HOTEL WEEK: Twelve-day promo
STRATEGIC PLAN: City Council
offers discounts, package deals for Ocean City stays just as number of visitors begins to decline PAGE 46
supports new city manager’s plan to hire consulting firm to facilitate program he pioneered in Ft. Pierce, Hilton Head PAGE 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: BUSINESS . . . . . . . . . 46 CLASSIFIED . . . . . . . . 72 ENTERTAINMENT . . . . 53 LEGALS . . . . . . . . . . . 74
LIFESTYLE . . . . . . . . . 49 OPINION . . . . . . . . . . 20 OUT&ABOUT . . . . . . . . 64 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . 42
THIRD ANNUAL OCEAN CITY JEEP WEEK BEGINS THURSDAY…PAGE 49
Ocean City Today AUGUST 17, 2012
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City to seek alternative advertising proposals Resort could opt out of renewing MGH contract at year’s end ZACK HOOPES ■ Staff Writer (Aug. 17, 2012) As predicted, Tuesday’s Ocean City Council meeting saw considerable debate about the success of the city’s contracted marketing agency, MGH, as it appears that elected officials have made considerable political investment in whether the company stays or goes from the city payroll. Ultimately, the council voted
4-3, with council members Joe Hall, Brent Ashley, Jim Hall, and Margaret Pillas in favor and Doug Cymek, Mary Knight, and Lloyd Martin opposed, to give MGH the required 120 days notice that its contract may not be automatically renewed as the city seeks alternative proposals from other agencies. MGH’s contract was renewed in 2010 for two years and would automatically extend for another year at the end of 2012 unless the city decides to opt out, in which case MGH requires 120 days notice. MGH has handled the city’s marketing and advertising efforts for the past 10 years. See ACCURACY on Page 14
Maryland legislature OKs table games, sixth casino
LET’S ‘DEW’ THIS! BMX rider Austin Coleman practices Wednesday evening on a vert ramp on the beach near Dorcester Street in downtown Ocean City. After months of anticipation, the wait is finally over as the Dew Tour, with its world-class athletes, has returned to Ocean City. Pantech Beach Championships action, which kicked off Thursday and continues through Sunday, will unfold on the beach just north of the pier. Events scheduled include Skate Vert and Skate Bowl, which were showcased last year. A Skate Mega 2.0 competition is new to the event line-up as is the Skate Bowl Legends contest, which took place Thursday along with the GoDaddy Surf Expression Session. BMX Park and Vert contests will be featured again this year with the new BMX Mega 2.0. For full Pantech Beach Championships information, see special Dew Tour publication inserted in this issue of Ocean City Today.
Ocean Downs would also keep more of its money next year ZACK HOOPES ■ Staff Writer
PHOTO COURTESY MARK HUEY PHOTOGRAPHY
(Aug. 17, 2012) The Maryland House of Delegates finally cleared the way late Tuesday night for Gov. Martin O’Malley’s gambling expansion plan to go to referendum in November. If approved by the state’s voters, the expansion would allow
the Ocean Downs Racetrack and Casino in Berlin to host table games, but local businesses appear optimistic that any changes will not undercut or encroach upon Ocean City’s established market. See BREAKS on Page 5
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