A luxury Scottish golf resort owned by the Trump family has achieved its first profit since being purchased over a decade ago, feeding into plans for an upgrade in a bid to return to the Open Championship rotation.
Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire, which has three golf courses and a century-old hotel, was purchased by the Trumps in 2014 for a reputed $60million but has never turned a profit.
Trump Turnberry made a pre-tax profit of £571,000 in 2022, compared to a loss of £3.7 million the previous year, according to records submitted with the UK’s Companies House. With attendance recovering following the coronavirus pandemic, income increased to about £22 million, up from £13.1 million in 2021.
According to the reports, Trump Turnberry did not pay any tax on its 2022 earnings because of deductible losses carried forward from prior years and other deductions.
Trump’s flagship Scottish property has engaged the help of specialists to push ahead with ambitious plans to revamp one of the country’s most historic golf courses with the goal of convincing one of the sport’s governing bodies to grant Trump’s long-held desire to host the coveted Open Championship.
According to sources, the R&A’s biggest worries are security threats and likely protests.
Turnberry is one of seven Scottish courses that have hosted the Open, most recently in 2009. The tournament will be held in 2024 at Royal Troon, roughly 25 miles north of Turnberry along Scotland’s western coastline.
Turnberry hosted the Women’s British Open in 2015, however, that was awarded to the club before Trump’s purchase of the historic venue.
And according to rumours, Turnberry will not hold it again while Trump owns the club.
The Open Championship was hosted at Royal Liverpool Golf Course in 2023, with the edition at St. Andrews in 2022 delivering a total economic effect of $132million for Scotland and over $400 million in economic benefits and worldwide marketing for the region.
For all the upgrades, tweaks and advice taken on board, it seems that R&A have little to no interest in getting involved with any Trump resorts any time soon.
Trump-owned golf courses have never hosted any of the other three major championships: the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, or the U.S. Open.
The Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, was set to host the 2022 PGA Championship, but organisers cancelled the agreement and transferred the tournament to the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, following the January 6, 2021, attacks on the United States Capitol.
Trump-owned golf facilities have hosted multiple events in the contentious Saudi-backed LIV Golf, with tournaments held at Trump’s Miami and Bedminster courses.
Trump-owned Turnberry finally turns a profit – but The Open won’t be heading there Golf365.
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