The casino was detonated at 9 am and collapsed in less than 20 seconds.
Demolition crews seen at two properties linked to Donald Trump this week, imploded the former Trump Plaza Casino in New Jersey and separately demolished a Mar-a-Lago heliport in Florida.
The Trump Plaza casino in Atlantic City was destroyed in a series of explosions at 9 am on Wednesday morning, which saw the luxurious boardwalk building turn into a giant dust cloud in less than 20 seconds.
The once iconic casino frequented by celebrities, rock stars and athletes, opened its doors in 1984, held several high-profile boxing matches that Trump attended and called himself “the centerpiece of Atlantic City”.
In 2014 it was closed and the luxury building was degraded, which led to its demolition.
Demolition teams placed explosives along the building’s structures to topple his legs, knocking the building down on itself.
“It will crumble like a deck of cards,” fire chief Scott Evans told the Associated Press.
The casino, for a time, was the most successful in the city and was featured in the 2001 film “Ocean’s Eleven”, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
“You had Madonna and Sean Penn coming in, Barbra Streisand and Don Johnson, Muhammad Ali would be there, Oprah sitting next to Donald’s ring,” Bernie Dillon, casino events manager from 1984 to 1991, told AP.
“It was a special moment. I’m sorry to see that go away, ”he added.
When it closed, Trump Plaza was the worst-performing casino in Atlantic City.
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small said the destruction had nothing to do with the former president.
“This is not Donald Trump. This is not politics,” said Small.
The property belongs to billionaire investor Carl Icahn, a donor and former special economic adviser to Trump, who has yet to announce plans for the site.
Several people attended the implosion and a public viewing area was set up in Bader Field, where it cost $ 10 to park a car to watch. Some hotels overlooking the Trump Plaza have also offered destruction display packages.
Atlantic City roads and sidewalks were closed from 6am on Wednesday and are scheduled to reopen at 1pm
Separately, in Palm Beach, demolition teams in Mar-a-Lago removed a helipad built on Tuesday during Trump’s 2017 presidency.
The 12 to 15 meter wide helipad allowed Trump to take the Marine One to and from Palm Beach International Airport to Mar-a-Lago, although it was not used frequently.
Because of his position as president, he received an exemption from the Palm Beach helicopter free zone rule, which was revoked after he stepped down, according to the Palm Beach Daily News.
Under this condition, he was allowed to stay with the helipad, provided it was used for presidential business, and was removed when his term ended.
Pyramid Builders of Palm Beach carried out the demolition work, which cost about $ 15,000, the Palm Beach Daily News reported.