ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — There she is. And there she’ll stay — for now.
Miss America Organization officials signed a five-year contract Tuesday to keep the beauty pageant in Atlantic City, 14 months after threatening to leave.
The deal, which will continue an annual $678,000 subsidy from the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, has options that could add 10 years to the term.
As important, perhaps, is what it doesn’t call for: new subsidies.
Apart from buying lighting and sound equipment needed to make Boardwalk Hall “TV Ready” for the annual television show, the convention authority didn’t have to sweeten the pot, said chairman Mark Juliano.
In exchange for the subsidy and in-kind services to Miss America, the authority gets an Atlantic City plug on the annual pageant telecast and use of the reigning Miss America for 10 appearances each year at trade shows and other events.
“Miss America really doesn’t belong anywhere but in Atlantic City,” Juliano said.