Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANDREA KATZ
District 8 (Atlantic and Burlington)
Assemblywoman MARGIE DONLON, M.D.
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblywoman HEATHER SIMMONS
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Miss America Pageant to return to Atlantic City.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the annual Miss America Pageant to return to Atlantic City.
Whereas, The Miss America Pageant originated as the Inter-City Beauty Contest, a newspaper-sponsored competition organized in 1921 and hosted in Atlantic City, New Jersey; and
Whereas, One of the first winners of the Miss America Pageant, Bette Cooper, was from New Jersey; and
Whereas, Over the years, the pageant grew in size, involving contestants from every State across the country, and becoming known as the Miss America Pageant; and
Whereas, In 1945, the Miss America Pageant incorporated various categories of competition and began awarding educational scholarships to the winners; and
Whereas, Since 1945, the Miss America Pageant has given out more than $150 million in scholarships, making it the worlds largest scholarship program for women; and
Whereas, In 1989, the pageant adopted the concept of a platform, inviting contestants to champion and raise awareness for various social causes; and
Whereas, Since 1989, every Miss America has spent the year following her victory promoting noble and worthwhile causes, such as the fight against cancer; and
Whereas, The success and acclaim of the Miss America Pageant draws thousands of visitors and millions of viewers from around the world each year; and
Whereas, The Miss America Pageant was hosted in Atlantic City every year until moving to Las Vegas, Nevada for a brief time between 2006 and 2013; and
Whereas, The Miss America Pageant returned to Atlantic City in 2013 and remained there until moving to Orlando, Florida in 2024; and
Whereas, The long and storied history of the Miss America Pageant has been inextricably tied to its origins and long-standing relationship with Atlantic City; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the Miss America Pageant to return to Atlantic City in 2025 and every year thereafter.
2. Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the
Clerk of the General Assembly to the CEO of the Miss America Organization and
current Miss America.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Miss America Pageant to return to Atlantic City in 2025 and every year thereafter.
The Miss America Pageant began in Atlantic City as the Inter-City Beauty Contest in 1921. Over time, as the pageant grew in size and reputation, it became the Miss America Pageant.
The Miss America Pageant came to involve contestants from across the country, and one of the first winners was Bette Cooper, who was from New Jersey.
Since 1945, the Miss America Pageant has given out more than $150 million in scholarships, making it the worlds largest scholarship program for women.
In 1989, the pageant adopted the concept of a platform, inviting contestants to champion and raise awareness for various social causes. Every Miss America since 1989 has spent the year following her victory promoting noble and worthwhile causes around the country.
Despite hosting the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City for the majority of its history, the pageant moved to Orlando, Florida in 2024. In light of the long and successful history of the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, the Miss America Organization is urged to return in 2025 and all future years the pageant is held.