The Taj Mahal Trump Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, was advertised as the eighth wonder of the world when it opened in 1990.
It was Donald Trump’s largest and most ambitious real estate venture to date.
In 1990, Charles Gibson of ABC News told Trump that “what really makes the Taj Mahal the most successful hotel anywhere in the world is the scale of everything, the opulence, and the people it brings.”
But, 26 years after Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal went off the lights at 5:59 a.M. On October, thousands of middle-class workers are leaving their jobs.
After successfully completing the Trump Tower in Manhattan in the 1980s, Trump turned his attention to Atlantic City.
Following the inability of Resorts International, the initial proprietor, to finish its construction, Trump acquired the Trump Taj Mahal. Trump successfully purchased three casinos located in Atlantic City, namely Trump Plaza, Trump Castle, and the Trump Taj Mahal.
Trump hosted a lavish opening celebration that appeared to be as extravagant as the casino itself. Michael Jackson was the distinguished guest.
During his television program, Leach mentioned that the casino earned $2 million on its inaugural day. The entire event was documented by Robin Leach, a renowned reporter who specializes in covering famous personalities.
As per Marvin Roffman, a financial expert in the gaming sector, it was not viable during that period, despite the impressive earnings in millions of dollars.
Roffman stated that Trump contacted him the day after purchasing the Trump Taj Mahal to seek his guidance.
“And those were the precise words,” Roffman informed ABC News’ “Nightline.” “This will be a colossal property,” he stated. “Marvin, you lack foresight,” was his reply. “One will devour the other,” why would you desire to possess three casinos?” I expressed.
The Wall Street Journal informed Roffman that the casino was opened a few weeks ago, stating, “When this establishment becomes operational, it will receive a significant amount of publicity, resulting in breaking numerous records in April, June, and July … However, once the chilly winds arrive from October to February, it will struggle. The demand simply does not exist in the market.”
Roffman claims that Trump instructed his employer to either terminate his employment or demand a public apology from Roffman. Trump was greatly disturbed by Roffman’s bleak forecast for Trump Taj Mahal, prompting him to contact Roffman’s superior, as stated by Roffman. According to Roffman, Trump was extremely displeased with Roffman’s pessimistic projection for the Trump Taj Mahal, leading him to communicate with Roffman’s employer.
Before the ABC News told Trump that he was out, he decided to go to a position where someone says and does something wrong in a conflict. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the Trump Taj Mahal was opened. The Trump Taj Mahal was opened before the
“Otherwise, sign the letter,” his boss instructed him and took back his previous statement to The Journal, stated Roffman.
“And it’s extremely, extremely grave,” stated Roffman. “And I pondered, ‘This entire matter seems suspicious.’ And the correspondence that I refrained from composing,” Roffman expressed. “He desired alterations to be made to that correspondence which would unquestionably contradict my – of what I anticipated was going to occur. And the very next day he contacted and expressed his desire for modifications to be made to that correspondence … And it was transmitted via fax to Donald Trump. Consequently, I affixed my signature to the letter.”
Roffman stated, “The correspondence was sent, and as a result, they terminated my employment immediately.” He further mentioned that he subsequently composed a fresh letter to Trump, revoking his superior’s rescinding correspondence.
Roffman said that Trump was really worried about how he had financed the Trump Taj Mahal with a loan that had an extremely high interest rate.
Roffman stated, “Such a quantity, no gambling establishment on the planet has ever achieved a comparable level of success. The Taj would need to generate nearly $1.3 million per day in order to reach the point of covering costs.”
The following year, another lawsuit was filed against Trump’s two other Atlantic City casinos, following the bankruptcy of the Taj Mahal. After a little over a year, Roffman’s prediction about the Taj Mahal turned out to be exactly right.
Afterwards, Roffman proceeded to file a lawsuit against his employer for unjust dismissal. A judge granted him a settlement of $750,000.
Roffman additionally initiated a legal action against Trump for tarnishing his standing. Trump settled the lawsuit extrajudicially without admitting any misconduct.
The construction project was initiated by the workers union, who inherited it from the previous team. Trump completed the construction on the project, as the International Resorts couldn’t finish the construction after buying the casino. Additionally, issues between Trump and the contractors of the hotel also emerged.
“Had I known that Trump was going to take over the job, I would have never imagined that I would be the one to get it done, as Martin Rosenberg told “Nightline.”
Trump failed to fulfill his part of the agreement, however, according to Rosenberg, he claimed that the Trump Taj Mahal project almost caused his entire company to go bankrupt. This company had been hired to supply glass, mirrors, and doors.
Rosenberg expressed, “And I didn’t receive compensation.” I mentioned at that moment, “We consistently perform well.” He assured me that we would receive payment if we performed well, on a personal level.
Trump stated that the Trump Taj Mahal played a role in the fulfillment of more than 100 contractors who failed to fulfill their financial responsibilities. He was not the only one facing such circumstances, as Rosenberg mentioned that Trump owed him a sum exceeding $1 million.
“The individual did not compensate us because he lacked the funds, in essence,” expressed Rosenberg.
Rosenberg said he and six other unpaid workers banded together on behalf of the entire group and forced a meeting with Trump.
Rosenberg stated, “‘We’re arriving together now.’ We cannot compensate me and neglect to compensate all others. After we gather, I have a duty and I will adhere to it. Alright. However, I want you to comprehend something.” He chuckled. I replied, “It’s quite straightforward. Provide me with a check for $1.2 million.’ He responds, ‘Well, how can I prevent this gathering?’ I replied, ‘We desire to be remunerated.’ I received a phone call from Mr. Trump’s private lawyer and he inquired of me, ‘What is this meeting regarding?'”
After multiple rounds of negotiations, Rosenberg stated that he and the rest of the contractors reached an agreement with Trump for an amount that was lower than what they were entitled to, leading to severe consequences.
“A couple of businesses went bankrupt. Some companies had to close down. We were able to survive because we were very busy in Atlantic City,” Rosenberg stated.
During the previous summer, Rosenberg recounted his encounters of being employed by Trump at a Hillary Clinton campaign gathering in Atlantic City.
In 2009, Trump divested his stake in the Trump Taj Mahal. In 2014, his associate and advocate Carl Icahn eventually assumed control of it.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign stated in an emailed statement to “Nightline” that Mr. Trump has not been engaged for numerous years and has been widely acknowledged for his well-timed actions regarding the closure of the Trump Taj Mahal.
Charles Baker, who began working at the Taj Mahal Trump 26 years ago, said that clashes with the union over things like paid lunch breaks and health benefits occurred at Icahn.
The Icahn-led closure of the casino led to a strike by certain employees of Trump Taj Mahal this summer, after the union’s negotiations with Icahn proved unsuccessful.
Baker expressed during the strike, “The company I have been employed by, you have deprived me of all possessions. I possess no further contributions to offer. We are unable to provide any more restitution.”
I am extremely grateful to all of the employees, almost 3,000, who stayed loyal to us during this trying period, especially those who worked hard for us. After rejecting a workable path forward that would not require additional funding and would not result in over $100 million in losses and investments in the next year, it simply became impossible to find a solution. Today is a sad day for Atlantic City, as we were unable to save the Taj Mahal despite our best efforts, which included losing almost $350 million in just a few short years.