Many of the richest and most powerful casino bosses prefer to work behind the scenes, out of the harsh glare of the public spotlight.  Their successes are often unnoticed, their failures are not scrutinized in every detail, and they like to work that way.  They prefer to let their subordinates have the attention while they collect the profits, without the fanfare that comes with living in the public eye.  Donald Trump is not one of those casino bosses.

From his books on personal finance to his reality TV show, from his tabloid-cover-fodder personal life to his business ups and downs, Donald Trump has been one of the most recognizable people in the world.  His financial empire encompasses residential and commercial real estate, golf courses, hotels, and, as fits an inherent risk-taker, multiple casinos.

Donald Trump started his career working for his father, Fred, a successful residential real estate developer in New York.  Before he graduated from the prestigious Wharton School of Business, the younger Trump had already overseen the redevelopment of a large apartment complex in Ohio, turning a profit of over US$6 million.  

While many of the major casino entrepreneurs were gobbling up parcels of land in the Nevada desert, Trump turned his eyes toward a new gambling Mecca: Atlantic City, New Jersey.  In 1976, the state’s voters approved a referendum to allow legalized gambling specifically for Atlantic City.  Trump saw an opportunity to create a gambling destination for millions of East Coast residents that didn’t involve long plane flights to Las Vegas.

Trump spent more than US$1 billion to open the Trump Taj Mahal in 1990.  To this day, it remains one of the landmark casinos in Atlantic City.  He also has branded his name on two other Atlantic City landmark casinos: the Trump Plaza on the famous Boardwalk, and the Trump Marina that sits on the edge of the ocean.  He has also expanded his empire to Sin City itself with the construction of the Trump Hotel Las Vegas, the tallest hotel in the city at sixty-four stories.

By all appearances, Donald Trump will not slow down anytime soon.  He will continue to dominate tabloid headlines, TV screens and the real estate world for some time to come.