Two years after plummeting gambling revenue nearly tipped this seaside resort into bankruptcy, two new casinos are opening on the boardwalk. The casinos, which have hired more than 7,000 workers in total, are scheduled to open their doors on Thursday. Atlantic City officials and business leaders cheered the new jobs, while pointing to investments by a local university and gas company that they said show the gambling-dependent economy is finally starting to hedge its bets.
“The vibe is so positive,” said Debra DiLorenzo, chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey. “I don’t have a crystal ball, but I think that having nine casinos again, we’ll be just fine.”