$7M family-friendly entertainment complex opening in old Atlantic City casino. See inside.

A new family-friendly arcade and entertainment complex will open on a former casino floor at the Showboat Resort & Convention Hotel in Atlantic City, Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein, CEO of Tower Investments, Inc., announced Thursday.

Dubbed the “Lucky Snake at Showboat,” the more than $7 million attraction is slated to open May 15 and will include New Jersey’s largest arcade, a sports bar with a boxing ring an e-sports gaming area, live entertainment venues and a speakeasy.

“What better way to kick off the family-friendly resort Showboat than to open up the largest arcade and sports bar in New Jersey,” said Blatstein as Banana Peel, a 14-foot albino Burmese python, slithered around his neck.

Showboat ceased to operate as a casino in 2014. Blatstein has yet to say whether he eventually plans to return casino gambling to the complex.

Thursday afternoon, workers were busy assembling games as the floor was aglow with flashing lights, similar to a casino floor. But instead of the lights from slot machines enticing visitors to play, they’ll be from arcade games, basketball games, pinball, and skee ball, instead.

Lucky Snake at Showboat in Atlantic City — Shawn Mills, of American Resort Management, works on a game at the new family-friendly entertainment concept, Lucky Snake, which will open in May inside the Showboat Resort & Convention Hotel in Atlantic City, Thursday, April 22, 2021. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Walking in from the boardwalk entrance into the largest non-casino hotel in the state, visitors will see the bar area, complete with a 20-by-20 foot boxing ring. The more than 100,000-square-foot arcade will be buzzing with approximately 350 games, many from the 1970s and 80s, including Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong and Star Wars.

Other games include the world’s largest crane game, rising from floor to ceiling, and current popular arcade and virtual reality games. There will also be a miniature golf section and a few duckpin bowling lanes.

Redemption prizes from the arcade include everything from candy to designer purses and jewelry, cars and motorcycles, and even all-inclusive vacations.

Blatstein said that Lucky Snake is the first of many family-friendly uses coming to the resort. The next will be a $100 million water park, which he said the company is looking to break ground on next month.

“We just got approved for the Dome, the 60,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor concert venue that’s going on the sandlot next door, and also a 60,000-square-foot beer garden,” he said.

Lucky Snake will have more gaming positions than any arcade in the state. It will have five restaurants, six bars and live entertainment. It will also create 100 jobs, said Blatstein.

The speakeasy will feature the famous Riviera sign that was once a staple on the Las Vegas strip.

“This is a complete and total game changer,” said Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr.

Small said that Atlantic City needs to be the epicenter for families. “This is Dave & Buster’s and more on steroids and I’m thrilled that we have this family attraction here in the great city of Atlantic City.”

Atlantic City will always be a casino town, Small added, but said it’s also time to add more family attractions.

There is always room for a small wager in a city that lives on gambling and placing bets, so, of course, Blatstein challenged the mayor to a game of arcade basketball during the grand opening.

“If I lose, I will donate $10,000 to the charity of his choice,” he said. The mayor would not say what he would give up if Blatstein won.

“Atlantic City is deserving of it and we’re thrilled to be here,” said Blatstein.