Easy parking is Atlantic City's No. 1 attraction

What's the main reason people go to Atlantic City? Hint: It's not gambling. A new survey by the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority finds gambling ranks seventh on a list of why people choose to come to the resort. Easy parking topped the list, followed by the convenience of getting to Atlantic City, the ease of getting around within the city, dining options, hotel room availability, and the beach and Boardwalk. Jeff Vasser, the authority's president, says the year-long survey of more than 3,000 visitors shows that Atlantic City's efforts to transform itself into a destination resort where gambling is only one of the attractions are working. "It validates the direction that Atlantic City is going," he said. "For some people, if you want to play a slot machine, there are options closer to home. Slot machines are not the compelling reason to come to Atlantic City anymore. It's the shopping, the dining, the entertainment — the whole package." The trend, which has been underway for the past several years, represents a big bet in the future of what has traditionally been aimed at day trippers who ride buses here, play the slots for a few hours and go back home. Visitors to Atlantic City declined last year to 33 million from 34 million in 2006. The survey also offers evidence of some of the challenges facing Atlantic City. More than a third of those surveyed also say they gamble regularly elsewhere, including Las Vegas (31 percent), Pennsylvania (20 percent), Connecticut (15 percent), Delaware (8 percent) and New York (8 percent). Other reasons people gave for coming to Atlantic City were shows and entertainment, shopping, availability of mass transit to and from the city, and clubs and nightlife.