Bruce Deifik, who personally lost over $70 million on the Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, died in a car crash in Denver on Sunday. He was 64.
Deifik was driving home from a Colorado Rockies game when he was killed in the single-car crash, his lawyer told the Associated Press.[1]
He was also facing a hearing Wednesday in Atlantic City concerning whether he would lose his casino license over allegations of sexual harassment by female employees.
“The property is cursed, and Bruce was the latest victim,” one insider told me. “First he lost all his [investment]. Then he lost his life.”
The original owners went bankrupt after spending $2.4 billion developing the casino. Deifik, who had never been to Atlantic City, thought it was a bargain at about $200 million.
But when Deifik renamed and reopened it in 2018, Ocean Resort Casino ranked dead last in gambling revenue among the nine casinos in town.
Even after he sold it in January to Luxor Capital, Deifik was still being sued for $10 million[2] by nightclub operator Joey Morrissey, who was forced out last year.
As I reported in November,[3] the presidential suite on the 44th floor, where Deifik and his wife, Nancy, often stayed, was hit by cat burglars who allegedly made off with nearly $1 million in jewelry.
A spokesperson for the property said, “The Ocean family is grateful for Bruce having the vision to reopen this beautiful oceanfront property and employing over 3,000 members of our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
References
- ^ told the Associated Press. (www.nj.com)
- ^ being sued for $10 million (pagesix.com)
- ^