Boardwalk despair; Comings and goings on the Strip

It’s a dark day when you find yourself in agreement with Donald Trump, but such is the case with the famous Atlantic City boarding house owned by Vera Coking. Eight years ago, when he wanted to expand Trump Plaza, The Donald offered $1.9 million at least — more, he claims. When that didn’t work, he sicced the Casino Reinvestment & Development Authority on Ms. Coking. They went the eminent-domain route, offering $251,000. Ms. Coking’s position was eminently reasonable: It was her property and she didn’t want to sell it. She even was taken to court and emerged victorious.

However, by taking a completely admirable — if impractical — position, Ms. Coking has cost herself a big payday. Her boarding house is finally trump deskgoing on auction, with a starting price of $199,000. Its owner might be lucky to get that much. It has already gone from $5 million to $1 million to a fifth of that amount. “It’s mostly pawnshops, cash-for-gold places, a bar, a couple of liquor stores. We did get a call from some Chinese investors, and one guy wants to do a pharmacy,” Auction AdvisorsOren Klein reports of the potential buyers. However, neither Trump Entertainment Resorts nor the CRDA has any interest in the Coking house any longer.

The former has problems of its own at soon-to-close Trump Plaza: “Like Trump Plazathe boardinghouse, Trump Plaza, across the street, has seen brighter days. The wallpaper is peeling, the windows are covered in grime and, worst of all, most of the seats at the slots and the gambling tables are empty,” reports the New York Times. As for the Coking house, its greatest value seems to be as an historic landmark, denoting the time somebody stood up to The Man and prevailed … albeit at what cost?

What does Trump himself think of this? He claims he would have Ms. Coking up for life in Trump Plaza (in which case she’d be facing eviction). “She’s lost all value because she didn’t play the game,” Trump told the Times. “She could have been living happily ever after in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s very sad, and frankly very foolish.”

And how unfortunately true.

An S&G source reports that Vegas Nocturne has found a new home at SLS Las Vegas. If true, it seems a good fit for both: SLS gains an idiosyncratic (if high-overhead) resident show with a hip cachet and Vegas Nocturne will be at the center of attention when SLS opens on Aug. 23. Compliment Sam Nazarian and property president Rob Oseland with making a good call here.

As reported here, the days are numbered for Shania Twain‘s Still the One at Caesars Palace. We saw it and were underwhelmed. S&G doubts this Caesars headliner show will be keenly missed.

Caesars Entertainment can’t catch a break. Caesars Atlantic City was relieved of $180,000 by gun-toting bandits yesterday. The bandits made off with two cash boxes and their contents. The dawn caper is believed to have taken place on near the casino floor, since it is being investigated by the State Police Casino Gaming Bureau, not the local constabulary.

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