The Atlantic City Airshow, one of the largest free annual events in New Jersey, is in danger of being canceled for at least the next two summers due to a lack of funding.
According to a report from Linwood-based WOND Radio, this summer’s show and the 2025 event are postponed. Multiple sources told PlayNJ that without a realistic financial commitment from key stakeholders, the long-term future of the AC Airshow could be up in the air.
Airshow drops money on Atlantic City casinos, South Jersey
Atlantic City casinos are among the biggest beneficiaries of the massive influx of tourists and day-trippers coming to the seaside resort to watch the practice day or the live airshow.
The Greater Atlantic City Chamber, Visit Atlantic City and David Schultz Airshows jointly organize the annual event. The GACC declined to comment on Monday.
Between practice day and actual event day, the show brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to AC and the surrounding area. According to the event organizers, last year’s Atlantic City Airshow, its 20th anniversary, attracted nearly 458,000 spectators over two days. The business community estimates the 2023 airshow generated between $50 million and $70 million in economic activity for the region.
Airshow officially not dead yet, but unlikely
The cost of the 2023 airshow gave the organizers sticker shock, with inflation playing a part. The airshow team also had to spend additional money on security, insurance and staging. And those costs, according to the organizers, have increased significantly in recent years.
Several sources, who spoke to PlayNJ on the condition of anonymity, said that the State of New Jersey rebuffed repeated local efforts to secure some substantial public funding.
As of Monday morning, there are ongoing efforts are to secure sponsorships and money for the airshow. However, the timeline makes this year’s show a toss-up, at best. In order to schedule certain acts and use of airspace, multiple parties and agencies require advance notice, sometimes many months in advance.
