ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) – Atlantic City has been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately, with words like “bankruptcy” ”crisis” and “broke” figuring prominently.
Now more than ever, city officials want to spread the word: Atlantic City is open for business – and pleasure.
Even before state leaders reached a deal to rescue the struggling resort on Monday, city officials were trying to convince visitors that its severe financial problems won’t affect anyone’s ability to gamble, or to spend money on food, drink or shopping.
Atlantic City officials are frantically emphasizing that all those options remain open as the summer travel season kicks off this weekend, and that visitors won’t notice anything different this summer in pursuit of good times in the home of Miss America, salt water taffy and oceanfront casinos.
“People come down here and tell me on a regular basis they’re surprised we’re still open, or they’re surprised the casinos are open,” Mayor Don Guardian said. “They’ve heard a lot of negative things. We are the place that people come to party, and we will continue to be the entertainment capital of the Jersey shore.”