ATLANTIC CITY — Freshman Assemblywoman Maureen Rowan says Atlantic City has all the ingredients to become one of New Jersey's premier destinations, but argues the city will never reach its full potential without a coordinated master plan to guide future development.
Appearing on WOND's Off The Press with Scott Cronick, the District 2 Democrat said Atlantic City's biggest challenges remain blighted properties, public perception and a lack of coordinated planning among the agencies responsible for redevelopment.
"I believe that Atlantic City is on the cusp of great things," Rowan said. "A lot of good has happened and we just need to continue that momentum. But one of my primary concerns is the blight."
She said too many visitors continue to view Atlantic City as unsafe or unclean despite significant progress in recent years.
"There still is a perception that Atlantic City is not safe and it's not clean," Rowan said. "That is high on my list of priorities. We have to do it because we need more tourism."
Beyond tourism, Rowan said the city must continue diversifying its economy through industries such as healthcare and education.
"We need to diversify," she said, pointing to the expansion of AtlantiCare's medical programs and other economic development efforts. "We have the water, we have the Boardwalk, it's beautiful, and we have a diverse, vibrant population. That's one of the things I love most about Atlantic City."
One project Rowan singled out was the long-vacant Atlantic Club property, which she called one of the city's most visible eyesores.
"It is an eyesore and it's a disgrace," she said. "It's the first casino that you come to when you're entering Atlantic City from that side, and it's an absolute disgrace."
Rowan said she supports increased state involvement in addressing the property's future and welcomed reports that the Department of Community Affairs has taken a larger role in overseeing the issue.
"I did hear that," she said. "But it's been too long."
Rowan also criticized what she described as piecemeal development throughout the city, saying projects often move forward without enough attention being paid to how they fit into the surrounding neighborhood.
She cited the Tennessee Avenue container development as an example, saying she supports the investment but believes planners should have required a more attractive streetscape facing Pacific Avenue.
"If you have a proper planning board, zoning board and people with vision, they would say, 'That's an amazing project, but we're going to design this so that it looks nice from Pacific Avenue,'" Rowan said.
Instead, she said, visitors currently see the backs of shipping containers and mechanical equipment.
"We don't think about the bigger picture," she said.
Rowan believes the solution already exists.
She pointed to legislation extending the state's oversight of Atlantic City, which allows the Department of Community Affairs to appoint a master developer to coordinate redevelopment efforts.
"There has to be some cohesiveness to the plan," she said. "There are so many people with good intentions that want to do the right thing for Atlantic City. But there's no coordinator."
Rowan said better coordination between the city, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, the state and private developers would create a more unified vision for Atlantic City's future.
"We need that," she said. "When you drive through a nice city and everything looks like it goes together, it's because there's a plan."
About the Author
Karen Johnson
With over 30 years of news experience in major markets like Los Angeles, Denver, and Columbus, Karen now covers our area for South Jersey NewsBeat. She also brings her articulate and conversational news delivery to WOND radio listeners every weekday. Her background includes work with the NBC Radio Network, and she thrives in fast-paced news environments.
