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Overcast Long Beach is open for business
City launches ad campaign starring Billy Crystal
Eight months after Hurricane Sandy destroyed Long Beach’s iconic boardwalk and displaced thousands of residents, city officials want people to know about the progress the city has made in its recovery — and get them to visit its beaches, shops and restaurants and a five-block section of the boardwalk that is scheduled to reopen next week.
At a press conference at the Allegria Hotel last Thursday, city officials announced the launch of a promotional campaign, “Long Beach is Open for Business,” to attract visitors to the city, including the premier of an television ad campaign starring Long Beach native Billy Crystal. “We are really proud to say that Long Beach is open for business,” said City Council Vice President Fran Adelson. “Now, with this new and exciting campaign, we are welcoming everyone back to the beach.”
Last month, Crystal joined city officials at Long Beach Boulevard beach to announce a $1 million donation to the city’s hurricane relief fund. The actor and his famous friends, including Muhammad Ali, Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, Steve Martin and others raised $888,000, while Crystal and his wife, Janice, personally donated $112,000.
Crystal also visited Long Beach to film the commercials — there are currently three different versions illustrating the city’s recreational activities and nightlife that began airing last weekend — and he asked the crowd to be a part of it as extras.
“The City of Long Beach, its residents and merchants have worked countless long hours preparing for the summer beach season,” said City Council President Scott Mandel. “Our new visitors television commercial is a fantastic visual representation of all that our city has to offer and shows off just how far we have come in our rapid redevelopment.”
The city will spend about $700,00 on its summer campaign to attract visitors back to Long Beach, which includes television, radio, print, web and billboard advertising. The city received $500,000 in funding from a New York state community development grant, and $100,000 from the Empire State Development Corporation.
