Andrew George//September 18, 2014//
Taking questions from reporters on Thursday, Gov. Chris Christie said he would welcome Donald Trump back to Atlantic City if the real estate mogul wants to return.“Anything Donald wants to save, I’m for,” Christie said.
Trump made headlines earlier this week when he tweeted that he may look to “buy back in” to Atlantic City in an attempt to “save” the Trump Plaza and Trump Taj Mahal, two financially-plagued casinos he once controlled.
I left Atlantic City years ago, good timing. Now I may buy back in, at much lower price, to save Plaza & Taj. They were run badly by funds!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2014
The tweet was published just hours after Trump Plaza closed its doors on Tuesday and amid speculation that Taj Mahal may be next.
Trump later told the Associated Press that he will “take a good strong look” at the prospect of buying back Trump Entertainment Resorts, the company in possession of the two properties that declared bankruptcy earlier this month. Trump currently maintains only 9 percent of the company, according to the AP.
“If Donald wants to come back and save something, (then) good,” Christie said Thursday. “I don’t think Atlantic City needs ‘saving,’ but (if) Donald wants to come and help, we invite everybody.”
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Christie added that he doesn’t think he’s alone in his opinion.
“If Donald Trump wants to come in and be a participant again in an active way with Atlantic City, I’d love it,” Christie said. “And I think most people in New Jersey would.”