The Associated Press

Thu, May 8, 2008 (7:07 p.m.)

Plans for a new $2 billion casino at Atlantic City's south end are one step closer to reality now that the City Council has approved a redevelopment plan for the area.

The council on Wednesday approved relocating several landmarks including a World War I monument and a historic restaurant to make way for the new project.

Former Park Place Entertainment chief executive Wally Barr and former Casino Reinvestment Development Authority Executive Director Curtis Bashaw want to build a project called the Atlantic Beach Resort and Casino.

It would include a 2,000-room hotel tower that would be the city's tallest building at 832 feet.