since it debuted in late 2007, is boogieing down the Boardwalk.

The popular disco that playfully emphasizes pop culture of the 1970s and '80s has closed at Resorts Casino Hotel and will reopen next May at Tropicana Atlantic City.

"It's going to be approximately double the size," said co-owner David Pena. "And it will have everything you've come to know and love about Boogie Nights—Roller Girl, The Streaker, The light-up dance floor, special celebrity appearances."

Pena, who also runs the successful Planet Rose Karaoke bar at The Quarter, the Trop's retail, dining and entertainment complex, said his new danceteria will be located on the casino floor "right around the corner from Tango's Lounge."

Pena explained the larger space will provide the club with several separate, specifically themed areas in addition to the main nightclub. At Resorts, the entire operation was contained in a single room that opened in 1978 as the Camelot steak house.

According to Pena, some of the concepts incorporated into the new club were forged at Boogie Nights outposts he opened in casinos in Louisiana, Iowa and Indiana in the wake of his original club's success as AyCee's sole dance club aimed at folks 35 and older (although it was not unusual to see twentysomethings there). He added that locating a larger disco in the much busier Tropicana will likely lead to an expansion of what has always been a Friday-and-Saturday-nights-only business plan.

The luring of Boogie Nights is the latest move by Tropicana President and CEO Tony Rodio--who ran Resorts when Boogie Nights opened there--to step up the action at the Trop, which already boasts two Quater dance clubs, Providence and Missile Bar, both of which cater to people in their twenties. He recently installed slot machines in The Quarter which, since its 2006 opening, had been a non-gaming area.

"I think it expands our nightlife amenities and opportunities to reach a different demographic group," said Rodio. "I think it's going to bring a lot of energy."

Also on the drawing board, he continued, is the creation of a similarly themed "party pit" with gaming tables that will create an entrance to Boogie Nights.

As for what the public can expect inside, Pena referred to funk-rocker George Clinton's 1970s band that was legendary for its over-the-top in-concert theatrics. "It's gonna be," he promised, "Parliament Funkadelic come to life!"

In case you're wondering what Resorts plans to do with Boogie Nights, it has already announced the creation of Night Fever Dance Club, which, given the BeeGees-inspired name, will obviously keep its predecessor's retro motif and musical format.

While the basic theme remains the same, the new nitery will add live entertainment to the mix. Night Fever will debut New Year's Eve with an open-to-the-public bash that begins at 9 p.m. with an hour-long open bar. There will be a champagne toast at midnight. Admission is $60 per person at the door until 10 p.m., at which time the tab will drop to $40. To reserve a table, call 609-340-7698.

The final "Legends in Concert" mimic-fest of 2011—which runs through New Year's Day at the Palace Theater inside the Claridge Tower at Bally's Atlantic City--is offering a holiday spin on its regular format, with each of the six acts adding a seasonal song to their respective sets.

Holiday cheer notwithstanding, the standout act this edition is comprised of the  five fellows who turn in a rousing portrayal of Motown giants The Temptations. The quintet of fab fakes nails the group's trademark harmonies on such classics as "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "Just My Imagination," "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "My Girl." The group also impresses with plenty of vintage choreography.

The cast also includes performers appearing as Dolly Parton,Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Neil Diamond and, as always, Elvis Presley.

Show times are 8 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 3:30 and 8 p.m. Wednesday and 7:30 and 10 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $30 (adults) and $15 (kids 3-16). For tickets, call 800-736-1420, or go to www.ticketmaster.com.