Trump Lashes Out Against Atlantic City Smoking Ban

April 15 - Donald Trump, the American casino and resort tycoon, with substantial business interests in Atlantic City, has come out strongly against the council's decision to ban smoking in casinos across the city.

"It's a sad day for Atlantic City," said Trump last week. "It puts Atlantic City at a huge competitive disadvantage with casinos in other states."

Last year, a partial smoking ban, called the '75-25' law was introduced to Atlantic City casinos, essentially stating that no more than 25 percent of the casino floor space could have smoking areas. 75 percent of the casino needed to be smoke free.

However, last week, the city council decided to abolish the '75-25' law and replace it with sweeping new reforms that would ban smoking from casinos altogether, except is specially designated areas in lounges that were strategically placed away from gaming lounges and slot machines.

Trump, a non-smoker himself, called for the Casino Association of New Jersey to lobby strongly against city council's decision and called for them to consider a lawsuit to try and block the implementation of the law. "If I were in charge of the Casino Association, I would challenge it," he said. "But I'm not in charge. If I were in charge, I'd file an immediate lawsuit." Several of Trump's resorts, including the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino and the Trump Marina Hotel Casino are connected to the Casino Association of New Jersey.

A board member of the Association said that he was grateful that the city council had agreed on smoking lounges and had not gone for an all-out smoking ban. "A 100 percent smoking ban would have been devastating," he said.