Donald Trump
Donald Trump is suing two casinos in Atlantic City that are continuing to use his name.
The real estate mogul and host of the America’s version of The Apprentice once owned several casinos in Atlantic Coty’s heyday.
On Tuesday, however, the reality TV star, filed a lawsuit demanding that his name be taken off the remaining two.
He told The Associated Press that he is suing Trump Entertainment Resorts, a descendant of a corporate entity he once controlled, because it has allowed its two Atlantic City casinos, the Trump Plaza and the Trump Taj Mahal, to fall into disrepair, tarnishing his personal brand and confusing customers.
In an interview on Tuesday evenings, he said: “I want it off both of them. I’ve been away from Atlantic City for many years. People think we operate (the company), and we don’t. It’s not us. It’s not me.”
This is the latest trouble to befall Atlantic City. As Two Little Fleas reported in July, one casino closed in January, while two are scheduled to close next month, and another is up for a bankruptcy auction this Thursday and will be shut down if a buyer does not materialise.
Trump’s lawsuit, which was filed in state Superior Court in Atlantic County, seeks a court order directing Trump Entertainment Resorts to remove his name from the casinos and the company itself.
“Since Mr. Trump left Atlantic City many years ago, the license entities have allowed the casino properties to fall into an utter state of disrepair and have otherwise failed to operate and manage the casino properties in accordance with the high standards of quality and luxury required under the license agreement,” Trump wrote in his lawsuit, filed in the name of Trump AC Casino Marks LLC. “The Trump name … has become synonymous with the highest levels of quality, luxury, prestige and success.”
Mr Trump appears particularly upset at the impending closing of Trump Plaza on Sept. 16.
In the lawsuit, he says that Trump Plaza failed two quality review tests carried out by a third-party consulting firm. One of these was in 2012, and the other three weeks ago. Days after the most recent test, Mr Trump claims that the company sent letters to its employees and announced it would close Trump Plaza in September without notifying him.
“Not only does the issuance of these WARN notices further harm the Trump name and brand, but it also underscores the (company’s) inability to remedy the appalling conditions that gave rise to the defaults under the licensing agreement in the first place,” the lawsuit says.
Mr Trump said the casinos have failed to meet industry standards regarding hotel services, food and beverage operations and overall cleanliness. These issues, he said, guests had been complaining about for years.
Mr Trump does not run or control Trump Entertainment Resorts, which was formed after the Trump Casino Empire emerged from the second of its three bankruptcies. But he retains a 10 per cent stake, which allows the company to use his name for licensing purposes.
Mr Trump told The Associated Press that he has not considered whether to sell his remaining ownership stake in the company.
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