And even though there are attractions including a giant Ferris wheel and an aquarium, families have long complained that there is little to do in the resort beyond gambling and enjoying nightlife, particularly during the eight or nine months a year when the beach is not an option.Īlthough he has successfully developed numerous projects in Philadelphia, not everything Blatstein touches has turned to gold.

Mayor Marty Small praised the emphasis on family entertainment, and said Blatstein's plans 'will surely be a game-changer for Atlantic City.'Ītlantic City has long defined itself as an adult playground. 'It makes sense to bring all these things together in one spot so that people have a place to go if they're not just interested in gambling.' 'We're going to be the first true year-round family resort in Atlantic City,' Blatstein said. It will add at least $29 million to the amount he plans for the Showboat, which ceased to operate as a casino in 2014.Īnd amid all this, he resolutely refuses to say if he's still pursuing an effort launched several years ago to return casino gambling to the Showboat - although the new indoor attractions take up all the space that once was filled with slot machines and gambling tables.

(AP) - As it turns out, the $100 million indoor water park that Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein is pursuing at a former Atlantic City casino was just the start of his efforts to bring family entertainment to the Showboat hotel.īlatstein has a boatload of other entertainment attractions on the horizon, including a retractable domed outdoor concert hall that can fit 8,000 fans what he says will be New Jersey's largest arcade an outdoor beer garden, and an extension of the Boardwalk to create a sun deck near the sand dunes.

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