Atlantic City aims to boost convention trade

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - Atlantic City is aiming to boost its meetings and convention trade through a new nonprofit agency.

Called Meet AC, the group was created in late April. It just hired its first CEO, James Wood, who held convention-related jobs in Kentucky and Rhode Island.

He will start work on June 30.

Meet AC is funded by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.

After July 1, it will have a budget of $8 million.

The move comes as Atlantic City tries to diversify itself and not rely primarily on its 11 casinos as the main reason for visitors to come here.

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