In New Jersey and the mayor for Atlantic City has reportedly filed a court order seeking permission to immediately demolish the shuttered building that once housed the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino.

According to a Thursday report from the Associated Press news service published by local broadcaster KYW-TV, Marty Small lodged his request with Atlantic City Superior Court on Thursday after local officials determined that the 40-year-old structure represented an imminent risk to public safety.

Empty enterprise:

The 39-story Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino was reportedly once owned by President Donald Trump and had featured 906 hotel rooms and a selection of restaurants as well as a 91,181 sq ft casino offering a plethora of slot and gaming table entertainments. However, the New Jersey facility was closed in September of 2014 following a downturn in the local gaming market and has remained vacant ever since.

Proprietor’s petition:

The Associated Press reported that billionaire American businessman Carl Icahn took over ownership of the Atlantic City property through bankruptcy proceedings soon after its shuttering and is purportedly currently attempting to get more than $5 million in reimbursements from the state in order to help offset the costs of demolition.

Public peril:

The news service reported that Small has long advocated the redevelopment of the 2.6-acre Boardwalk site that hosts the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino with his recent move coming after pieces of the crumbling structure’s facade crashed to the sidewalk over the weekend amid high winds.

Small reportedly declared…

“We could have had a fatality. We had high school wrestling championships with 13,000 people walking nearby. Today, we are saying to Carl Icahn that we want this building torn down. We want the world to know that we mean business.”

Continued confusion:

However, Hunter Gary, President for Icahn’s local real estate concern, reportedly told the news service that Small’s move is not necessary because his firm had already decided to tear down the building although he was unwilling to provide a timetable regrading when such work was likely to commence.

Reportedly read a statement from Gary…

“We are puzzled by the city’s action. In fact, we already decided to demolish the building and have commenced the process including finalizing contracts. If the mayor had simply called us instead of holding a press conference, we could have updated him as well.”

Pricey project:

The Press of Atlantic City newspaper used its own Thursday report to explain that it could cost up to $14 million to completely demolish the former Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino while the city has since taken the temporary step of fencing off a portion of the sidewalk so as to prevent pedestrians from walking past the dilapidated structure.

Looming likelihood:

Local city council leader George Tibbitt reportedly told the newspaper that the mayor’s legal move has the ‘full support’ of local politicians as Icahn has yet to officially apply for a demolition permit.

Tibbitt reportedly told The Press of Atlantic City…

“I tell you with 100% certainty this building is failing. It’s an imminent danger right now and I can guarantee you, if we get any type of major nor’easter type of hurricane off the coast, we’re going to have problems around here.”