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Boardwalk Repairs, Storefront Revitalization Among Goals in Atlantic City Recovery Report
Rebuilding the Boardwalk, wiring the city for internet, and beautifying and rebuilding Atlantic and Pacific avenues are some of the keys to Atlantic City’s long-term success, according to a state-issued report outlining the resort’s path to post COVID-19 pandemic recovery.
“This report represents my Administration’s commitment to helping the Atlantic City community come out of COVID-19 stronger and more resilient than when this public health emergency started,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. “It also demonstrates our determination to build on the great progress that was being made pre-pandemic to address the economic, local government and community wellness issues facing the city.”
The 57-page report came from the Atlantic City Restart and Recovery Working Group, a five-subcommittee body first convened last summer by the governor and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver to “examine the post-pandemic reality” of the city. There is little explanation in the report as to how the projects would be funded.
The 2016 Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act authorized a five-year takeover of city government by the state. It is scheduled to expire in November, but talks are underway to continue it for another four to five years.
Councilman Kaleem Shabazz said the level of engagement from the state government in Atlantic City is important for recovery.
Report link: 6092b90bd1d6e.pdf.pdf (townnews.com)
“The governor and the lieutenant governor have been very engaged (in Atlantic City), and I’m happy with their level of engagement and concern,” Shabazz said. “This is an important step to have the government of the state draw up a blueprint as to how Atlantic City can move forward. And they did that with the input of residents, stakeholders, (it’s) a very good step.”
Murphy said the recommendations will help the city move forward with new opportunities as the pandemic winds down. The pandemic forced the closure of Atlantic City casinos for 3½ months, causing a drop in profits of nearly 80%.
“We are facing a recovery challenge unlike any Atlantic City and the state has faced. But every challenge also brings with it opportunities,” Murphy said. “The Working Group’s report has identified many of these opportunities, and we intend to move forward on a number of them as we emerge from the pandemic.”
The group also noted that Atlantic City has many assets — such as clean and free beaches, more than 30 parks, cultural and historic attractions, restaurants, live entertainment, public transportation and high walkability — that make it an attractive place to work and live.
“The pandemic has hit the Atlantic City area hard, but it is undeniable that the city is incredibly resilient,” said Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey President & CEO Christina Renna, who is co-chair of the Working Group. “The dedication of the Working Group members, and their strong commitment to seeing Atlantic City prosper, has led to the release of many achievable recommendations that, if enacted upon, will make a significant impact on the city and the surrounding area as it continues to rebound and recover in the coming weeks and months.”
But the city needs to improve several factors, such as homeownership rates, development of vacant lots, code enforcement of blighted properties and moving high-visibility social services out of tourism areas, according to the group.
A number of the recommendations in the report had been made previously in the September 2018 Atlantic City Transition Plan. The report, generated under the leadership of Murphy’s former special counsel for Atlantic City, Jim Johnson, is commonly referred to as the Johnson report.
“We appreciate the recommendations of the Atlantic City Working Group, which included many c ity senior staff, and we look forward to collaborating to put these ideas into action,” Mayor Marty Small Sr. said in a statement. “Make no mistake: Atlantic City is coming back for everything and more that the COVID-19 pandemic took away.”
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