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Donald Trump wins bid to build a $184 million taxpayer-financed public golf course
City Franchise Review and Concession Committee approved plan 5-1; Controller slams plan
Comments (16) By Daniel Beekman AND Larry Mcshane / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, January 18 2012, 8:41 PM
Craig Warga/New York Daily News
Eric Trump (2nd l.) is all smiles after members voted to approve the Trump group's bid to run a new golf course in the Bronx during a meeting of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee at 22 Reade St. on Wednesday.
Damian Dovarganes/AP
Donald Trump, seen here at his Ocean Trails golf club in California, will name the new course the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park.
DONALD TRUMP has a tee time in the Bronx: The spring of 2014.
The multi-billionaire developer’s bid to run a taxpayer-financed $184 million public golf course complex was approved Wednesday by the city Franchise and Concession Review Committee.
The Donald’s son Eric looked on as only the city Controller’s office opposed the license agreement slammed by critics as a sweetheart deal. The vote was 5-1 in favor of Trump.
“This agreement, which amounts to a public subsidy for a luxury golf course, is not structured in the best interests of New York City taxpayers,” Controller John Liu said in a statement.
“This deal does not give a fair return to our taxpayers and therefore we cannot support it.”
Trump was the winning bidder for a 20-year deal to run the Jack Nicklaus signature course beneath the Whitestone Bridge, with views of the Manhattan skyline.
He plans to call the new facility — no surprise here — Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park. Construction will continue for the next two years, with a 2014 opening expected.
“It’s a really exciting thing, a great thing for New York,” said Eric Trump after the vote. “We couldn’t be more thrilled as a family to have our name on it.”
Work on the championship golf course, where Trump hopes to lure the PGA, dates to 1998 when a private developer announced plans that wouldn’t cost the city a penny.
But the project was plagued by scandal, delays and cost overruns, with the city finally taking over the project in 2008.
Critics said the deal with the city gave Trump too much control over the course.
But Parks Department officials defended the agreement, saying Trump made the best of the three offers to operate the course.
dbeekman@nydailynews.com
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City Franchise Review and Concession Committee approved plan 5-1; Controller slams plan
Comments (16) By Daniel Beekman AND Larry Mcshane / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, January 18 2012, 8:41 PM
Craig Warga/New York Daily NewsEric Trump (2nd l.) is all smiles after members voted to approve the Trump group's bid to run a new golf course in the Bronx during a meeting of the Franchise and Concession Review Committee at 22 Reade St. on Wednesday.
Damian Dovarganes/APDonald Trump, seen here at his Ocean Trails golf club in California, will name the new course the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park.
DONALD TRUMP has a tee time in the Bronx: The spring of 2014.
The multi-billionaire developer’s bid to run a taxpayer-financed $184 million public golf course complex was approved Wednesday by the city Franchise and Concession Review Committee.
The Donald’s son Eric looked on as only the city Controller’s office opposed the license agreement slammed by critics as a sweetheart deal. The vote was 5-1 in favor of Trump.
“This agreement, which amounts to a public subsidy for a luxury golf course, is not structured in the best interests of New York City taxpayers,” Controller John Liu said in a statement.
“This deal does not give a fair return to our taxpayers and therefore we cannot support it.”
Trump was the winning bidder for a 20-year deal to run the Jack Nicklaus signature course beneath the Whitestone Bridge, with views of the Manhattan skyline.
He plans to call the new facility — no surprise here — Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park. Construction will continue for the next two years, with a 2014 opening expected.
“It’s a really exciting thing, a great thing for New York,” said Eric Trump after the vote. “We couldn’t be more thrilled as a family to have our name on it.”
Work on the championship golf course, where Trump hopes to lure the PGA, dates to 1998 when a private developer announced plans that wouldn’t cost the city a penny.
But the project was plagued by scandal, delays and cost overruns, with the city finally taking over the project in 2008.
Critics said the deal with the city gave Trump too much control over the course.
But Parks Department officials defended the agreement, saying Trump made the best of the three offers to operate the course.
dbeekman@nydailynews.com
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