Trump’s business dealings in Scotland began in 2006, when he paid $16.6 million for a 1,400 acre parcel of land north of Aberdeen, where he completed the first of two proposed golf courses in 2012. In 2014, he bought Turnberry, an existing course located in southwestern Scotland, for $59 million. Trump sank millions more into developing both properties, but according to UK business records, he has consistently lost money on them. As
Bloomberg reported, he has poured $200 million into the ventures and has yet to see a dime of profit.
During the presidential campaign, Trump
cited his business experience in Scotland as evidence that he had what it took to become president.
Meanwhile, the big promises he made when he first pitched his plan for a world-class golf resort in Arberdeenshire have yet to materialize. He initially pledged the development would create as many as 6,000 jobs and spur $1.25 billion in investment; the reality so far
has been more like 95 jobs and $50 million.
Far from winning over Scots, Trump has made numerous enemies.
On Friday, ahead of his visit, the
Scotsman, the Scottish daily newspaper, ran a
full-page editorial denouncing Trump as “an appalling human being.”
These purchases have posed something of a mystery, puzzling even people who have worked closely with Trump over the years and who were aware of his penchant for borrowing heavily to finance his projects. The question: Where was all this cash coming from?
“We have pretty much all the money we need from investors in Russia,” Trump’s son said, “We’ve got some guys that really, really love golf, and they’re really invested in our programs.”
https://www.motherjones.com/politic...s-his-scottish-golf-course-a-mystery-remains/