Trump International Golf Links, Scotland
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Trump International Golf Links, Scotland is a
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...
course in
Balmedie Balmedie () is a large village in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. It lies north of the city of Aberdeen, in the civil parish of Belhelvie. The long and wide beach is bordered by an extensive dune system that stretches from Aberdeen to just north o ...
,
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, owned by
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. It opened in 2012.


History

In 2006, Trump purchased a plot just north of Aberdeen at Menie (Balmedie), Scotland, with the promise of turning it into a £1 billion golf resort and "the world's best golf course" capable of hosting world class events such as
The Open Championship The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
. Despite opposition from many people both locally and in other parts of Scotland and the UK, and negative reaction from a number of environmental groups, the project continued. The development plan for Trump International Golf Links, Scotland (TIGLS) included two 18-hole courses, a 5-star hotel, golf villas, holiday homes, and a golf academy. It was strongly supported by local business leaders, but met opposition from local residents, campaigners and environmental groups anxious to preserve the 4,000-year-old
sand dunes A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
that were designated an SSSI (
Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...
). In June 2019,
Scottish Natural Heritage NatureScot () is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for Scotland’s natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government on nature conservati ...
ruled that the golf course had "partially destroyed" the sand dune system, causing permanent habitat loss, and recommended that the SSSI status be revoked. The SSSI special status was removed in December 2020. Though the development was recommended for approval by
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...
Council officials, the development was initially rejected by a local subcommittee of elected members; however, it was subsequently approved following a controversial planning inquiry ordered by the
Scottish Government The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...
in June 2008, at which Trump personally testified. Work began on the site in July 2010. In March 2009, the Trump Organization had asked the Council to use its powers of
compulsory purchase Compulsion, Compulsive, Compelling, or Compulsory may refer to: Psychology * Compulsive behavior, a psychological condition in which a person does a behavior compulsively, having an overwhelming feeling that they must do so. * Obsessive–compu ...
to acquire some areas of land at Balmedie not forming part of the original TIGLS site for which planning permission already existed. These included four family-owned properties. In response local campaigners established Tripping Up Trump, a movement aimed at protecting the families at Menie being threatened with eviction. When it emerged at the end of January 2011 that
Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
guitarist
Brian May Sir Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal welfare activist and astrophysics, astrophysicist. He achieved global fame as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Queen ...
had agreed to the use of the band's song "
Bohemian Rhapsody "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock music, rock band Queen (band), Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, ''A Night at the Opera (Queen album), A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by Queen's lead si ...
" in a film highlighting the plight of the families, Trump appeared to deny in a media statement that there had ever been an eviction threat, declaring "we have no interest in compulsory purchase and have never applied for it." In September 2011, the Trump Organization lodged a formal objection to the proposed construction of a
wind farm A wind farm, also called a wind park or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turbines covering an exten ...
off the Aberdeenshire coast not far from the site of the new hotel and luxury housing. Donald Trump also wrote personally to the
First Minister of Scotland The first minister of Scotland () is the head of government of Scotland. The first minister leads the Scottish Government, the Executive (government), executive branch of the devolved government and is th ...
protesting mainly on aesthetic grounds at the proposed erection of offshore
wind turbines A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. , hundreds of thousands of large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, were generating over 650 gigawatts of power, with 60 GW added each y ...
, which he characterised as 'ugly'. His letter claimed that he was protesting on behalf of the Scottish people, 'not... merely for the benefit of Trump International Golf Links.' The Organization's subsequent lawsuit failed as did the appeal. In 2011, a documentary directed by Anthony Baxter called ''
You've Been Trumped ''You've Been Trumped'' is a 2011 documentary by British filmmaker Anthony Baxter. The film documents the construction of a luxury golf course on a beach in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, by developer Donald Trump and the subsequent strugg ...
'' was released, showing the situation of local residents adversely affected by the resort's construction. It contains footage of, among others, economists who query the benefits claimed for the local economy, environmentalists critical of the damage allegedly caused by the development and golfers who voice doubts about claims made for the resort by the Trump Organization. It also shows Anthony Baxter being arrested by a
Grampian Police Grampian Police was, between 1975 and 2013 (replaced by Police Scotland), the territorial police force of the northeast region of Scotland, covering, from 1996, the council areas of Aberdeenshire, the Aberdeen City, and Moray (the former Gramp ...
officer, while filming; he was later released without charge. Baxter has been quoted as saying that Trump branded the film 'boring' and Baxter himself 'a fraud'. The film has won several awards including the Hamptons Film Festival Social Justice Award, the
Maysles Brothers Albert Maysles (November 26, 1926 – March 5, 2015) and his brother David Maysles (January 10, 1931 – January 3, 1987; ) were an American documentary filmmaking team known for their work in the Direct Cinema style. Their best-known films inc ...
Award for best documentary at the
Denver Film Festival The Denver Film Festival is held in November, primarily at the Denver Film Center/Colfax, in Denver, Colorado, now the Anna and John J. Sie FilmCenter (Sie FilmCenter). Premiere events are held in the Buell Theatre and Ellie Caulkins Opera House ...
and the
Sedona International Film Festival The Sedona International Film Festival (SIFF) is an annual, eight-day film festival in Sedona, Arizona. The festival was founded in 1994. History In 2023, the festival was listed on ''MovieMakers "20 Great Film Festivals in Vacation Destinat ...
Director's Choice Award. The course opened on 10 July 2012. Despite Trump's threat to withdraw any further investment in Scotland amid the wind turbine controversy, he later purchased the prestigious Turnberry resort in
Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...
in April 2014. Aberdeenshire Council granted planning approval for a second golf course on the Menie site, to be named the ''MacLeod Course'' after Donald Trump's mother,
Mary Anne MacLeod Mary Anne Trump ( MacLeod; ; May 10, 1912 – August 7, 2000) was a Scottish-American socialite and philanthropist, who was the wife of the real-estate developer Fred Trump and the mother of five children, including U.S. president Donald Trum ...
, in October 2020.


