Life ’ s a Beach
Island Waterpark , Atlantic City
The long-awaited Island Waterpark has opened adjacent to the Showboat Resort in Atlantic City , New Jersey . Called the largest beachfront facility of its kind in the world , the Island Waterpark spans some 120,000 square feet under a retractable roof . It features 11 water slides including the Electric Eel and the Barracuda Blaster ; a lazy-river attraction , Island Drift ; a 1,000-square-foot surf simulator , the Wild Wave Flowrider ; the Blue Cascade Waterfall ; a 10,300-square foot Kids Cove ; and the 10,000-square-foot Paradise Adult Island , with a swim-up bar , Bliss Pool , cabanas and spa services such as foot massages and mani-pedi stations .
For thrill-seekers , the waterpark presents a 300-foot zip line and 1,000-foot zero-gravity rollercoaster , the Cloud Coaster , offering panoramic views of the Boardwalk and the Atlantic Ocean . A 30-foot-tall tree house can be reserved for private events .
Natural Wonder
Snoqualmie Casino Expansion
A
$ 400 million expansion is under way at Washington state ’ s Snoqualmie Casino , 30 miles from Seattle .
The project , which broke ground in July 2022 , will add a 210-room luxury hotel to the original casino resort , which was completed in 2008 . Also in the works : a new 2,000-seat event center ; 22,000 square feet of additional gaming space ; two new restaurants ; a full-service spa and fitness center ; and an indoor pool .
The project was designed by Bergman Walls & Associates , architect for the original $ 670 million casino . The architects took their aesthetic cues from Snoqualmie history . For example , the hotel ’ s contemporary slant roof was inspired by the original longhouses of the tribe ’ s ancestors , and artwork placed throughout the resort includes many nods to tribal culture .
The design also takes advantage of stunning panoramic views . The resort ’ s front desk , indoor
The Showboat Resort , once a New Orleans-themed casino , closed its gaming hall in 2014 and was acquired in 2020 by Philadelphia-based Tower Investments . The hotel is now undergoing a $ 50 million renovation . The $ 100 million waterpark is also a Tower Investments project .
The resort also hosts the largest arcade on the East Coast , the Lucky Snake , with a 40,000-square-foot raceway go-kart track ; an arcade with more than 300 games ; mini-golf ; a sports bar ; live entertainment venues ; and multiple dining outlets .
In an interview about the Island Waterpark , Tower Investments founder Bart Blatstein told Travel + Leisure , “ In terms of the design , the scale , the location , the one-of-a-kind offerings and the dynamic mix of entertainment for adults and kids , no other family fun resort in the region or even the world compares to it .”
OWNER : Tower Investments ARCHITECT : SOSH Architects
pool , outdoor sun deck , prefunction space and a number of rooms and suites look out on the majestic landscape of the Pacific Northwest , including the lush Snoqualmie River Valley and Mount Si , part of the Cascade Range .
“ We have continued to strengthen and preserve our cultural traditions , protecting our sacred places , healing our ancestral lands and establishing enterprises that allow our tribe to provide our families with education , health care and housing , while also giving back to the community ,” Snoqualmie Tribe Chairman Robert de los Angeles said in a statement . “ This next period of growth at the Snoqualmie Casino allows us to continue advancing those goals .”
The expansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 .
OWNER : Snoqualmie Entertainment Authority ARCHITECT : Bergman Walls & Associates
14 CASINO STYLE 2023