Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hospitality, Gambling |
| Predecessor | Harrah's Boardwalk (initial name) |
| Founded | May 14, 1984 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States |
| Founder | Donald Trump |
| Defunct | September 16, 2014 |
| Fate | Closed and demolished |
| Headquarters | Atlantic City , United States |
Area served | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
Key people | Donald Trump (owner) |
| Products | Hotel rooms, casino gaming, dining, entertainment |
| Owner | Trump Entertainment Resorts (formerly The Trump Organization) |
Number of employees | 1,000 (at closure) (2014) |
| Parent | Trump Entertainment Resorts |
Trump Plaza was a hotel and casino situated on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in New Jersey, under the ownership of Trump Entertainment Resorts. The establishment, designed by architect Alan Lapidus, was operational from May 14, 1984, until its closure on September 16, 2014.
Initial Phase
Construction commenced in June 1982 by The Trump Organization, controlled by Donald Trump. Shortly thereafter, Harrah's, the gaming division of Holiday Inn, became a joint partner. While Trump managed the building process, Harrah's handled the property's operations, which initially bore the name Harrah's Boardwalk.
The venue officially opened as Harrah's at Trump Plaza on May 14, 1984. It offered 614 guest rooms, seven dining establishments, a fitness center, a showroom seating 750 guests, and a casino located on a narrow plot adjacent to Caesars Atlantic City. Within five months, the name was changed to Trump Plaza to distinguish it from Harrah's Marina and to highlight its premium market positioning featuring 85 suites for high-stakes gamblers. Nonetheless, the casino struggled financially, posting pre-tax earnings of only $144,000 in the first half of 1985. Conflicts between Trump and Harrah's culminated in Trump purchasing Harrah's stake for $70 million in May 1986.
In 1989, Trump expanded by acquiring the neighboring incomplete Penthouse Boardwalk Hotel and Casino for $62 million, which included a former Holiday Inn tower and its parking area. This site became the East Tower extension of Trump Plaza. Additionally, Trump bought the bankrupt Atlantis Casino Hotel for $63 million and rebranded it as the Trump Regency hotel annex.
Trump Plaza was notable for hosting significant events such as WrestleMania IV and WrestleMania V in 1988 and 1989 respectively as a sponsor; both events were held at Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall. Between 1985 and 1998, it also served as a venue for 19 professional boxing matches.
In May 1990, Japanese gambler Akio Kashiwagi incurred losses amounting to $10 million playing baccarat at Trump Plaza—an episode later dramatized in Martin Scorsese's film Casino.
Period of Decline
In 1990, revenues at Trump Plaza plummeted largely due to competition from its nearby sibling property, the Trump Taj Mahal. The casino narrowly avoided defaulting on a bond payment in 1991 by securing a $25 million mortgage against its parking facility. Following this financial strain, Trump arranged a debt restructuring with creditors that converted $250 million of debt into $200 million of lower-interest bonds plus $100 million in preferred stock. This restructuring was submitted as a prepackaged bankruptcy in March 1992.
Starting in 1993, the Atlantic City casino development authority initiated property condemnations aimed at expanding Trump Plaza. A prominent legal dispute arose over Sabatini's restaurant, which ultimately was exempted from condemnation; Trump acquired it later around 2005 for roughly $2 million. That same year marked the beginning of a $42-million expansion project involving demolition of the incomplete Penthouse casino structure, adding an additional 30,000 square feet of gaming floor space and converting the former Holiday Inn into the East Tower with 361 rooms. This expansion faced significant opposition through an eminent domain lawsuit filed by homeowner Vera Coking who successfully prevented Trump's attempt to acquire her residence.
In 1995, ownership of Trump Plaza was transferred to Trump's newly public entity Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts (later renamed Trump Entertainment Resorts), which also took control of the Trump Regency hotel. The East Tower was opened in stages from October 1995 through February 1996. Further growth continued with the May 1996 debut of Trump World's Fair—a $48-million renovation and casino addition to the Trump Regency—connected to Trump Plaza via a loggia spanning Atlantic City Convention Hall.
The facility served as host for UFC 50 in 2004.
On May 24, 2011, Trump Entertainment Resorts revealed intentions either to sell or renovate and enlarge Trump Plaza possibly through a joint venture partner. In February 2013, plans were announced to sell the property for $20 million to Meruelo Group from California—the owners of the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno—who intended substantial investment and rebranding efforts. However, this transaction collapsed after senior lender Carl Icahn declined approval at that price point.
Closure
On July 12, 2014, it was declared that Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino would cease operations on September 16, 2014, if no purchaser was found, impacting around 1,000 staff members. In August 2014, Donald Trump initiated legal action to have his name removed from the property, citing deterioration that breached the terms of the licensing agreement.
Trump Plaza officially shut down on September 16, 2014. It became the fourth casino in Atlantic City to close that year, following the Atlantic Club, Showboat, and Revel, which collectively led to approximately 1,300 job losses.
Demolition
The demolition was initially planned for spring 2018, with the exception of the East Tower and parking structure. However, disagreements over funding postponed the demolition until at least fall 2018. Another deadline passed without advancement in December 2018. Later that year, investor Carl Icahn obtained the land deed and ended the lease agreement that had previously deterred potential buyers.
In June 2020, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. revealed Icahn’s intention to implode the hotel towers due to safety hazards posed by falling debris. The majority of Trump Plaza was demolished on January 29, 2021. The city had arranged an auction allowing a donor to initiate the demolition explosives with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City; however, this event was canceled following objections from Icahn's company. The controlled implosion conducted on February 17, 2021, symbolized the conclusion of a significant chapter in Atlantic City’s casino history, marking it as the second hotel-casino in the city to be demolished via implosion after the Sands Hotel and Casino in 2007.
Hotel
Trump Plaza offered 906 guest rooms in five different categories designed to accommodate a variety of preferences. Facilities included an indoor swimming pool, spa services, a salon, and a fitness center.
Rooms and suites
- Deluxe room: Standard accommodations featuring either two queen beds or one king bed.
- Ocean View suite: Deluxe room with views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
- Executive suite: Two-bedroom suite complete with living area and kitchen.
- Contemporary suite: Three-bedroom suite including living space and kitchen.
- Penthouse suite: Luxurious five-bedroom suite adorned with marble and gold details, featuring two living rooms, a kitchen, a deck with pool area, and a Donald Trump statue located in the foyer.
Casino
The casino spanned 91,181 square feet of gaming floor space and provided a variety of games including slot machines, video poker, blackjack, poker tables, craps, roulette, baccarat, among other traditional casino offerings.
Dining
Trump Plaza contained numerous dining options:
Fine dining
- Max's Steakhouse
- Roberto's Ristorante
Casual dining
- 24 Central Cafe
- China Cafe
- Evo
- Liquid Bar
- Rainforest Cafe
- Sarah's Cookies
- Buffet (various names)
- Room Service
Quick service
- Häagen-Dazs
- Nathan's Famous
- Sbarro
- Starbucks Coffee
- Auntie Anne's
Bars and nightclubs
The complex featured the Liquid Bar and Jezebel's nightclub, along with a seasonal establishment known as The Beach Bar at Trump Plaza.
Shopping
Guests at Trump Plaza had access to a variety of retail stores catering to diverse shopping preferences.
Events
Sports
Regularly, the casino hosted boxing and mixed martial arts competitions, including the prominent televised fight between professional boxers Mike Tyson and José Ribalta on August 17, 1986.