How much does it suck to be Trump these days? Well, he fought back when, as a response to Trump fomenting an insurrection former NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio tried to terminate his lease to operate the Ferry Point public golf course. It turned out to be what for Trump is a rare instance of actually winning in court! Being a public course, paying the 10 million dollar penalty to break the lease was more than the city thought was wise. It’s not like municipal courses are moneymakers to begin with. Wherever they are they tend to not generate much profit most of the time and whatever they do get goes into maintaining the place.
So Trump won and got to keep his name on the course until the lease was set to expire in 2035. Like I said, it was a rare win for Trump in court. However, as this article notes Trump has decided to sell his stake in “Trump” Ferry Point. As of Sept. 21 it will be under the management of Bally’s, and named BALLY’S Links. The Trump name is coming off yet another property. Given his love of golf and how he wants to be the person the whole world thinks of first when they think about golf this has got to sting. More than a little bit. It doesn’t do much for Trump’s mood to know that, as noted in the linked article New York Comptroller was quoted by ABC News saying:
“I am delighted that Trump’s name will no longer deface city parkland.”
Again I should note this is a public course. Not a fancy place and certainly not a generator of much profit. Maybe Trump thought he could milk it for more than it was worth with fees and he sure as hell needs all the money he can get. But being a public course he couldn’t sell high priced memberships, and the rich folks in NYC were hardly going to subject themselves to a basic public/muny layout with no amenities other than if they were lucky a “hot gal” coming round in the cart selling refreshments. I also recall following this a bit when the lawsuit was going on, and if memory serves the place was just getting by financially.
Still, Trump had to have known from the beginning that even if he could jack up the fees a bit it was never going to make him much money, and if he didn’t keep the place up to a certain standard he’d violate the terms of his lease. So the whole point in the end was to have his name on yet something else, and in NYC to boot. Ego. As long as it didn’t cost him money he thought “what the hell?”
Trump however knows how little New Yorkers think of him. So, even though he won (in court) the ability to keep his name on that muny golf course he decided it wasn’t worth the trouble. Bear in mind that his civil trial is starting next month up there, and the Trump Org. is on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties. My guess is that whomever was assigned to do the day-to-day management was giving into pressure to cut corners, and that it’s likely money that should have been set aside to say purchase new maint. equipment got diverted. Basically, the time would come when the course would fall into a level of disrepair that would allow NYC to terminate the lease early without penalty.
Given all his other criminal and civil legal liabilities Trump decided to just wash his hands of the place. But oh the humiliation! Like I said he knows his name is mud in NYC, and that golfers there (and everywhere) who play public courses because we can’t afford to be members of country clubs (well, I can’t play anymore but I once did regularly) think of him. The truth is Trump thinks, and has always thought even less of them! Owning the management (and therefore naming) rights of this course was a taunt from Trump. And he can no longer afford it!
Keep an eye out on or right after the 21st. I’m hoping, I really am that a group gathers to CHEER when those ugly gold T R U M P letters come off the signage at Ferry Point to be replace by Bally’s Links. I think a nice touch would be to make a set of big pieces of canvass with a giant figure of fat-ass Trump in golfing gear near the first tee where players take a few warmup swings. (Most public courses don’t have driving ranges) There would be a big washtub full of watercolor paint and golf balls. A volunteer could fish out a paint covered ball and tee it up and for five bucks someone can use a crappy old driver provided for them to smack it into the image of Trump. Even sign their name. The paint splotched Trump canvases can be sold at auction – with the proceeds going say to help minority kids get introduced to golf!
Might as well rub Trump’s nose in it as much as possible.
Great idea. Just have a large arse out there with a Maga hat, no face,(no basis to sue), using the present sign with no ‘T’. RUMP…poetic justice.
I always wondered why no one ever came out with a first person shooter game where all the enemies are republicans…or at least a mod for Unreal Tournament! I am sure it would sell like hotcakes! Of course the Maga cult would go even more bat$hit crazy than they already are.
…”Trump had to have known from the beginning that even if he could jack up the fees a bit it was never going to make him much money”–that would be a business decision and as he has shown the world multiple times, he is no businessman and does not have the business sense given to your average goose.