As New Jersey’s nine casinos fully reopen for the summer, Caesars Entertainment said it’s tapped longtime executive John Koster to oversee operations at its three Atlantic City establishments.
Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City. – CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT
Koster previously began as an executive at gambling giant Eldorado Resorts, before it and Caesars Entertainment merged last year. In his role overseeing Caesars’ eastern region, Koster will also handle operations at properties in Philadelphia and Baltimore, pending approval from gaming regulators in those two states.
Caesars has three properties in Atlantic City – Caesars, Tropicana and Harrah’s – which, along with other establishments in the city, are spending hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrades for the summer tourism season.
Amid COVID-19 closures last year, the nine brick and mortar gaming establishments shut their doors, driving up the region’s unemployment rates to among the highest in the nation. The nine gambling joints relied on mobile and internet gaming as a lifeboat.
Now, pent-up demand for pre-pandemic experiences, be it at restaurants, casinos, retail or the boardwalk, is slated to drive a surge of visitors to the South Jersey resort town, as predicted by industry executives.
“The next three years, particularly in Atlantic City, will be an exciting time for our company,” reads a June 9 statement from Anthony Carano, the president and chief operating officer for Caesars.
“Our master capital plan will undoubtedly transform Atlantic City as a top destination market, and I am confident that under John’s leadership, our East Coast properties will be well-positioned for long-term success.”
