One of the most famous sculptures on Sarasota, Florida's waterfront sculpture walk and park.

The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA), now under the umbrella of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA), released a statement on Friday afternoon that a Monday press conference will be held at Harrah’s Resort with regard to a new non-gaming attraction coming to town.

The Atlantic City waterfront is getting its own Sculpture Walk/Park,  thanks to a partnership between the ACA, CRDA and the Noyes Museum of Art of Richard Stockton College.

“The AC Waterfront Sculpture Walk, the newest addition to the burgeoning art program in Atlantic City,  will be located along the existing illuminated trail along the bay in the Marina District of Atlantic City, linking the Golden Nugget Atlantic City with Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa,” reads the statement.

“Located within the Tourism District, this new, eco-friendly, non-gaming attraction will encompass the procurement of 40 sculptures over the next four years, with the first installation scheduled for July, 2013.”

This summer! Fantastic news. And with 40 sculptures planned the project will definitely change the look and feel of Atlantic City’s Marina District.

One of the sculptures on the Sarasota, Fla., sculpture walk along its watefront.

Tuesday morning (April 9) at the Atlantic City Sheraton, the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) announced its new $20 million ad campaign, as well as upcoming events for the spring/summer.

Representatives from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) announced new programs and initiatives to the local business community and provided an update on “industry-wide progress in the tourism district.”

Among the presentations Tuesday morning, Atlantic City officials:

•  Debuted Atlantic City’s $20 million 2013 advertising campaign focused on the close-by drive markets including New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore DMAs

•  Announced new series of spring/summer/fall events to drive tourism

•  Announced the Do Anything. Do AC Road Show

•  Announced new artists for the ARTLANTIC public art project and a new 3D sound and light show on Boardwalk Hall.

•  Highlighted convention and tourism results from 2012 with a look ahead to strategies and initiatives for 2013.

•  Gave an update on emerging projects and a countdown to Miss America returning to Atlantic City in September.

Among the officials in attendance were Sam Young,  the Greater Atlantic City Chamber chair;  Liza Cartmell, the Atlantic City Alliance president; Larry Sieg, the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority V.P. of Marketing; and John Palmieri, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority executive director

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Tom Ballance

On Monday, Feb. 11, the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) announced that the Borgata’s president and COO Tom Ballance has become Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Ballance fills the position left by Caesars Entertainment’s Don Marrandino, who left the company (and the ACA board) Jan. 4.

In addition, the ACA announced that Revel Entertainment “has been admitted as the eighth member of the Board, and three new Trustees have been designated: Revel Entertainment Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kevin DeSanctis; Resorts Casino Hotel Chief Executive Officer Mark Giannantonio, and Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City Senior Vice President and General Manager John Smith.”

The privately funded ACA is led by a Board of Trustees that includes one representative from each casino corporation family in the resort.

“Tom has been a critical member of the ACA’s founding board,” said ACA President Liza Cartmell in a release to the media.

“He brings not only an intimate knowledge of the marketplace, but also an unwavering commitment to building a better future for Atlantic City. In particular, during our first year of operations, he contributed greatly to both the launch of the new marketing campaign and to the development of the 3D shows on Boardwalk Hall.”

“It is an honor and a privilege to be named Chairman of the Atlantic City Alliance Board of Trustees,”  Ballance said in the same release.

“I look forward to working alongside some of the brightest and most capable minds in the business to further the advancement of new and innovative initiatives in Atlantic City.”

In 1998, Ballance joined Borgata as VP of Development. He then served as Senior Vice President of Administration until October 2012 when he was named president and COO.

Prior to joining the Borgata team, he spent 17 years at Harrah’s in Atlantic City.

“Winter Sweet,” the seasonal replacement for the current “Duality” light show outdoors at Boardwalk Hall, will make its debut this Saturday, Dec. 1, featuring an appearance by Clay Aiken.

Like its sister show, “Duality,” “Winter Sweet” uses sophisticated 3D projections and an original musical score to illuminate the exterior of Boardwalk Hall. To launch “Winter Sweet,” recording artist and American Idol alum Clay Aiken will appear at a winter celebration featuring holiday music, live entertainment, hot beverages and sweets. The free event will take place 5:30-7pm on the Boardwalk at Kennedy Plaza. The first show of “Winter Sweet” will be at 6pm.

