Atlantic City mayor wants to demolish Trump Plaza

The mayor of Atlantic City has said he will tear down the shuttered Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino as one of his administration’s main goals for 2020.

Casino News Daily reports that mayor Marty Small delivered his unofficial State of the City address during the annual winter luncheon of the Metropolitan Business and Citizens Association, which took place at Caesars Atlantic City last Thursday.

Trump Plaza was once owned by US President Donald Trump.

The property closed doors in September, 2014.

By that time, Mr Trump had cut ties with Atlantic City and had left its casino industry.

In October 2014, he filed a lawsuit against the property’s then owners to have his name removed from the vacant building.

His business eventually kept a small stake in the property in return for the use of his name, but that one has since been extinguished.

Trump Plaza is currently owned by New York billionaire business Carl Icahn.

The former hotel and casino complex was considered for demolition for nearly three years, but the process has been delayed.

Mayor Small said this week that his administration’s goal is to “tear Trump Plaza down” and that the vacant property’s demolition being delayed for years would “not be accepted in any other city but Atlantic City.”

The official went on that this was an “embarrassment, it’s a blight on our skyline, and that’s the biggest eyesore in town.”

It was spring 2017 when it first emerged that Trump Plaza would be razed to create room for new development on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

The property was planned to be imploded in the autumn of 2018.

At the time, Mr Icahn approached the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority with a request to be granted $5.6 million from the Garden State’s alternative investment tax to partially cover demolition costs.

Proceeds from the tax are usually contributed to non-gaming expansion projects and improvements across the state.

At the time, money generated from the tax was directed towards cash-strapped Atlantic City, which had just witnessed the closure of five of its casino in two and a half years.

The New Jersey redevelopment agency eventually bowed to the businessman and issued an initial approval to be delivered the requested payment.

Trump Plaza’s planned demolition was postponed further because Atlantic City was entering its most tourism-heavy months.

In addition, local news outlets reported that Mr Icahn was yet to receive the necessary permit for the demolition of the 39-story building.

The other properties that previously operated under the Trump brand now operate under new brands and are managed by new owners.

The former Trump Marina now operates as Golden Nugget and is owned by Texas businessman Tilman Fertitta, while the former Trump Taj Mahal was recently renovated and renamed Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City.

MGM details new poker offerings

MGM Resorts International has shared news of its first ever MGM Resorts East Coast Poker Tour, taking place in Atlantic City’s MGM National Harbor, MGM Springfield and Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa.

Inkedin reported in December that the co-branded tournament series run throughout 2020, kicking off with the Potomac Winter Poker Open at MGM National Harbor on February 5 to 17 and concluding with the $2 million guaranteed championship at Borgata’s Fall Poker Open on November 15 to 20.

“MGM Resorts offers players the best poker product on the East Coast,” MGM’s portfolio president Jorge Perez said.

“Our East Coast Poker Tour is a great way for us to showcase three of our industry leading properties while creating an exciting tournament series for our guests and poker enthusiasts,” Perez said.

Five co-branded events and a co-branded championship will feature on the tour.

Events include one at MGM Springfield (The Armory Classic), two at MGM National Harbor (Potomatic Poker Opens) and three at Borgata (Spring Poker Open, Summer Poker Open and Fall Poker Open Championship), including the Championship.

Between February 5, 2020 and August 24, 2020, players will qualify for the MGM Resorts ECPT leaderboard by participating in one of the five tournaments prior to the championship.