The Trump Taj Mahal remains one of Atlantic City’s most appealing casino resorts, in spite of being rescued from near doom recently. The casino market in the city has seen better times, and not long ago was the only gambling option in the country east of Las Vegas, and its close proximity to the huge population database of the U.S. Northeast made it a tempting and popular option indeed.

Editor’s Note: Trump Taj Mahal has permanently closed its doors. Read these news stories for more details:

Atlantic City itself has seen several booms and busts over the years, so this is nothing new, and even as far back as the city’s early days as a resort town in the 19th century, where many would visit by train. The coming of the automobile changed things, and later, the coming of air travel did the same, but they have always managed to adapt.

1. After the second presidential debate, the Atlantic City casino Donald opened 21 years ago, Trump Taj Mahal, is officially shutting. The casino officially closed Monday.
2. Jul 22, 2018 We visited Atlantic City for a 1 day trip. We visited Taj Casino and Hotel, didn't stay there so I cannot comment on the hotel rooms but the Casino was pretty much comparable to the Vegas casinos.

The Taj Mahal Casino Resort is located directly on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. The property boosts 2,010 deluxe rooms and suites.

The new challenge is the fact that they don’t have a monopoly on casino gambling in this part of the country anymore, and now they have to get better to stay competitive and keep attracting enough people, and part of this was to get leaner, which saw several casinos here close down.

The Trump Taj Mahal was nearly one of them, until they were rescued by billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who ended up buying the company and currently owns it. It is now operated under by Tropicana Entartainment, which Icahn owns as well, although they have kept the Trump name.

The Trump Taj Mahal was originally going to be called Resorts Taj Mahal, and during its construction, Donald Trump and Merv Griffin both sought to take over the Resorts International company. In the end, a bargain was struck, where Griffin got the company but Trump was given the Taj property, and it became renamed and completed.

The Taj Mahal became the highest grossing casino in Atlantic City, a title they held until the Borgata was built, which is the new champion. The Taj cost a billion dollars to build though and the debt that this created weighed heavily upon Trump Enterprises, which relied on junk bonds to finance it and went bankrupt several times over the years.

Trump, who at one time owned 3 casinos in the city, the maximum allowed, is now out of the Atlantic City casino business, having sold off Trump Marina and seeing Trump Plaza close. The Taj Mahal is the only remaining one open bearing his name, but he no longer has any connections to the business.

Their business struggles aside, this is certainly an impressive property, and if anything, they spent too much money building this place, building too impressive of a resort in other words, and although the Borgata also cost a billion to build, the Taj’s billion was in 1990 dollars, not 2003 ones.

The Amenities at the Trump Taj Mahal

The theme here is of course the Taj Mahal in India, and the entrance certainly is designed to make you feel as you are entering this wonder of the world. Like the builders of the original Taj, they did dream big with this one as well, and perhaps a little too big, but guests don’t complain.

There are over 2,000 rooms here now since the completion of the Chairman Tower in 2008. Depending on when you are booking, rates for their standard rooms range from $79 all the way up to over $300, with weekend bookings costing significantly more generally.

This is one of the things that this hotel has struggled with, as there are resorts in town which have been much less expensive to build that offer better room rates, but the quality of the rooms at the Taj Mahal make it well worth the extra money on a lot of nights anyway.

The rooms are luxuriously decorated and include such features as marble bathrooms, Simmons Health Smart beds, in room refrigerator, safe, iron and ironing board, hair dryers, state of the art televisions, and great views.

Those willing to spend more can book one of their impressive suites, right on up to the Alexander Suite, a 3,500 square foot palace away from home.

There are 19 dining options here, with a wide variety of both upscale and casual dining restaurants. The lineup is headlined by Il Mulino New York, the number one Italian restaurant in New York for over two decades. Robert’s Steakhouse is the only restaurant in Atlantic City to dry age their beef in house.

Sultan’s Feast, their popular buffet, is now back, and there’s also an Asian restaurant, a sushi bar, another Italian restaurant, a candy shop, a Panda Express, a sub shop, a noodle bar, a modern burger restaurant, an American style café, a sandwich shop, a Hard Rock Café, a cafeteria, a fast food Indian restaurant, a pizza shop, a pretzel shop, and a Starbucks.

