Former Casino of Donald Trump Demolished in Atlantic City

Jane ShawBy Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 03/17/2021
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Atlantic City Trump Plaza Leveled to The Ground Casino Demolished

Over recent weeks, people across the United States have had to get used to Donald Trump no longer being their president. Well, now the residents of Atlantic City will have to get used to one of the former landmark casinos of the former president no longer being there.

The Trump Plaza casino had fallen into a state of severe disrepair, and it was recently reduced to nothing more than a pile of rubble. The demolition saw a piece of the area’s history being wiped out. This was a place that was popular for partying stars and was once an important part of the former president’s portfolio.

Gone in 20 Seconds

According to officials, the iconic casino took no more than 20 seconds to collapse – a sad sight given the success of the place in its heyday. While it was built by Trump, the building had been purchased by Carl Icahn, an American billionaire and businessman. He purchased two of the Trump casinos during bankruptcy proceedings in 2016.

A former events manager at the casino, Bernie Dillon, said:

The way we put Trump Plaza and the city of Atlantic City on the map for the whole world was really incredible. Everyone from Hulk Hogan to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was a whole gamut of personalities.

Dillon also added that many other celebrities would visit the casino including the likes of Madonna and her then-husband, Sean Penn. Barbara Streisand, Muhammad Ali, and Oprah Winfrey were among the other guests that used to come to the casino.

One of the Area’s Most Successful Casinos

Many were saddened to see the casino go, with a lot of people mentioning the special memories they had of the property.

Some believe that it helped to put Atlantic City on the map, as it was the place to go for celebrities and a great venue for major events. There was a period where it was known as the most successful casino in Atlantic City.

The Trump Plaza opened its doors in the mid-1980s at a time when Donald Trump was firmly involved in property development rather than politics.

However, things started to go downhill in the early 1990s, after Trump opened up another property in the area, the Trump Taj Mahal. Most of the money and resources were then put into the newer hotel, which saw the decline of the Trump Plaza.

The casino closed in 2014 along with another three Atlantic City casinos. According to reports, the closures were due to the casino market being too crowded in New Jersey. It had become the most unsuccessful casino in Atlantic City by the time it closed, which was a far cry from its stint as the most successful in the area.

While many will be sad that the iconic casino is no longer part of the Atlantic City landscape, there is one benefit, as its demolition means that further development can take place in what is a prime area of the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk.

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