Atlantic City Goes After Millennials, Hoping to Become eSports Capital
Atlantic City is once again readying a plan to go after the all-important Millennial market. This is not the first time the city has attempted to do so, but previous attempts have been unsuccessful. The new proposal would see Atlantic City building new technological infrastructure that would give the city the capabilities of hosting large eSports tournaments, as well as online video game competitions.
Atlantic City looks set to target eSports and become the eSPorts capital on the East coast. This is in an attempt to attract more millennials to the city[/captionAtlantic City Could Become East Coast eSports Capital
A network solutions company from the UK, called Continent 8, is reportedly close to reaching a deal to invest $5 million in Atlantic City. The investment will see the firm build a 6000-square-foot server farm inside the city’s convention center. Continent 8 is close to reaching a deal with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). The deal will apparently last for ten years and see Continent 8 pay the CRDA $101 000 a year for the space.
If the deal goes ahead, this new infrastructure could become the backbone for the facility to host massive eSports tournaments. Atlantic City has previously hosted two eSports events, which were both hosted at Caesars Entertainment properties. The first was for Gears of War in 2017, with a Rainbow Six Siege event held in May 2018.
Atlantic City Dedicated to Appeal to Millennials
Casinos are continually trying to find ways of appealing to millennials, but this is proving to be difficult. The generation has very little love for traditional gambling games. Casinos won’t give up though, and the latest eSports plan is proof of that. The Hard Rock Atlantic City is hoping that its focus on entertainment, with hundreds of concerts planned, will help draw in younger visitors.
Some have also gone after so-called ‘skill-based’ casino games. These casino games combine skill and luck, allowing better players to have a better chance of winning. Many believed that these would appeal to millennial gamblers. Caesars Entertainment installed 21 of these games on the casino floor at Harrah’s, but these lasted just six months.
The Showboat in Atlantic City, which doesn’t have a casino at the moment, tried to host millennial-focused expos during the summer of 2017. The expos were supposed to be held every weekend with different themes, such as eSports, anime, video games etc. There were 15 events planned, but it was cancelled after just two weeks, due to poor attendance numbers.
Casinos are certainly dedicated to the millennial market. With sports betting now legalized in New Jersey, we’re sure the city will be eager to welcome more eSports tournaments. Sportsbooks in New Jersey will likely be quick to offer betting options on these video game tournaments.