There are three live entertainment venues, including an arena, a showroom, and a theater, which feature some of the best live entertainment you’ll find in Atlantic City. There is also several bars and nightclubs, including Scores, Atlantic City’s first strip club, Robert’s Rooftop bar and lounge, and the Eco Bar and Lounge.

The Taj Mahal also offers a health spa, a salon, a pool, and a fitness center, as well as shopping on site, to round things out.

The Casino at the Trump Taj Mahal

The casino here is of an impressive size, boasting 167,000 square feet of gaming space. Slot players will delight in their over 2,500 gaming machines, including a wide selection of both slots and video poker machines. There are over 250 new machines that have been added recently, and the management here work hard to ensure that they always have all the slots that players want and then some.

The table games area is also impressive, with 16 different ones to play, including Blackjack, 6 to 5 Blackjack, Double Attack Blackjack, Big 6 Wheel, Craps, Let It Ride, Four Card Poker, Mini Baccarat, Dragon Bonus Mini Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Pai Gow Tiles, Roulette, Spanish 21, Texas Holdem Bonus, Three Card Poker, and 6 Card Bonus Three Card Poker.

There’s also a high limit Gaming Salon which looks to offer well heeled players the finest in Monte Carlo style high end gaming experiences, which they feel is Atlantic City’s most sophisticated casino experience.

The Taj Poker Room used to be the second biggest poker room in the city until it closed down, but the good news is that it is back, offering both limit and no limit Holdem, as well as Omaha and Stud. There are 25 tables here so lots of action is to be found.

The Trump Taj Mahal was created to be Atlantic City’s finest casino, and although there have been some fine ones built since, it still remains a very attractive and impressive destination for casino gamblers planning on visiting Atlantic City.

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Atlantic City has been the home of a rotating network of casino properties and resorts since gambling was legalized in the late 1970s.

The hotels offered by these resorts range from five-star luxury to basic economy. Prices during the week are substantially lower than weekends. The best nights in terms of price are usually Sunday through Wednesday. Thursday may be moderately expensive compared to early weekdays. Saturday is by far the most expensive night of the week in Atlantic City, followed by Friday.

At the beginning of 2018, there were seven Atlantic City casinos open. Three are owned by CaesarsEntertainment:

• Bally’s
• Caesars
• Harrah’s

MGM Resorts owns the top-grossing casino-hotel, Borgata. ElDorado Resorts operates the Tropicana Atlantic City after a sale of the property in early 2018. Golden Nugget is owned by Landry’s Inc., and Resorts is independently owned.

Borgata, Golden Nugget and Harrah’s are in the Marina District. Bally’s, Caesars, Resorts, and Tropicana are on the Boardwalk.

But on June 28, 2018, Atlantic City casinos grew by two.

On the site of the former Revel property, Ocean Casino Resort opened its doors the same day as Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, which reopened in the former Trump Taj Mahal property.

Atlantic City casinos in 2020

Here is a brief rundown of the nine casinos in Atlantic City:

Bally’s

Bally’s is on the Boardwalk and offers more than 100 table games and a poker room. Its hotel is perfect for budget-minded travelers. Wild Wild West, found along the Boardwalk under Bally’s, offers low-limit games and the largest sportsbook in Atlantic City at 15,228 square feet.

Borgata

Located in the Marina District, Borgata is the flagship of Atlantic City. Owned by MGM Resorts, Borgata’s luxury resort is home to more than a dozen restaurants. It has a giant poker room and a sports and race book. The limits at Borgata are reasonable, with many $5 and $10 table game minimums. All blackjacks pay 3-2. Games with a minimum bet of $25 stand on all 17s.

Caesars

Caesars is on the Boardwalk. It is owned by Caesars Entertainment and is a middle-tier resort with more than 100 table games. There are more than a dozen restaurants at Caesars, as well as two showrooms for entertainment.

Golden Nugget

Golden Nugget is a boutique hotel in the Marina District. It has several Landry’s restaurants on-site. All blackjacks pay 3-2 at Golden Nugget. Its hotel rooms are more modern than most in Atlantic City, and there is a walking trail between Harrah’s and Golden Nugget.

