The Miss America 2014 competition is heating up.
The excitement builds as the pageant is drawing closer to Sunday’s crowning of the new Miss America.
The competition is being held in Atlantic City, where things are not looking so great economically.
On the boardwalk, where the pageantry is taking place, the sight is a sad one.
Where casinos and nightlife once lined the way, it grows dimmer all the time. The boardwalk began the year with 12 casinos. Now, five have closed their doors.
The most recent, the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, filed for bankruptcy on the same day that competition began. Trump Entertainment Resorts has threatened to close what will soon be its lone remaining casino, costing thousands of people their jobs.
The Atlantic Club, Showboat and Revel have all closed down this year, and Trump Plaza is closing next Tuesday.
However, pageant officials are hoping that the glitz and glamour of the Miss America 2014 competitions will distract the city from its troubles, even if just for a little while.
“Our hearts go out to the many, many people who have lost their jobs,” said Sam Haskell III, CEO of the Miss America Organization.
He continued, “We hope that the Miss America competition, the Show Us Your Shoes parade and all the wonderful events this week are going to help bring some happiness and joy to this great city that serves as the birthplace of Miss America. We know what’s going on here and we want to be something positive.”
The pageant itself hasn’t gone on without a hitch, unfortunately.
Miss Rhode Island, Ivy Depew, collapsed onstage on Tuesday night, but officials said that she just got overheated and that she should be fine.
There is no word yet on whether or not DePew will continue to compete.
Good luck to all of the competitors taking part in the Miss America 2014 pageant! May it be a bright spot for the citizens of Atlantic City, though temporary it may be.