Borgata casino benefits from Trump Taj Mahal’s closure

Atlantic City’s top casino had its best month ever even as the Trump Taj Mahal casino prepares to shut down.

US.- Borgata casino, Atlantic City’s top gambling venue had its best month ever even as the  soon-to-close Trump Taj Mahal casino faltered amid a month-long strike, which helped prompt billionaire Carl Icahn to decide to shut the venue down.

The Borgata generated nearly US$85 million from gamblers in July. This amount marks the casino’s best month ever and a 12.1 percent increase over July 2015. Borgata casino was recently fully acquired by MGM Resorts International, which formerly owned half of the gambling facility.

“While we expected a good month with five full weekends, we are very pleased with a record-breaking month 13 years after opening,” said Joe Lupo, Borgata senior vice president.

That came as the Trump Taj Mahal casino posted an 8.2 percent revenue decline amid a strike by the city’s main casino workers’ union. The casino owned by fellow billionaire Carl Icahn, will be shut down in Oct. 10, as a result of multimillion-dollar monthly losses due in part to the strike.

Figures released last week by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement show the Taj Mahal won US$17.5 million from gamblers in July, down from the US$19.1 million it won in July 2015. These numbers likely would have been worse had there not been an extra Saturday and Sunday this July compared to last July.