Clay Aiken

“Winter Sweet” debuts as part of a daylong celebration of the holidays in Atlantic City, including the Atlantic City Holiday Parade, the Christmas tree lighting, and other special events. Aiken is appearing courtesy of the Trump Taj Mahal, which presents Clay Aiken’s Joyful Noise Tour 2012 in the Mark G. Estess arena on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8pm. The unveiling is free and open to the public.

“Winter Sweet” will be shown nightly every half hour from 6-9pm. Boardwalk Hall is located at 2301 Boardwalk, between Georgia and Mississippi aves. at Kennedy Plaza.

“Duality,” will return in the spring.

As reported here yesterday, the Atlantic City Alliance has taken out a full-page ad in today’s New York Times to let the world know that the Atlantic City Boardwalk and Atlantic City in general is open — and has been for weeks — for business, following false news reports about the destruction of the oceanfront Boardwalk.

VIDEO: Atlantic City Board-Walk Nov. 11 -- hundreds gather for parade on Atlantic City Boardwalk post Sandy.

The Times also has a piece today about the ACA’s fall marketing campaign (including TV and print ads).

The article notes that ACA “executives decided that a special flight of ads was necessary [to counter the storm myths still out there nearly a month following Sandy] and allocated about $850,000 of what was left unspent from the fall campaign budget. The special campaign, like the regular ‘Do AC’ ads, is being created by Havas Worldwide New York, the agency that the alliance hired in February.

“The special ads are intended to have ‘the clarity of a single message: Atlantic City is open for business,’  said Lee Garfinkel, co-chairman at Havas Worldwide New York and chief creative officer for global brands at Havas Worldwide, part of the Havas Creative division of Havas.

“The special campaign also uses phrases like ‘Our boardwalk still standing strong’ and ‘We welcome you back as the Jersey Shore makes its comeback.’

The television commercial, which began running on Monday, is re-edited from the spots that had been running since April, Mr. Garfinkel said, to be “a little more relaxed” — that is, slowed down somewhat, presenting more sedate images and running less text to read on-screen.

Related: Atlantic City Recovering From Sandy in Many Ways

The Associated Press reports that the “consensus” relating to today’s New Jersey state Assembly Tourism and Arts Committee hearing, held at Dante Hall, is that Atlantic City is on the right track.

Jeff Guaracino, spokesperson for the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA), is quoted as saying that regional tourists’ perception of Atlantic City is “changing” for the better and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority’s (CRDA) John Palmieri testified:

“”If we want to get people to visit, we need to continue to do all we can do to create an enjoyable experience,” Palmieri said. “We’ve been meeting with some success in a tough environment. This has been a tough four to five years for the nation. I like to think we’re well-positioned.”

Both the CRDA and the ACA are working towards a state mandated Tourism District from Gov. Chris Christie.

READ: Interview with CRDA chief John Palmieri

The first of a five-part series examining Atlantic City’s redevelopment efforts has been published today by New Jersey radio station 101.5 via its Web site.

The article, “Clock Is Ticking on Atlantic City’s Redevelopment,” explores the Atlantic City Tourism District, N.J. Bill S-11, which created it, as well as the Atlantic City Alliance’s DO AC campaign, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and its efforts to make Atlantic City “clean and safe,” in addition to what the organization sees as positive signs for the future of the resort town.

The article quotes CRDA head John Palmieri as saying:

“Luxury tax revenues have been going up for the past three years, we expect it to go up based on what we’re seeing this year. That’s a very important measurement that identifies expenditures beyond the gaming tables.”

He adds:

“The important thing for us is to encourage private investment, in the final analysis we want more visitors to come. ”

Euro RSCG’s ad campaign for the Atlantic City Alliance, to promote non-gaming attractions in the city in hopes to lure more visitors to town this summer and beyond has kicked off.

The new campaign was unveiled locally at the Atlantic City Convention Center on Thursday, April 12.

Liza Cartmell, CEO of the new Atlantic City Alliance, told AC Weekly about the campaign in March.

Read about it here.

The ACA’s $20 million rebranding effort is the largest destination tourism marketing campaign in Atlantic City history.

Here is a summary of the new ad campaign:

Advertisements are based on the diverse array of unique, often unexpected experiences at your fingertips in Atlantic City and remind audiences in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore that just a short drive away is a place where the rules are different from everyday life. One point of distinction is that gaming is not featured in advertisements, which instead will showcase the City’s wide offerings for visitors, including world-class entertainment and fine dining, luxury accommodations, vibrant nightlife, and the famed beach and boardwalk.

