ATLANTIC CITY — Atlantic City’s business and civic leaders gathered Thursday evening as Mayor Marty Small delivered the city’s annual State of the City address, laying out progress and priorities for the year ahead — with support from state officials including Governor Mikie Sherrill.
Speaking before a packed room at the Golden Nugget, Small painted a picture of a city focused on infrastructure improvements, economic growth, and community support, while acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead. His address — themed “The Future Is Ours” — underscored the effort to build on recent gains while continuing key projects that promise to shape Atlantic City’s future.
Mayor Small emphasized that more than $250 million in infrastructure investments are underway, funded without burdening local taxpayers. He highlighted ongoing roadwork that includes major repaving projects on key corridors like Atlantic and Pacific avenues and improvements to Baltic Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard. Work on these vital routes is designed to improve traffic flow, safety, and accessibility for both residents and visitors.
Looking beyond roads, Small pointed to job support and small business investment as critical to the city’s continued momentum. According to city economic development officials, nearly $900,000 in local grants supported 65 small businesses in 2025, retaining some 200 jobs and creating an estimated 75 new positions citywide. Those numbers, city leaders say, reflect a broader push to expand opportunities for residents and strengthen the local economy.
“It’s been a year of resilience — and one where Atlantic City showed it can control its own destiny,” Small said, urging continued collaboration between city and state partners.
Among those in attendance was New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, who has just recently taken office this year. While the Governor did not deliver the address, she was acknowledged by the mayor for her support and policy consistency in areas that affect Atlantic City, including economic and community development initiatives. Small also noted measures carried over under Sherrill’s administration — including sticking with key department leadership in Trenton that oversees local municipal affairs — that have provided stability for cities like Atlantic City.
Sherrill, sworn in as New Jersey’s 57th governor earlier this week in Newark, has already signed several executive actions aimed at addressing affordability for families statewide, including efforts to curb rising utility costs and promote clean energy solutions, measures she has made central to her early gubernatorial agenda.
In his address, Small also referenced ongoing and future development projects, including plans for Bader Field, which has been highlighted in previous years as a transformational economic opportunity for the city. Officials note that negotiations with prospective developers are advancing, with a goal of formal approval later this month.
Looking ahead, the mayor outlined continued focus on public safety, homelessness outreach, and community support programs, with plans to bolster resources for those services this year. Small’s message was clear: despite challenges, Atlantic City’s vision is rooted in momentum, cooperation, and a belief that the city’s best days lie ahead.
