WATCH: Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino came tumbling down to a cheering crowd in Atlantic City
Trump Plaza #TrumpPlaza
People gathered on the streets of Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Wednesday morning for the long-awaited demolition of the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.
The 34-story building was once a hub of the rich and famous. The resort shuttered in 2014 and locals have been waiting for it to go away.
The once-luxe hotel opened in 1984, but has remained empty and in disrepair for more than six years, the Associated Press reported.
Two years after this resort closed, Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal hotel shuttered in 2016. That casino has since reopened as the Hard Rock casino, according to the AP.
His third Atlantic City casino, Trump Marina, was sold in 2011 and is now the Golden Nugget.
Originally when planning the demolition, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small wanted to auction off the ability to be the person to press the button and destroy the tower, with the proceeds going to The Boys & Girls Club.
The building’s owner, Carl Ichan, wasn’t onboard with the idea of an auction, but made his own donation of $175,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic City, the Press of Atlantic City reported.
“Some of Atlantic City’s iconic moments happened there, but on his way out, Donald Trump openly mocked Atlantic City, saying he made a lot of money and then got out,” Small told the AP in December. “I wanted to use the demolition of this place to raise money for charity.”
When the building finally exploded Wednesday morning, people gathered on the street cheered.
Read the original article on Insider