Will another reopening date pass for AC Aquarium?

A post on Facebook reminded me this week that the last scheduled reopening date for the Atlantic City Aquarium is… right now.

It is expected to fully reopen “sometime in December,” Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small said during a new conference in late September.

Unless there is a dramatic, surprise reopening in the next week or so, it's likely the city will miss another reopening deadline.

The woman who posted the message said this is about the sixth time the reopening has been delayed. I think she may have missed a few incorrect reopening dates.

The Atlantic City Aquarium will be closed in March 2020

The Atlantic City Aquarium first closed in March 2020 due to COVID-19.

Then on May 13, 2020, the aquarium wrote on Facebook: “We miss you, look forward to seeing you all soon.”

The renovation work had begun.

The aquarium later posted on Facebook that it would “tentatively reopen in fall 2023,” but that did not happen.

The city blamed supply chain and financing issues and later scope expansion.

What work was carried out in the aquarium?

In an earlier statement, Atlantic City spokesman Andrew Kramer said the aquarium needed new roofs, windows, lighting and flooring, a new deck and ceiling for the top level observation point, bathroom renovations and electrical, plumbing and electrical upgrades Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems have been given a fresh coat of paint.

Then there was a long delay until work on the outside of the aquarium building was completed.

The original project did not include any exterior building or façade improvements, and this work was supplemented with funds from the American Rescue Plan.

The project was then expanded to include work on the dike pool next to the aquarium, which had been closed for several years.

And the delays continued.

The AC Aquarium has been closed for almost 5 years

Here's what I know. March 2025 will mark five years since the Atlantic City Aquarium opened. Five years.

Did Mayor Small think we would forget all the other fake reopening dates he has floated over the years?

Don't you think at some point you would stop giving expected reopening dates when you clearly have no interest in meeting them?