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The basics:

• Hard Rock Atlantic City launches $50M capital improvement project
• President George Goldhoff discusses competition, online gaming, Atlantic City‘s future
• Property adding new dining concepts, expanded entertainment lineup
• Goldhoff stresses the importance of the property’s workforce, culture

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City continues to double down on its position as one of the city’s premier destinations, with new investment, strong performance and a clear focus on future growth shaping its outlook for 2026.

NJBIZ recently caught up with Hard Rock Atlantic City President George Goldhoff to discuss the latest developments at the property. Those include a $50 million capital improvement project announced in February that will bring upgrades to guest rooms, suites and amenities, along with new dining concepts. Shortly after that conversation, Goldhoff was named president of the Casino Association of New Jersey, the trade group representing Atlantic City’s nine casinos, adding an industry-wide leadership role to his responsibilities.

“It is an honor to step into the role of Casino Association of New Jersey president and continue the strong foundation that Mark Giannantonio helped build,” said Goldhoff in a March press release. “The Atlantic City casino industry plays a vital role in our state’s economy, from supporting jobs, to driving investment and attracting visitors from across the region.”

Against that backdrop of continued investment and evolving industry dynamics, Goldhoff pointed to both the opportunities and challenges facing the property and Atlantic City more broadly.

First, a look back

The conversation began with a look back at 2025. Goldhoff described 2025 as excellent, and one of the top years for the property.

“And having said that, not our absolute best year, but certainly one of our top years,” Goldhoff told NJBIZ. “There was a number of changes competitively, where there were some investments done in some of our top competitors. So, it’s been a little bit of a promotional war – and the competition, which makes us better, has really been fierce.

“Makes us look at absolutely everything from marketing to technology to finance to human resources and everything else. But we had a very strong year.”

He noted the investment and upgrades happening around Atlantic City – a positive development, for sure – while also acknowledging the challenges.

“The challenges persist in regard to inflation and rising operating costs and a bit of a shift towards online gaming,” he explained, noting the eye-popping internet gaming numbers each month. “Traditional revenue streams from brick-and-mortar are what they are, the gross operating profit, at least through the first nine months [of 2025] had dipped in relation to what the numbers are that we put up as an industry in 2024.

“So, there was a bit of an impact there.”

Unlocking AC’s potential

On Atlantic City itself, Goldhoff said: “I want to keep it positive. But I think Atlantic City still grapples with a little bit of urban blight. There’s some vacant land. Some of the positives along with that is that Atlantic City has more vacant coastal land than any community in North America. So, it’s ripe for development.”

And Goldhoff believes that is how to really unlock the city’s full potential.

“I think we’re poised for growth. All of the properties are investing – I want to say, over the course of five years, it’s pretty close to $1 billion in capital that the properties have invested back in their facilities.”

He reiterated the boom in online gaming – noting how it is on pace to exceed $3 billion in New Jersey this year, potentially surpassing brick-and-mortar revenue.

“There really is a shift. But with that, we certainly have Hard Rock Bet, which is our affiliate, and so we’re leaning into the future with technology. And also supporting the brick-and-mortar.”

On Hard Rock’s horizon

Goldhoff then discussed the redevelopment project at Hard Rock Atlantic City.

“We’re reaffirming our commitment into excellence with the $50 million capital improvement plan in 2026, which is well underway,” he said. “The majority of that consists of over 700 typical standard guest rooms, over 60 suites, and then eight penthouses. We have two towers – one’s the North Tower, which is the newer tower. And then the South Tower. We redid the South Tower. We renovated the South Tower in 2018 and have been maintaining it rigorously since then.

“But the North Tower needed this – and so, we’re refreshing the corridors, the walkways. And these capital improvements will be largely completed by the end of 2026.”

These latest capital improvements come on top of the more than $700 million Hard Rock has invested in the former Taj Mahal property since taking it over in 2018.

How it started

He discussed what prompted this project.

“We are pretty deliberate. And we’re very data-driven. We went to one of our marketing consumer behavior researchers, and we conducted a survey,” he explained. “So, we heard directly from our players and our guests. The rooms are still well-maintained – I go into them. They’re very nice. But they were built some years ago. We wanted to make them more contemporary.

“We wanted to make them brighter. We wanted newer fixtures and fabrics and stone – and we put a lot of money into the bathrooms, in the draperies, in the lighting, and new technology – TVs all the way through. So, we heard from our guests, and we’re responding to their requests really. It’s what it comes down to.”

