We saw Earth, Wind and Fire at multiple venues, the band had the Mark G Etess Arena rockin' a few weeks ago! More importantly, who is Mark G Etess?? When this venue was the Trump Taj Mahal, Mr Etess was returning by helicopter to Atlantic City. The helicopter suffered a mechanical failure, leading into a crash killing three executives. The Trump Taj Mahal arena was named in Etess' memory. 2025, this venue is now inside the Hard Rock Casino. There is a bridge from Resorts Casino connecting to Hard Rock Casino, we didn't have to walk the boardwalk at night in January. After we had dinner, we walked inside to the venue. Once inside and the band came on stage, everything seemed magical. The huge screen behind the stage were showing clips of the band starting from the 70's and then every decade up to today. The acoustics in the venue were also very good. They had the area filled with sound from all angles. Our seats had a nice vantage point. We were facing the stage, in the bleacher section. The floor seats seemed like you weren't able to see the band and video screens very well. If you need to come to the hotel to park and you're a *Veteran* get the players card for the hotel and you'll get free parking! When we saw Yacht Rock Review last summer at the theatre, the venue removed all the middle seats?! Those folks were rockin' for two straight hours! To me, I'm from Long Island and the Jones Beach Theatre is the best place to see a concert. The Mark G Etess Arena is a great venue to see any event while in Atlantic City. read more

Mark G Etess Arena - Earth, Wind & Fire Dec 2025 - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

NO WATER AVAILABLE INSIDE THE VENUE!! I went here for a concert on 8/14-8/16. The only water available inside the venue is a $7 water bottle...$8 after I tipped. I nearly passed out inside the venue. When I asked medical where the water fountain was they said the only free water is the hot water coming out of the bathroom sinks. As someone who goes to over 100 shows a year this is the only venue I've ever been to that didn't have a free water fountain. Greedy and extremely dangerous. Shame on Hardrock. I won't be back until they start to offer a free water option. read more

Entry and navigating to our seats was easy. Staff was great. Views seemed to be good from every section. Sound could be a bit better but we enjoyed the show. The area around the venue inside Hard Rock casino itself was also clean, didn't smell of smoke and was easily accessible to a variety of dining options and clean bathrooms. read more

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The Mark G. Etess Arena is the main concert venue for Hard Rock Atlantic City. This arena has been around a long time, going back to when this was Trump Taj Mahal; the layout remains the same with some modern updates. The convenience of seeing a show and having a room to retreat to is incredibly appealing. Resorts, Showboat, and Ocean resort are also a short walk away on the boards. The arena is close to both garage parking and valet. Note that shows start on time or very close to it. There are concessions once you're in the venue. Sound system is solid and the venue holds a few thousand easy, so give it a try if a performer you like is in town. read more

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This was my first time at the arena, as I typically see shows in Philly but decided to make the trek for a band I liked. The venue was easy to find as it's smack dab in the middle of the casino floor in the Hard Rock. You get into line and they scan your ticket initially - the worker said nothing to me when I walked up just had his scanner ready so I said "you need my ticket?" to which he rudely joked about how yeah they need my ticket for me to get in - and I mentioned to him that all venues are different so I was just confirming (since he had said nothing initially) - luckily he was the only unpleasant staff member I dealt with and at least the interaction was quick. Security was easy as well and then I went to check out the merch. There were seemingly multiple lines at the merch table, none were clear, so I just got in the shortest one which apparently was cash only that I luckily did have cash for because I didn't find out until I heard the guy at the table say it to the person in front of me. Afterwards I turned around to check out the drink options. They had plenty of lines open, but it did take a little while, but that could be due to customer's being slow with ordering vs. staff, as the staff was quick and friendly once I was up to order. They had a solid selection of drink options, including a drink special that was specific to the band so that was cute. I asked staff where section 205 was since I hadn't been here before and they directed me and I was even brought all the way up to my seat by a nice staff member. I was on the innermost seat in my row, so up against the railing in the raised seats. My view was great but the seats felt a little tight/cramped. The concert was good - sound, lighting and everything seemed good. It did smell a bit weird in this venue - no clue what that was about and I heard no one else mention it. I noticed it initially in line for a drink but then it lingered the whole concert. I thought I had stepped in something. That was off putting but I'm going to assume it was a fluke. Afterwards it was a little chaotic leaving, as it always is, but I was initially filtered out through some doors that led us outside of the Hard Rock which initially freaked me out a bit as I was alone, but luckily I quickly spotted the casino doors and headed back inside. Overall this venue is fine - not the best I've ever been to but not the worst. It certainly is fun being able to be in a casino before and after the show and the staff was all generally nice and helpful. read more

