Atlantic City sees health improved by longer Walk
ATLANTIC CITY - The $5 T-shirts sold along the Boardwalk to tourists weren't going to cut it anymore, and this gambling mecca needed a major retail boost. It got one with the debut of Atlantic City Outlets - The Walk in August 2004.
ATLANTIC CITY - The $5 T-shirts sold along the Boardwalk to tourists weren't going to cut it anymore, and this gambling mecca needed a major retail boost. It got one with the debut of Atlantic City Outlets - The Walk in August 2004.
Tomorrow, The Walk will unveil its $155 million expansion that adds to the original project five more blocks of retail stores, restaurants, office space and condos stretching from Baltic Avenue to Atlantic Avenue, along Christopher Columbus Boulevard and Arkansas Avenue.
Three years ago, The Walk opened as an eight-block retail outlet mall - and it changed the look and feel of downtown Atlantic City, taking the place of vacant lots and storefronts and low-income housing.
The Walk linked the city's Convention Center with the Boardwalk, and gave conventioneers somewhere to plunk down their dollars. Many of the shops, such as Izod and Brooks Brothers, line Michigan Avenue.
"The Walk has served a few functions critical to the future of Atlantic City," said Michael Pollock, managing director of Spectrum Gaming Group, which tracks the Atlantic City market. "One, it's an important and growing attraction for both visitors and local residents. Additionally, it's a welcome improvement over what was, for a long time, an eyesore."
The retail center initially cost $49 million, and was developed by the Cordish Co. of Baltimore, which also completed the expansion. The project received financial assistance from Atlantic City's Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
"This project literally changed the cityscape and image of Atlantic City, and was the first retail project of its kind in the city," said Gary Block, vice president of Cordish.
Among the 40 stores in the expansion are ALDO Shoes, Jones New York and Easy Spirit.
The Walk's success spurred several casinos here to incorporate retail venues as a major draw - including the Pier at Caesars, the Quarter at Tropicana, and the Waterfront at Harrah's - and as a hedge against growing slots competition from neighboring states, including Pennsylvania.
"As we continue to market ourselves as a full-service destination, it is vital to have great retail in our city, as shopping is one of the top activities that people do when they travel, whether it's for business or leisure," said Jeffrey Vasser, executive director of the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority, the city's chief marketing arm.
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