ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (August 5, 2026) – The City of Atlantic City officially dedicated City Hall today in honor of Ernest D. Coursey, Sr., recognizing his lifetime of public service to the city and region exactly one year after his passing.
Mayor Marty Small, Sr., members of the Coursey family, city and county dignitaries, city employees, and other invited guests gathered for a dedication ceremony, where new signs were unveiled above the entrances on the South Carolina and Tennessee Avenue sides of the building, officially naming it Ernest D. Coursey City Hall.
A lifelong Atlantic City resident, Ernest Coursey devoted decades of his life to public service, holding numerous leadership positions throughout his distinguished career. Some of those include Deputy Mayor of Atlantic City, Atlantic City Councilman, Atlantic County Commissioner, and, at the time of his passing, Chief of Staff to Mayor Small.
“We are grateful for Ernest Coursey’s contributions to the Great City of Atlantic City, and now his legacy will forever be part of the place he loved so much,” said Mayor Small. “He’s one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable, which is why we felt it would be fitting to bestow upon him this honor. We are ensuring that every person who walks through these doors is reminded of the standard he set, and the impact he had on this city and on everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him."
The dedication coincides with enhancements to the City Hall façade this summer on the South Carolina and Tennessee Avenue sides. Those sections of the building received a refreshed appearance through a major exterior painting project by the Department of Public Works, further modernizing the municipal complex.
These improvements build upon another recent tribute at City Hall. Last summer, the city unveiled the Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver Plaza at the building's main entrance in honor of the late New Jersey lieutenant governor.
