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Taj Mahal closes 26 years after Trump opened casino

FILE - In this April 5, 1990 file photo, Donald Trump stands next to a genie's lamp as the lights of his Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort light up during ceremonies to mark its opening in Atlantic City, N.J. Trump opened his Trump Taj Mahal casino 26 years ago, calling it "the eighth wonder of the world." But his friend and fellow billionaire Carl Icahn is closing it Monday morning, making it the fifth casualty of Atlantic City's casino crisis. (AP Photo/Mike Derer, File)
FILE - In this April 5, 1990 file photo, Donald Trump stands next to a genie's lamp as the lights of his Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort light up during ceremonies to mark its opening in Atlantic City, N.J. Trump opened his Trump Taj Mahal casino 26 years ago, calling it "the eighth wonder of the world." But his friend and fellow billionaire Carl Icahn is closing it Monday morning, making it the fifth casualty of Atlantic City's casino crisis. (AP Photo/Mike Derer, File)
By Natalie Dreier
Oct 10, 2016

The Taj Mahal casino has dealt its last card and the slot machines have gone silent, 26 years after Donald Trump opened it, The Associated Press reported.

About 3,000 workers lost their jobs as of 5:59 a.m. Monday, when the hotel and casino closed for good.

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The closing came after the casino's owner, Carl Icahn, couldn't reach a deal with union workers to return health care and pension benefits to employees. The benefits were taken from workers in bankruptcy court.

Icahn took control of the hotel and casino after the bankruptcy hearing. Trump has not been involved with the property, other than allowing his name to be used on the building, for the last seven years, according to Philly.com.

The union went on strike July 1. Icahn decided in August to shutter the casino saying there was "no path to profitability."

The Taj Mahal is the fifth casino to close in Atlantic City since 2014. Trump Plaza, Showboat, Revel and the Atlantic Club closed because of competition from casinos in neighboring states.

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Natalie Dreier

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