[Tony_Muldoon]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/theopen/10791885/Sale-of-Turnberry-sees-property-tycoon-Donald-Trump-set-to-expand-his-golf-portfolio-with-a-piece-of-the-Open.html

On a personal level this is dissapointing for me as I expect the price to go even higher.  They have been running a winter package the last few years and I was considering it for next March.  Sad to think I may never play there again, but I'm obviously not the kind of guy they'l be looking for.  Have to feel for the Club memebers.



Meanwhile in Ireland another rich man is buying an upmarket golf resort.
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/commercial-property/us-billionaire-eyes-mount-juliet-resort-1.1775722 

[Niall C]

If only this was an April Fool joke. Trump Turnberry anyone ?

You've got to wonder how he's going to "improve" the course, I can't imagine he's not going to touch it as he has everything else he has bought. Mind you it does highlight once again he promises to do one thing (not invest further in Scotland until windfarm project off Balmedie abandoned) and does the opposite. Clearly not a man of his word.

Niall

[Jon Wiggett]

If only this was an April Fool joke. Trump Turnberry anyone ?

You've got to wonder how he's going to "improve" the course, I can't imagine he's not going to touch it as he has everything else he has bought. Mind you it does highlight once again he promises to do one thing (not invest further in Scotland until windfarm project off Balmedie abandoned) and does the opposite. Clearly not a man of his word.

Niall

Well for a start Niall he will probably demand that eyesore of a lighthouse is demolished or failing that he will plant some aesthetically pleasing trees to screen the golfer from its ugliness.

Jon

[Ally Mcintosh]

You’ve got to admire him really, haven’t you? Or at least I would if it weren’t for his insistence on using his brand name everywhere he goes…

Tony – I’ll be keeping an eye on the Mount Juliet purchase because the house and estate there are a real jewel in Ireland. It is OK to see somewhere like the custom made Doonbeg being bought by questionable taste (where incidentally, Trump organisation are in a bind with Clare County Council for transporting rock armour on to site, contrary to planning conditions)… But the old money country houses have a very particular style and feel that I’d hate to see change…

Ally

[Thomas Dai]

If only this was an April Fool joke. Trump Turnberry anyone ?
You've got to wonder how he's going to "improve" the course, I can't imagine he's not going to touch it as he has everything else he has bought. Mind you it does highlight once again he promises to do one thing (not invest further in Scotland until windfarm project off Balmedie abandoned) and does the opposite. Clearly not a man of his word.
Niall

Well for a start Niall he will probably demand that eyesore of a lighthouse is demolished or failing that he will plant some aesthetically pleasing trees to screen the golfer from its ugliness.
Jon

and get rid of that Ailsa Craig thingy too, what an ghastly eyesore, only useful for making curling stones. And how about painting the white hotel tartan? That would look really nice as a backdrop while presenting the Claret Jug (sic)!

atb

[Niall C]

Jon

In recent days the High Hedges Bill, or whatever it is called, has come into effect. Apparently the Bill came about because the local MSP to Balmedie was less than impressed regarding Donalds treatment of the owner of the former coast guard station over looking the course. Its likely that the owner will be able to force Donald to chop down the ugly row of conifers (laylandii ?) that Trump planted to block the guys view.

Niall

[Frank Pont]

Oh well, these things come and go....   remember when the Japanese owned Pebble Beach and Camberley Heath.

[Jon Wiggett]

and of course it will be renamed 'TRUMPBERRY'

Niall,

I am surprised he was allowed to plant an alien species in the first place and that they survived all the potential natural disasters till now.

What surprises me is that the said former coast guard station is a splendid example of architecture and fits perfectly in the landscape unlike the proposed clubhouse and other eyesores that Trump is planning.

Jon

[Kevin_D]

So Dubai as an owner is fine, but Trump is objectionable?

[Rich Goodale]

That Turnberry may be available for ~$50million tells me that golf (as a business) is going down the toilet.

We should get down on our knees and pay homage to The Donald, as he seems to be one of the very few "players" willing to invest in our game, along with Keiser and Kohler and ........?

[Niall C]

Rich

Who pays £35m for something that is going bust ? I think what we're seeing is a readjustment to the crazy property values that we saw during the boom years and no more. Without Trump buying it, you would assume the present owner would have continued to operate it (in fact, did Leisure corps not do a management deal with someone ?) until they found another buyer so no need to genuflect to Donald IMHO.

What I find intewresting is that Trump has managed to source funding that others don't seem to have. Interesting times.


Niall

[Patrick_Mucci]

Kevin_D,

You have to understand the mindset of the morons who post about Trump 

You're so right, no complaints about Dubai owning Turnberry, but moronic outrage when Trump owns it

Trump has the interest and the experience to improve the facility and operation.

Or, would these morons feel better if Turnberry was sold and the golf course abandoned ?

Rich,

You're right, but that's mostly due to the economy.
There's a link between participation in luxury sports and the economy.

If Turnberry was doing so well, and it's a pretty big complex, you're right, it wouldn't be sold for $ 50 M

If I recall correctly, the Japanese spent about $ 30-60 M on the spa and facilities about 22 years ago.

When you consider the physical property $ 50 M seems low.

[Niall C]

Kevin_D,

You have to understand the mindset of the morons who post about Trump 

You're so right, no complaints about Dubai owning Turnberry, but moronic outrage when Trump owns it

Trump has the interest and the experience to improve the facility and operation.

