Trump International in Dubai

[Howard Riefs]

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130505005039/en/DAMAC-Properties-Develop-Championship-Trump-International-Golf

Interesting that there's no mention of the architect...

"The 7,205-yard, par 71 course will be located just ten minutes from Sheikh Zayed Road and sits at the heart of the 28 million square foot ‘Akoya by DAMAC’ master plan development - the launch of which was announced last week. Construction is already underway and the course will be ready for play next year."

[Adam Lawrence]

They won't reveal the architect at the moment, I asked them again today.

[Tom_Doak]

Tom Doak and other architects who don't have works in the Middle East: Is it a region where you would pitch for business? Is there a sense that a course built out of the Gulf desert can only ever be so good or is the sky the limit in the right hands? I must say I really enjoyed the Earth course and the Emirates - would also like to see the Royal golf club in Bahrain...

I had never been to that part of the world until seeing Yas Links a year ago.  I was impressed by the course and felt comfortable there, so I would certainly consider doing a job there.  But, the other two things which drive what we do are:

1.  Does the client understand enough about golf to let us work the way we work? and

2.  Do I have an associate who is willing to take on the project?

We don't want to get involved with a client who just hires us because he thinks our name will sell to golfers.  Clients will only give us the freedom to build the course the way we do if they understand enough about us and they really care about having a great finished product.  I never thought I would work in the Far East, for the same reason, but we've managed to find a couple of clients there whom we can work with.

[Frank Pont]

They won't reveal the architect at the moment, I asked them again today.

Well its easy, its the best architect in the world.... Any hints yet how many waterfalls there will be?

[Ben Lovett]

It is on the Tiger Woods project which was stopped several years ago

[Thomas Dai]

Sounds like owned by locals but managed by the Trump organisation, not actually owned by Donald and Co as elsewhere in the world. Be interesting to know where the £$£$ is coming from especially as Dubai has been getting a bad press over the last few years for being in general financial difficulties, all those incomplete buildings, Tigers never finished course, ex-pats coming home, alleged bailouts from Abu Dhabi, cranes on the skyline etc. Curious.

All the best.

[Adam Lawrence]

I just had confirmation that it is _not_ on the former Tiger site from the developers.