Esports Innovation Center Ready to Attract New Business
Atlantic City, N.J. 鈥 The ribbon cutting Tuesday of the at 淫性视频 is helping to put New Jersey and Atlantic City on the map as one of the leaders in this new and growing industry.
That鈥檚 the message Tim Sullivan, the Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), wanted to make clear during his keynote address at the first Casino Esports Conference (CEC) on the East Coast, held at 淫性视频鈥檚 Atlantic City campus on Oct. 18 and 19.
The conference took place in the Fannie Lou Hamer Event Room in the John F. Scarpa Academic Building and featured panel discussions on the state of esports, how the casino industry can get involved through wagers and hosting events, and how Atlantic City can grab a piece of the $1.38 billion in global revenue esports is expected to generate in 2022.
The EIC at 淫性视频 is located on the Boardwalk as part of the university鈥檚 Residential Complex. The center is a nonprofit that was set up in partnership with the NJEDA and 淫性视频 to promote esports in South Jersey and Atlantic City.
鈥淭he EIC will be a driver of strategic workforce development and will help to attract industry-supporting businesses and events,鈥 said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. 鈥淕overnor Phil Murphy鈥檚 economic development plan is focused on bolstering high-growth sectors that create inclusive career opportunities. The EIC, as a center of knowledge and innovation, is adding to the momentum in this emerging and particularly exciting industry. This week鈥檚 ribbon cutting is an important step forward in accomplishing Governor Murphy鈥檚 vision for a stronger and fairer NJ economy鈥.
Sullivan added that the EIC is the latest addition to Atlantic City鈥檚 resurgence, which is bringing jobs, private investments, and new activity to the city, and showing companies that there is much to do in the city in addition to casinos.
But convincing casinos to get more involved with esports is definitely a big part of the EIC鈥檚 mission, said Executive Director Andrew Weilgus.
鈥淲e want to help define and craft a casino strategy where they can take advantage of this growing boom of esports, both with events that come into Atlantic City, as well as potential wagering opportunities,鈥 Weilgus said.
Weilgus said the EIC is also partnering with several local community organizations, like 淫性视频 and the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City, to hold events promoting esports. The center also wants to eventually attract other esports companies to set up locations and build games in Atlantic City.
鈥淲e really believe we are going to create a great ecosystem where the next generation of esports games can be built and tested here,鈥 Weilgus said. 鈥淎ll of these technologies are advancing. They are in their infancy. The center is here to promote and craft these ideas.鈥
We really believe we are going to create a great ecosystem where the next generation of esports games can be built and tested here. All of these technologies are advancing. They are in their infancy. The center is here to promote and craft these ideas.鈥
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of opportunity for competitive play, but also we see a lot of students who aren鈥檛 the hard-core video gamers, but it fits the lifestyle they are living and they want to be involved,鈥 Huston said. 鈥淔or us, it鈥檚 all about providing another avenue for students to fit into the university.鈥
In addition to getting more students involved with playing esports, 淫性视频 also sees an emerging need and opportunity to educate students about the growing field. This fall, the university debuted its first esports and event planning course, which will be offered again in the spring, said Noel Criscione-Naylor, an associate professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a huge connection to hospitality, tourism and event management, which is our program,鈥 she said. 鈥淪tudents have to have the fundamentals of what does it mean to execute an event and at the same time what are some of the computer skills and problem solving that鈥檚 necessary (with esports events).鈥
Criscione-Naylor added the university is in the process of establishing a Bachelor of Science degree in Esports Management with an anticipated fall of 2023 launch.
鈥淲e see it as a way to create a diverse skill set in our students, and we are working very hard and very fast to make sure we have a program that will make our graduates competitive in the market as it emerges,鈥 she said.
Huston said 淫性视频 also sees an opportunity to educate traditional casino and hospitality executives about the esports industry.
鈥淭hey are going to need to learn esports in order to make better decisions,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey can come back, get a certification or pick up a degree to learn how to make these modern choices and really cater to this industry as it continues to take off.鈥
And with new course offerings and the establishment of the EIC, Sullivan believes 淫性视频 and New Jersey 鈥渁re poised to have a leadership position in this industry.鈥
鈥淭his center is doing cutting-edge policy and innovation work and is bringing together higher education research to attract big and small companies,鈥 Sullivan said. 鈥淭his innovative synergy will bring long-term change in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, and South Jersey.鈥
-- Story and photos by Mark Melhorn