To encourage spontaneity, the ads end with a bold call to action for consumers to “Do Anything. Do Everything.” and visit Atlantic City at a moment’s notice whether during the week, on weekends or for extended stays. The efforts of this campaign complement The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority’s (CRDA) ongoing work to reposition the image of Atlantic City and improve visitor experiences by appealing to the fun-seeking consumer ranging from singles to parents and mature travelers.

This just in from Edelman, the New York-based PR firm the Atlantic City Alliance has hired in connection with its goal of re-branding and marketing the city to new visitors….

The Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) announced today that it will be filming a commercial in Atlantic City this week as part of its larger campaign designed to increase tourism to the city. Euro RSCG New York, the ACA’s advertising agency of record, will be shooting all week in various locations in order to capture footage that showcases everything Atlantic City has to offer.

“We are looking forward to capturing so many experiences of what makes Atlantic City great,” said Liza Cartmell, CEO of the ACA. “Fine dining, premier shopping, world-class accommodations, and of course, our historic Boardwalk, all contribute to Atlantic City’s appeal as a tourist destination. We hope to capture all of this in the commercial we film throughout the course of this week.”

Atlantic City has produced commercials showcasing specific events and initiatives within the city such as Restaurant Week, but never one that focuses on Atlantic City as a whole. This commercial is part of the larger rebranding effort undertaken by the ACA and the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) to promote Atlantic City’s appeal as a premier tourist destination.

Courtesy Jerde Partnership

Tourism has been the buzz word in the Atlantic City region now for several years — in fact, it always was — especially with regard to the slumping casino revenues, due in part, to competition sprouting up in neighboring states.

First the rise of the airplane (pun intended) made it easier for families — mostly middle class — to forgo A.C. vacays and set off for places like Florida and Las Vegas or wherever they wanted, leading to a decline in the “World’s Playground” status as one of the top tourist destination’s in the country for most of the late 1800s and early to mid 1900s.

Then, after states near New Jersey’s border — such as New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware — passed legalized gambling bills and started building casinos, etc., Atlantic City’s early 2000’s gaming renaissance, in conjunction with a restaurant and nightclub revolution, and spurred by the opening of the game-changing Borgata in 2003, the 150-year-old resort town was hit hard by the economic collapse of recent years.

Not only did several expected mega-projects (MGM, Bader Field, Bashaw-Barr, etc.) get the kibosh, but casino revenue saw month-to-month revenue declines and it was determined — thankfully — that the city needed a new game plan. Additionally, according the Atlantic City Convention & Authority (ACCVA), annual visit trips to Atlantic City fell from 33.7 million in 1999 to 28.5 million in 2011.

A.C. no longer had a monopoly on the gaming market in the Northeast.

In 2012, the buzz word is tourism still, but with new excitement and expectations.

With the state entity Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) passing a thoroughly researched and considered master plan for a new “tourism district” in Atlantic City this past February — an order given by Gov. Chris Christie in July 2010 — and the casinos getting behind a new non-profit agency — the Atlantic City Alliance (ACA) — to re-brand and market the city anew, and a new mega-resort, Revel, opening on the north-end of the Boardwalk in April, in addition for several other plans for the city to make it the world-class destination for tourists (a Vegas of the East), including a planned multimillion dollar revitalization of the Steel Pier, things are looking brighter for tourism in New Jersey than they have in several years — even despite the attention (positive or negative) of the MTV hit show Jersey Shore.

Founded in 2011, the ACA, headed up by former Aramark executive Liza Cartmell, has chosen one of the top independent New York-based public relations firms, Edelman, to address “some of Atlantic City’s challenges, while still highlighting all of the factors that make the city so great.”

The ACA has also brought in advertising firm Euro RSCG to handle the city’s new ad campaign, which is expected to be put into effect in April.

Starting today (March 14) at the Golden Nugget, the New Jersey Conference on Tourism will have a rekindled purpose and spirit. The annual conference in Atlantic City (March 14-16), put on by the New Jersey Travel Industry Association, New Jersey Department of Tourism, the ACCVA, and other sponsors, will include a plethora of speakers, luncheons, meetings and presentations. (See a full list here.)

Hopefully, this will all lead somewhere positive for Atlantic City, a city that has also been in the international spotlight via the hit HBO show Boardwalk Empire.

If only Nucky was still around.

Well, at least the Steel Pier is — minus the Diving Horse.

— Jeff Schwachter

SEE: Renderings of Future of Atlantic City Boardwalk and more.