Trump Plaza KO'd

Discussion about gambling in Atlantic City
TripleTriple
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Trump Plaza KO'd

Post by TripleTriple »

The 39 story plaza was imploded at 9:05 this morning. Tyson knocked out Spinks there in 91 seconds, only slightly longer than it took the tower to hit the ground. Never stayed over, but the last time I was there I remember the low roller two dollar table pit they had. It was like being at Binion's playing roulette with 0.25 chips. Only much sketchier. Managed to save a $1 chip for a memento. RIP.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

Those fights were held at The Boardwalk Convention Center, although they were advertised as being next door at Trump Plaza. Some great boxing matches and even a Wrestlemania.
I thought it was the hottest casino in AC mid-90s but it went down quickly, especially after the World's Fair annex shut down.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

Anyone remember the giant mural Peter Max and his minions created on the site of the Worlds Fair?
The one that promised that Donald J Trump was going to build the worlds greatest casino on this spot?

notes1
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Post by notes1 »

there was a discussion of 'what happened to AC' years ago, on this forum. i started going to AC, via casino charters back about 2005-06. went for a number of years, took the wife(who did not gamble), free plane for both, free food, free room, free play, lose $500-700. it was a great deal for a 2 nite get away. but, i never could get over how filthy and unsafe i felt in much of the area. and, of course, after the housing bubble popped, the markets fell, it was all downhill for AC. i stopped after a couple more years.

but, if i recall correctly, when AC was established as a casino destination, the casinos were required to put a percentage of dollars in a fund, to improve the surroundings of the city. millions went into that fund. but, few of those dollars were spent for improving the areas around the casinos. no, the pols spent the money on increasing police/teacher/gov't workers wages and benefits. turned out these gov't employees were paid a handsome sum. when the downturn after 2008-09 came, city revenues dropped and the city could no longer afford to pay these overpaid workers, what they were getting.

i don't remember, but the city may have declared bankruptcy. in the end, the monies the casinos paid by law, to be set aside for improving AC were largely wasted. when the indians opened casinos all over the place, AC looked like a dump and the economy went bad, that was pretty much the end.

wasteful government spending, likely to get gov't union votes, was as much a reason AC's demise as anything. just look at vegas, they went through bad times also, but the place felt safe and clean. big difference.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

The casinos paid for the new convention center, the new shopping district, renovated the city's only hospital, paid for a new high school and built hundreds, if not thousands of new homes on the bay side of the city.
While the city still has some slums, they aren't located near the casinos and to say you were afraid to walk around the casinos is a personal indictment, not on the city.
I can't think of any spot in AC that comes close to the drugs, crimes and overall infestation that is North Las Vegas or the area just north of Downtown.

notes1
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Post by notes1 »

i am glad the casinos made a contribution to the city in general. that is the benefit of have a thriving gaming business and little competition, at the time. and, of course that contribution also included the trump casinos.

but, the 'casino paid for fund' i am speaking about was not intended for schools, those funds should have come from regular taxes,including property taxes. these funds were supposed to be directed to improving the area around the casinos, to make them feel safer and eye appealing to tourists. remember, those tourists were the life blood of AC. instead the area across from the casinos was an eyesore and definitely not appealing. little of the casino dollars were spent on any improvements. instead, politicians, took those dollars and spent them elsewhere. wasted!

end result, AC looked old, unsafe and not friendly. add in a bad national economy in 2008-2013, competition when dozens of new indian casinos opened all over the country and people took their money elsewhere. now, you can dispute this, and call me a bigot for indicting the city, but millions felt the same way, and the proof in in the end result. while AC suffered badly, vegas was able to survive and thrive, because they recognized they needed an attractive/safe place or visitors would not come.

i have been to vegas a number of times, and i do not recall any area around the strip casinos that looks anything like the area directly across from AC casinos.

call it 'white privilege', people have aright to spend their time and money, where they want. and, it ain't AC. but, you go right ahead and defend another failed DEM run location. it doesn't change the facts or the outcome.

Tedlark
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Post by Tedlark »

billryan wrote:
Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:32 am
I can't think of any spot in AC that comes close to the drugs, crimes and overall infestation that is North Las Vegas or the area just north of Downtown.
I gotta agree with BR on this point. Now if he had said any spot in New Jersey my first candidate would be Newark.

notes1
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Post by notes1 »

Tedlark wrote:
Thu Feb 18, 2021 3:33 pm
billryan wrote:
Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:32 am
I can't think of any spot in AC that comes close to the drugs, crimes and overall infestation that is North Las Vegas or the area just north of Downtown.
I gotta agree with BR on this point. Now if he had said any spot in New Jersey my first candidate would be Newark.
you may both be correct. i just know in all my trips i never went north of stratosphere, other than downtown. and, would never walk that route.

billryan
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Post by billryan »

Camden, Newark, Patterson.

notes1
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Post by notes1 »

billryan wrote:
Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:42 pm
Camden, Newark, Patterson.
not sure what you are trying to accomplish, but if it is to compile a list of high crime, undesirable places to live in dem run NJ, you have done it.

but, AC was supposed to be a gambling city, that would be friendly/safe/desirable to tourists. and, as a tourist, who has been to both vegas and AC, i would take vegas, without a doubt. one can safely walk the strip, try walking across the street from the AC casinos. just check the crime rates in both cities.

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