Shortly after Mark Callazzo purchased property on Tennessee Avenue in 2015, the veteran Garden State developer was greeted with doubt by a legion of naysayers.
Investing in Atlantic City was pure folly. That was the message Callazzo received after noting he was bullish on the area.
"A lot of people said I was nuts for what I was doing," Callazzo said. "I thought about it for a minute and poured myself a bourbon and thought, 'Maybe I'm making a mistake here.'"
It was easy to see why Callazzo had second thoughts.
Atlantic City hit its nadir in 2014, when four of the 12 casinos were shuttered. Three of the four casinos that rolled snake eyes were located in the South Inlet.
Revel, a $2.4 billion high-rise extravaganza that opened in 2012, became a white elephant. Trump Taj Mahal and Showboat closed.
Callazzo's new property was covered with broken glass and hypodermic needles. However, the then-Toms River based investor moved forward when thinking about what Atlantic City possessed, which is great infrastructure, a beach, a historic five-mile boardwalk and an ocean.
Shortly after forging ahead with his plan, Callazzo discovered what Atlantic City didn't have while hosting a dinner at his late Albany Avenue speakeasy, The Iron Room.
At the end of the night, Callazzo asked his waitstaff where they lived. None resided in Atlantic City
"They were either in Galloway, Pleasantville or Ventnor," Callazzo recalled. "I asked why they didn't live in Atlantic City. They said that they wanted a place to get coffee or go to yoga. They said Atlantic City had nothing for them. And they were right."
Callazzo, 53, pulled a phrase straight out of the classic baseball film "Field of Dreams":
"If you build it, they will come."
Other developers such as Pat Fasano joined Callazzo.
"Atlantic City needed a downtown," Fasano said.
Callazzo concurred.
Downtown was Atlantic Avenue during Atlantic City's glory days back in the 1950s, when Frank Sinatra held court at The 500 Club.
"When you look at Atlantic Avenue, it's 40 blocks long," Callazzo said. "It's too daunting a task. Tennessee Avenue makes more sense. What we're trying to do is give people a reason to live in Atlantic City."
The Orange Loop has morphed considerably since Calazzo made his initial investment. There is the Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall, which has more than 40 beers and exceptional brisket.
Bar 32 offers array of desserts and a vibe. (Photo courtesy Sarah Callazzo)Bar 32 offers an array of tempting desserts. Killer cappuccinos are served at Hayday Coffee. Peaches Garden is a popular dispensary. Leadership Studio is offering yoga. There are enough shops to attract wait staff to live in Atlantic City. More folks are moving in and hanging out.
The Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall is always packed before and after concerts at the nearby Hard Rock.
"I get it," Callazzo said. "When I go to a resort, I want to see the town. I don't just want to hang out at the casino. What's great about the Orange Loop is that we're close to the Hard Rock, which has the best entertainment in town. People come out and check out what we have. You have the Beer Hall. You have the Anchor Rock Club if you want live music."
The casinos just off of the Orange Loop approve of the neighboring entertainment district.
"The development of the Orange Loop only serves to benefit Atlantic City by offering multiple unique experiences for guests to enjoy in addition to the casino resort properties," Executive Director of Marketing for Ocean Casino Resort Rebecca Thiry said. "Ocean is proud to work with the Orange Loop as part of our dedication to uplifting small businesses in and around the city."
And there's more to come in the Orange Loop.
Callazzo, who moved from Toms River to Atlantic City in 2020, is working on two forthcoming projects.
Top Hat, a Monopoly-inspired boutique hotel with concierge services is slated to open during the spring of 2026.
The Container Park, an entertainment and community spaces project, will feature and will open by the end of the year. A barber shop, a leather goods manufacturer, a produce outlet and a bakery will be part of the park.
"We're going to bring 22 new small businesses to the Container Park," Callazzo said. "And then there's the Top Hat, which is going to be amazing. I'm always surprised that people don't know monopoly comes from Atlantic City. We'll remind them that's so with Top Hat."
Artistic rendering of the future Top Hat. (Photo courtesy Mark Callazzo)A rooftop sushi bar will be part of the former Endicott Hotel. The long-vacant hotel is being transformed into an apartment building that will open during the spring of 2026
When Callazzo started his Atlantic City gambit a decade ago he envisioned that it would be further along but the pandemic slowed the process.
However, Callazzo is very excited about the future.
"In three years I see a thousand new residents living in the four-block area of the Orange Loop," Carlazzo said. "That will bring new restaurants and shops. You'll see all of the things people need. And with that there will be density in the Orange Loop and what comes with that is safety. It'll be the Main Street of Atlantic City, which has such a great future."
