Atlantic City's ready to roll

Jeffrey Vasser

is the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority president

Reading this newspaper's recent coverage might lead one to think that Atlantic City faces unique difficulties that should lead it to give up on its tourism industry.

That could not be further from the truth. The economic struggles we face are global, and they are hurting the entire travel industry, not just Atlantic City's.

And while there is no doubt that the downturn will continue to have an impact on travel, Atlantic City is in a relatively good position to meet the challenge.

It's often noted that Atlantic City is facing more competition for gambling revenue in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. That's true. But competition is not a new phenomenon for Atlantic City, and it is a byproduct of the city's success as a destination.

There will always be competition, and we have to keep evolving to contend with it. That's exactly what we're doing.

Today's Atlantic City is more diversified than ever before. We are a world-class entertainment destination that's about more than gambling. We've seen an influx of renowned restaurateurs, fantastic shopping, and top-name entertainment that our competition simply does not match. We also continue to offer new attractions, such as our first Restaurant Week, which starts Sunday.

The Inquirer has focused on stalled development, but it fails to acknowledge the more than $1.5 billion in new investment in the city during the past year alone.

New developments include our first boutique hotel, The Chelsea; The Water Club at Borgata; the Chairman's Tower at the Trump Taj Mahal; the Waterfront Tower; new restaurants and other non-gaming amenities at Harrah's, including The Pool, a unique indoor recreation and entertainment facility; the Courtyard by Marriott; Qua Baths and Spa at Caesars; and upgrades at the Tropicana, among other things.

That's a lot of development in four square miles, and it should not be ignored.

One way we are hoping to keep growing is by making it easier to get to Atlantic City. There is the new ACES train service from New York, and new daily direct air service from Boston on Spirit Airlines. In addition, we are expecting more than $270 million to be spent on area highways and on Atlantic City International Airport.

Meanwhile, the Atlantic City Convention Center continues to generate significant business and room nights. Room nights for future convention bookings grew by 8 percent in 2008. Over the past three years, the number of meetings, conventions, and trade shows handled by the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority grew by more than 100 percent. And future business expected is up by between 5 percent and 10 percent each year through 2012.

While it is impossible to predict the future, Atlantic City has survived and prospered in good times and bad. Especially these days, people need a destination where they can forget their worries, relax, escape, and enjoy. There is no nearby destination more suited to that than Atlantic City.

There are challenges ahead, but they are the same challenges faced by every travel destination during a struggling global economy, and we will meet them head-on. Despite what some would have you believe, the best is yet to come for Atlantic City. You can bet on it.