Atlantic City Weekly

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In a recent interview with Tom Carver, the executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), he said there needs to be a reinvention of Atlantic City. He also stated that we must diligently work together to make Atlantic City a resort destination — one that is safe and clean and exciting.

For years, back in the days when Jim Kennedy was the CRDA’s executive director, an architect was employed to come up with a plan for Gardner’s Basin. A beautiful rendering was created and even painted on the wall of the CRDA office. It had an exciting concept, but the mayor at that time said there needed to be a concentration on housing and not Gardner’s Basin. So the plan was put in the closet like so many other plans that look good on paper, but couldn’t get the interests of the administration in office. However, Carver said this is the time to get it done and develop Gardner’s Basin to its full extent.

Last week, Kevin DeSanctis, Revel Entertainment’s chief executive officer, withdrew his application for funds from the state’s new tax incentive program that would allow Revel to get 75-percent back from the sales and room taxes that they generate for the state of New Jersey. This would be a sum of up to $300 million over a 20-year period. DeSanctis said that he plans to reapply after Morgan Stanley sells its $1 billion share of Revel to a new partner. The money would be used to revitalize the inlet section of Atlantic City. The plan, which was unveiled in the local daily newspaper, envisions dividing the area into four districts — casino, resort, workforce and waterfront. More than 800 residential units would be built in three separate districts, which is part of a plan ultimately to build 6,500 new housing units, 200,000 gross square feet of retail space, and 15,000 parking spaces. A boutique hotel would be constructed next to the casino and behind its entertainment section. The plan calls for restructuring the Boardwalk and the building of a parallel bike path in addition to replenishing the area’s beaches.

According to the story, DeSanctis said of his plan for the improvements to the inlet: “I can give you 50 reasons why this won’t happen. But you’ve got to focus on the one reason it can get done, or else you’ll never get anything done.”

Carver noted that there is an excellent area devoid of any development at Georgia Avenue at the bay — the site of the former Dual Fuel Company. The South Jersey Transportation Authority owns a big block adjacent to the site. Putting the two together would provide an excellent area for development of housing and retail and restaurant units along the bay front.

This is the kind of far-reaching thinking we need in Atlantic City at this time. I know a lot of you would say it’s a far-off dream that it will never happen, but obviously Carver thinks differently. He said it must happen in order to make Atlantic City what it can be — a diverse community with a variety of attractions, nice homes for its residents and one of the safest communities in the nation.

It is time for this type of thinking to become a reality and it can only be done with the cooperation of Atlantic City’s mayor and city council, the casino industry, the CRDA and the state. If all entities work together, it could make the dream of many, a reinvented Atlantic City, come true.

New Jitneys!

This columnist wrote about the city’s new jitneys in a January column. Last week, I received pictures and an update on the new jitneys. AC Weekly editor Jeff Schwachter posted the following on the acweekly.com Web site after I told him about it.

“According to Tom Woodruff, president of the Atlantic City Jitney Association (ACJA), the ‘first [jitney] prototype [was due to arrive last weekend and be placed in service this past] Monday.’

“According to Woodruff, the new ‘green’ jitneys ‘will be powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).’

“Woodruff tells Kravitz, ‘If all goes well with the field testing, the production schedule will begin in June, with 40 new vehicles arriving around the beginning of July. Delivery of the remaining fleet should be completed by October.’

“As Kravitz reported back in January, 190 new ‘green’ jitneys will begin arriving on the streets of Atlantic City, a change not only from their baby-blue color, but also how they are run.

“Kravitz also noted that the ‘concept of CNG-powered vehicles is relatively new to New Jersey. The ACJA has partnered with the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA) to fuel these vehicles; the ACJA will also be building a pumping facility that can be used not only by its fleet, but also by other municipalities and businesses that wish to invest in this green technology.’

“Kravitz added, ‘The new vehicles will cost $54,000 each, and half of that sum will be paid by the drivers over a seven-year period. The other half of the funds necessary for the purchase of the new jitneys was a part of a federal stimulus grant that was given to transit authorities in various states to provide money to aid and assist private carriers.’”

Above, you can see what the new jitneys look like.

Pinky’s Corner airs Monday through Friday from 4 to 6pm on News Talk WOND-AM 1400. His TV show, WMGM Presents Pinky, airs Saturday at 7:30pm on TV40. Pinky’s e-mail address is: pinky@acweekly.com.