Hard Rock Atlantic City

Hard Rock AC opened its doors in summer 2018. The newly remodeled and redesigned building on the Boardwalk no longer bears any resemblance to the Trump Taj Mahal casino. The casino features 120 table games and a variety of entertainment options and restaurants.

Harrah’s

Harrah’s is the Atlantic City flagship for Caesars Entertainment. Located in the Marina District, it offers more than 100 table games, as well as competitive video poker. There is an after-hours pool with the latest musical acts and DJs. Harrah’s is also home to a variety of dining establishments.

Ocean Casino

The repurposed Revel Hotel & Casino got a new name in early 2018 when the property was officially sold to AC Oceanwalk before transitioning ownership to Luxor Capital in early 2019. Ocean Casino opened its doors on June 28, 2018, and includes one of the more luxurious casino floors and a variety of high-end restaurants and shops. Ocean Casino is at the opposite end of the Boardwalk from Tropicana.

Resorts

Resorts is the original Atlantic City casino. Having opened on the Boardwalk in 1978, it is smaller than its competitors but still retains its playing power. Resorts offers low limits for its table games. All blackjack games stand on all 17s and pay 3-2.

Tropicana

Tropicana has an old-school feel. It is on the far south end of the Boardwalk. All blackjack tables stand on all 17s and pay 3-2. Tropicana’s casino floor is separated into sections of slots and video poker.

Wild Wild West

Not usually counted among the casinos in Atlantic City, Wild Wild West is in the lower level of Bally’s. It offers $5 live table games, as well as some electronic ones with even lower limits. Wild Wild West offers live entertainment, as well as two bars and restaurants.

Games at Atlantic City casinos

AC casino table games and casino videopoker are everywhere in the resort town along with hundreds of slot machines. Most are similar or share the same names as online casino games, but some are exclusive to one or two casinos.

Atlantic City sports betting

New Jersey legalized sports betting in January 2012 after voters passed a nonbinding referendum instructing the New Jersey Legislature to pass it. But the major sports leagues took issue with this.

New Jersey was not exempted under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). Even Delaware, which was exempted under PASPA, lost its own fight with the sports leagues in 2009 and was forced to only offer parlay cards.

The fight between New Jersey and the sports leagues came to an end on May 14, 2018, when the US Supreme Court ruled that PASPA was unconstitutional. After that, the floodgates opened, and AC casinos and NJ online gambling sites got quickly up and running with sportsbooks once the NJ sports betting law and regulations were finalized.

Eight Atlantic City casinos now have retail sportsbooks up and running.

Closed Atlantic City casinos

The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel (closed Jan. 13, 2014)

The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel was actually Atlantic City’s original Golden Nugget.

The property opened as The Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in 1980. It was one of the smallest casinos in the city, but by 1983, it was the top grossing.

Golden Nugget owner Steve Wynn sold the casino for $440 million to Bally Manufacturing in 1987 and the name changed to Bally’s Grand Hotel and Casino.

Hilton Hotels Corporation bought Bally and renamed the property Atlantic City Hilton in 1998.

In 2005, Resorts International Holdings bought the casino. It ran Resorts Atlantic City and the Atlantic City Hilton for the next four years as a single entity called Atlantic City Hilton and Resorts Atlantic City.

In June 2011, the Hilton name was removed and it became the ACH Casino Resort. In February 2012, it was rebranded as a locals casino and renamed The Atlantic Club Casino Hotel. By the end of the year, the parent company of online gaming giant PokerStars entered into discussion to buy the property. Its eye was on legalized online gambling in New Jersey. A purchase agreement was struck in January 2013, but PokerStars pulled out after having difficulty obtaining a casino license.

The casino shut its doors on January 13, 2014. Caesars Entertainment soon bought the property and Tropicana bought all the gaming equipment.

Caesars Entertainment then sold to TJM Properties in 2014. TJM made plans to reopen it as a non-gaming property. The company announced in 2017 another developer would be purchasing the property and turning it into an indoor waterpark. The financing for this project ultimately fell through.