I've been here twice so far and it's a very nice event center. The first show I saw there was Chicago and we sat in the third row way up in the front. The second show I saw was Pitbull. That concert had a general admission area where you could stand and dance while you watch the show. I preferred to have the option to sit so we got tickets on the risers even though it was farther away from the stage. The venue is not huge so pretty much anywhere you sit is a good seat. I have tickets to see Air Supply next month and I'm looking forward to that show too. I definitely recommend going there to see any show. read more

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Great place to attend a concert since it is inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. We got to gamble a little, get some coffee and pastry at a cafe and have dinner at Kuro (Japanese) before the show. The venue itself reminds me of a high school auditorium but bigger. Most of the chairs were the foldable kind. If you choose to sit on the ground floor, just know that someone taller can block your view. We came to see Cyndi Lauper's Farewell Tour. The acoustics came through nicely. Concert goers were all very courteous of one another. I would totally come back to this venue for future performances. There are two women and men's restrooms all the way to the right when you enter after the security checkpoint. The staff here are super friendly. Many helped people in wheelchairs. Don't forget to get some merch. Parking at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is $30. On a last note: do not get the $5 pretzel at the concession stand. It was really dry. read more

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Small venue that borderlines an intimate setting in a good way. Incredible staff especially the security team. They were professional and respectful. Saw Kpop Star King RAIN with floor seats. What an incredible view. The sound was exceptional. We will definitely return. You can order adult beverages from their concessions stand as well as snacks and water. Impressed! read more

Mark G Etess Arena - Poster RAIN the MAN - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

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This "arena" is within the Hard Rock Hotel. It felt like a random convention center. There was nothing inside the arena that felt like you were in the Hard Rock, a place that should be designed around music. The seats were comfortable, but anytime anyone moved in your row, it shook the whole row. TLDR: No atmosphere or vibe. No thought into design except make it cheap. Embarrassing to be under hard rock name. read more

I saw Stone Temple Pilots, Julien-K , the Cult, and Bush here. It was an interesting line-up. I was there for STP and the Cult originally, but ended up enjoying Julien-K's set the most. One benefit of this venue located inside the Hard Rock Casino was that I was able to leave during the Cult set and get gelato from upstairs, then return to the concert and see Bush and STP. At other venues, you are stuck with the concession stands or whatever is inside that area, but that night the show allowed you to enter and leave as you wished (you just had to go through security again, but it wasn't a leave-and-you're-out situation like many places). You could even explore the casino if you wanted. The sound here was great, and you could move around easily to different sections/areas of the arena with General Admission. I was a fan of the place; the show was 50/50 for me - but I had a great time at Mark G Etess Arena. read more

We've been here a few times. Staff is always pleasant and helpful. The arena is small and we have never had a bad seat. Sounds was good! Tonight we saw Alabama. It was a fun time. read more

Mark G Etess Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

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The venue itself is okay, but one men's bathroom? What were they thinking? Be prepared to wait literally 30+ minutes every time you need to use the restroom. Completely laughable and unacceptable. read more

[1011] This concert area is located in the lower level of the Hard Rock Casino. It's a large area which hold about 7,000 people (I believe). There is a nice area where you can purchase overpriced beer .. and water ($8). We had floor seats which were comfy and did not move (good thing). It was hard to see but that's what floor seats are ... There were two screen on each side of the stage so I felt bad for those that had tickets on the side. Hard to see. I like this area and would definitely go back but I would need to sit in the main area but in the middle. We saw Journey here. read more

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Went there to see Sara Barielles. Terrible acoustics with an almost unbearable base. I don't think the sound person even had a clue! Our seats were fair. Thankfully they had several large video screens! Although Sara was awesome, including her band/orchestra, the venue totally sucked! We'll never go back again! read more

