Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Where Do We Go From Here? Economic Development Action Plan Final Report Presentation

The final report of the Atlantic County Action Now economic development strategy and action plan will be presented to the public on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at the Greate Bay Country Club, 901 Mays Landing Road, Somers Point.

The report is the culmination of eight months of research, multiple public forums and meetings with community members and stakeholders, and more than 1,100 responses to a community survey to provide insight and input.

“This plan reflects the ideas of those who live and work here,” stated County Executive Dennis Levinson. “It points to an overriding need for diversification and identifies target industries and best practices with guidelines for implementation. Most important, it calls for private sector leadership and regional economic development.”

The plan is being presented by AngelouEconomics of Austin, Texas. The nationally recognized firm was hired by the Atlantic County Improvement Authority last December and began work in January 2015. AngelouEconomics specializes in economic development and commercial and industrial site selection, having previously worked with more than 600 organizations throughout the country.

“Our goal is to broaden and diversify Atlantic County’s economic base in order to attract good jobs with good pay and create economic synergie,” Levinson added. “ We can no longer rely on a single industry to sustain our regional economy.”

The vision of Atlantic County Action Now is to rebrand Atlantic County as a region with a strong technology-based economy as well as a center for hospitality and tourism with sustainable, mutually agreed upon goals and objectives.

“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” noted Angelos Angelou, Founder and Principal Executive Officer of AngelouEconomics. “There is no ‘magic bullet’ solution. Success will be based on the ability of the public and private sectors to commit the time and resources needed to achieve the goals outlined in the strategy.”

The September 24 event will be held from 8 AM to 10 AM. It is free but registration is required and can be completed online through the Greater Atlantic City Chamber at www.acchamber.com.

Click here to register.

County News