ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WCBS 880) — The former Trump Plaza casino in Atlantic City was blown to bits Wednesday morning.
The building went from 39 stories to nothing as it came crashing down in a big pile of rubble and dust in a controlled explosion just after 9 a.m.
About 3,000 sticks of dynamite were used and it took about 7 seconds for the building to collapse to the ground.
A public viewing area for the implosion was set up at the Atlantic City Municipal Airport, where spectators drove up in their cars for a front row seat of the demolition.
City officials said the first 4,500 cars would be admitted, but it's not clear how many people showed up to watch the implosion in person.
Several roads in the area are closed until 1 p.m. Wednesday for the implosion.
Trump Plaza first opened in 1984 by former President Donald Trump, who at the time was a real estate developer.
At one point, the Trump Plaza was Atlantic City's most successful casinos, attracting celebrities and even making a cameo in the film "Ocean's Eleven."
The site had fallen into disrepair since closing in 2014, with chunks of the building peeling off and falling to the ground.
The property is currently owned by billionaire investor Carl Icahn. He has not yet said what he plans to do with the site.
The last casino implosion in Atlantic City was in Oct. 2007 when the former Sands casino came down.
That event reportedly drew 100,000 spectators and even featured a fireworks display.
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