I experienced an amazing Guns and Roses concert at this very comfortable arena. It was acoustically superior with great sight lines. Hey, I'm an old codger with creaky joints, but I felt wonderful for a close to three hour concert. The bathrooms were close, clean and luxurious. Ticket lines moved quickly. While Axel and Slash stole the show, the Etess Arena allowed me to watch and listen, ensconced in pleasure. read more

3.5 I like this venue and will definitely keep my eyes open for more shows here if Philly isn't on the tour. It's open and the acoustics are good. There's pretty much a decent view from anywhere in the big, industrial space but the show we saw (Bush & Live 6.7.19.) was general admission. I did appreciate the option to chill on the bleachers in the rear if we wanted. That's pretty rare. Drinks were overpriced as expected, but they did offer a few unique beer options. Lines for the restrooms weren't awful but I only saw one set to the right of the entrance when heading in. They were pretty clean. Bag check and lines to get in were easy! Buying tickets at the venue will be your least expensive option as they don't charge any additional fees. Unfortunately, it's Ticketmaster only, so there's no one to speak to over the phone about exact times performers take the stage or to gather any information about the show by just calling in advance. That's sucks and really what I believe to be a casino issue. My other issues with the venue are honestly with the Hard Rock casino itself not the arena. Parking took a bit of time and was $10, so leave extra time. Luckily it wasn't an issue for us but I can definitely see it being problematic if you're in a hurry or running behind for the show. There were no signs in the elevator as to where the venue was located so we guessed. There are also no signs directing you to the venue once you're inside. (It's downstairs under the giant giutar to your right). Hard Rock fail. Other than that and not being able to actually speak to a human prior, I would say everything was decent enough. read more

This place was super clean, staff was nice, easy entry in and out of the GA standing area to get food, drinks, go to the bathroom. They adapted quickly when concert-goers decided to queue overnight and gave everyone a safe area to do so. Overall had a safe and comfortable experience! read more

Mark G Etess Arena - I liked that they had a designated accessible accommodation area - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

Boston concert on June 6th in Atlantic City rocked! Older arena that was OK. Kind of on the older side, and a bit bare-boned, but serves it's purpose. Seats about 5,000 with risers on the sides and back surrounding all the floor seating that are basically rows and rows of standard chairs. Nothing fancy but gets the job done. Heck, if you're sitting down at a rock concert anyway it's time to retire to the old folks home and play Bingo! Good sound and acoustics. The front of house engineer did a great job as the sound was perfect and crystal clear considering it's just a big square shaped box of a room. I found the staff to also be ok and pleasant enough. But jeez guys, offer more than just crappy Bud Light as the beer choice. Not a great venue but not horrible either. Worth it if a band you like is playing there. It's more than a feeling....... read more

Mark G Etess Arena - Boston concert June 6, 2015 - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

As far as places to go and see a show, this spot is pretty ok. Entry to the venue was pretty fluid and the staff seemed to be very friendly. We had seats up one level on the right of the stage and were able to see very well. Acoustics were nice as well. We were able to both hear band members speak and sing very well and didnt wake up with that dreadful ringing in our ears the next day from the loudspeakers. For sure we'd come back. It was a nice night out and we had no complaints. read more

Firstly, it's great that AC has another concert venue bringing in great acts to a struggling city. This was needed. The venue itself is just ok. Despite a clean, bright look in the lobby, the arena itself looks like a conference room with a stage. Be careful when buying tickets! There are 5 sections on the floor. While 104 looks fine on a map, it's really far off center. Don't even bother with 105 or 101. The sound is fine and the stage isn't too high up, which makes it enjoyable from the front few rows. Not unexpectedly, the drinks are really expensive. Cocktails start at $20 a pop, with $15 refills. Pro tip: when exiting the venue, the restroom is to your far left. If you are trying to make a between act run, go directly left or face the long lines. To be totally honest, the Borgata Event Center is better from a venue standpoint, but as long as this arena brings in acts I want to see, there's no reason not to go. read more

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Love concerts at A.C. bc the venues are more "intimate." I feel like for the price you pay, it's perfect when you can almost touch the performer lol I paid $68 for good seats to see Mariah Carey which would otherwise be the same price in the nosebleeds at other venues/arenas. My seat was 212 I & J. Any seats you pick, you'd have perfect view of whoever I performing. Also, the attendants are all very helpful and pleasant in assisting you. read more

