Trump Plaza Demolished: Atlantic City Levels Former Casino

In the midst of presidential election drama, the demolition of a casino on the East Coast might not dominate headlines, but this week, Donald Trump's former flagship Atlantic City casino, Trump Plaza, was reduced to rubble.

Atlantic City is home to some of the world's best casinos, with gambling houses such as the Borgata ever-popular with poker players and gamblers alike. Trump Plaza was one of several casino properties that did not flourish under the former U.S. President's care. On Wednesday, a controlled demolition leveled the building, leaving only a ground-floor property.

A Troubled History

Trump Plaza had an interesting history in Atlantic City. Opened in 1984, it operated for only 30 years before closing in 2014. The casino gained a reputation as one of the worst, if not the worst, in Atlantic City. In 2016, the year Trump took office, the property was sold to billionaire Carl Icahn after the company went bankrupt. Trump Plaza was one of several Trump Resorts businesses sold to Icahn, including the former Taj Mahal, which was later renovated into a Hard Rock Casino that still operates today and performs better than it did pre-2016.

Demolition and Charity

The demolition itself didn't go entirely as planned. Originally, the rights to the controlled implosion were to be auctioned off for charity, but due to COVID-19, that idea was scrapped. Instead, the Trump Plaza was razed meekly in midweek, and Icahn will donate $175,000 to the Boys & Girls Club charity.

Watch the Implosion

For those who want to see the Trump Plaza go all the way down to its bare materials, the implosion was captured on video. Trump fans and general skyline fanatics, look away now.

(Note: The original article included an embedded YouTube video of the implosion, which is not reproduced here.)