Three thousand people lose their jobs as Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City shuts down after 26 years following money troubles and strikes by staff over working conditions

  • Donald Trump opened his Trump Taj Mahal casino 26 years ago, calling it 'the eighth wonder of the world'
  • His friend and fellow billionaire Carl Icahn closed it Monday morning, making it the fifth casualty of Atlantic City's casino crisis
  • The casino shut down at 5.59am, having failed to reach a deal with its union workers to restore health care and pension benefits
  • Nearly 3,000 workers lost their jobs, bringing the total jobs lost by Atlantic City casino closings to 11,000 since 2014 

Donald Trump opened his Trump Taj Mahal casino 26 years ago, calling it 'the eighth wonder of the world'.

But his friend and fellow billionaire Carl Icahn closed it Monday morning, making it the fifth casualty of Atlantic City's casino crisis.

The sprawling Boardwalk casino, with its soaring domes, minarets and towers built to mimic the famed Indian palace, shut down at 5.59am, having failed to reach a deal with its union workers to restore health care and pension benefits that were taken away from them in bankruptcy court.

Nearly 3,000 workers lost their jobs, bringing the total jobs lost by Atlantic City casino closings to 11,000 since 2014. 

Scroll down for video 

Donald Trump stands next to a genie's lamp as the lights of his Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort light up during ceremonies to mark its opening in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1990

Donald Trump stands next to a genie's lamp as the lights of his Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort light up during ceremonies to mark its opening in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1990

Striking casino workers chant outside the Trump Taj Mahal casino in as it shuts down on Monday

Striking casino workers chant outside the Trump Taj Mahal casino in as it shuts down on Monday

Marc Scittina, a players' club worker at the Trump Taj Mahal casino since shortly after it opened in 1990, addresses strikers who signed a poster critical of billionaire Carl Icahn, who closed the casino

Marc Scittina, a players' club worker at the Trump Taj Mahal casino since shortly after it opened in 1990, addresses strikers who signed a poster critical of billionaire Carl Icahn, who closed the casino

Picketers affixed an anti-Icahn poster that they had signed to the casino's main Boardwalk entrance door. It proclaimed 'We held the line'.

'We held the line against a billionaire taking from us!' said Marc Scittina, a food service worker at the Taj Mahal's player's club since shortly after it opened in 1990. 'This battle has been going on for two years.'

The union went on strike July 1, and Icahn decided to shut the place down a little over a month later, determining there was 'no path to profitability'.

The Taj Mahal becomes the fifth Atlantic City casino to go out of business since 2014, when four others, including Trump Plaza, shut its doors.

But this shutdown is different: it involves a casino built by the Republican candidate for president, who took time out from the campaign trail to lament its demise.

Chuck Baker, a cook at the Trump Taj Mahal casino since the day it opened, leads strikers in chants as the casino shuts down

Chuck Baker, a cook at the Trump Taj Mahal casino since the day it opened, leads strikers in chants as the casino shuts down

One person held a sign which read 'Rx For Disaster Workers With Nothing Left To Lose' 

One person held a sign which read 'Rx For Disaster Workers With Nothing Left To Lose' 

A security guard looks on as a few people stand near slot machines at the casino early Monday

A security guard looks on as a few people stand near slot machines at the casino early Monday

Security guards are pictured together inside the casino

Security guards are pictured together inside the casino

The sprawling Boardwalk casino, with its soaring domes, minarets and towers built to mimic the famed Indian palace, shut down at 5.59am Trump is pictured in 1990  

The sprawling Boardwalk casino, with its soaring domes, minarets and towers built to mimic the famed Indian palace, shut down at 5.59am Trump is pictured in 1990  

The remnants of a half-gone logo is displayed at the Trump Taj Mahal casino 

The remnants of a half-gone logo is displayed at the Trump Taj Mahal casino 

'I felt they should have been able to make a deal,' Trump said in a recent interview. 'It's hard to believe they weren't able to make a deal.'

Chuck Baker, a cook at the Taj Mahal since the day it opened in April 1990, promised to be on the picket line outside the casino at the moment it shut down.

'I was here when these doors opened, and I'll be here when they close,' he said. 'This didn't have to happen. To (Icahn), it's all just business. 

Miriam Ramos and other members of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union shout

Miriam Ramos and other members of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union shout

Members of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union, Tina Condos, a cocktail waitress at Trump Taj Mahal and Keith Fullmer, a bartender, shout 

Members of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union, Tina Condos, a cocktail waitress at Trump Taj Mahal and Keith Fullmer, a bartender, shout 

'But to us, it's destroying our livelihoods and our families. You take away our health care, our pensions and overload the workers, we just can't take it.'

Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union, said virtually all of the striking workers feel the same way.

Members of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union shout early in the morning outside

Members of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union shout early in the morning outside

A sign is seen in the empty lobby at the closing Trump Taj Mahal

A sign is seen in the empty lobby at the closing Trump Taj Mahal

A woman wipes tears as she stands with others outside the closing Trump Taj Mahal, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016, in Atlantic City, N.J. The sprawling Boardwalk casino, with its soaring domes, minarets and towers built to mimic the famed Indian palace, shut down at 5:59 a.m., having failed to reach a deal with its union workers to restore health care and pension benefits that were taken away from them in bankruptcy court. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A woman wipes tears as she stands with others outside the casino 

'Everybody has their Popeye moment: "That's all I can stands; I can't stands no more,"' he said. 'The workers made a choice that they weren't going to accept benefits and terms of employment worse than everyone else's. 

'I applaud them: for the first time in 30 years, workers stood up to Carl Icahn and made him throw in the towel.' 

A sign outside the Trump Taj Mahal announces the property's closing

A sign outside the Trump Taj Mahal announces the property's closing

The sprawling Boardwalk casino has  soaring domes, minarets and towers built to mimic the famed Indian palace

The sprawling Boardwalk casino has  soaring domes, minarets and towers built to mimic the famed Indian palace

The Taj Mahal joins the Atlantic Club, Showboat, Trump Plaza and Revel in the growing club of Atlantic City casinos that, since 2014, have succumbed to economic pressure

The Taj Mahal joins the Atlantic Club, Showboat, Trump Plaza and Revel in the growing club of Atlantic City casinos that, since 2014, have succumbed to economic pressure

Icahn reached his own Popeye moment on August 3, when he determined the $350million he had lost investing in, and then owning, the Taj Mahal was enough. 

It was then that he decided to close the casino, fearing he would lose an additional $100million next year.

'Today is a sad day for Atlantic City,' he said Monday. 

'Like many of the employees at the Taj Mahal, I wish things had turned out differently.'

The union reached contracts on June 30 with four of the five casinos it had targeted for a possible strike - including the Tropicana, which Icahn also owns. 

It granted negotiation extensions to three others: the Borgata, Resorts and the Golden Nugget. 

McDevitt said talks with the Borgata will begin this month, followed closely by the remaining two.

The Taj Mahal joins the Atlantic Club, Showboat, Trump Plaza and Revel in the growing club of Atlantic City casinos that, since 2014, have succumbed to economic pressure brought about in large measure by competition from casinos in neighboring states. 

The city now will have seven casinos. 

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now