Mayor Small Promises a Noticeable Atlantic City Transformation in 2023 During His ‘State of the City’ Address

Atlantic City, N.J. (January 13, 2023) – City of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr., yesterday, delivered his 2023 “State of the City” address in the Palladium Ballroom at Caesars Atlantic City Hotel & Casino during the 2023 Metropolitan Business & Citizens Association 2023 Kick-Off event.
“We’ve been doing amazing things in the great City of Atlantic City, but we want to take that to another level in 2023,” said Mayor Small. “We’re going to be bold, we’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to tell it like it is, and we’re going to think outside the box. We’re always going to be a casino town, but now we’re going to show the world we’re so much more than just that.”
Mayor Small’s 2023 theme is “The Transformation Begins” in Atlantic City. His vision this year includes:
• Transform the way we provide relief for our taxpayers
• Transform the way we police
• Transform the way we clean
• Transform the way we care for our youth and seniors
• Transform the way we attract families to Atlantic City
• Transform the way we control the narrative about Atlantic City
• Transform Bader Field into a multi-industry site that more than doubles our ratable base

Transform the way we provide relief for our taxpayers
Mayor Small said the Atlantic City taxpayers can expect a tax decrease in 2023 for the fifth straight year. The city tax collection rate was 98.2% in 2022, pending adjustments, up from 97.7% in 2021, a trend Mayor Small expects will continue. The city will make more aggressive investments, add new revenue streams, and hold two more property auctions in 2023, all to benefit the taxpayers. Over the long haul, Mayor Small said Atlantic City will go from one of the highest taxed to one of the lowest taxed by 2034. Both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s upgraded Atlantic City’s bond rating in 2022. Mayor Small announced the city’s administration will prudently manage the city finances by doing more with less. The City’s debt, today, is down to $441-million from $531-million in 2019. The city’s general-purpose debt stands at $95-million.
Transform the way we police
In an effort to reduce crime and make the city safer, the Atlantic City Police Department has implemented a new deployment plan, which consists of three, eleven-hour shifts (7a-6p, 4p-3a, 9p-8a), with no officers off all weekend. The ACPD will devote extra resources to prevent gathering on Atlantic Avenue and Renaissance Plaza.
To further ensure the safety and well-being of Atlantic City residents and businesses in 2023, the city will implement a citywide camera and surveillance system for the ACPD. Twenty new fulltime officers are being added and all officers will receive extra training. More ACPD officers will on bike patrol in 2023 and 20 additional radar units will be added to patrol cars for better speed enforcement.
Transform the way we clean
Mayor Small plans to get more members of the community involved in the Atlantic City Department of Public Works’ Project Community cleanup initiative, which launched in 2022. As part of the initiative, Public Works crews go to a different Atlantic City ward each day during the program to encourage members of that community to clean their neighborhoods and to keep those neighborhoods clean through education and empowerment. During the ‘State of the City’ address, the Venice Park Civic Association received the first ever Golden Broom Award for their work during the 2022 initiative in cleaning Atlantic City’s 4th ward.
Mayor Small also announced an overhaul in 2023 of the city’s Recycling Depot Center and outreach for more residential use. Public Works will now have the “we see it, we cut it” mentality with grass, regardless of who owns the lot, and Licensing and Inspections grass and weed cutting will now also include trash and debris clean up.
Transform the way we care for our youth and seniors
In 2022, Mayor Small introduced the City of Atlantic City Youth Services Division, Multicultural Division, Antiviolence Division and Senior Services Division, and reintroduced a newly-revamped Recreation Division. Combined, these divisions produced an unprecedented number of activities for Atlantic City youth and senior citizens, including the debut of NFL FLAG, a coed flag football league in partnership with the National Football League. Mayor Small announced the debut of Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA, in partnership with the National Basketball Association, in 2023. Mayor Small promised these departments would increase outreach efforts in 2023 to get more community members involved.
Also, in 2023, Mayor Small plans to continue his Small Business Academy, bring back his investment cohort and the Ernest Trans Trucking School, and will launch the second cohort of the Atlantic City Infrastructure Program, all benefiting Atlantic City residents.
Transform the way we attract families to Atlantic City
In what Mayor Small calls “a gamechanger,” the Showboat Hotel’s Island Waterpark will open this summer. This indoor and outdoor waterpark features water slides, ziplines, a treehouse, lazy river, wave pool and a nightclub. Caesar’s Atlantic City will open a brand-new theater this summer. Mayor Small also announced the old 40/40 Club will now be Dave & Buster’s. And part of an $800,000 U.S. Economic Development Authority grant will be used to better market citywide events.
Transform the way we control the narrative about Atlantic City
Mayor Small said in 2023 the city of Atlantic City will put all the facts out there, tell it like it is, and continue to increase transparency on the city website, social media accounts and through CITISTAT and COMPSTAT programs, which allow residents to address quality of life and safety issues with city and police officials.
Transform Bader Field into a multi-industry site that more than doubles our ratable base
Mayor Small said he and City Council are united as one over Bader Field, will continue to work on a redevelopment agreement with DEEM Enterprises and the State of New Jersey. As part of that deal, a community and recreation center would be built at the new site for Atlantic City children and seniors.
As for American Rescue Plan Funds, Mayor Small plans to use that money as follows:
$4-million for Pop Lloyd Stadium
$3.5-million Atlantis Avenue Pump Station
$3-million to address the education disparities by providing scholarships to Atlantic City residents
$2-million Energy Savings Improvement Program
$2-million KY and the Curb
$2-million to continue the completion of the Atlantic City Aquarium
$1-small business gap funding
$1-million demolition
$430,000 to complete the Bernie Friedenberg Memorial
$250,000 Ducktown bulkhead funding