Showboat deal impacted 2 presidents of Stockton University

Herman Saatkamp was "a visionary leader during a period of extraordinary growth and progress" at Stockton, a growing state university in the Atlantic City suburbs, according to an independent review of the Showboat deal commissioned by the university.

"Saatkamp's leadership style, and haste to obtain approval of the deal, hampered debate and, in this case, resulted in the board of trustees, which had already approved the transaction, not learning of critical facts," the report said.

Caesars Entertainment placed a deed restriction on it, saying it could never again be used as a casino.

The report said that when Saatkamp learned Trump Entertainment Resorts would not waive its rights under the covenant, he did not tell the board that, and also failed to undertake meaningful negotiations with Trump Entertainment to get it resolved.

Last week, on the day Stockton's trustees approved the latest sale of the property to Philadelphia developer Bart Blatstein for $22 million, they also agreed to make Kesselman their new permanent president, authorizing negotiations on a contract they expect to sign on Dec. 2.