There was no formal announcement of the delay, but officials of Resorts International let it be known during a hearing for the re-licensing of the Resorts International Casino Hotel, the Hilton's sister property. Both properties are owned by Colony Capital, and Resorts was successful in its re-licensing application.
Announced this past April, the proposed expansion would, and may still encompass adding a 1,000-room tower, doubling the casino space to 120,000 sf, adding a 3,500-seat theater and 3,000-space parking structure, and a variety of other amenities, altogether costing upwards of $1 billion. According to published reports, Hilton/Resorts officials cited the economy, the credit markets and this past year's slump in gaming as reasons for the delay.
Company officials did not reveal a new timeline for the project, and indicated to casino control officials that any eventual expansion may end up being a scaled-down version of the current proposal. "At the moment, with the uncertainty in the markets, it's on hold," confirms a spokesman. But a full or reduced expansion "is something we can re-visit."
The delay for Hilton comes at a time when interest is mounting for the redevelopment of Bader Field, this city's shuttered municipal airport, and multiple suitors have started putting offers on the table for the Tropicana. Indeed, Colony Capital is one of those suitors for the Trop, offering $850 million for it. The Trop is on the market because its current owners, Columbia Sussex, were denied their own re-licensing application by the state's gaming regulators.
Also in the advanced planning stages are major new casino hotel properties offered up by MGM Mirage and Revel Entertainment.
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