A former aide who helped secure Donald Trump's first Scottish golf resort has said Scotland was 'hoodwinked' by the ex-president's claim that the project would be worth £1bn. Neil Hobday, who served as project director for the Trump International Golf Links course in Aberdeenshire, said he felt 'ashamed' that he and Scotland fell for the promise.
Mr Hobday told the BBC's Trumped podcast that he believed Mr Trump never had the money or intention to complete the full development. 'He was willing to fight the environmental battle and create this impression that this was a $1bn project and Scotland absolutely needed it. But I think he never really had the money or the intention of finishing it,' he said.
The course, which opened in 2012, was originally announced in 2006 with costs 'in excess of $500m', but Mr Trump later claimed it would be a £1bn development. However, the Trump Organization has only invested 'hundreds of millions', with the latest accounts showing a net book value of £33.2m and cumulative losses of £13.3m.
The original plans included a 450-room hotel, 950 holiday apartments, 36 golf villas and 500 houses, none of which have been built. The resort has also failed to turn a profit. Last year, a New York civil court ruled that Mr Trump had misrepresented his wealth, including a 'false valuation' of the Aberdeenshire course.
Mr Hobday, who previously managed golf stars, first contacted Mr Trump in 2005 after reading a newspaper article about his European expansion plans. He spent five years helping to develop the course, which was built on a Site of Special Scientific Interest, after Scottish ministers overruled local council objections.