Or, would these morons feel better if Turnberry was sold and the golf course abandoned ?

Patrick

I see you've woken from your slumber, presumably still drunk from the night before. You have to be drunk to come away with the statement about the course being abandoned. That statement is beyond moronic and in the realms of numptitude.

Kevin

You're correct, Trump is indeed objectionable, witness his interaction with his neighbours up at Balmedie.

Niall

[BCowan]

Rich

Who pays £35m for something that is going bust ? I think what we're seeing is a readjustment to the crazy property values that we saw during the boom years and no more.


Niall

+1

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick

I see you've woken from your slumber, presumably still drunk from the night before.
You have to be drunk to come away with the statement about the course being abandoned.

I'm a very, very light drinker and not a drug user and am of sound mind and body, hence my statement is pragmatic, versus your irrational, emotional angst that overcomes you at the mention of the name "Trump"

That statement is beyond moronic and in the realms of numptitude.

Niall,

NO, It's reality.

If the facility loses more money every year there comes a time when you cut your losses and either sell the facility or cease operations

If there's no willing buyer for the price you're asking, you cease operations.

Only a moron couldn't figure that out, especially an irrational, emotional moron.

Kevin

You're correct, Trump is indeed objectionable, witness his interaction with his neighbours up at Balmedie.

Which ones ?

The ones you side with or the ones who side with Trump ?

Niall

[Paul Gray]

Excellent 

[Mark Pearce]

If by "abandoned" Patrick means left in the same appalling state as Muirfield, Troon, Hoylake, Lytham, Royal St George's and Birkdale then I suspect a few of the members might not be too upset if Turnberry was "abandoned".  The golf course could operate fine as a private members club with a course on the Open rota.  I'm sure the members could live without the hotel, spa, restaurants etc.

[Paul Jones]

Trump has been buying/building/remodeling a lot of golf properties.  I wonder when he will get a return on his money.

[Patrick_Mucci]

If by "abandoned" Patrick means left in the same appalling state as Muirfield, Troon, Hoylake, Lytham, Royal St George's and Birkdale then I suspect a few of the members might not be too upset if Turnberry was "abandoned". 

If each of those members had to pay another 10£ a year to pay for non-golf operations those clubs would be in jeopardy of folding.
You're fantasizing again.

The golf course could operate fine as a private members club with a course on the Open rota. 
I'm sure the members could live without the hotel, spa, restaurants etc.

Mark,

You're living in a dream world.

As a private club the members couldn't afford the annual losses generated by the hotel, spa and restaurants, ergo, there would be no "private" club.

[Mark Pearce]

Patrick,

The fantasist in this conversation is the one who thinks there is a danger of Turnberry being abandoned.  If the worst came to the worst and the business went into receivership the receiver would not be short of offers for the golf courses.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick,

The fantasist in this conversation is the one who thinks there is a danger of Turnberry being abandoned.  If the worst came to the worst and the business went into receivership the receiver would not be short of offers for the golf courses.

And what's the receiver going to do with the other facilities ?   Sell them separately ?

To whom ?

It's a bitter pill for you to swallow, but you need to bow down and kiss Donald's ring, then his ass

[Niall C]

Mark

Patrick has moved beyond fantasy and gone straight on to numptitude.

Patrick

It is entirely possible that the current owner is making a loss given the level of debt they are probably carrying, hence the sale. At £35m I would suggest there is a long way to go to before you hit rock bottom. What is it they say about golf course development ? That it's the 3rd owner who eventually makes some money.

As for your statement that an extra levy of £10 a year on members at Muirfield etc causing the clubs to fold, well I suspect that there is more chance of David Moyes getting a second chance of managing Man U.

Niall

[Mark Chaplin]

Interesting as Turnberry is on the Open rota and maybe he's had the nod that Aberdeen will not be. I've no problem with this whatsoever as he clearly knows how to turnaround businesses. My problem with Aberdeen was always about how the permission was granted and how the locals were treated.

This must be good news for Turnberry.

[Mark Pearce]

Patrick,

If he can't find a buyer for the whole package then no doubt he'd try.  If he couldn't find a buyer at all for the hotel etc. then he'd sell the courses on their own.  Of course the chances are that he'd always be able to find a buyer for the whole caboodle and that the best return on the assets would be obtained that way.  The idea that he'd allow the courses to be abandoned when there would be buyers out there for them is absurd.  I guess we should be used to you arguing for the absurd, however.

[Niall C]

Interesting as Turnberry is on the Open rota and maybe he's had the nod that Aberdeen will not be. I've no problem with this whatsoever as he clearly knows how to turnaround businesses. My problem with Aberdeen was always about how the permission was granted and how the locals were treated.

This must be good news for Turnberry.

Mark

I'm not sure it will make much difference overall at Turnberry or at least I hope it doesn't ie. I don't want him trashing the place with guady fountains/waterfalls/name change etc. Remember that the current owners substantially upgraded the Hotel and clubhouse for the 2009 Open in addition to the astronomical price they paid for it. I suspect it was always going to be a struggle to get a worthwhile return on that sort of expenditure, particularly when you consider that the Scottish banks were by far the biggest corporate users and Turnberry largely lost that revenue following the credit crunch.

Trump may have made an astute purchase depending on meeting his projected returns, and I certainly think the economy is moving the right way for him. Add into the mix that the Open is at Troon in a couple of years and surrounding courses always get a bounce in revenue leading up to and following a nearby Open.

Niall

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