Nearly a decade ago Bart Blatstein was asked about what Atlantic City can use for a boost.
The veteran developer, who owns Showboat and Island Waterpark, said that key influencers could change the game for A.C.
"We need celebrities ... to tweet out about their experiences in Atlantic City," he said.
Well, some celebs have gone beyond social media with how they feel about Atlantic City.
When a member of Jane's Addiction talks about addiction, well, fans listen.
During the iconic band's chaotic show at the Hard Rock in September, vocalist Perry Farrell rapped about the damage drugs, particularly fentanyl, are doing on the streets of Atlantic City. Farrell urged fans to stay away from the extremely addictive opioid.
Last summer at the Hard Rock, Dave Chappelle and Kevin Hart riffed about how dangerous it is just a few blocks from casinos. The celebrities didn't do any favors to a town trying to make a comeback from its 2014 nadir when four of the 12 gambling houses were shuttered.
It's no secret that Atlantic City is plagued by drugs, poverty and crime. Homes in disrepair, pawn shops and a general state of urban decay stand in stark contrast with the glitz the casinos provide.
The perennial question is: How can Atlantic City overcome such obstacles and become a safe resort that perhaps can approximate its glory days when Frank Sinatra held court at the 500 Club during the 1950s?
Philadelphia developer Allen Domb, who has no investments in Atlantic City, has some answers.
"A couple of things are needed for growth," he said. "Good paying jobs to help the neighborhood is a step in the right direction. Good paying jobs give people money in their pocket. It gives them a better standard of living. When people have enough money to buy real estate, that changes lives."
Education is the key to prosperity, according to Domb, who believes the addition of Stockton University is a big part of Atlantic City's potential revival. However, he hopes other institutions of higher learning come to Atlantic City.
"Colleges in Atlantic City will help a great deal," he said. "A good education leads to good jobs. There should be more state schools in Atlantic City. Why isn't there a Rutgers campus in Atlantic City? A Rutgers in Atlantic City with evening classes will help raise the bar."
Pat Fasano, who has been developing along the Orange Loop and the South Inlet, agrees with Domb about education. However, Fasano — who re-energized Asbury Park 20 years ago — believes the best and quickest way for locals to cash in is by learning a trade.
"When I went to high school during the '70s, a lot of people went to vo-tech (vocational technical schools)," Fasano said. "You learned a trade and I think that it would be wise to learn a trade these days, particularly in Atlantic City. You don't need to go to college."
The New Brunswick High Class of 1973 graduate speaks from experience since he passed on college.
Fasano worked in Central Jersey restaurants and bought homes in New Brunswick, rented to Rutgers students and flipped the houses.
"I have more wealth than anyone I went to high school with," he said. "You don't have to go to college to be successful. I know electricians and plumbers that are making more money than college graduates. If you look at this logically, you have an island where thousands of houses are going to be constructed. Learn how to be an electrician or become a carpenter or work HVAC. There is a lot of work coming up in Atlantic City."
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small concurs with Domb and Fasano.
"We believe in Atlantic City that higher education will help you advance," he said. "My wife has a doctorate and I have my masters, so we're all about education. We support those in Atlantic City, who want to go to college. But college isn't for everyone and that's why we started an apprenticeship plan.
"We want to see people in Atlantic City get into the trades and get good jobs here," he added. "Since there will be a building boom here, we want Atlantic City people to be part of that process."
The mayor also long has tried to get out the word that the perception of Atlantic City as unsafe is not necessarily the reality. He recently talked about crime rates being down.
Mark Calazzo, managing partner of RMS Capital, believes crime rate will drop when there are more residents and businesses, which are on the horizon.
"Safety comes with density," said Calazzo, who is developing the Orange Loop's Top Hat Hotel. "Things are improving in Atlantic City."
The city has the infrastructure and more to be successful.
There is the world's longest, oldest and busiest boardwalk, the Atlantic Ocean and the casinos.
If Camden, which was in a much bigger hole than Atlantic City, can come back from ruin, the odds should be in favor of what was once known as America's playground.
"Camden was in much worse shape than Atlantic City," Domb said. "Camden didn't have gambling and restaurants and now look at how things are going there. If the city can embrace education and create demand for businesses and make it more attractive, it could work out for Atlantic City."
Tax breaks also wil help Atlantic City, Fasano said.
"We've lobbied for tax abatements and got a tax pilot," he said. "To bring the city back like how we brought back Asbury Park, we need affordable tax rates. That's the key to attracting homebuyers."
It's a challenge across the board for a city riddled with addiction from drugs to gambling in a highly taxed state to reemerge. However, Fasano is bullish on Atlantic City.
"We're headed in the right direction," he said. "Just wait until you see what Atlantic City will look like in three years. I'm very excited about where Atlantic City is headed."
