Will Atlantic City's Revitalization Plan
Miss the Bus -- or Advance to "Go?" |
 The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority is asking for public comments to help develop a new master plan to revitalize Atlantic City.
What needs to inform Atlantic City's new master plan is a brand vision. What image of the resort does it want to conjure? What promise will it make to visitors?
Until the late 1950s, Atlantic City was known as the Queen of Resorts and the Playground of the World. It promised the ocean by day, the boardwalk by evening, great seafood restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. It was a consistent package.
From Promised Land to Never Never Land
This all went into a tailspin in the 1960s. By the early 70s -- having failed to reinvest and compete with newer destinations -- the town was down and out. Casino Gaming was seen as the panacea when New Jersey voters approved it in a 1976 referendum.
Local residents and business owners thought they could eventually rival Las Vegas because, in addition to casinos, Atlantic City had an ocean, beautiful beaches and 60 million people within 300 miles.
But they had no clue what was in store for them. The casino operators were never interested in the ocean or in catering to families. The opposite was true. Each casino sought to become a self-contained entertainment enclave with its own shops, restaurants and hotel rooms. Only one property -- Playboy -- even allowed gamblers to see the ocean from the casino.
An Eco-system of Attractions Extinguished
This altered the resort's "eco-system" of attractions. The Boardwalk deteriorated and local restaurateurs went out of business, while busloads of day-trippers were lured with free rolls of quarters.
The package unwrapped. In the minds of vacationers, Atlantic City moved to the back of the bus. Casinos may have added year-round jobs and helped the economy but they altered the resort's brand for a generation.
A Failure to Imagine
Today's "solutions" show a failure of imagination: Expansion of slot parlors? Legalization of internet gaming websites? Really? Atlantic City planners need to be more like Walt Disney envisioning Disney World before the first footing was poured.
If Atlantic City wants to get serious about revitalization, it must determine:
- What promise does it hold for visitors, conventioneers and vacation planners? Does it want to remain a gambling mecca for day-trippers? Or would it like to market extended packages for people with broader interests?
- How will it achieve this vision? What attractions need to be developed to make it a reality?
- Once conceived, who champions the brand to make sure the promise is kept? Who ensures that all the stakeholders understand the value of a modern resort that people want to spend time in?
Beginnings are good. Atlantic City has had many of them. One more won't hurt but hopefully this one will be built around a grand vision ... something worthy of the Queen of Resorts or the Playground of the World.
Bill Carlos, President
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