Atlantic City Mayor Says MGM Planning Mixed-Use Residential Project Near Borgata

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. announced that MGM Resorts is in the early planning stages of bringing more than 1,000 housing units to its long-vacant property adjacent to the Borgata.

Small took to Instagram and Facebook to share the news that MGM is in talks with national housing developers to transform the roughly 35-acre lot into a mixed-use residential development. Describing it as “MAJOR BREAKING NEWS” that shows “INVESTOR CONFIDENCE IS HIGH,” Small said he recently met with the MGM team to learn about their plans.

“[MGM is] proposing three residential development initiatives for their land inn between Borgata and Harrah’s,” the mayor said.

The three development options include plans ranging in size from 1,000 to 3,500 residential units.

“Get in NOW on the GREAT City of Atlantic City,” Small added, accompanied by the hashtags #faith, #resilience, #redemption, #thefutureisours, and #teamsmall.

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MGM Atlantic City Development

The casino has owned the land next to Borgata since it opened in 2003. The third Marina District resort to open following Harrah’s (1980) and Golden Nugget (1985), it was widely thought that the 35 acres would one day house another casino.

Today, the Atlantic City casino market is saturated, and with casinos coming to New York City, no additional gaming developments down the New Jersey shore are expected. MGM is seemingly ready to let go of the vacant grassy plot of land.

“We know that we’re not going to allow [new] casinos in Atlantic City,” Small told the Press of Atlantic City. “So, they came up with a concept, some retail, three different options.”

MGM did not immediately respond for comment as to the housing plan, and whether the casino company is looking to sell off the land or retain an ownership position in the development.

The former is likelier, as MGM isn’t in the business of residential real estate. The casino operator also leases most of its gaming resorts.

Many Announcements, Little Groundbreaking

Small has frequently touted major redevelopment projects that have yet to materialize.

Among them is the long-vacant Bader Field property, where the mayor held a ceremonial groundbreaking in 2023 for a proposed $3.4 billion “motorsport living” community centered around a Formula One-grade racetrack.

Small called the project a “game changer” for Atlantic City, but construction has yet to begin.

Another example is the former Trump Plaza site. After the casino was imploded in 2021, Small said the property would be transformed into a mixed-use destination. More than five years later, the beachfront parcel remains undeveloped.