Operation

By 31 December 2018, the accounts reveal an overall expenditure on assets to date of £33,659,179. During the year there had been an operating loss of £866,991 and loss before tax of £1,077,504. This loss represented a small improvement on the previous year (2017), when it made a loss of around £1,250,000. The number of employees had reduced from 84 during 2017 to 77 in 2018. The shareholders' deficit increased by just over £1,000,000 to £11,725,897. For 31 December 2019, the accounts reveal an overall asset value of £32,071,221. During the year there had been an operating loss of £896,367 and loss before tax of £1,105,763. This loss represented a further decline on the previous year (2018). The number of employees rose back up to 84 during 2019 from 77 in 2018. The shareholders' deficit again increased by over £1M to £12,783,441. In February 2023, the company managing the golf course, Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd, reported pre-tax losses of £697,000 ($860,000) in 2021. For 31 December 2023, the accounts reveal an overall asset value of £37,201,613. During the year there had been an operating loss of £1,159,571 and loss before tax of £1,427,216. This loss represented a further decline on the previous years. The number of employees was 84 during 2023. The shareholders' deficit again increased to £16,625,087. There remains a loan due to Mr D J Trump of £40,616,321 (unchanged) with a further loan from DJT Holdings LLC of £11,780,663.


Coat of arms

In 2008, Trump promoted the golf course with a
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
that he had used for his American businesses, but was warned by the
Lord Lyon King of Arms The Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officer of State, Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scotland, Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry i ...
, the highest authority for
Scottish heraldry Heraldry in Scotland, while broadly similar to that practised in England and elsewhere in western Europe, has its own distinctive features. Its heraldic executive is separate from that of the rest of the United Kingdom. Executive The Scottish h ...
, that a Scottish law disallows the use of unregistered arms. In January 2012, shortly after the inauguration of the golf course, Trump unveiled a new coat of arms that had been granted to "The Trump International Golf Club Scotland Ltd" by the Lord Lyon in 2011. A spokesperson for the golf course said that "the coat of arms brings together visual elements that signify different aspects of the Trump family heritage .. the Lion Rampant n the crestmakes reference to Scotland and the stars to America. Three chevronels are used to denote the sky, sand dunes and sea—the essential components of the site, and the double- eadedEagle represents the dual nature and nationality of Trump's heritage (Scottish and German). The Eagle clutches golf balls making reference to the great name of golf, and the motto ''Numquam Concedere'' is Latin for Never Give Up—Trump's philosophy". The same coat of arms was later used for the Trump International Golf Links and Hotel Ireland.


See also

*
Donald Trump and golf Donald Trump is closely associated with the sport of golf. As a real estate developer, Trump began acquiring and constructing golf courses in 1999. By 2016, he owned 17 golf courses worldwide through his holding company, the Trump Organization. ...


References


External links

* {{official website, http://www.trumpgolfscotland.com/, Trump International Golf Links, Scotland
Trumped
– Anthony Baxters 8-episode podcast from the beginning to 2024, on BBC Sounds Golf clubs and courses in Aberdeenshire Donald Trump real estate 2012 establishments in Scotland Sports venues completed in 2012