Atlantic City was once the powerhouse of the east coast raking in tourists, large sums of money, and monopolizing the gambling industry. Nick Paumgarten wrote “The Death and Life of Atlantic City”, which states “The casino closures in Atlantic City have contributed to the loss of nearly 10,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics” (102). Four out of the twelve casinos closed which contributed to 8,000 of those jobs. Three of the remaining casinos are currently facing bankruptcy which contributes to the other 2,000 people left jobless. The question Atlantic City is faced with a matter of needing more gambling or less? Governor Christie, along with the rest of legislation in New Jersey, is making some bold moves in the hopes to save …show more content…
Casinos did not make an appearance in the city until 1977. “The heyday years of the 30 's and 40 's when the Atlantic City Boardwalk was the in place to be seen, there is a wealth of rich history which dates back over two hundred years before the first dice were thrown or the first jitney hit the pavement” (Kozek 1). Atlantic City was seen as a family resort and a place of great prestige, the first Miss America Pageant was held in Atlantic City and the first ever Miss America was crowned there in 1921. If the city tried to return to it’s roots, there is hope for revival. When comparing Atlantic City to the gambling power house of the west coast, Las Vegas, people wonder why Vegas is not struggling as well. Taking a look at the numbers, it is clear why Las Vegas does not share the same difficulties that AC does. Las Vegas has remained a dominant vacation destination. “people go just as much for shopping, partying, restaurants, and shows as they do for gambling” (Hoium 1). When considering revenue alone, only one third of income that Las Vegas brings in is solely from gambling, where as, in Atlantic City almost sixty percent of their revenue is dependent upon the gambling industry. Atlantic City needs to shift the focus from gambling to family oriented events. If the City can create a family atmosphere with shopping, restaurants, kid-friendly attractions, and nightlife, they will have the whole