[Howard Riefs]

Mr. Trump's company, which all but stopped investing its own money in large property deals in recent years, has signed an agreement to pay $170 million for (Doral Golf Resort and Spa) near Miami, according to people familiar with the matter. It would be its biggest U.S. real-estate investment since the recession, according to people familiar with the matter.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204450804576625230280160802.html

[jeffwarne]

Mr. Trump's company, which all but stopped investing its own money in large property deals in recent years, has signed an agreement to pay $170 million for (Doral Golf Resort and Spa) near Miami, according to people familiar with the matter. It would be its biggest U.S. real-estate investment since the recession, according to people familiar with the matter.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204450804576625230280160802.html

It is Miami after all......
should be an interesting culture clash
and could be win win

[Greg McMullin]

If Mr. Trump adds a couple of water falls everything should be fine.

[jeffwarne]

If Mr. Trump adds a couple of water falls everything should be fine.

Honestly a little "Trumping" couldn't hurt the Great White.....


The piece of property where the White sits could set a record for most dollars per acre wasted on mediocrity

[Sam Morrow]

Would it become, "TPC Blue Monster at Trump National Miami?"

[Martin Toal]

In my opinion, Doral Blue Monster is a rather forgettable course which sticks in the public imagination only because of a few showy feature holes. Sounds perfect for Trump.

[M. Shea Sweeney]

In my opinion, Doral Blue Monster is a rather forgettable course which sticks in the public imagination only because of a few showy feature holes. Sounds perfect for Trump.

.

Or is it because the Doral has hosted a tour event for over 45 years and offers a course right now that is fun and playable for the most part from the correct tee.

Hard not to look at the Doral Resort as an opportunity.

[Jason Walker]

I went there as a kid and then it was another 20 years before I went again last year.  I guess I had visions of it being a nice, elegant place because of the memories of my youth.  What I found was a place that was--to put it nicely--kind of a dump.

Say what you want about Trump but whatever he does there will be an improvement to what's there now.

[Peter Sayegh]

I've never been to Doral but I think this is a brilliant move.
Trump essentially buys his way into a relationship with the PGA with an existing and established tour stop.
I think conducting the yearly tournament at Doral will give him the opportunity to showcase his ability to host another professional event-maybe even a major-at one of his other properties. I know this was discussed here re: Trump National and the Open.

[Joel_Stewart]

If Mr. Trump adds a couple of water falls everything should be fine.

Honestly a little "Trumping" couldn't hurt the Great White.....


The piece of property where the White sits could set a record for most dollars per acre wasted on mediocrity

I'm not sure the White is part of the transaction.  I heard that Paulson was keeping that separate for future real estate development.  Lastly the Trump bid is only the stalking bid, ther bids can be submitted and the court will make a decision.

I've played there a few times and stayed at the hotel.  It's run down, the restaurants are terrible and the golf is just basic boring Florida golf.  It's a throwback to the 1960's.

I'll agree that anything Trump does will be an improvement.  I'll look forward to see what his vision is for the golf courses.  My guess is he'll bring in Fazio for at least one of the courses and some other name to build something unique.  My only question is can Miami and Doral support a 5 star resort.

[Howard Riefs]

I went there as a kid and then it was another 20 years before I went again last year.  I guess I had visions of it being a nice, elegant place because of the memories of my youth.  What I found was a place that was--to put it nicely--kind of a dump.

I had the same feeling in going back to Doral a couple years ago.  I went to the tournanment every year as a kid and always wanted to play it. It had a mystique for a South Florida youngster, seeing the big pros -- Nicklaus, Floyd, Watson, etc. -- playing a course that was open to the public. I finally played it with my dad the day before going to college.  A send off.

In those intervening 20 years, it's gathered some rust, been neglected and fallen out of favor.  No longer is it the 'destination' course in South Florida.  A sad evolution.

[David Cronheim]

I agree with most of what has been written above. I played the Blue Monster twice and thought that it was more unfair than hard. It has a few excellent holes. I think the drive on 18 from the tips may be the most demanding closing tee shot on tour. Hit the fairway or else.

The resort is in need of an overhaul. I played the par 3 course as a small child and remember it fondly. The hotel used to have a beach resort, but when it contracted to just a golf resort, it became a bit depressing. For what it's worth, I think the Great White course is better than the Blue Monster. It's far more enjoyable and I would disagree with the comments that it's just typical, boring South Florida golf. I thought it was actually quite an interesting course and I liked use of the crushed shell instead of rough. You'd have to be John Daly to hit it far enough off line to ever lose a ball.

[Carl Rogers]

I agree with many of you , but

May be we should give DT the benefit of the doubt .... in the investment world past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.  He might be willing to a different type of course(s)?? and hire different people to do it.

[Howard Riefs]

It's getting closer to fruition, according to Brad Klein's article that ran Friday. And, in a new development, Trump has hired Gil Hanse to handle a "dramatic renovation" of the course. Via Geoff Shackleford:

Bradley Klein says Donald Trump is about to close on his purchase of Doral resort and has hired architect Gil Hanse "to undertake a dramatic renovation of the Blue Monster, the most famous of the resort’s five courses and home to the PGA Tour's annual World Golf Championships Cadillac Championship next month."

Renovation work on the Blue Monster likely would not start until after the 2013 WGC-Cadillac. Preliminary plans including lengthening the course, with particular attention to moving six greens, and stretching out the opening hole, which is a short par-5. The driving range also will be expanded, all greens rebuilt, and a new turf cover of Bermudagrass will be installed.

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2012/2/24/trump-about-to-close-on-doral-tabs-hanse-for-blue-monster-re.html

[Mac Plumart]

I think Trump is "getting" it.

