Playground Pier

Playground Pier
Location 1 Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Coordinates 39°21′14″N 74°26′03″W / 39.3538°N 74.4342°W / 39.3538; -74.4342Coordinates: 39°21′14″N 74°26′03″W / 39.3538°N 74.4342°W / 39.3538; -74.4342
Opening date 1906 as the Million Dollar Pier
1983 as The Shops on Ocean One
2006 as The Pier Shops at Caesars
Developer Taubman Centers
Management Cushman & Wakefield
Owner Boardwalk Regency Corporation[1] (land)
Lenders/C-III Capital Partners (mall building)
No. of stores and services 59
Total retail floor area 303,788 square feet (28,222.8 m2)
No. of floors 4
Parking 3,000 spaces in Caesars garage
Website playgroundpierac.com

Playground Pier is a luxury shopping mall located on a four-story pier adjacent to Caesars in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It is connected to the casino via a second-story skybridge. Constructed by Perini Building Company of Framingham, MA, it was opened in 1906 as an amusement pier named the "Million Dollar Pier". The pier was converted to a mall and renamed "The Shops on Ocean One" in 1983, and in 2006 was purchased by Taubman Centers and extensively renovated.

The pier contains many upscale stores, like Tourneau, Gucci, Apple, Louis Vuitton, Armani A/X.

While the mall is built on land owned by Caesars Entertainment, the building itself is currently owned by mortgage lenders. Taubman Centers defaulted on its $135 million loan on the center in 2010, and it was taken over by its mortgage servicer, C-III Capital Partners.[2] The lenders failed to successfully auction the mall and have hired Cushman & Wakefield to manage the center.

On June 26, 2015, "The Pier Shops at Caesars" was re-named "Playground Pier".[3]

Floors

The mall's four floors are:

The Beach at The Pier

Fountain

The fountain

"The Show" was the world's largest indoor water fountain display in a shopping mall. The fountain was choreographed and set to music. The show was performed on the hour and had two variations: a day show and a night show. The show was routinely met with applause from audiences and the most popular viewing spot was usually from the mall's second floor. “The Show” was conceptualized, designed and produced by Thinkwell Group.[4]

As of March 2015, the fountains have been covered by flooring and the show is no longer taking place.

Incidents

On Saturday, August 9, 2008, a 25-year-old from New Jersey fell while seated on the escalator handrail. He fell 40 feet (12 m) and later died at the hospital.[5]

On Sunday, September 27, 2009, a 42-year-old man from New Jersey accidentally fell from the escalator. He fell approximately 40 feet (12 m).[6]

History

The pier opened as the Million Dollar Pier on July 26, 1906, with a length of 1,700 feet. It was owned by Captain John L. Young, who also owned Young's Ocean Pier. The pier had the "World's Largest Ballroom," Hippodrome Theater, Exhibit Hall, Greek Temple, an aquarium and a roller skating rink. Young built a mansion on the pier for himself, with the address as "No. 1 Atlantic Ocean." The pier hosted the 1925 Miss America Pageant. Dance Marathons were held at the pier from 1931 to 1933. During the 1930s, the pier offered a circus, vaudeville acts, orchestras and movies. George Hamid, a circus owner, took over operations in the late 1930s. He later bought the Steel Pier. The pier was purchased by a group of local businessmen in 1969. A fire in 1981 destroyed part of the pier. It was torn down in 1983 and the 900-foot-long Ocean One shopping mall was erected, which in turn was torn down in 2003 for construction of The Pier at Caesars.[7]

Panoramic view of The Pier Shops at Caesars.

See also

References

External links

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