Atlantic City Planning For Another Glorious Summer Season, Officials Say
By David Madden
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Atlantic City is taking the wraps off what tourism officials predict will be a banner summer season.
There will be a couple of mega beach concerts this year (details to come in a couple of weeks), along with the usual offering of star-studded entertainment, family oriented events, nightlife, and outlet shopping.
Because the town is facing serious financial challenges, officials might have considered today's news media conference call a more efficient way of getting the word out about their summertime offerings.
Mayor Don Guardian got the opportunity to do a little name dropping.
"Jerry Seinfeld. Wanda Sykes. Madonna. Bob Dylan. Boyz II Men. Ricky Martin. Just a few of the names appearing in AC at Boardwalk Hall and in casino showrooms," he said.
Plus, the city will host its annual air show and two fireworks displays around Independence Day.
Hear more details in this CBS Philly podcast (runs 3:42)...
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The city hopes to exceed its 2014 hotel occupancy rate, which went up despite four casino closings last year.
Mayor Guardian acknowledges that the city's cash crunch has resulted in layoffs and service cuts -- but none, he points out, in law enforcement.
"We'll have sixty Class II police officers that will be on foot, on the boardwalk, on Pacific, on Atlantic Avenue, and that's 24 hours a day," he said.
Forty-five officers have been trimmed through attrition. But with redeployments and technological improvements, Guardian says, overall crime in Atlantic City had dipped over the last year and a half.