PHILADELPHIA — Visit Atlantic City leaned into one of its most recognizable cultural assets at PCMA Convening Leaders 2026, held Jan. 11-14, 2026, unveiling a Monopoly-themed activation in The District, the centralized experiential hub on the show floor at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Designed as a destination storytelling platform, the activation invited attendees to walk a life-size Monopoly board while learning about Atlantic City’s meetings and events offerings. Individual board squares spotlighted destination attractions, including Lucy the Elephant, the Absecon Lighthouse and The Hook, while a “jail” space became a popular photo opportunity.
Several of the game’s iconic elements were scaled up for visual impact, including oversized versions of the “Scottie” dog and Mr. Monopoly, reinforcing the destination’s historic connection to the classic board game — whose original property names were inspired by Atlantic City streets, neighborhoods and landmarks.
“Atlantic City is a unique destination with 48 blocks for dining, historic landmarks and the iconic Boardwalk, all in one destination,” Gary Musich, President and CEO of Visit Atlantic City, said. “We knew we needed an activation as unique as our destination.”
Gamification played a key role in attendee engagement. Participants were encouraged to spin a prize wheel to win branded giveaways such as beach towels, thermal coffee cups and baseball caps. Saltwater taffy, an Atlantic City staple, was also distributed in sand buckets throughout the activation.
By translating Monopoly’s familiar gameplay into a physical, immersive experience, Visit Atlantic City used experiential marketing to spark conversations and reinforce brand recognition among meeting and trade show planners.
Oversized, brightly-colored graphics, interactive elements and destination-focused messaging turned the board game into both a visual draw and an educational tool, highlighting the city’s casino resorts, Boardwalk, dining scene and evolving meetings infrastructure.
“The response was so strong that we plan to bring the activation to IMEX as well,” Musich said.
The Monopoly concept is part of a broader activation strategy for Visit Atlantic City: The destination brought a fully walkable Monopoly experience to Union Station in Washington, D.C., Jan. 10–12.
The three-day experiential pop-up targeted one of Atlantic City’s emerging feeder markets, allowing consumers and industry professionals to engage with the destination through interactive play.
The Washington, D.C. activation featured oversized dice, Atlantic City-themed game tokens, custom board spaces showcasing key attractions and “surprise-and-delight” moments, including photo opportunities, branded giveaways and the chance to win an Atlantic City getaway.
“Washington, D.C. is an increasingly important and emerging market for Atlantic City, and we’re thrilled to bring this one-of-a-kind activation to such a high-traffic area like Union Station,” Musich said. “It was great to see many meeting planners enjoy this Union Station activation as they were headed to the train to commute to PCMA in Philadelphia.”
Across both activations, Visit Atlantic City demonstrated how experiential design and destination storytelling can cut through a crowded trade show environment, turning a familiar brand into a memorable engagement strategy for both planners and consumers.
Other activations at PCMA Convening Leaders also stood out for their creativity. Tourism Montreal reimagined the convention center’s restrooms as a wellness retreat, incorporating dim lighting, calming music, soothing scents and premium personal care products to create an unexpected moment of relaxation.
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