City of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. delivered his 2025 ‘State of the City’ address on January 23rd  during the Metropolitan Business & Citizens Association (MBCA) Kick-Off Forecast 2025 event, held this year at Golden Nugget Atlantic City. After revealing this year’s theme of ‘Be Optimistic,” Mayor Small provided some long-awaited updates as he touched on a variety of topics ranging from citywide projects and development to clean and safe initiatives, and much more. Below you will find some highlights of the presentation, which you can watch in its entirety here.

 

Mayor Small announced DEEM Enterprises has presented the City of Atlantic City with a signed financial commitment for its proposed $2.7 Billion redevelopment plan at Bader Field. That commitment now gets vetted by the city and the State of New Jersey. If it passes the vetting process, the city can start working with DEEM on a redevelopment agreement. If the project moves forward, the City of Atlantic City gets $100 Million for the sale of Bader Field and $15 Million for the construction of a community recreation center in Atlantic City.

 

The Atlantic City Aquarium will reopen to the public on March 24, 2025, Mayor Small announced. Renovations to the inside and outside of the building are complete. Both the City Hall Courtyard project (Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver Plaza) and Pop Lloyd Stadium renovations are expected to be complete this spring. This first of two dog parks expected to open this year in Atlantic City will open this spring at Altman Park.

 

Paving on Baltic Avenue from Maine to Missouri Avenue and paving on MLK Boulevard from Mediterranean Avenue to Route 30 are both scheduled for this spring. The next phase of Atlantic Avenue improvements, including the paving of Atlantic Avenue from Tennessee to Albany Avenues should be complete by the end of the year.

 

Crime is down in Atlantic City, by 8.6-percent in the last year, according to the Atlantic City Police Department. Efforts to reduce crime include an increased police presence in high-crime areas as well as more officers patrolling the Boardwalk in the summer. The Police Department is also committed to increasing patrols along Atlantic and Pacific Avenues, and at Renaissance Plaza.

 

The City of Atlantic City has officially launched its new "Great Day Atlantic City" website – a community-driven, grant-funded initiative connecting investors, visitors and residents. The city is working with Lucky PR and Focused Studios to highlight the Small administration’s commitment to investing in the future. The city’s Planning and Development department is starting a program to attract business growth along Atlantic Avenue while the City of Atlantic City is investing $500K for small and minority-owned businesses.

 

The City of Atlantic City’s Homeless Outreach team has helped more than 300 homeless individuals since last March get much needed services. The team’s Community Aides sweep the Atlantic City Boardwalk and the city on a daily basis. Atlantic City’s Community Block Grant Development Office (CDBG) is contributing $1.8 Million to mitigate homelessness in Atlantic City by 20-percent.