Donald Trump: ‘I will never sell Menie estate’

Donald Trump at the Scottish Parliament in 2012. Picture: Jane Barlow

The business tycoon has marked the course as a family heirloom and says business has never been better at the Trump International Golf Links.

These guarantees come ahead of the season opening at the 18-hole course, amid fears that Trump would turn his back on Scotland after acquiring a new site in Ireland.

He said: “We cherish the existing course and are immensely proud of it. It will never be sold and will always be in the Trump family. It’s a very special place to me, to the company, to Aberdeen.”

Plans for a second course and hotel on the estate remain on hold due to plans for an offshore wind farm in nearby Aberdeen Bay.

Trump is fighting the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) in the courts to stop the plans.

He said that as soon as the EOWDC plan was thrown out then work would be resumed on creating hundreds of holiday homes in the £1 billion resort.

The tycoon will be investing in his Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare in Ireland while the debate rages on over the windfarm plans.

The businessman added: “We have a spectacular piece of land for the second course and we look forward to getting on with the project.

“But I can’t do that in all good conscience when the threat of very ugly industrial turbines looms over Aberdeen.”

However, Mr Trump said the Balmedie course was in “fantastic shape” and revealed that his intentions to open it a month early this year in order to meet demand.

The course will be made available in July to golfers taking part in the Scottish Open in nearby Royal Deeside.

The New Yorker hopes to travel to Scotland for the event.

He said: “I look forward to coming back soon.”