The CRDA made a presentation at last week's Urban Land Institute’s “Atlantic City Investment Conference” to enlist the help of private investors to revitalize Atlantic City.
Is Atlantic City ready for its own Arts District? Many say, "yes!"
ATLANTIC CITY — There are some signs of progress in the plan for state entities to redevelop America’s favorite playground.
But the state can’t do it alone.
To this end, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) made a presentation at the Urban Land Institute’s “Atlantic City Investment Conference” on Wednesday, April 13, to enlist the help of private investors to revitalize Atlantic City.
During the all-day event called “Atlantic City Investment Forum: Revitalizing the City, Repositioning the Resort,” institutional leaders gathered to hear a team of panelists discuss goals for the downtown area — which is primed to become the new tourism district— as well as various trends in urban development.
According to the project management officer for the CRDA, Jordan Cox, the conference marks the first time the organization has hosted an event to “showcase” what is being done to redevelop the city as a primary resort destination.
“This is, to my knowledge, the first real effort being made to come up with plan that might actually succeed and its not really focused on gaming,” he said.
Panelists argued that the CRDA’s plan to streamline the area’s unique attributes such as the beach, Boardwalk, casinos and local arts community would help make Atlantic City more competitive as an urban center, rather than just a gaming destination.
The event opened with a light breakfast and a pep talk from Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, who, at the Governor's Conference on Tourism last month, vowed to “die trying to fix Atlantic City.”
During her speech, Guadagno reiterated her pledge and reaffirmed the support of Governor Christie’s administration in this aim. This was followed by a presentation by Jeremy Sunkett, the director of projects at the CRDA, which mapped out — what he called — an “ambitious” plan for the future of the tourism district in the down town area.
A large portion of the plan was devoted to creating non-gaming related facilities. Practical amenities such as a grocery store, he claimed, as well as more cultural offerings such as an arts district, would serve to bring a more family oriented feel to the city.
To accomplish this, he said, the plan requires the support and collaboration of Atlantic County’s major institutions in healthcare and education such as the Richard Stockton College, Atlantic Cape Community College and Atlanticare.
These institutions were strongly represented at the conference by panelists; CEO of AtlantiCare David Tilton; Stockton College president Dr. Herman Saatkcamp; and Atlantic Cape Community College president Dr. Peter Mora.
“One of the strategies of this downtown revitalization plan that we wrote is based off of building around existing institutions,” said Cox. “We’re trying to get them to do more development [in] downtown Atlantic city, rather than off island.”
“Education and healthcare are two huge growth industries,” Cox added. “[Their development] benefits the city for multiple reasons, getting young people in the city: more disposable dollars.”
In addition to garnering support from major institutions and private investors, the plan is heavily reliant on the development of Atlantic City’s arts and cultural offerings. Panelists acknowledged that such development has had a positive impact on other cities in the Northeast.
Thus, another leg of the CRDA’s plan is to facilitate an arts and cultural renaissance through the creation of the “Arts District,” which would center on Mississippi Avenue, home to historic Boardwalk Hall and the currently closed Dante Hall Center for the Performing Arts.
But the arts district, which would provide housing and work-space for artists, is not a new idea according to Michael Cagno, the executive director of the Noyes Museum of Art. The concept has been around since 1996, he says.
Because of this, local artists, like photographer Bill Horin, are skeptical that the plan to create the art district will work, let alone create a healthier urban environment in Atlantic City.
Horin, who is set to launch his new enterprise, ArtC next month, — an organization which will serve as an advocate for local artists — says he’s “cautiously optimistic” about the arts district.
A special presentation from ArtC — an organization dedicated to promoting the arts in southern New Jersey — in partnership with the Noyes Museum of Art and Stockton College, Photo SJ 2012 will showcase two of the world’s most accomplished and respected professional photographers: John Russo and Seth Resnick.
Stockton President Herman J. Saatkamp: “For our students enrolled in programs involving the arts, the facility provides an opportunity to explore ideas and concepts in the visual arts in a manner we previously could not."
"I think that the casino [environment] is an art unto itself, with the lights and the movement, the energy. I think that affects my art, [similar to] the way cities influenced jazz. I think that compression — the mesh of people — that sort of thing brings out art within you."
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Tuesday, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) begins a process of finding out what artists think of the district and what they’d like to see included in plans through an official survey the state funding authority hopes will reach 3,000 area and regional artists.
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1. Edda Harper said... on Apr 18, 2011 at 02:57PM
“Time and again we hear of arts revitalization in Atlantic City. It's good to see it in print again and in such great detail. I hope to see more follow up on this, I will click 'favorites' and 'follow'...thank you!!!!!”
2. Janelle de Ment said... on Apr 19, 2011 at 01:12AM
“It will definitely be exciting to see what happens!!”
3. Phyllis Papa said... on Apr 19, 2011 at 09:36PM
“The idea that an arts district could evolve is very exciting. This is a baby step in the right direction. The Atlantic City Ballet will be following!!!!!”