Look out!!

Could we be seeing the making of a GCA convert.

I think, YES!!!

[jeffwarne]

If Mr. Trump adds a couple of water falls everything should be fine.

Honestly a little "Trumping" couldn't hurt the Great White.....


The piece of property where the White sits could set a record for most dollars per acre wasted on mediocrity

I'm not sure the White is part of the transaction.  I heard that Paulson was keeping that separate for future real estate development.  Lastly the Trump bid is only the stalking bid, ther bids can be submitted and the court will make a decision.

I've played there a few times and stayed at the hotel.  It's run down, the restaurants are terrible and the golf is just basic boring Florida golf.  It's a throwback to the 1960's.

I'll agree that anything Trump does will be an improvement.  I'll look forward to see what his vision is for the golf courses.  My guess is he'll bring in Fazio for at least one of the courses and some other name to build something unique.  My only question is can Miami and Doral support a 5 star resort.

It's not like Doral has not had multiple "renovations" in both the hotel and on the golf course-and mlti millions poured into it.
Unless Trump is bringing 1000 employees with him, he's in for the harsh reality of the culture that Miami (particularly in that area) has become in the past 30 years.
former new management fired EVERY employee on one occasion.
It should be very interesting to watch this evolve and Trump's brazen style may? be the way to go.
perhaps in this economy, he'll have less labor issues, but....
no doubt it will be successful if he can find a way to make manana yesterday

[Stuart Goldstein]

http://golfweek.com/news/2012/feb/24/trumps-doral-vision-includes-tougher-monster/

A piece by Brad Klein.  Never cared for the course-but maybe will turn into something.

[Brad Klein]

The key to the Doral deal will be what happens to the land on which the White Course sits.

Trump is a very smart guy, and while he revels in playing a caricature of himself in and to the media he surrounds himself with very sharp analysts who don't miss a thing. As for the Blue Monster, it badly needs an overhaul; the par-5s are a joke for the modern Tour player and the rest of the course for resort players is a disappointing slog until the 15th tee. If Gil Hanse can get back some of Wilson's intended landing area angles it'll be a whole new ball game down there.

[Bruce Katona]

It's dificult for me to imagine DT paying $170 million (of his own money) for 5 golf courses and a resort in need of renovation in S. Florida.  If it's true, good for South Florida golf as Team Trump will inject life and character into a property in need.

Best of Luck.

[jeffwarne]

The key to the Doral deal will be what happens to the land on which the White Course sits.

Trump is a very smart guy, and while he revels in playing a caricature of himself in and to the media he surrounds himself with very sharp analysts who don't miss a thing. As for the Blue Monster, it badly needs an overhaul; the par-5s are a joke for the modern Tour player and the rest of the course for resort players is a disappointing slog until the 15th tee. If Gil Hanse can get back some of Wilson's intended landing area angles it'll be a whole new ball game down there.

the White course is surrounded by a ghetto, which was uncovered in all its' glory when the geniuses made the decision to remove the mature huge ficus trees all around and on the white property and replace them with the look and feel of dubai

As far as par 5's, #10 remains relevant, 1 never was, 8's not bad-just typical, 12's a decent slug it test.
the only difference is they've actually kept them as par 5's rather than taking the weak minded choice of making 2 of them par 4's.

Gil Hanse will definitely improve the golf course, but I'm not sure if he simply restores "some of the intended landing area angles of Dick Wilson's design"( with modern distances),that the average golfer and paying customer will  think "it's a whole new ball game"

and I do think you're right about Trump's team-they would certainly be aware of this and demand a bit more eye candy/obvious excitement.

I'm hoping I've wrong as I always enjoyed the Blue, but the average high end South Florida visitor/Trump client has grown to demand/expect much more
Here's hoping they do-it's certainly an opportunity

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Brad said it well. Lets see if the deal closes. It is just another possible deal now. Either way my basic policy of not playing a Trump course will not change.

[Jud_T]

Tiger,

You and I will have to hang 'em up and play tiddly winks when he buys up every last course...If he hires Jim Urbina and gives him enough rope to hang himself I'll throw in the towel and make an exception...

[David Kelly]

the White course is surrounded by a ghetto, which was uncovered in all its' glory when the geniuses made the decision to remove the mature huge ficus trees all around and on the white property and replace them with the look and feel of dubai

By Miami standards that is not actually a ghetto.  Try driving by Overtown or Liberty City if you want to see a ghetto.

That said I don't see where turning the White Course into apartments or low cost condos would be that financially lucrative. 

[jeffwarne]

the White course is surrounded by a ghetto, which was uncovered in all its' glory when the geniuses made the decision to remove the mature huge ficus trees all around and on the white property and replace them with the look and feel of dubai

By Miami standards that is not actually a ghetto.  Try driving by Overtown or Liberty City if you want to see a ghetto.

That said I don't see where turning the White Course into apartments or low cost condos would be that financially lucrative.  

David,
You are right actually.
Although my first year there I was waiting for the manager of the more attractive tower next to the White to look at a rental.
It was literally acrosss the street from The learnig Center where I taught so the location was attractive to me.
two seperate people came in to complain of their car being stolen the night before from the parking lot.
I didn't keep my appointment

[Andy Ryall]

Played in May 2007 at which time the rack rate was $250+, which I found ungodly.  We found a time on EZLinks for $100 that seemed more in line with the quality of the experience.   I welcome the hiring of Hanse but not if its going to turn a $275 round of golf into $400+.  The epitome of Florida golf; and that's not meant to be complimentary. 

Andy
@RyallStyle

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