Article: NJ Town Changes Name To Alcoholic Drink In Promotion

[ragingfish]

Only in Jersey! Quote, originally posted by Asbury Park Press »Town changes name to alcoholic drink in $5,000 promotion TRENTON (AP) -- Here's a new Bacardi recipe: Take a small New Jersey community, add $5,000, and for half a month, you've got a locality named after a cocktail. For the first half of May, the small, rural community of Richland will be called "Mojito," named for a drink made of rum, mint leaves, lime, sugar and club soda. Richland is a section of Buena Vista Township, near Atlantic City. The Beuna Vista Township Township Committee voted 5-0 on April 26 to authorize the new name after Bacardi offered to give the township $5,000 for recreation projects such as new playground equipment in public parks. A road sign along Route 40 promoting mojitos already has been raised. And Bacardi plans to use images from Richland in advertising promotions. Buena Vista Mayor Chuck Chiarello sees the renaming as a way to support the local economy, which is heavily based on agriculture. Dalponte Farms in Richland is the main supplier of mint for Bacardi. "We have a very large farming community here, and we thought this would support it," Chiarello said. Township Administrator Ron Trebing also thinks the promotion is a good deal. "It'll improve recreation in the area," Trebing said. "Anything helps out." A traditional Cuban drink first mixed by English pirates, mojitos have enjoyed new popularity in recent years. The drinks were requested on the HBO television series "(removed) and the City" and were mentioned in the movie "Bad Boys II." With a large amount of mint used in mojitos coming from Richland, New York-based Baddish Group, which runs Bacardi's marketing, decided getting the community renamed would make a great promotion. The idea was broached with Dalponte Farms and Buena Vista officials. Chiarello says area residents, clergy and the local Drug Alliance Commission were all consulted, and there was little worry about promoting an alcoholic drink. "No one is against alcohol," Chiarello said. "People are against alcohol being misused, especially by people under age." © Copyright 2004 The Associated Press

[redlava]

Kind of disturbing what some places and people will do for some extra scratch. I have heard of people changing their names and getting tattoos for money from companys, but this is the first time I have heard of a city doing that. At least it is only for a few weeks and not for good.

[joatmon]

Mojito NJ. Yes, I have heard that there is a large population in jersey with Cuban/English Pirate ancestry