Atlantic City’s Mayor, under likely pressure from Caesars Casino, caved to the pressure and cancelled the 2-day EDM festival called Electric Adventure.
EDM stands for electronic dance music, and is arguably one of the most popular genres of music today, targeting 18-34 year olds. Exactly what Atlantic City needs more of.
Unfortunately, this age group doesn’t gamble much. The old farts at the adjacent Caesars Casino put a stop to that nonsense.
Electric Adventure was forced to call off its fifth visit to the beaches of Atlantic City, planned for September 24-25. Two full days, thousands of visitors…and consumers…. to a city in need of economic diversity. Millennials are a 20-something group known to not gamble so much. That’s why it’s been alleged that Mayor Guardian bowed to pressure to cancel, from the soon to be bankrupt Caesars and Bally’s casinos.
Atlantic City Cancels Electric Adventure EDM Beach Concert. Pressure from Caesars Casino?
According to a letter from the Atlantic City Mayor, he wanted the festival to move, just 2 weeks before the event, said organizers John Dimatteo and Lee Heiman. Guardian would only support the festival if it was moved from the beach stage at Playground Pier in front of Caesars, to the less popular, Albany Ave beach location that has scant retail, visitor amenities, and most importantly… no stage.
According to the Mayor’s letter, there was considerable resistance to having the Electric Adventure event at the Playground Pier / Caesars beach stage by the surrounding businesses.
Note: Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian is looking for a 2nd mayoral term, and is a board member of the Casino-funded CRDA.
The Atlantic City mayor said that opposition from local business was enough to hinder an event that might have otherwise brought a significant amount of business and revenue. What the letter did not admit, was that Caesars and Bally’s, as well as Blatstein’s struggling Playground Pier, are the only two businesses in that area.
With Caesars, Bally’s and the City of Atlantic City on the brink of bankruptcy, one would think a massive concert packed with 20 and 30 somethings with plenty of money to burn…..would be a sight for sore eyes. But no.
Too often, only lip service is paid to the ‘diversification’ of Atlantic City’s economy. Sadly, the powerful casino industry still drives the economic bus in this town….a seashore destination with so much un-tapped potential.
Notable:
- Money losing BELL BIV DEVOE beach concert is still on for late Sept.
- Wildwood, Somers Point and Ocean City continue to successfully grow and expand it’s economy with outdoor concerts, events and beach festivals.
- Atlantic City is at risk of losing prime acts & events to other better-run, entrepreneurial shore towns.