Postponed due to snow, Mayor Lorenzo Langford's press conference on the proposed 'Tourism District' will take place at City Hall Thursday, Dec. 30.
Mayor Langford, Nov. 2010.
Originally scheduled for Monday, Dec. 27, Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford will hold a press conference on the proposed "Tourism District" in Atlantic City on Thursday, Dec. 30, at 11:30am.
The press conference will be held inside Mayor Langford's office, City Hall, Room #706, 1301 Bacharach Blvd. in Atlantic City. Mayor Langford is expected to answer questions concerning the proposed "Tourism District" and will "announce specific initiatives and ideas."
Mayor Langford issued the following statement to the media with regard to the "Tourism District":
"When [Governor Christie] came to Atlantic City to announce his plan for a 'Tourism District,' he consistently stressed the need to forge a public/private PARTNERSHIP. City officials were assured that we would have a seat at the table of planning and be a full participant.
"However, bills and legislation affecting Atlantic City and the creation of a 'Tourism District' have been fast tracked, and despite promises and assurances to the contrary, that hasn't happened. Conversely, we have been left out of the loop. Throughout this entire process, I have been very magnanimous. I have remained consistent in my commitment to work cooperatively with whomever for the greater good of Atlantic City. However, what the Governor professed is not what is being practiced.
"As Mayor of Atlantic City, I will not allow any person or entity to come into this town and ride roughshod over us in an attempt to force their agenda down our throat. A partnership is one thing — a good thing: but a partnership requires input; especially from those of us who live and pay taxes here."
In late November, the mayor told Atlantic City Weekly that the city was working on a plan — removed from any state plan — for the city moving forward to July 2011, a date that Gov. Christie, back in July 2010, gave as a deadline for the city to turn itself around. He also discussed his thoughts on many of the related matters, such as the problems his office has had working with the state, his thoughts on a proposed "Tourism District," and much more. Read entire in-depth interview here.
According to the mayor's office, "Other initiatives and ideas to be discussed at the press conference" include:
1. A PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) program for casino properties
2. A 1% municipal wage tax to provide property tax relief for residents
3. A $1 hotel room tax to help defray City costs
4. Plans for Boardwalk Hall
One year to the date Gov. Chris Christie signed landmark legislation designed to revitalize Atlantic City and set the surrounding region on a new course for economic growth, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) adopted the Atlantic City Tourism District Master Plan in a special meeting Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the A.C. Convention Center.
"I get offended when the governor and others advocate that we need an increased police presence on the Boardwalk to create the ‘perception’ that the city is safe, because the reality is that the Boardwalk is safe. But even to address just the ‘perception’ [of the city’s tourists] they advocate more resources. What about the neighborhoods?"
I have no idea if Gov. Christie is a Phish fan. But even if he’s not, it’s time for him to go trolling for some money so that the world knows that Phish, which could have played its Halloween shows anywhere, decided to take Atlantic City’s bait.
Should Atlantic City try to position itself as a Jersey-shore style family resort, which just happens to have a very adult–oriented casino industry, or should it try to focus on the adult market?
OK, so maybe the lyrics are a little different this time, but the music’s the same. Atlantic City — in fact, this whole region — has a troubling habit of talking a project to death with little to show for all the rhetoric except a pile of newspaper clippings.
On a sizzling hot Boardwalk Wednesday Governor Chris Christie did his best to say that the state was looking to help Atlantic City, not take over. “I’m here to extend the hand of partnership to the city,” Christie said. "We are entering into this public private partnership because we have to remake ourselves. We want to make Atlantic City a place where families and businesses want to be and want to come back to again and again.”
The mayor spoke about several city-created objectives, which could dovetail with the state plan for the city, as long as the two entities work with each other and communicate better moving forward.
The day after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sent staffers to visit Atlantic City Mayor Langford, the mayor says he doesn't feel much different about the concerns he raised last week and that the ball is in the governor's court now.
As in previous years, the Metropolitan Business & Citizens Association (MBCA) Winter luncheon kickoff event at Resorts in Atlantic City featured a keynote address — an unofficial state of the city address — by Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford.
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