Playground Pier

Playground Pier (formerly Million Dollar Pier, The Shops on Ocean One, and The Pier Shops at Caesars) 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.

History

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 2002 was redeveloped by Gordon Group Holdings and was reopened in 2006. In 2007 Taubman Centers purchased the center.

The pier includes many upscale stores, such as Tourneau, Gucci, 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 renamed "Playground Pier".^[3]

Floors

The mall's four floors are:

• The Boardwalk (first floor): The floor on this level is designed to look like the Atlantic City Boardwalk and the shops tend to focus around gifts, entertainment, and moderate to upscale stores.
• The Skybridge (second floor): There is direct access from Caesars through the skyway over the Boardwalk, allowing shoppers to get to the casino while avoiding the crowded boardwalk. The more upscale shops are located on this level and the design gives the impression of shopping under the stars.

The Beach at The Pier

• The Promenade (third floor): The restaurants, bars, and clubs are all located on the north side of this level of the mall. The south side of the mall is a long glass window with Adirondack chairs placed in sand to give shoppers a place to relax and feel like they are at the beach.
• One Atlantic (Fourth Floor): One Atlantic is a 14,000-square-foot (1,300 m²) events venue and banquet hall on the fourth floor for weddings and parties.

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.

History

The pier opened as the Million Dollar Pier on July 26, 1906, with a length of 1,700 feet (520 m). 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.^[5]

Panoramic view of The Pier Shops at Caesars

See also

• Caesars Atlantic City
• The Forum Shops at Caesars
• Tanger Outlets The Walk

References