Hard Rock Atlantic City also announced new dining options on the way this year, including Sitar (modern Indian) and Federal Donuts & Chicken, to complement an already strong lineup throughout the venue.

Time to ‘Rock’

And, of course, entertainment is a staple of any Hard Rock property. This year boasts a full lineup of top acts in music, comedy and more, such as:

• Jason Aldean – Jan. 31
• Rod Stewart – March 7
• New Jersey native Charlie Puth – May 30
• James Taylor – June 27
• Nikki Glaser – Aug. 1
• And more announcements to come

“Entertainment is in our DNA. And, of course, community is our soul,” said Goldhoff. “Our brand is all about entertainment – so we continue to invest in entertainment. Last year, we did about 80 shows in our big arena – Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena. This year, we’re going to do closer to 90 – and we’re going to showcase a bunch of A-list performers.”

Getting down to business

The conversation then shifted to the convention, conference and meeting businesses.

“We have one of the largest footprints of banquet and convention spaces in all of Atlantic City, quite frankly, on the East Coast,” he explained. “We had a banner year in 2025; we broke all of the records. And we actually have these records going back all the way to 1990 for the Taj Mahal through good and bad times.

“We hit our high-water mark in 2025 in terms of convention room nights. And why that is so important to Atlantic City and, certainly, to our business, is that on the weekends – we’re oversold. But these conventions and groups come in, generally speaking, Monday through Thursday. So, it energizes the city, it energizes the community – and it brings needed business to Hard Rock on the weekdays.”

An example is the annual East Coast Gaming Congress, the longest-running gaming conference in the United States, which takes place April 14–15 at the property.

“We fill the room with players on the weekends. Everybody wants to be here, walk the boardwalk, and be on the beach – stay over a few nights. And our database completely supports our nearly 2,000 hotel rooms,” he continued. “And then on the weekdays, it’s not quite that same dynamic. So, we need help there – and that’s exactly why it’s so critical that we do well with group sales.

“And again, it was our best year ever in ’25 – and we’re forecasting a very good ’26, potentially better than ’25. So, we’re seeing growth in that sector.”

‘Hard’-working team

Workforce and culture are huge elements of Hard Rock’s philosophy – and Hard Rock Atlantic City has been consistently recognized as a top workplace, including by USA Today.

Goldhoff said it is truly about one conversation, one hello and one handshake at a time.

“You can never take it for granted. I’m so grateful for the team that we have here. And I inherited it, quite frankly,” said Goldhoff, who took the helm of the property in January 2023. “I stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. I’ve never worked with a more loyal and skilled team in my entire life. And that is everyone from the people that answer the phones, that check-in the guests, that carry the luggage, that park the cars, that clean the floors, that cook the meals, that deal the cards – everything.

“I think about that first job I started as a dishwasher when I was 15 years old. And I know how it feels when the general manager of the restaurant or the general manager of the hotel or the president of the casino recognizes you,” he continued. “And when I felt seen, it was so engaging and motivating – and it’s the right thing to do. We have all types of ways that we invest in our team members. But they are truly the heart and soul of what we do on a regular basis – and they’re the foundation.

“So, that is how I think about it.”

‘Take time to be kind’

Community partnerships and initiatives are another key element to Hard Rock Atlantic City.

“Like I said, music’s our DNA, but community is our soul,” said Goldhoff. “We have this steadfast commitment in the community – and we have to ensure that it prospers. This has been evident throughout and led by Sharon Pearce [director of public relations and community affairs] throughout the years, really creating these strategic partnerships and having impactful events, like the suicide prevention walk.

[M]usic’s our DNA, but community is our soul.
– George Goldhoff, Hard Rock AC president

“We’ve touched more than 500 local organizations since we opened in 2018 – and we’re celebrating our eighth year at the end of June. And these philanthropic efforts, even as things get difficult, we have not backed off from providing resources – whether that’s time or effort or funds to these local organizations.

“And it ties into one of our core mottos, which is: take time to be kind,” he continued. “Our pillars are we really focus on education, food security, youth development, social equity – so we can really foster a community in Atlantic City that we can be proud of. And that’s how we approach community.”

As for the rest of the 2026 and the years ahead, Goldhoff said that it’s getting harder to predict the future. However he stressed that Hard Rock Atlantic City has an attainable but aggressive budget.

Goldhoff pointed to the Chinese New Year and how this is the year of the fire horse.

“Which means that there’s lot of momentum and that we’re galloping into 2026 with dedication, commitment and excitement,” he said. “I would just say that that fits within how we see 2026.”