Atlantic City – missed opportunities and limited vision. Too much over-confidence that casinos could save a city…forever.
Today, it seems like we have two Atlantic Citys.
One Atlantic City is where wealth is provided to a select few by casinos. The other Atlantic City is burdened with record-breaking foreclosures, methadone clinics, empty lots and undeveloped waterfront poverty.
Casino revenue was supposed to transform AC. No such luck. We placed all our eggs in one basket. Slots, blackjack, etc.
Atlantic City made a critical mistake that was ignored for decades. It never broadened its economic base. Diversification of the economy. It didn’t even use casino cash to pretty up it’s Boardwalk and leverage the scenic view of beach and surf. Overly high dunes killed those vistas.
When the casinos started to falter as gaming was no longer limited to AC & Vegas, so did the vision.