People watch as Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino is imploded in Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Just like his presidency, Donald Trump’s Atlantic City Plaza and Casino has come crashing down.On Wednesday morning, the building was demolished in a controlled explosion after it was scheduled to be destroyed last year. The structure in the iconic New Jersey shore town took just seconds to completely crumble, after which a cloud of smoke enveloped the surrounding area and drifted across the Atlantic City beach and boardwalk.
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Trump ended his ownership of the casino in 2009 after bankruptcy filings. The building itself has been closed since 2014. By then, it was the worst-performing casino in all of Atlantic City, according to NBC Philadelphia. Ownership of the building was taken over by billionaire Carl C. Icahn in 2016.
The demolition Wednesday was originally planned to be part of a charity event, raising money from people who wanted to be the one to press the “red button” on the demolition, and make Trump Plaza crumble, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Icahn, a donor to Trump, shut down the auction, citing safety issues and liability concerns.When it was still standing, the Atlantic City building hosted everything from Mike Tyson fights to an Ocean’s Eleven cameo.For the time being, a parking lot is planned to take its place until other developments are finalized.