Trump lost a Sydney casino because of Mafia

Loyd Pelto

Author

Last Updated 15 August 2022

Trump is an endless source of exciting news, isn’t he? A new story has come up to light after the Australians published a document about the first Sydney casino project that became finally public. According to New South Wales regulations, cabinet minutes and a secret police report could only now be revealed after the incident in 1987.

Trump’s casinos: once a big thing

Thirty years ago, Trump saw his business potential in the casino industry. At some point, he became a big name in Atlantic City. Literally a big name: there was a skyscraper with “Trump” written in gold letters on it.

While having three properties in Atlantic City (the Taj Mahal, Trump’s Castle, and the Trump Plaza), he wanted to go beyond the borders. Having cooperated with the Queensland-based Kern Corporation, Trump bid to build the very first casino in Sydney.

“Each would be dangerous”

Four groups tried to grab that juicy contract, but three of them were rejected. The not-a-secret-anymore police report and cabinet papers finally revealed why.

In fact, all three bidders were considered dangerous by the Police board. But it was Trump mafia connections that made him an unwanted participant of the project. Thirty years ago, the Australian police found enough information to conclude he was connected to the mafia.

“Atlantic City would be a dubious model for Sydney”

Besides, the report stated that Atlantic City could not be a great example for Sydney casinos. Considering that all the Trump casinos closed in the early 90s, they were absolutely right. Probably, his relationship with mafia didn’t go as well as the police, though. He should have invested in online casinos.

On top of that unreliable reputation of a mob-connected businessman, Trump’s bid that was just a bad business plan. Kern/Trump project was only financially viable from a projected financial structure. It would be fine if Trump didn’t overestimate the expected revenue and investor returns. Well, it was not the first time he thought too much of himself.

A silver lining

There was some good stuff too. The design suggested by Kern and Trump was recognized as rich and attractive. And the casino division accepted the consortium as an operator. Which also didn’t happen as the Sydney casino project closed anyway.

Are there any connections?

Officially Trump was never called a mob associate. But his network and his connection are far from being crystal clear. To start with his lawyer Roy Cohn. His clients’ list is full of mafia names: the Genoveses and the Gambinos bosses known as Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno and Paul “Big Paul” Castellano. You just read these names and you feel the Godfather vibes. The two were in charge of S&A concrete company. And guess who worked with that company? Trump.

Another episode includes Weichselbaum/Trump connection. In the late 80s, Trump vouched for this drug trafficker and later told he hardly knew him. He is too light with his words to be a mafia member, in fact.

It seems that Trump might have had something to do with mafia at some point. But he was bad at it. You can do better. You can go from the beginner to the Godfather while playing at Syndicate online casino. And you don’t even need to build your own.

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