Everyone knows Atlantic City, New Jersey is the place where dreams come true. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at the latest miracle to hit the boardwalk empire. It happened mid-morning on February 17, when former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, once the unimpeachable feather in the cap of Trump’s gambling empire, was blown to bits.
Erected in 1984, at the height of first-wave capitalist debauchery, the casino, like its namesake, did not age well. A decade of excess left the carpets stained and forced the enterprise to file bankruptcy more times than a gambler with a gut feeling. Which isn’t to say Trump’s casino didn’t set records. In fact, by the late-2000s, it was the worst-performing casino in Atlantic City history, taking eight months to rake in what neighboring casinos made in two weeks.
But that didn’t stop Donald Trump from using his failed casino as proof of his business savvy during his initial run for president. A lie anyone with an internet connection could have debunked in three to five seconds and which the universe has now finally called bullshit on.
Marty Small, the city mayor who described the abandoned building as an eyesore, perfectly captured the emotion of the occasion: “I got chills. This is a historic moment. It was exciting.”
He wasn’t alone. Cheers erupted from down the street as spectators, paying $10 a pop, watched from the safety of their cars. As dust swept across the beach and high into the air, so did a wave of pure joy. Sure, it could have been fierier some said, but for half the price of Beef Lava Nachos at the Rainforest Cafe, it beats a ride on the Ferris wheel.
After a rocky start to the year, it only took 20 seconds, and 3,000 sticks of dynamite to signal to the world that 2021 had finally gotten back on the right track. For now, let’s tentatively file this under good news. Because we really need this year (even by a margin as slim as Donald Trump’s lips) to be better than the last. Like, seriously.
Cover Photo: Anadolu Agency (Getty Images)
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