Last year, the storied casino resort city slid to third-largest gambling market in the country behind Las Vegas and Pennsylvania. In the state’s fifth year of legalized gambling, Pennsylvania surged forward on the strength of $233 million in slot machine receipts in mid-summer of 2011.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has insistently refused to fold on Atlantic City’s chances for a comeback, however, championing the restart of halted construction of the Revel as the catalyst to full-scale economic revival for the area.

Almost half the Atlantic City customer base hails from North Jersey or New York, according to the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority. Another 27% lives in Pennsylvania, but revenues have seriously slacked off in the Garden State in recent years as Keystone State residents began staying home to wager.

"With this newly integrated tourism campaign, there is finally a concerted effort to properly fund Atlantic City marketing initiatives to attract visitors to the region, a need that has gone unmet for far too long,” Christie says in a statement on Friday. “Through our continued collaboration and partnership with all stakeholders, we're beginning to see the Atlantic City of the future take hold."

The campaign was designed to complement the state Casino Reinvestment Development Authority's work to reposition the image of Atlantic City, and improve the tourist experience for everyone from singles to parents and older people. The city did earn a top-five ranking as an “Up and Coming Destination” from gaytravel.com, and online magazine for gay travelers, last summer.

"We are making Atlantic City a better destination every day and through this campaign are inviting visitors, investment and opportunity to be a part of the next chapter in Atlantic City history," says CRDA Executive Director John Palmieri.

Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo T. Langford called the new campaign "bold, edgy, vibrant and inviting."

"With travel options abounding in the Northeast, Atlantic City consistently faces competition when consumers are deciding where to travel," says Liza Cartmell, the ACA president in a statement. "We are confident that the advertisements and larger marketing campaign will encourage increased visitation and reinvigorate the local tourism industry."

A newly enhanced web site, www.DoAtlanticCity.com, also goes live today, featuring trip-planning tools that can be customized.