Hilton Hotel Ac

Showboat Atlantic City (closed Aug. 31, 2014)

The Showboat Hotel, Casino and Bowling Center opened in March 1987 on land leased from Resorts International right beside where the soon-to-be Trump Taj Mahal was under construction. The Showboat featured a 60,000-square-foot casino and a 60-lane bowling alley.

A 1995 renovation brought in a Mardi Gras theme5. Three years later, Harrah’s Entertainment, which is now Caesars Entertainment, bought the Showboat’s parent company and took ownership.

The bowling alley became a buffet in 2001. In 2003, Showboat built a new hotel tower and remodeled the original. It also constructed a third hotel tower. But by June 2014, Caesars Entertainment made plans to close down the Showboat. The company looked to sell, but after failing to find a suitable buyer, the Showboat shuttered on Aug. 31, 2014.

In December of that year, Richard Stockton College bought the property with plans to turn it into a college campus. They later sold it to Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein, who reopened it as a non-gaming hotel in July 2016.

Trump Plaza (closed Sept. 16, 2014)

The $210 million Harrah’s at Trump Plaza opened up as the biggest casino in Atlantic City history on May 14, 1984. It was a joint partnership between Donald Trump and Holiday Inn’s gaming division Harrah’s. It originally featured 614 rooms, seven restaurants, a 750-seat showroom, and a 60,000 square foot casino.

Competitor Hilton was soon denied a casino license on its $320 million Atlantic City Marina casino project under construction nearby. Trump came in and bought out Hilton, finished construction and opened it up as Trump Castle. Harrah’s sued Trump, claiming a conflict of interest. Trump bought out Harrah’s interest in Harrah’s at Trump Plaza and renamed it Trump Plaza.

Trump continued building an empire in Atlantic City over the next decade, buying up existing casinos and construction projects. However, when he opened up the even larger Trump Taj Mahal in 1990, business at Trump Plaza suffered.

The property went through a bankruptcy in 1992. Trump’s publicly-traded Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts ultimately gained ownership. A new East Tower opened in early 1996 as did a connection to the new Trump World’s Fair.

In 2011, with Trump almost completely divested in the company, Trump Entertainment Resorts announced it was looking to sell Trump Plaza or find a financing partner for a new renovation. At least one deal to sell fell through. By July 2014, the company said it would soon shut Trump Plaza down.

In August 2014, Trump filed a lawsuit demanding the property remove his name. On Sept. 16, 2014, Trump Plaza shut down.

A brief history of Atlantic City

New Jersey voters amended the State Constitution in 1976 to allow casino-style gambling. It became the second state after Nevada to legalize casinos. They were restricted to Atlantic City. No other parts of the state could build casinos.

On May 28, 1978, Resorts International opened as the first casino in Atlantic City. There are currently nine hotel-casinos located in the resort city.

Taj Mahal Ac Poker

Borgata is by far the biggest winner in terms of casino revenue. It was built in 2003. Only one casino has been built since Borgata. Revel opened in March 2012. But it fell into bankruptcy within a year after it failed to attract gamblers with its attempt to be a resort first and casino second.

New Jersey has fallen on hard times as neighboring state have legalized casinos. Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun began drawing gamblers from New York City in 1992. Today, casinos are now found in all states that border New Jersey.

This has forced New Jersey out of the second place spot in terms of gaming revenue. Pennsylvania now has that honor.

NJ online gambling goes live

Former Gov. Chris Christie signed online gambling into law on Feb. 26, 2013. This legalized NJ online poker and online casinos in the state. Any player located within New Jersey at the time of login will be able to play interactive real money games.

Christie had twice vetoed legislation before finally signing it into law. In March 2011, Christie outright vetoed similar legislation after citing that he felt it would take a change to the New Jersey Constitution to allow gambling outside of Atlantic City, regardless of where the actual servers were located.

On Feb. 7, 2013, Christie apparently changed his mind. While he still vetoed the bill in front of him, it was only a conditional one. He instructed the legislature to raise the tax rate from 10 percent to 15 percent and add more funds to the problem gambling services provided under the law.

The legislature approved his wishes.