Trump scheme to expand empire in Scotland for wealthy golf fans and pensioners angers residents

[CatWoman]

Donald Trump’s sons are planning a huge expansion of his empire in Scotland, building hundreds of private homes, retirement villas and shops beside the golf courses they already own.

The US president’s family business has drawn up a masterplan for a new “world-class coastal retreat”, which has already prompted anger from local people who oppose more development.

One critic warned against “allowing Scotland’s reputation to be further associated with the toxic Trump brand”.

The scheme, revealed by Scotland on Sunday, involves up to 225 holiday and retirement homes, as well as leisure facilities and shops, on rolling farmland next to the Trump Turnberry golf resort.

It would be one of the most ambitious and expensive foreign projects undertaken by the Trump family business since he became president, the paper said.

The Trump Organization has not yet submitted a planning application, but the plan handed to South Ayrshire council argues that the scheme would “generate further opportunities and growth for the local economy”.

https://www.yahoo.com/?bcmt=1&messageId=54921c8c-9896-46e4-b080-7715db777663

[louis-t]

1. Will he lose money on the project like he's losing on the golf courses?

I'm sure they'll pay themselves first and stiff the contractors. There goes your "further opportunity and growth". Anyone who falls for their phony sales pitch deserves what they get.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. If he were to get planning permission for farmland, he'd be almost certain to make money

According to the original Scotland on Sunday article, Trump already owns the land, but planning permission was previously refused.

Getting permission to build is bound to increase the land value, and unless you really, really misjudge the market, you can then make money (admittedly, it would be possible for Trumps to think that living next to a Trump golf course is a plus, because their narcissism blinds them. But I think that's more likely to make them think they'll make more than they really will. If they didn't yet own the land, it'd be another matter - they could overpay for it).

More likely, I reckon, is that the planners and council will see right through the "social need" bullshit, because they won't be building cheap houses, and they'll say there is no local need for more expensive housing. I like this suggestion from a Green MSP:

Patrick Harvie MSP, co-leader of the Scottish Greens and a longstanding critic of Trump, said his firm had shown itself to be “an irresponsible and environmentally damaging developer,” as well as a “bad neighbour,” and urged officials to reject its advances.

“His personal finances have never been transparent, and rather than letting him help himself to another piece of Scotland's tourism industry, we should be going to court to seek an Unobtained Wealth Order, to start casting some light on his business dealings,” he added.

That should say "Unexplained Wealth Order"; these are aimed at people with huge wealth apparently obtain through crime, but which cannot be proved beyond all reasonable doubt as criminal in a court; in these, the onus is on the person to show they obtained it legitimately.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c12jr19lngdt/unexplained-wealth-orders

[Cha]

2. The trump "brand" is getting more Deadly Toxic

by the minute.

I hate the thought of them spreading their slimy ass money in Scotland.

[CurtEastPoint]

3. working link

https://news.yahoo.com/trump-scheme-expand-empire-scotland-153658534.html

[Denzil_DC]

4. They've been floating schemes for the land around their Turnberry holding for years.

The local council want nothing to do with it as it would mean re-zoning famland and go against their long-term planning goals for the area. If rejected at the local level, the Scottish Government is unlikely to "call in" any such plans for reconsideration, as happened with Trump's disastrous Aberdeenshire resort at Menie. The Menie development ruined an irreplaceable shifting dune system, failed to deliver the promised jobs and has been stalled for years for lack of funds. Only recently have there been any moves to go ahead with the grandiose proposed associated housing development that is just about the only way that development will ever show a profit.

In fact, it's more likely that the Scottish Government could apply for an unexplained wealth order under the Criminal Finances Act 2017 to probe the Trump Organization's financing of its Scottish resorts.

[Frustratedlady]

6. Apparently, he's done better as POTUS, financially, than I imagined.

Didn't I see a couple weeks ago where the Orange Marvel owes $100M to Putin and payment was coming due?

Or, maybe Putin has agreed to dig up more money. I can't imagine those two spawn would have been very successful. I also don't believe his businesses are in a blind trust.

[keithbvadu2]

7. If not laundering money, would you trust buying into a Trump scheme?

If not laundering money, would you trust buying into a Trump scheme?

Many early buyers regretted it.