int

Trump Taj Mahal Casino

Casino Trump Taj Mahal

One of the two casinos owned by the holding company Trump Entertainment Resorts, founded by Donald Trump, is the world-famous hotel and casino, Trump Taj Mahal. Some time ago, the owners announced that they were going to sell the second set of Trump Plaza. As a result, in 2013, the Trump Taj Mahal is likely to remain the only casino holding.

Trump Taj Mahal Description

The Posh mall, situated near the Trump Taj Mahal, is located on the oceanfront in Atlantic City, NJ. It is usually referred to as Trump Taj or simply The Taj. Currently, it is the second-largest casino in the city, which costs nearly $1 billion.

The Trump Taj Mahal has a shape similar to that of the Indian mausoleum, the Taj Mahal, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered one of the world's finest architectural masterpieces.

Hotel lobby Trump Taj Mahal

The Trump Taj Mahal hotel consists of fifty-one floors. Most of the hotel rooms offer an ocean view. It has a massive casino complex with several dazzling restaurants and cafes (Il Mulino New York, Robert's Steakhouse, Dynasty, Moon at Dynasty, Fralinger's, Panda Express, White House Sub Shop, Trattoria Il Mulino, Sultan's Feast, The Rim Noodle Bar, Hard Rock Caf? and many others).

The complex consistently hosts an extensive entertainment program featuring numerous shows and guest stars. The schedule of performances is available on the official website of the Trump Taj Mahal.

On the Nn campus, there are also numerous boutiques, conference rooms, beauty salons, and SPA procedures.

Trump Taj Mahal VIP

Trump Taj Mahal History

The history of the Casino and Hotel Trump Taj Mahal started in this business with a war between Donald Trump and Merv Griffin. Construction of the second Resorts Taj Mahal Casino began, but the project encountered difficulties with financing. Trump immediately responded with an offer to buy an unfinished building, but Griffin flatly refused to sell it.

This red tape has endured for a very long time and has taken various forms. In the end, they managed to reach an agreement, and he became the owner of the unfinished Trump Taj Mahal.

Trump had the money, so there were no more problems. In 1990, the official opening of the Trump Taj Mahal took place. The central star of the festival was Michael Jackson. Over the next thirteen years, Trump Taj Mahal was the largest and most popular local casino until 2003, when Borgata casinos were opened.

In 2008, an additional building was constructed, featuring more than 2,000 hotel rooms. It was called The Chairman Tower. The average cost of living there is by ten thousand dollars more expensive than in the main building of Trump Taj Mahal.

After years of financial struggles, multiple bankruptcies, and a prolonged strike by unionized workers, the casino ultimately closed on October 10, 2016, marking an end to its 26-year operational history.

Casino gaming hall Trump Taj Mahal

Trump Taj Mahal Casino

Impressive Casino Trump Taj Mahal complex offers visitors more than two and a half thousand slot machines and about two hundred tables for card and board games, including baccarat, craps, Caribbean Stud Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Roulette, Sic Bo, Let It Ride, Three Card poker, Texas Hold'em casino, Spanish 21, blackjack and some other gambling entertainment.

For High Rollers, there are separate rooms with tables where you can play with really high bets.

At Trump Taj Mahal, there is a cool poker club. At any time of the day, you can take part in the game on the casino floor. There are daily tournaments with different rules and prize pools.

Keno lovers at the Trump Taj Mahal have the opportunity to try their luck in their favorite game.

The Trump Taj Mahal Casino has a system of credits that allows most of its clients to borrow money without unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy.

A girl in a pink mini dress takes a loan to play at the casino Trump Taj Mahal

Final Days

The final years of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino were characterized by significant financial distress, a decline in its physical condition, and escalating labor disputes that ultimately led to its closure. After emerging from its fourth bankruptcy in early 2015, the casino was acquired by billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who initially pledged to invest $100 million in the property to revitalize it. However, the casino continued to hemorrhage money, reportedly losing millions each month.

The ongoing financial struggles led to a contentious relationship with its employees, particularly those represented by Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union. In October 2014, during a previous bankruptcy proceeding, a judge approved the termination of health insurance and pension benefits for the Taj Mahal's unionized workers. This decision fueled deep resentment and ongoing protests.

Despite Icahn's ownership, the casino's decline was evident. Workers reported that the property had deteriorated, with a lack of investment in maintenance and amenities. The union continuously pressed for the restoration of their benefits, arguing that the casino could not thrive without a stable and fairly compensated workforce.

The situation came to a head on July 1, 2016, when approximately 1,000 union members, including cooks, housekeepers, bellmen, and servers, went on strike. They demanded the return of their health care and pension benefits, which they claimed were essential for their livelihoods. This strike, occurring during the busy summer season, severely impacted the casino's operations and amplified its financial woes.

