
Trump Plaza’s shutdown will imply that as four Atlantic City casinos might be closed this year. (Image: Lisa Andres/Flickr)
The casino industry of Atlantic City is presently facing a freefall that is unprecedented. After years of declining revenues, at minimum two casinos have already closed or plan to close this year, and another is facing a bankruptcy that is second 2 yrs. And now, a fourth has stated that they also be prepared to shut down in just a months that are few.
This is the apparent fate of the Trump Plaza casino, as Trump Entertainment Resorts has said that they anticipate the venue to close on September 16. Even though the owners reportedly said that the decision isn’t entirely last, employees had been to receive warnings associated with expected closing on previously this week.
‘Although [the] review hasn’t been completed and no ultimate decision happens to be made, the business expects that it will terminate the operations of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino on or shortly after September 16, 2014,’ the business told the Associated Press.
Trump Plaza Joins Other AC Closures
If the closure goes through as expected, the effect could be that as many as a third of Atlantic City’s casinos could close down this 12 months. In January, the Atlantic Club shuttered its doors, while the Showboat is about to close in August. Meanwhile, the Revel is currently in bankruptcy court for the time that is second and might potentially close if a customer for the home cannot be discovered. That could leave the city with just eight casinos that are remaining in comparison to 12 in the beginning of the 12 months.
Based on an AP report, no buyer has yet come forward to take the casino over, which is perhaps not yet known exactly what the long run could hold for the building following the resort closes.
The Trump Plaza was opened in May 1984. At the time, it ended up being a project that is personal Donald Trump, though he now only owns a 10 % stake in Trump Entertainment Resorts and is no longer tangled up in the day-to-day operations associated with the company. The venue cost $210 million to create.
Loss in Casinos Could Help Remaining Resorts
As the loss of as much as four casinos may seem apocalyptic for Atlantic City, there’s explanation to trust it might actually aid in the long run. The oversaturated casino market in the northeastern United States has hurt Atlantic City, with competition from Pennsylvania being especially damaging.
But you will find still lots of visitors to the populous city, sufficient reason for eight casinos nevertheless active there, most gamblers will don’t have any trouble finding a resort that appeals to them. That means that there might be nearly as numerous gamblers as before, but that there will now be only eight casinos to split those customers rather than 12.
That will be comfort that is cold those who lose jobs as a consequence of the casino closures, however. If both the Revel and Trump Plaza were to close, that could suggest that nearly 8,000 casino workers may have lost jobs in Atlantic City this season alone. That represents in regards to a quarter associated with city’s gambling workforce.
Trump Plaza is certainly on the market, but Trump Entertainment Resorts has had trouble finding a buyer that is interested. Last year, the venue had been almost sold for $20 million to a company in California, but that deal fell through. Should the Plaza near down, Trump Entertainment will operate simply one casino in Atlantic City, the Trump Taj Mahal.
Poker Player Paul Phua Arrested with World Cup Gambling Ring
Paul Phua, who’s denied he’s any links to crime that is organized was ordered to post $2 million bail, along with giving up their $48 million private jet as collateral. (Image: bankrollmob.com)
Probably on the property of a major Las Vegas casino with their own sports book is not your best idea ever if you plan to set up an illegal sports betting ring, doing it. But that reality seemingly have eluded high-stakes poker player Paul Phua, who has been arrested along with A world that is illegal cup band running out of three luxury rooms in Caesars Palace on the Las vegas, nevada Strip.
The FBI broke up the operation during the high-roller suites week that is last where in actuality the gang of seven men and one woman had been running what the Gambling Control Board described as being a kind of high-tech ‘wire space,’ where illegal World Cup bets had been being monitored by computers slot freebies lightning link remotely linked to others computer systems offshore.
The poker world knows Paul Phua, 50, as high-stakes poker player, a ‘wealthy Asian businessman’ and a prominent figure in the fabled Macau big game; he is rated #1 on the Hendon Mob’s Macau All-Time Money List. Three months ago he came sixth in the EPT Grand Final High Roller Event in Monte Carlo plus in 2012 he played in the Big One for One Drop competition. However, according to the FBI, he’s Wei Seng Phua, a high-ranking person in the 14K Triad organized group that is criminal.
The ‘Wire Room’
The court heard Phua had been arrested in Macau in mid-June and charged with operating a gambling that is illegal there. After being released on bail, it seems he hot-tailed it up to nevada to carry on running the procedure remotely.
Caesars became suspicious when Phua, or certainly one of his associates, insisted that the casino install an unusual quantity of technical equipment in the suites, enough to support eight subscriber that is digital on top the normal WiFi access. Employees observed computer monitors which were hooked up to what appeared as if a sportsbook, and next to the computer stations, there were three screen that is large, tuned into World Cup soccer games.
