Atlantic City's development may soon be running with the big dogs.
Make that one very famous Dogg.
“I’m coming to the state, I’m coming to the city,” rap legend Snoop Dogg told the city’s mayor in a FaceTime call Sunday. “We’re looking to try to invest in some real estate and do some big things out there with you.”
Mayor Marty Small told BreakingAC surprised when he got a call from real estate developer Cesar Pina — better known as Flipping NJ.
“If you’ve got a second, this is big,” said Pina, who owns more than 1,100 rental units across the country.
“It was my favorite rapper of all time on the phone,” Small said.
“I just wanted to get acquainted with you (and) let you hear it from me face to face,” Snoop told him in a recorded call Small posted on Facebook. “We will be coming to a city near you.”
While a lot more discussions will be made, Small said the news highlights the things he has been working toward.
He has been working to spark the interest of Flipping NJ and fellow developer DJ Envy for a while. The mayor has even appeared on DJ Envy’s popular radio show, The Breakfast Club.
“As mayor, not only do I deal with City Hall, but I’m the official ambassador of the city,” he said. “This is what it’s all about: being connected, bringing different resources to the table. It opens up for other things.”
In the brief call, Snoop also said he would like to start a coalition of black mayors, starting with Small and the rapper’s local leader in Inglewood, Calif., Mayor James T. Butts Jr.
Of course, a call with the “Ambassador of Weed” wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the state’s November referendum.
“And when you all legalize, I will definitely be there to, you know, cut the ribbon,” he said.
The rapper also wished Small well on his new term, saying he knows he’ll win the election.
Talks will continue, Small said. But for now, he was excited to share the news.
“It truly was a great day in the city of Atlantic City,” Small said, enlisting what has become his mantra. “The fact that (Snoop Dogg) showed interest in Atlantic City is major. There’s no other way to slice it.”
