Volunteers Seek To Turn Atlantic City's Image Around With New Website
by KYW's David Madden
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (CBS) -- There's a push in Atlantic City to steer away from all the bad press it's received in recent months.
Thousands of jobs lost with casino closings. Higher taxes and mounting deficits lead to a state takeover. A few locals decided enough was enough. They wanted to tell positive stories about Atlantic City and its people.
So they're volunteering their time to a new website, ThisIsAC.com, which has actually been running for a couple months now. Evan Sanchez, one of the founders, says the first feature on the site centers on the people who make the town unique.
"It's just everyday folk and their stories and we really want this to highlight kind of what's really happening in Atlantic City from the ground up," Sanchez told KYW Newsradio.
AtlantiCare is putting some seed money into the site and offering some healthy lifestyle alternative suggestions on the site.
There's the usual calendar of events. After all, we are talking about a tourist destination here. And the site will also help those tourists decide to stay awhile.
"Oftentimes people say they come into Atlantic City and they kind of get out after whatever event they're going to," Sanchez said. "And what we really want to do is show people that they can stack different things together, different events, and have a great day."
It's thought the site will not only boost tourism a little but give locals more of a sense of pride.
