Donald Trump taunts Scotland in golf row

The American billionaire, Donald Trump, has said that Germany and China are laughing at Scotland as he has been “forced” to stop building his golf course there.

Dubbed by the tycoon as the ‘world’s greatest golf course’, Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire opens for play this summer. However, the resort, which was meant to feature two courses, a hotel, a ‘super luxury’ clubhouse and other properties following a £750 million investment, currently only has one course and a temporary clubhouse, and about £100 million has so far been spent on it.

Earlier this year Trump announced that all work on the resort was to be put on hold until a decision about a nearby offshore windfarm was made, as he finds wind turbines ‘ugly and off-putting for tourists’.

In a taunting statement to the Scottish government – ahead of a personal appearance next week – Trump said: “In reality, the real wind turbine jobs, all paid for by the Scottish taxpayer, are created in Germany, China and Denmark and not in the countries where the turbines are ultimately constructed. These countries are laughing at you!

“The rest of the world knows that the turbines produce a totally unreliable and very expensive form of power. There is not a shred of evidence that turbines are good for the environment or reduce carbon emissions.

“I have delivered the greatest golf course anywhere in the world. I know and understand what people want. Golf is one of my personal passions and my development is very popular with the people of Aberdeen and beyond. The course enjoys wide support from people throughout Scotland. The world is excited by what we have accomplished. Ninety per cent of the SSSI [Site of Special Scientific Interest] system has been left untouched.

“Golfers will hate the turbines and go elsewhere. This will lead to economic collapse. If I had known about the current wind turbine proposals, I never would have built in Scotland.”

He added that he would prefer to be celebrating the completion of his course, but this battle has been “forced” upon him. However, he did not state what he will actually do if the windfarm project gets the green light.

Stephen Leckie, chairman of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, responded by saying there was “little evidence” that windfarms deterred tourists.

“Much of the argument has been from the emotional side,” he said. “Everyone has a view but, on research-based data evidence, there is very little in tourism terms.”

Trump has not been put off from buying golf clubs due to the standoff however. Two weeks ago he completed the purchase of Doral Resort in Florida, and he has had a bid of more than £2 million to buy The Point Lake and Golf Club in North Carolina accepted by its members.