Throughout the summer, negotiations between the union and Icahn's management failed to yield a resolution. Icahn maintained that restoring the benefits would make the casino unprofitable, especially given the increased competition from casinos in neighboring states and the overall economic challenges facing Atlantic City. He stated that he had already lost around $350 million on his investment in the Taj Mahal.

With no end to the strike in sight and continued heavy losses, Carl Icahn announced in August 2016 his decision to close the Trump Taj Mahal Casino. He cited the ongoing strike and the lack of a clear path to profitability as the primary reasons. The closure, which officially occurred on October 10, 2016, resulted in nearly 3,000 job losses and marked the end of the grand casino's 26-year history as an Atlantic City landmark.


Interesting Facts about Trump Taj Mahal

Finally, some interesting facts about the hotel and casino, Trump Taj Mahal:

  • In May 1990, Akio Kashiwagi lost $10 million at the Trump Taj Mahal in a game of baccarat. He became the prototype of one of the secondary characters in the film Casino by Martin Scorsese.
  • The Trump Taj Mahal's poker room was also featured in the movie Rounders, starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton.
  • Some scenes of Indian Ab Ab Laut Chalen were also filmed at Trump Taj Mahal.
  • Philip Kirkorov and Alla Pugacheva visited the Trump Taj Mahal. Hosted fights featured stars of boxing and mixed martial arts (Wladimir Klitschko, Oleg Maskaev, Nikolai Valuev, and others).
  • In May 2009, the casino manager of Trump Taj Mahal was killed by one of the clients, suspected of fraud. Now the killer is serving a 30-year sentence in a prison in New Jersey. A small park was created in honor of the manager.

If you, readers of Casinoz, are in Atlantic City, do not deny yourself the pleasure of visiting the hotel casino Trump Taj Mahal. You will have a lasting impression for a long time.

Frequently asked Questions

🛕 What was the Trump Taj Mahal Casino?

The Trump Taj Mahal Casino was a grand casino resort located on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. It was famously inaugurated by Donald Trump in 1990 and was built at a cost of nearly one billion dollars, with Trump himself proclaiming it "the eighth wonder of the world." The casino was known for its distinctive architecture, mimicking the iconic Indian historic site with soaring domes, minarets, and towers. It featured extensive gaming floors, various restaurants, and aimed to be a major entertainment destination.

💲 Why did the Trump Taj Mahal Casino close?

The closure of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino was a result of a combination of factors, primarily mounting financial losses and a protracted strike by Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union. The casino had been losing millions of dollars each month, and its owner at the time, billionaire investor Carl Icahn, stated that he had lost nearly $350 million on the property. The union strike, which began on July 1, 2016, centered on the restoration of health insurance and pension benefits that had been terminated in bankruptcy court two years prior. Despite negotiations, no agreement could be reached, and Icahn determined there was no path to profitability under those conditions, leading to the decision to close the casino.

🏩 What happened to the Trump Taj Mahal Casino building after it closed?

After its closure in October 2016, the Trump Taj Mahal building remained vacant for a period. In March 2017, Hard Rock International announced its purchase of the property. Following extensive renovations and rebranding, the former Trump Taj Mahal reopened on June 27, 2018, as the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, giving the iconic structure a new life and purpose.

🍊 Did Donald Trump still own the Trump Taj Mahal Casino when it closed?

No, Donald Trump did not own the Trump Taj Mahal Casino when it closed in 2016. While he was its original developer and owner, his ownership stake in the casino company, Trump Entertainment Resorts, diminished over time due to multiple bankruptcies. He had largely cut ties with the company by 2009, and his remaining 10% stake, which he held in return for the use of his name, was wiped out in a bankruptcy proceeding when Carl Icahn acquired the company in March 2016. Therefore, at the time of its closure, the casino was owned by Carl Icahn.

Denis Anipchenko
Denis Anipchenko
Editor-in-chief and online gambling expert

Denis is a true professional with many years of experience in the gambling industry. His career started back in the late nineties when he worked as a croupier, pit boss, manager and casino manager. This unique experience allowed him to deeply understand the world of gambling from the inside. Since the late noughties Denis has dedicated himself to writing articles and analyses about gambling, and since the early tens he has become a key figure in the Casinoz team. Here he not only writes and edits content, but also creates reviews, shares his expertise and helps readers understand the intricacies of gambling. Denis combines practical experience and in-depth knowledge, making him one of the most respected experts in the industry. His writings are always up-to-date, proven and useful information for anyone interested in the casino world.

An expert in:
  • casino operations
  • management
  • gambling analytics
  • RTP
  • volatility
  • regulation
  • trends
  • reviews
  • editorial
  • expertise
Facts checked Alex Vasilev Scientific editor and fact checker
Write a comment
Typed 0 synbols, min 50, max 2000
Rate
You rated
0/10