Work is underway to restore Atlantic City’s eroded beaches, with local casinos hailing the long-awaited project as essential for reviving tourism after two seasons of sand-starved summers.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leading the $38.2 million effort to widen beaches by placing 1.2 million cubic yards of sand — enough to fill 120,000 dump trucks — along Atlantic City’s shoreline and nearby towns. The project, expected to be completed in two to four months, also includes repairing dunes, planting dune grass, and enhancing beach access in Ventnor, Margate, and Longport.
“You have thousands of people here on a nice summer day and there’s no beach for them to go on. It affects every business from the largest casino to the smallest pizzeria,” said Mark Giannantonio, President of Resorts Casino Hotel, as per an Associated Press report.
The replenishment comes after a four-year gap, with the last major sand project completed in 2020. Although scheduled for 2023, federal funding arrived too late to prepare for this past summer, leaving Atlantic City’s beaches severely eroded by normal tides and stronger storms driven by climate change.
The Hard Rock, Ocean, and Resorts casinos, located along the most heavily affected stretch, were particularly impacted. Ocean Casino even spent $600,000 of its own funds in 2023 to bring in sand, only for it to wash away.
“For a destination resort, which is what we present ourselves as, it’s absolutely imperative to have a beach,” said Bill Callahan, Ocean Casino’s General Manager.
Once completed, the replenished beaches are expected to improve conditions for summer 2025, restoring vital space for tourists to enjoy. The project also extends beyond Atlantic City, with Long Beach Island undergoing parallel efforts in areas such as Harvey Cedars, Beach Haven, and Long Beach Township.
Local businesses and officials are optimistic that the wider beaches will reinvigorate tourism, benefiting the local economy across the board. “It’s not just about casinos — the entire community depends on this,” said Giannantonio.
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