Hard Rock International hopes to build new, smaller casino on Atlantic City Boardwalk

Hard Rock wants smaller casino on AC Boardwalk

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Drawn by the possibility of entering the nation’s second-largest gambling market at a discount price, Hard Rock International says it hopes to build a new $300 million casino-hotel on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

The Florida-based company said Tuesday it would partner with Och-Ziff Real Estate at the southern end of the city.

Hard Rock, which operates 13 casinos around the world, says it is intrigued by a bill introduced Monday in the New Jersey Legislature that would permit casinos to open with as few as 200 rooms, down from the current 500-room minimum.

Atlantic City’s newest, most successful casinos have about 2,000 hotel rooms apiece and are intended to dominate the market. But they cost well over $1 billion each.