Like it or not, the Trump name will dominate the news in 2025 — and that includes the president-elect’s Las Vegas hotel namesake, which is back in the national spotlight this week. While police continue to investigate the motive linked to the Tesla Cybertruck explosion, let’s take a moment to reflect on the history and legacy of the Trump International Hotel tower.
💰 Golden Palace
The 64-story Trump International Hotel Las Vegas was built at a cost of $300 million on the former site of the New Frontier. The tower stands 645 feet tall and is wrapped in 24 karat gold-infused glass west of the Strip next to the Fashion Show mall. It operates as both a hotel and condo, making it the tallest residential building in Vegas. Some units are reserved as timeshares for Hilton Grand Vacations.
⏱️ Timing is Everything
The Trump International opened on the cusp of the Great Recession — March 31, 2008 to be exact — and condo sales suffered along with the rest of the economy. Plans for a second tower, touted during episodes of “The Apprentice,” never took shape, but the Trump International turned things around in a post-pandemic Las Vegas condo comeback.
👀 What Do Ya Get?
There’s no casino and no self-parking. Hotel guests must leave their car at the same valet where the Cybertruck exploded this week. The 7th floor rooftop pool is less-chaotic and crowded than ones at other Strip hotels. Little noise. No DJs. The retail options are limited to a lobby gift shop, which may or may not be stocked with MAGA gear.
🍽️ Donald-Worthy Dining
There’s only one full restaurant, DJT (named after you-know-who), that was actually honored with a Michelin star in 2009, the final year Las Vegas was recognized in the listings. Today, the steakhouse is less ambitious — solid, but standard hotel lobby fare — with requisite Vegas prices. If $33 fish and chips and a $14 PB&J are in your budget, book a table now.
Donald Trump and Phil Ruffin during the 2005 groundbreaking. (Ethan Miller/Getty)
🤔 So, Who Owns this Thing Anyway?
Donald Trump built his reputation in construction and continued to grow his fortune by licensing his name to other developers. The Vegas hotel is an equally split partnership between Trump and Phil Ruffin, who also owns and operates the Treasure Island and Circus Circus. The capital Trump spent personally on the project isn’t widely publicized, but the former and future president owned more than 260 units as of 2024, earning tens of millions in revenue. Trump retained ownership of his private businesses upon becoming president in 2016, but handed over control to a trust operated by his sons.
🛌 Spending the Night
When the hotel first opened, Donald Trump’s affection for “gold” decor was unavoidable. At times, it came off as yellowish and gaudy, but renovations have toned that look down over the years. The 1,282 rooms, including 352 suites, and 46 penthouses, are well-designed and geared toward a luxury crowd. Pets are welcome. Suites have kitchens. The views — and I say this without hyperbole — are among the best in town. The hotel is on the corner of a crook in Las Vegas Boulevard, giving the illusion that the hotel is on the Strip, rather than alongside it when facing south.
- Then again, there are newer hotels in Las Vegas. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]
