At one time, Atlantic City’s Trump Taj Mahal had the most famous live poker room in the resort and officials for the Taj have announced they will reopen the room May 13.
It’s a sign that the Taj is emerging from a long bankruptcy proceeding and getting new life now that it is under the control of billionaire Carl Icahn, who acquired the property during the bankruptcy through his Tropicana Resorts. New Jersey regulators cleared Icahn to begin operating the property last month.
The poker room – which was closed in February 2015 – has been remodeled and will open with three weeks of special giveaways and promotions, the company said.
Ina press release, the company said the room has a fresh look and new high-definition TV screens broadcasting an array of sporting events, which have become common in casino poker rooms.
The Taj poker room opened in 1992 and was the No. 1 room until Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa usurped it in 2004. The room was also featured in the movie Rounders.
Icahn is investing about $15 million into the Taj Mahal, which has need some immediate upgrades after a long period of financial uncertainty.
He has also said he plans to invest another $100 million into the property, but then said he will wait to see if New Jersey voters approve expanding casino gambling in the state. Voters will decide in a November referendum whether to allow two casinos to be built in the northern part of the state, the first New Jersey casinos allowed outside of Atlantic City.
Icahn has said if the measure is approved, new casinos would devastate the Atlantic City market and it would be foolish to invest in the resort.
