monkimagic
1st April 2006, 08:01 AM
This should make Bonnie scotland smile ;)
American billionaire Donald Trump today revealed plans to build "the greatest golf course anywhere in the world" in the north-east of Scotland - creating hundreds of jobs and providing the region with an "unbelievable opportunity".
The Trump Organisation will spend nearly £300million on the world-class golfing resort across an 800-acre stretch of sand dunes on the Menie Estate, near Balmedie, north of Aberdeen.
It will be known as Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, and will feature two championship golf courses, a five-star hotel, golf academy, a turf grass research centre and a mixed residential development.
The flagship project will be the company's first golfing venture in Europe.
Work could begin as soon as September this year with a scheduled opening of spring, 2008.
The Press and Journal exclusively revealed in January that the US property tycoon had targeted Aberdeenshire for a huge leisure development.
Eleven days ago, we revealed that Mr Trump's company had acquired the sprawling Menie Estate.
However, there has been no official statement about the plans until today.
The final cost of the project is estimated to be more than £287million, although that will depend on the outcome of a planning application to be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council in May.
The company said last night that the Menie Estate had been chosen ahead of 200 other sites in Europe, reviewed by the billionaire property mogul himself over the course of five years.
Mr Trump is said to have been "overwhelmed" by the sand dunes and coastline, which he hopes to turn into "the greatest golf course in the world".
Senior figures in the golf and leisure industries, as well as Aberdeenshire Council and other economic organisations, called it a major coup and an "unbelievable" opportunity for the north-east.
Scottish Enterprise Grampian said the project would contribute an estimated £157million to the economy over the next 10 years and create up to 400 jobs.
American billionaire Donald Trump today revealed plans to build "the greatest golf course anywhere in the world" in the north-east of Scotland - creating hundreds of jobs and providing the region with an "unbelievable opportunity".
The Trump Organisation will spend nearly £300million on the world-class golfing resort across an 800-acre stretch of sand dunes on the Menie Estate, near Balmedie, north of Aberdeen.
It will be known as Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, and will feature two championship golf courses, a five-star hotel, golf academy, a turf grass research centre and a mixed residential development.
The flagship project will be the company's first golfing venture in Europe.
Work could begin as soon as September this year with a scheduled opening of spring, 2008.
The Press and Journal exclusively revealed in January that the US property tycoon had targeted Aberdeenshire for a huge leisure development.
Eleven days ago, we revealed that Mr Trump's company had acquired the sprawling Menie Estate.
However, there has been no official statement about the plans until today.
The final cost of the project is estimated to be more than £287million, although that will depend on the outcome of a planning application to be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council in May.
The company said last night that the Menie Estate had been chosen ahead of 200 other sites in Europe, reviewed by the billionaire property mogul himself over the course of five years.
Mr Trump is said to have been "overwhelmed" by the sand dunes and coastline, which he hopes to turn into "the greatest golf course in the world".
Senior figures in the golf and leisure industries, as well as Aberdeenshire Council and other economic organisations, called it a major coup and an "unbelievable" opportunity for the north-east.
Scottish Enterprise Grampian said the project would contribute an estimated £157million to the economy over the next 10 years and create up to 400 jobs.