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I was here for the Alabama concert the other day. It looks like the concert hall was only half of the whole arena. I am personally not a fan of putting folding chairs out onto the floor, but its not m concert hall lol! The seating was a little tight, even decently skinny people were squished together. I am a bigger guy and had a little difficulty fitting into the seat, luckily the people next to us moved over into free seats when the concert started. The sounds system is pretty nice. No issues there. Security was also very quick and efficient. There were several entrances to the main lobby, and all the lines seemed to move very fast. I have a belt buckle that sets off metal detectors, and security was nice, friendly and fast about it. The lobby was nice, the stand to buy swag was a little hectic, they should probably have a third one to speed up the process, or have multiple people work those booths. Most venues that I go to have 3-4 people working a booth and 15 people flow through it very fast. I know that its AC and Hard Rock, and they are trying to make as much money as possible, but it was directly outside restaurant row.... Not sure why there was a concession stand in that lobby.... Alabama was amazing! I was so lucky to be able to se them in concert. I think that my biggest issue was the seating! No matter how nice a folding chair is, its still a folding chair.... It is still a very nice and clean arena to see a show in. read more

The arena isn't bad, there could be a little more organization at the entrance doors. It is pretty much a giant clump of people just waiting for the doors to open. Also there are a small group of seats in the 207 and 208 seats that should be either blocked from purchase or listed as "Obstructed View". I spent most of the concert trying to see around the sound/lighting equipment and a camera. read more

Mark G Etess Arena - Sound/lighting equipment and camera partially blocking the view. I felt bad for the people in the rows in front of us. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Atlantic City, New Jersey

Though I don't know how it is for every concert, gripe with this place is how you enter/exit. How about aome sort of line-system for entering the actual venue? Put up a couple ropes so people have a bit more order. Giant masses of people trying to self-regulate up to the ticket takers is inefficient. Exiting was a pain also - suuuuper narrow doors, huge traffic jam. I'd hate to be there during some type of emergency-really hope they have more exits someplace. Otherwise, the staff was very nice and the sound was great. The food options were abundant (and good-I really liked my pizza!), parking was relatively cheap & everyone was pretty chill. Now that I know what to expect, I'd go back. I'd just make sure to take a chill pill and expect the small inconvenience beforehand. read more

As Lionel Richie great show Showroom was comfortable Fast getting in but slow leaving!!!! read more

Being a musician I'm very particular about acoustics at a concert venue. I saw EW&F here 7/6/19 & I was knocked out. Not a bad seat in the house & the acoustics were perfect. No boomy bass, no harsh high end. I'm going to keep an eye on the schedule for acts I like & will definitely be back. read more

horrible place it ruined everyone's night the speakers were blown out and we paid in total 1000.00 for the tickets. It is beyond horrible - do not go there! it is run down and the sound and stage are terrible. WE WENT TO SEE EROS RAMAZZOTTI, October 20, 2013. It was an embarrassment to the performers. We should all be reimbursed. when you go into youtube and listen to the new york performance last night, it is disturbing that we paid for that dump of place compared to that in Atlantic City "Trash of a place!" Everyone if you are reading - and you were there, please demand a refund and an apology to Eros and to everyone who paid their hard earned money for that disaster! i have the evidence on youtube and on my iphone everyone write for a refund! read more

Went on Saturday November 3rd, 2018 to see Elvis Costello. The arena is cavernous, with a terrible acoustics as if the music is bouncing off the walls end to end. I needed to be a hard core Costello fan knowing every word sung or had a booklet in front of me to know what words Costello was actually singing. Just terrible. The seats are tight. I am 6ft 200lbs and if someone my size sat to the right of me we would have had to pay attention to each other all night to insure we weren't bumping into each other's arms or leg. The seats are all attached to each other in the raised seat sections from one end of the row to the other. When someone is bopping to the music in their seats, others around them are moving in their seats as well. Do they get great acts? Sure. But if you can hardly make out what they are singing and the music is bouncing off the arena walls so it's a bit distorted why pay $100-200 a seat for that?? It exists to allow the Hard Rock to bring in more people by offering more services so those people eat, drink or gamble. To have it associated to the name "Hard Rock" where you would expect great sound and acoustics is laughable. They don't care though. They just want you down there to get your gamble and drink $$. That's why it $15-20 for a speciality 24 plastic cup drink, or $12 for a bud light in the arena confession area. Go elsewhere to see great acts with your $$. This place sucks. read more

