After a year to forget with casino closures and surging unemployment in the hospitality industry, Atlantic City is aiming to reinvent itself in 2015.
The city has announced a sports tourism plan to attract major sporting events and athletes with the formation of the Atlantic City Sports Commission.
It has a mission to "continue to grow into a destination for sporting events," said Jim Wood, chief executive of Meet AC.
"Even during the Great Recession, sports became an even bigger business as the sector continued to grow. With the formation of the Atlantic City Sports Commission, we are positioning Atlantic City to attract even more sporting events to our city year-round."
The first major event takes place next week when 25,000 cheerleading and gymnasts come to town for 18th annual Star Struck Invitational, which has generated bookings for 4,000 room nights and there are hopes for as much as $6.9 million in spending.
"With the Atlantic City Sports Commission, we will have a more comprehensive approach to going after this kind of business, going after these sporting events in what is a very diverse marketplace," Wood said.
"I think this a great strategy for Atlantic City, because whenever you talk about sports, it’s something that everyone can relate to," said Mayor Don Guardian.
"Bringing big sporting events and sports-related conventions in is not an entirely new thing for Atlantic City but I think a unified, concentrated approach is going to mean a lot for the city."
