Atlantic City, N.J. (May 3, 2023) – For the last two months, the 7th floor of Atlantic City’s City Hall has undergone renovations, which include new flooring and a new mural painted on the walls. On Wednesday, May 3, 2023, Mayor Marty Small, Sr. called a news conference to publicly unveil the finished product.

The artwork honors Atlantic City’s past, present and future. It features a tribute to the late Jim Usry, the City’s first African American Mayor, as well the late Jim Whelan, former three term Mayor in Atlantic City, whose wife, Kathy, was present for the unveiling. The mural recognizes old Atlantic City by highlighting Steel Pier, Ms. America and the Diving Horse, and features the Absecon Lighthouse. There are hands of all colors holding the City emblem to showcase the City’s diversity, and Mayor Small’s slogan “It’s a Great Day Here in the City of Atlantic City” and “Can We Say Great Day?” is also painted on the walls.

“When I first took over as Mayor of the great City of Atlantic City, I said we needed to change the culture here inside and out, starting within City Hall and spreading it out throughout the city to change the mindset,” said Mayor Small. “With it being an older building, the building needed some character. The reason we are here, today, is to celebrate the arts. This administration has been extremely supportive of the arts. My vision was simple, I wanted to embrace old Atlantic City and shine a light on where the city has come and where we are going, because it’s important to embrace the past to understand where you’re going in the future.”

The City partnered with the Atlantic City Arts Commission on the mural project. The Arts Commission helped bring in artist Kelley Prevard, an Atlantic City resident, to paint the mural. The Project took seven weeks to complete.

“It’s so beautiful to have my dreams come true,” said Prevard. “I pour so much of my love into what I do. I wanted to make sure I left nothing on the table and you got all of me. So, I spent my time making it beautiful so you can see what art means to me and what this community means to me. This is not work, this is love. I hope that I am an example of what it means to go after your dreams, because they can come true.”

In addition to the Arts Commission, the City would also like to recognize the Department of Public Works for preparing the walls for painting, painting all doors on the 7th floor and fixing the lighting in the hallways. The new flooring on the 7th floor includes the City of Atlantic City emblem right in the center. The 7th floor consists of the Mayor’s Office, the Business Administrator’s Office, the Solicitor’s Office and the Clerk’s Office. The other floors at City Hall are expected to undergo similar renovations in the near future.

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