Egg Harbor Township Enters Agreement to Purchase another West Atlantic City Motel

Mayor Sonny McCullough

During the summer of 2009 the Township adopted the Redevelopment Plan for West Atlantic City. The adoption of the plan was a result of twenty years of planning, negotiations and meetings with various governmental agencies to adopt a redevelopment plan to transform West Atlantic City.

A component of the Redevelopment Plan is the acquisition of the obsolete motor court motels on the north side of the Black Horse Pike. These motels,in addition to being decrepit,often were the location of arrests for prostitution and drugs over the years.

On Monday, December 2, 2013, Mayor McCullough announced that the Township had reached an agreement with the owners of the Fortune Inn to acquire their motel as well as the vacant 3⁄4 acres of land adjacent to their motel. The Township Committee at their November 26, 2013 meeting introduced ordinances to purchase these properties.

Previously, on Wednesday, November 13, 2013, Mayor McCullough announced the Township had reached an agreement to purchase the Golden Key Motel and Star Motel. Mayor McCullough said “the Township Committee promised the residents of Egg Harbor Township, specifically those that live in West Atlantic City, that they would move to eliminate these blighted motels from West Atlantic City.” A public hearing on all four (4) ordinances is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18, 2013.

The Township now has three (3) motels under contract that will eliminate 68 units and will provide 2.8 acres of land for future development.

The Township is currently negotiating with two other property owners. Mayor McCullough said, “he anticipates entering into an agreement of sale before the year is over.” One of these properties is the Hickory Log Inn. The Township, in August, authorized the Township Solicitor to commence tax foreclosure against this property in accordance with a tax lien held on the property by the Township. Mayor McCullough said, “foreclosure will be finalized if an agreement of sale is not reached.”

Funding for the acquisition for these properties has been provided to the Township through a grant from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.