New Jersey residents and others gathered early Wednesday morning on rooftops, at nearby venues, and in garage parking lots to watch the end of the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, marking the end of Donald Trump’s imprint on the city. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, some even watched from One Atlantic, a wedding venue on top of a pier. With arguably the best view, the closed wedding venue offered its space and auctioned 10 VIP seats to watch the event with proceeds benefiting the Atlantic City Boys and Girls Club. The auction reportedly raised more than $17,000.
When Mayor Marty Small announced the planned implosion in a state-of-the-city address, crowds cheered at the opportunity to see another Trump failure fall to the ground. Small called it “exciting” and “truly a great day in Atlantic City.” Jokes on a “push the button” auction erupted on social media with many vowing to bid hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the chance to be the one who pushed Trump Plaza to its demise. According to The Courier Post, a charity auction plan to award someone the right to push the donation button topped $191,000.
“I’m glad to see it go,” Gail Von Schlichting, whose wife worked there as a slot technician, said according to the Inquirer. “It’s nice to see another Trump failure. I only wish his name were on the building.”
Some called it “poetic justice,” noting the damage Trump caused not only in Atlantic City but the country. “To me it signals the sadness of how Atlantic City went down,” Suzé DiPietro, a public relations executive for the Trump properties from 1991 to 2002, told the Inquirer. “We became the foreclosure capital of the world. He never invested a single dime back into those properties, not one dime. He took all the money out, never put the money in.”
While most individuals watching the scene applauded the destruction, some noted Trump still owed money to contractors and others who put the building together. Residents are hoping a new development takes the form of a family-friendly establishment. “This is about the tear-down, the cleanup, and the ultimate rebuild,” one said.
Watch the satisfying moment the building crumbles below. There are multiple angles so you don’t miss a thing.
Be sure to check out this great thread.
And of course this great Lord of the Rings reference.
Trump is probably crying in a corner that he cannot join the Twitter trend in commenting on what is happening. If these videos weren't enough for you, check out the live footage of the demolition here.