Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Poetry has been sent packing from Atlantic City's summer entertainment offerings after complaints it would be a waste of money.
New Jersey's Casino Reinvestment Development Authority had planned to pay for readings as entertainment alongside music at a farmers market it sponsors.
But three lawmakers called the readings the "height of absurdity" as a way to attract people to the struggling resort city.
Authority Executive Director John Palmieri tells The Press of Atlantic City (http://bit.ly/1JuonLu ) he's calling off the readings. He says "poetry is not a bad thing" but maybe someone other than his agency should subsidize it.
The authority is funded by a tax on the city's casinos.
Four of the city's 12 casinos closed last year, and 8,000 workers lost their jobs. Three other casinos are in bankruptcy.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
