Home of AC resident who challenged Trump sold

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- Decades after a woman challenged Donald Trump in court and won the right to keep her home, an Atlantic City woman decided to put it up for auction.

Trump wanted Vera Coking to give up her boarding house on South Columbia Place in 1993 in order to expand Trump Plaza.

The real estate mogul even offered her big bucks but Coking wouldn't give in.

"She said, 'This is my house, Bouchouir, when I am ready to leave, I leave.' She doesn't want the money," said Bouchouir Abdesslim.

It was a David vs. Goliath type of battle in court that resulted in a Coking trumping Trump.

However now that Coking is 91-years-old and living in California, the 29 room boarding house is up for auction, starting Thursday.

The building was listed for $995,000. It sold on Thursday for $530,000 plus auction fees of 10% which is much less than what Trump reportedly offered decades ago.

"She was offered $1.8 million for a house that was worth $180,000 at the time - that's 10 times as much. She was asking for $4 million," said Yehia Farid.

"That's the kind of thing everybody hopes for is that Trump will come knocking on your door and offer you whatever. She didn't take it - greed is a tough thing sometimes," said Bill Schugar.

There were mixed reactions from Atlantic City-goers, some even sided with Coking.

"It's good that she fought for what she believed in and what she wanted. Money is not everything but for me, I would have probably took the investment," said Stephanie An.

"I think she did what she had to do. Of course it's her place she don't really have to sell it," said Min An.

Some say greed was why Coking held out. Whatever the reason was, it kept her in the old building until 2010 when she moved out.

Action News spoke to a rolling chair operator on the boardwalk who says he wished he could have bid on it.

"I would love to buy it because it's just a great location. It's just a legend in the city and it'd be really fun to live right next to Trump Plaza," said David Ruffin.

The fate of Trump Plaza has also changed a lot since 1993. The casino is in dire financial straits and could close as early as September if a buyer isn't found.