Levinson Questions Stockton Atlantic City: ‘Why Don’t I See Students All Over the Place?’

ATLANTIC CITY — Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson, who helped arrange county financing that brought Stockton University to Atlantic City, is questioning whether the campus has fulfilled its original promise and says he doesn't understand why he doesn't see more students around it.

Levinson offered a candid assessment of Stockton's Atlantic City presence Thursday during an appearance on The Don Williams Show on WOND, saying the original vision was to help turn Atlantic City into a university town.

“I called Harvey Kesselman when he was the president of the college and said, meet me at the old Atlantic City High School site,” Levinson recalled.

“So I said, Harvey, why don't we put Stockton here?”

According to Levinson, Kesselman told him Stockton would like to do it but didn't have the money.

Levinson said Atlantic County then stepped forward with financing under an arrangement that protected county taxpayers.

“I said, well, guess what? How about if the county does it and we get a guarantee that we'll be paid back with interest?” Levinson said. “And he said, well, that would be great.”

“So we did.”

‘That Should Have Been a Bonanza’

Levinson said the county fulfilled its role in helping establish Stockton in Atlantic City and was ultimately repaid.

But he questioned whether what happened afterward has lived up to expectations.

“Now, whether it's a success or a failure, Don, is not the fault of Atlantic County,” Levinson said.

“When we put the money up and Stockton came to Atlantic City to make it a university town, I mean, that should have been a bonanza for the city and for Stockton.”

Levinson emphasized that neither he nor the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners operates the university.

“Atlantic County, Denny Levinson, and the commissioners do not run Stockton,” he said. “You know, once we brought them there, it's like leading a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.”

“Had they handed over Stockton's future to Atlantic County, things may be a little different,” Levinson added.

“But we financed it. We got our money back. It's there.”

‘Why Don’t I See Students All Over the Place?’

Levinson said he still believes the Atlantic City campus can fulfill its potential.

He also pointed to an increase in surrounding real-estate values as one positive result of Stockton's arrival.

“It's a great success as far as the county is concerned,” Levinson said. “And look at the real estate values that went up around that school when it came in.”

But he also offered to have county officials become involved again if Stockton is interested in hearing their ideas.

“If Stockton and their board want to sit down with Atlantic County, with me and the commissioners, we may have some ideas for them to make it a success,” Levinson said.

Then came his most pointed criticism.

Levinson said the campus could still become the economic and educational catalyst he envisioned if it were, as he put it, “run correctly.”

“I don't understand when I drive by there every day why I don't see students all over the place,” Levinson said.

“There's got to be a reason for it, but I'm not on the board at Stockton. I'm not questioned by Stockton. What should we do?”

Levinson said the county would be willing to help again, provided taxpayers are protected.

“If we can help out again, we will, providing that the taxpayer is protected,” Levinson said.

He stopped short of declaring Stockton's Atlantic City campus unsuccessful.

“I think the jury's still out, whether it's a plus or a minus,” Levinson said.

His comments nevertheless represent a pointed public challenge from one of the local officials who helped make the Atlantic City campus possible.

The original goal, Levinson said, was for Stockton's arrival to be “a bonanza for the city and for Stockton.”