Staff was very accommodating due to being in a wheelchair. Great venue side seating not the best but cheaper tickets !! We enjoyed ourselves read more

As an avid concert-goer, I'm always looking for cool spots to see headlines acts, and as a local, it's good to see big-name bands come into our area. This venue isn't half bad. In contrast to the other concert venues in Atlantic City, this one can hold a large number of people. I was in attendance for a concert over the summer. We had seats on the floor near the back and had a great time. My biggest complaint involves money. You are likely to spend over $20+ for one drink. Add that on top of parking, and that's an expensive night out. read more

I am writing this review to the horrific, unprofessional, nassty attendant who worked on Friday, 6/21 at the Adam Sandler in section 212, Row N, seats E & F. Whoever you are, I hope you get fired for your atrocious behavior yelling at my girlriend and myself while holding an Iphone and taking a picture with no warning, just comes up from behind screaming "You have to take that down!' We didn't even realize what she was talking about, so offensive and rude. You would have thought we did this 2 or more times when Sandler had just got on stage. Then yells out, "You will get thrown out if you don't delete it." Mind you we could not even find our seats as the so called attendants stand around yelling at the customers, but never once helped us find our seats primarily because someone else was sitting in them, being that we had the last 2 aisle seats. I have seen multiple shows at the Tropicana, Borgata, Wells Fargo, etc,.never treated so horribly at a venue. We were laughing, enjoying our time and moments like everyone else, nobody was being spoken to this way. There is a way to talk to people, but I guess Hard Rock does not train their staff, or maybe they do! Was this behvior really necessary? Horrible experience, and the show was not that good to substantiate the aggravation! I will never waste my money on this hotel, restaurants, Mark G. Etess venue at the Hard Rock Casino! read more

I went to see Cindi Lauper here over the weekend. This place is so run down. The arena smelled like urine as we walked in. Somebody vomited in the middle of the walkway and the security guy kept trying to direct people around it. Finally someone from the audience suggested he put an empty chair over the vomit ( I guess this was too much for the security guy to come up with on his own). This was after a 1/2 hour of watching people walking through it (which I guess was somewhat entertaining). Finally after like 40 minutes someone came with a mop and cleaned it up, but not until I had the smell of the inside of someones stomach already embedded into my nostrils. I would probably never go to another show at this arena as it is just so bleh. I will stick with shows at the Borgata- their arena is clean and new. read more

I was thinking of seeing Jo Dee Messina live at the Trump in September, so I checked out the reviews of the Mark G. Etess Arena. Apparently no one has bothered to fix or upgrade this dump since I was there in 2010 (4 years ago) to see Martina McBride. This venue was so bad, my wife and I both vowed at the time never to see another show here unless Trump completely renovates the place. 1. Seating arrangement is lousy and the seats are extremely uncomfortable. Cushions are completely worn and it feels like you're sitting on the bare metal frame. 2. The floors and risers are disgustingly sticky and tacky from accumulated spilled beverages and who knows what over the past 20 years or so that this place has operated. Do they ever clean it after a show? 3. The bathrooms leading to the arena are also dirty and beat up. Almost thought I was using an old run-down gas station restroom from maybe 40 years ago! 4. Finally, the music was way too loud for the size of the place: it echoed and bounced around with a ton of distortion. It sounded like a heavy metal concert at the old Spectrum in Philly. (This may partly be the fault of the artist, but apparently other reviewers have complained about the same problem: lousy acoustics). Apparently Donald Trump has tons of money to spend on buildings like his palatial Trump Tower in Chicago, but he can't spare the "chump change" that it would take to renovate and turn the Mark G. Etess Arena into a class performing venue. Just another example of why Atlantic City will always be a second or third-rate resort city, and will never truly compete with Vegas. I'm just disappointed that Jo Dee Messina's agent booked this dump. Last two times she came to the area, she performed at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA. Now that's a classy old theatre where they have taken the time and money to renovate it and maintain it as a first-rate performance venue. Jo Dee, forget AC and please come back to Philly! read more