Presidential hopeful and billionaire, Donald Trump seems to be using the campaign trail as a good excuse to continue with his own business of making money, with plans to build a casino in the works. While Trump was doing his usual campaigning, he met up with good friend Phil Ruffin, who is also a partner in the Trump International Hotel and Tower. The building is already in a great location at the north end of the Strip, right across from the Wynn Las Vegas.
Trump to Continue with Winning Streak
It seems that Trump not only wants to become the next President of the United States but also wants to expand his own empire. As fate would have it, he was just in Nevada, where he won the Republican caucus, and that must have left him feeling invincible because he went ahead and met up with his old friend and partner Ruffin. It wasn’t a social meeting, as sources would have it, but rather a business one. Trump only has high praise for Ruffin,
“Steve is always calling. He’s always got advice. Right, Steve? Donald, I think you oughta do this and that. His advice I like to listen to.”
His flattery has gotten him far in the Presidential race, but will it win over one of the most influential people in Las Vegas? It seems that Ruffin still hasn’t made up his mind about who to back for President as one a Wynn spokesman stated. However, it does seem Ruffin only has good things to say about Trump,
“Donald Trump is brilliant, strong and the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. He works 20 hours a day and needs no sleep. He will make a great president.”
Despite them not being allies in the Presidential race, it does seem that their business savvy has led them to talk about a different kind of partnership.
Casino Plans in the Works
Ruffin, the owner of Treasure Island and Steve Wynn of Wynn Resorts, seems to want to branch out with the help of Trump. There seems to be the possibility for these two moguls to build a casino together. Splitting it 50/50, they would build a new casino right in the heart of Las Vegas. Each one of these businessmen have great net worth, with Trump at $4 billion and Ruffin at $2.5 billion, they could certainly make this plan come to fruition.
Trump used to have a stake in Trump Entertainment Resorts, which operated in California, Indiana, and Atlantic City but was decommissioned, leaving the Trump Taj Mahal the only one standing. Carl Icahn officially acquired the casino last year, leaving Trump without casinos on his extensive business portfolio. This may be the reason he would want to partner with Ruffin, who has the experience of running two successful casinos already.
The plans are at the very initial stages, seeing as how there are no architectural renderings, land surveys, or any other evidence that the plans will stay at this stage. However, Ruffin does have the intention of advancing with the plan this year. We may soon have a new casino to visit in Vegas unless Trump actually becomes President, then we may have to wait four years.
