Atlantic City Observation Wheel
It’s been hard to miss the new addition to Atlantic City’s skyline this summer – especially at night. The 225-foot observation wheel on Steel Pier is set to open this month, reports Atlantic City Weekly (no official opening date has been fixed yet). The gondolas boast climate control, so don’t worry too much about the end-of-season opening (there will be heating for the winter). And it will be an 18-minute-long ride, according to Steel Pier owner Anthony Catanoso. When we were down there this past weekend, the Steel Pier helicopter (they go up and down the shore and over the city, prices start at $49) was doing a brisk business.
Health System Merger
Cooper University Health Care announced plans yesterday to buy medical centers in Burlington, Trenton and Camden from a Michigan-based company. “If it meets with regulatory approval, Cooper claims the deal would create the largest health system in South Jersey and the fourth-largest in the state: a $2-billion entity with a staff of 12,000 and a potential patient pool of 2.1 million people across seven counties,” wrote our NJ News Commons colleague Matt Skoufalos for NJPen. Click through for an in-depth look at the proposal.
Sports Bet Ban
This fall New Jersey will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to end a ban on sports betting in all but four states. If the court were to strike down the ban, New Jersey would be able to get in on an estimated $150-billion-dollar industry. Experts seem to think the state could be in with a chance, according to Wayne Parry’s analysis for the Associated Press.
Watch our video about our Business Bootcamps series here and sign up for the first event – on September 12 – here!
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend, we’ll be back on Tuesday. If you liked today’s featured image, consider heading over to see the exhibit at the Riverfront Renaissance Center (it’s open over the weekend – check opening hours here).
In the rest of the day’s news, the Taj Mahal liquidation sale is almost done, hundreds turned out for last night’s Overdose Awareness Day events in South Jersey, Longport (and Avalon) have teamed up with Stockton University to study flooding in the borough, Ocean City is hosting an extreme weather conference next Thursday (remember that time well-remunerated experts said Atlantic City should get in on the climate business?) All that and more below:
Secrets of South Jersey Craft Beverage Tourism Success–Over the last few years, the New Jersey craft beverage tourism industry has grown exponentially, specifically with local breweries and distilleries. www.snjtoday.com
Members of 177th Fighter Wing Deployed to Texas for Rescue Aid–Members of the 177th Fighter Wing have been deployed to Houston to help with rescues and aid as the area grapples with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Press of Atlantic City
Police: Elderly Man Dies After Large Tree Falls On Him–An elderly man died after a large tree fell on him on Thursday morning. Mullica Township police say they responded to a call on Baremore Road where they found an 85-year-old man pinned underneath a tree. philadelphia.cbslocal.com
New Sheriff in Town: State Police to Patrol Corbin City–Residents in Corbin City will be seeing new state police patrolling the area beginning on Friday, September 1st. www.snjtoday.com
Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office Swears in 9 New Officers–The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office swore in nine new officers Tuesday, the acting sheriff announced. Press of Atlantic City
Remembering the Thousands We Have Lost to Addiction–Thursday is International Overdose Awareness Day, a global event held every Aug. 31 to raise awareness about overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths. Press of Atlantic City
Man Stabbed in Atlantic City–Atlantic City police are investigating a stabbing that injured one man Wednesday night. The wounded man was seen walking from a parking lot adjacent to Michigan and Baltic avenues, police said. BreakingAC