NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships and the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show See Increased Attendance
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (Thursday, March 7, 2019) - Meet AC, the Atlantic City Sports Commission, and Spectra are pleased to report two of the biggest annual events in the city saw an increase in attendance this past weekend. In total, more than 80,000 patrons visited the city to attend the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall or the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
The Progressive® Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show® reported a two percent increase in attendance, ending its four-day run on Sunday, March 3 with 39,454 attendees (vs. 38,603 in 2018). What’s more, the Show’s three year attendance average is up an additional six percent. Exhibitors reported strong sales, some even noting record breaking sales compared to years past. Show highlights included the 3rd annual Career Day which hosted nearly 100 students from local Philadelphia and New Jersey area high schools and technical schools to explore future career opportunities in the boating industry. Plus, other key attractions included the first-ever Fishing Friday which hosted an evening of interactive competitions on the brand new virtual reality fishing simulator; Super Thursday offering discounted Show entrance, food and beverage deals and the best product deals of the week; a social media scavenger hunt; and family friendly activities from an expanded Touch-a-Boat Tour for kids to paddleboat rides and much more.
“It’s terrific to see attendance on the rise, especially when it results in sales for our exhibitors, many of whom are small businesses from Atlantic City and Southern New Jersey,” said Jon Pritko, Vice President of Northeast Boat Shows for NMMA. “We look forward to continuing this growth pattern in the years to come as we welcome even more boating and fishing enthusiasts to take advantage of the latest trends, best deals and unparalleled boating education.”
The NJSIAA High School Wrestling Championships saw an increase in attendance as well with the changing of the dates and the addition of the girl’s competitions. This year’s event began on Thursday, with finals taking place Saturday evening and will continue to do so for the next two years.
“NJSIAA just completed another outstanding three days of top-notch wrestling at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City,” said Larry White, Executive Director of the NJSIAA. “Over this three-day period, nearly 42,000 fans enjoyed the best of the best of New Jersey high school wrestling and for the first time ever, 10 girl wrestlers were crowned state champions in 10 weight classes. To prepare for such an event requires the cooperation of many people and we have found for several years that the iconic Boardwalk Hall is the best facility and is staffed to make sure everyone’s needs are accommodated. Literally hundreds of people commented on how well the tournament was organized and how they felt like welcomed guests in Atlantic City. As Executive Director of NJSIAA, it was a pleasure to be there and be a part of this great event, made even better with the inception of girls’ state wrestling championships.”
“It was wonderful to see both venues being utilized at full capacity, along with the hospitality from various businesses. It was a great week for the events industry, while generating tremendous economic impact for Atlantic City,” said Jim Wood, president and CEO for Meet AC
Both of these events have a combined economic impact of more than $11 million with more than 1,300 hotel room nights contracted over the course of the week.
The NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships will return to Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall March 5-7, 2019 and the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show returns to the Atlantic City Convention Center February 26-March 1, 2019.
Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are owned and funded by the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Spectra provides both Venue Management and Food Services & Hospitality to Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center.
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About Spectra
Spectra is an industry leader in hosting and entertainment, partnering with clients to create memorable experiences for millions of visitors every year. Spectra’s unmatched blend of integrated services delivers incremental value for clients through several primary areas of expertise: Venue Management, Food Services & Hospitality, and Partnerships. Learn more at SpectraExperiences.com.
About Meet AC
Meet AC, Inc. is a 501(c)(6) organization formed and funded as a public-private partnership by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to create economic development through conventions, sporting events, film production and group tourism. Meet AC focuses on three primary objectives: sales, marketing and services.
For complete Atlantic City tourism and convention information, visit www.meetac.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the Atlantic City Sports Commission
The Atlantic City Sports Commission was officially formed on January 13, 2015 as a 501 (c)(3) organization with the support of Meet AC and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to attract sporting events, conventions and competitions to Atlantic City.
For more information, visit www.atlanticcitysports.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA)
The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority's mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state's key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA's expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/njcrda, and Twitter at www.twitter.com/njcrda.
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