Rainforest Cafe Sues to Stay Open After Trump Plaza Closes

Trump Plaza's closing next week is no reason that the Rainforest Cafe should close, according to Tilman Fertitta.  The owner of Houston, Texas-based Landry's Inc., which owns the Rainforest Cafe restaurant chain as well as Atlantic City's Golden Nugget Casino, is planning to fight in court to keep his restaurant open..

Fertitta says Atlantic City's Rainforest Cafe, which rents space from Trump Entertainment Properties in the soon-to-close Trump Plaza Casino, is popular, profitable, and keeping people employed.

"This is a restaurant that is probably one of the biggest restaurants in town", he told the Press of Atlantic City.  "I do think you have a moral obligation to save 180 jobs and help keep the Boardwalk a vibrant entity.

Everybody ought to stare down Trump and say we have the opportunity to save 180 jobs.  There's just no reason to shut this restaurant down".

The general counsel for Landry's, Inc. says the cafe's customers access the restaurant from a private entrance on the Boardwalk and won't be effected by the casino closing.  Steve Scheinthal wants a judge to force Trump Entertainment Resorts to allow the restaurant to stay open for 90 days after Trump Plaza's closing.

This issue is also being dealt with by the HQ Nightclub, which is trying to stay open in the now shuttered Revel Casino.