(We will pause and that means you can observe smirk time now).
Acting on a tip-off from Caesars, undercover law enforcement agents monitored activity into the rooms through the entire thirty days. They raided the suites on July 9, seizing gambling documents, computer equipment and other evidence.
All eight defendants showed up in court on Monday and were charged with at least one count of the illegal transmission of wagering information and of running a gambling business that is illegal. Paul Phua’s Las Vegas attorney, David Chesnoff, denied the link to orderly crime and said that Phua would fight the charges.
‘ This will be a very advanced, intelligent individual who really wants to defend himself,’ said Chesnoff.
$2 Million Bail for Phua
US Magistrate Judge Bill Hoffman set the bail for Paul Phua at $2 million, along with his $48 million jet that is private collateral. Phua’s son Darren Phua, 22, also allegedly a known member of the gang, was bought to publish $500,000 bail. Both defendants had been ordered to be electronically monitored and to stay on home detention within the custody of a neighborhood doctor whom had befriended Phua senior through the poker community. According to Chesnoff, several poker players, including Andrew Robl, were rallying around to simply help post Phua’s bail, with Robl apparently ready to pay $1.5 million.
Among the list of group was another poker player, Malaysian Seng that is national Chen, 56. In April 2012, Yong placed 4th in the Asian Poker Tour Manila for $ 439,379, coincidently a year before Phua also placed fourth in the tournament that is same. Yong and his son Wai Kin Yong were both detained as flight risks.
An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Nevada Gaming Control Board. If found guilty, the defendants could address five years in prison. Not to mention the wrath of the Triad.
Bart Tichelman Daughter Charged in Bing Executive Overdose
Bart Tichelman’s daughter Alix has been charged with voluntary manslaughter in the loss of A google executive. (Image: Shmuel Thaler/AP)
Medications, prostitution and the death of a major executive that is corporate like the aspects of a made-for-TV film. But in this case, the story is all too real, and also includes a connection that is surprising the globe of gambling.
Alix Catherine Tichelman, a model who police say was also a prostitute that is high-end has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of Forrest Tim Hayes, a Google executive. Tichelman is accused of injecting Hayes with heroin on his yacht, then leaving him to die regarding the overdose that is resulting. Hayes died on November 23, 2013.
That cost was passed in Santa Cruz Superior Court week that is last along with costs of possession, administration and transportation of drugs, in addition to destroying evidence, participating in prostitution, and agreeing to prostitution. Tichelman failed to enter a plea.
Security Footage Shows Tichelman on Yacht
Police allege that Tichelman had an ongoing relationship with Hayes in her role being a prostitute. Security footage from Hayes’ yacht, the ‘Escape,’ allegedly shows Tichelman stepping over Hayes’ human body and drinking from a glass of wine without doing any such thing to aid him after she had allegedly injected him utilizing the ultimately deadly heroin overdose. Fingerprints on the glass of wine helped to determine Tichelman, as did her tattoos that are distinctive which she had shared on social news accounts.
Tichelman ended up being arrested a week ago after police lured her to a Santa Cruz resort. Reports state that police led her to believe that a rich client was prepared to pay her $1,000 for intercourse.
Even though the current cost pertaining to Hayes’ death is manslaughter, the situation could get even worse for Tichelman should the investigation turn up more evidence.
‘then we’ll certainly evaluate that when that’s presented,’ said prosecutor Rafael Vazquez if the evidence shows that murder can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ‘She knew the act was dangerous to life that is human she acted deliberately and in conscious disregard for human life.’
Tichelman is Daughter of CEO Poker Player
Tichelman is the child of Bart Tichelman, the CEO of SynapSense, a firm that is folsom-based manages Internet data centers throughout the entire world. He could be also a poker that is successful with more than $430,000 in profession tournament earnings. Most of this came in one cash that is major a victory in a 2008 World group of Poker Circuit occasion in Tunica that earned him $425,595 in prize cash. Bart Tichelman is still active in poker today, also cashing in a World number of Poker occasion within the last few weeks.
Alix Tichelman was previously related to Dean Riopelle, a lover that is former died just two months before Hayes. Riopelle died of the heart assault, but police are now apparently reopening an investigation into his death due to the fact circumstances were very similar to those of Hayes.
There’s also another connection with a similar death in Tichelman’s past. She once dated Warren Ullom, an Atlanta singer who was convicted of the voluntary manslaughter of a woman whom died after a life-threatening dose of heroin.
Tichelman was understood for modeling under the pseudonym of AK Kennedy, and when said she enjoyed modeling her to play a character because it allowed. She also saw herself as a writer and poet, sometimes posting dark poems to Twitter and other media sites that are social.
