Skift Take
Atlantic City is desperate for something, anything, to slow its slide into economic ruin since massive loans from the state and complex development deals haven't worked. The odds of Miss America delivering a big enough payout aren't odds that the house would go for.
When Miss America announced she was leaving the city of her birth in November 2005, Atlantic City public works crews were quick to remove her plaque from the rose garden at the base of the expressway.
Seven years of separation, however, hasn't diminished the affection many local residents feel toward the beauty pageant that began as an attempt to extend the summer tourism season 92 years ago.
"Here's the biggest single icon of Atlantic City, and it's coming back," said local historian Allen "Boo" Pergament. "What a wonderful time for that to happen."
The Las Vegas years weren't kind either to Miss America, or to Atlantic City. Viewership plummeted from what was already a record low when ABC dropped the pageant from its prime-time slot in 2004, and so did the scholarship awards. Meanwhile, recession and competition from neighboring states have caused Atlantic City's casino revenue to slide from $5.2 billion in 2006 to $2.9 billion last year.
Thursday's announcement that Miss America will return in September inspired hope that the homecoming could turn things around for both the city and the pageant. The Miss America Organization has signed a three-year contract with ABC to continue broadcasting the pageant from Atlantic City.
"With Miss America coming home, I believe it'll be an opportunity for both the destination and the pageant to grow together," said Larry Sieg, vice president of marketing for the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority.
A shoulder season boon
At its inception in 1921, when a 16-year-old with a talent for playing marbles was named the "Golden Mermaid," the pageant was a financial boon for Atlantic City.
City commissioners at the time took the risk of spending $10,000 -- the rough equivalent of $127,000 today -- to draw tourists back to the beach after Labor Day in early September. The two-day celebration included a parade, a governor's ball and a milelong "bathers' revue" featuring young women in leg-exposing bathing suits. The bathing beauties competed for a $1,
