ATLANTIC CITY — Just two months after a change in ownership gave the Ilitch organization full control of Ocean Casino Resort, the Boardwalk property is putting another $14 million into Atlantic City.
Ocean announced plans this week for a major expansion and transformation of The Cove, its high-limit slot area, continuing a yearslong investment campaign that has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the former Revel property.
The redesigned Cove is expected to open in early 2027 and will encompass 11,935 square feet — approximately 60% larger than the current space.
Ocean says the expanded area will feature more than 192 slot machines, up from more than 140 currently, along with dedicated cocktail service, seating areas, restrooms and cashier booths.
The project is being undertaken in response to what Ocean described as “overwhelming demand for high-end slots.”
“The expansion and transformation of The Cove represents another significant investment in Ocean's future,” Ocean Casino Resort General Manager Bill Callahan said in announcing the project.
The new Cove will be located adjacent to Ocean's Asian Table Games area and will be part of a larger effort to increase the total number of slot machines on the casino floor.
Investment Comes Soon After Ownership Change
The timing is notable.
On Aug. 3, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission announced that the Ilitch organization had completed its acquisition of the remaining interest in Ocean Casino Resort, giving the Detroit-based company 100% ownership of the property.
The Ilitch organization, whose businesses include Little Caesars and MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit, had initially acquired a 50% interest in Ocean in 2021.
During the regulatory process leading to full ownership, company representatives expressed confidence in both Ocean and the future of the Atlantic City gaming market.
The newly announced $14 million project represents one of the first major capital investments unveiled since the ownership transition was completed.
Hundreds of Millions Already Invested
It also continues an extraordinary turnaround story for a property that once became a symbol of Atlantic City's struggles.
The resort originally opened as the $2.4 billion Revel in 2012 but closed just over two years later after failing to become profitable.
The property reopened as Ocean Resort Casino in June 2018 and later became Ocean Casino Resort.
Since then, its owners have repeatedly reinvested in the massive Boardwalk property.
In April 2025, Ocean announced more than $50 million in capital improvements for that year alone. At the time, the casino said the work was part of a seven-year transformation totaling approximately $270 million.
Those improvements included $25 million to renovate 559 hotel rooms and suites, a $4 million expansion that doubled Ocean's Asian gaming area from approximately 4,000 to 8,000 square feet, new restaurants and other amenities.
By that point, Ocean had renovated all 1,860 of its hotel rooms and suites.
The investment push began years earlier. When the Ilitch organization acquired its initial stake in Ocean in 2021, the resort simultaneously announced more than $75 million in additional investment.
Now another $14 million is being directed specifically toward the casino floor.
Slots Remain Big Business in Atlantic City
The decision to expand Ocean's high-limit slot operation comes as slot machines continue to account for the majority of Atlantic City's traditional casino gambling revenue.
According to figures from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, Ocean recorded approximately $329.9 million in in-person casino win through August 2026, an increase of 5.4% compared with the same period last year.
Nearly $233 million of Ocean's casino win during that period came from slot machines.
Across all nine Atlantic City casinos, slot machines generated approximately $222.4 million of the industry's $294.9 million in in-person casino win during August alone.
Ocean's continued investment also comes at a time when the broader Atlantic City casino industry is facing pressure on profitability.
The city's nine casinos reported combined gross operating profit of approximately $269.6 million during the first six months of 2026, down 15.5% from the same period in 2025, according to the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Net revenue during that period was essentially flat, increasing just 0.2%.
Against that backdrop, Ocean's decision to expand its casino floor represents another sizable wager on the future of its Atlantic City operation.
The existing Cove itself is relatively new. The high-limit slot area debuted in December 2020 at approximately 7,450 square feet with more than 140 machines.
Less than six years later, Ocean says demand has grown enough to justify making it roughly 60% larger.
For a property that closed its doors as Revel in 2014, Ocean's latest investment marks another chapter in a turnaround that has transformed the once-darkened Boardwalk resort into one of Atlantic City's major casino competitors.
About the Author
Peter Killeen
A 25-year radio news veteran, Peter covers South Jersey for NewsTalk 1400 & 92.3 WOND radio. Known for his concise and impactful delivery, he ensures listeners and readers stay informed without unnecessary filler.
