Demolition began this week on the former Trump Plaza Casino in Atlantic City with final implosion scheduled for early next year. The building, now owned by billionaire Carl Icahn, is being gutted and parts of the structure are being removed in preparation of the bringing down the structure in January.

Icahn has not indicated what he plans to do with the property that sits in the middle of Atlantic City’s famed boardwalk. The Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino opened in May of 1984 and closed for good, under different ownership, in 2014. At one time, the president owned two other casinos, the Trump Taj Mahal, which is now the Hard Rock, and the Trump Marina, which is now the Golden Nugget.

The hotel/casino was not in good shape when it closed; according to the Press of Atlantic City, “the casino sported stained carpet, squeaky revolving doors, and failing room service.” The building has been an eyesore for years. NBC 10 Philadelphia goes into more detail in regards to the condition, saying “The Plaza's deterioration has led to several calls to the fire department to clear debris. Officials told the AP that debris has fallen from as high as the 34th floor. Earlier this year, large pieces of the facade crumbled and presented a danger to pedestrians, the fire department said.”

The implosion is scheduled for January 29th, 2021 with the cleanup of the debris completed by June, although Atlantic City mayor Marty Smalls said at a press conference that he hoped the work could be done by Memorial Day.

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The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.

Travel back in time to a colorized Atlantic City circa 1919

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