Before it became the world-renowned Atlantis Paradise Island, the property was known as the Paradise Island Hotel and Casino, which opened in 1968. It was owned by Resorts International, a company that was later acquired by the famous television host Merv Griffin. Notably, Donald Trump also held a majority stake in the company during the 1980s before selling it to Griffin. In 1994, the South African hotelier Sol Kerzner and his company, Kerzner International, purchased the "languishing" property. Kerzner had a vision to transform the aging resort into a mythical, ocean-themed destination based on the legend of the lost city of Atlantis. Following an extensive $800 million renovation and expansion, including the construction of the iconic Royal Towers, the resort officially reopened as Atlantis Paradise Island in December 1998. Since then, it has continued to expand with additions like The Cove and The Reef, but its origins are rooted in the jet-set playground of the 1960s and 70s.