Damac Properties, a real estate developer based in Dubai, is decided to push through with its partnership with Donald Trump in building luxury villas and golf courses; this despite the U.S. Presidential candidate's recent announcement proposing the ban of Muslim from entering the U.S., Tom Gara of BuzzFeed News reports.
Trump's political views are not going to dampen the proposed projects between the tycoon's company and the Middle East-based real estate developer. Niall McLoughlin, vice president of Damac Properties believes that Trump's organization is "one of the premium golf course operators in the world." "As such we would not comment further on Mr. Trump's personal or political agenda, nor comment on the internal American political debate scene."
A Trump International Golf Club along with a cluster of Trump-branded villas are expected to rise in the Akoya district, a 42 million square feet area in the outskirts of Dubai, and Damac in partnership with the American-based company will realize the mega-development along with other high-end real estates.
The projects in many ways will showcase what the Trump company is all about, which is luxury and extravagance. Ads of the Bugatti-branded villas boast glass-enclosed spaces in the living room which allows you to "Cherish your car even when you're not driving it." "Your guests can sit back and admire the unique centrepiece to your home." Owners of Trum-branded will be given their own Trump Card which "opens doors to a host of privileges."
But since Trumps presidential bid, Trump's brand in all corners of the world faces heavy hits with his campaign leaning towards bigotry and xenophobia.
According to Sultan al-Qassemi, a Dubai-based social commentator, Damac is uncomfortable with Trump's comments but they are bound to an expensive contract that would cost a lot to cancel. "I wonder how many will feel comfortable enough to live in a community that bears his name," he told the BBC World Service.
Trump has supporters in Dubai and one of those is real estate tycoon Khalaf al-Habtoor who openly expressed his belief to the presidential candidate in a newspaper editorial last August. "What the US needs is not a thinker but a fearless doer," he wrote.
But just barely a month, Habtoor had a change of heart, following Trump's false claims against Arabs regarding the Septermber 11 attacks. "I believed - and still do - that America is lacking strong leadership," he wrote in a follow-up. "But when strength is partnered with ignorance and deceit, it produces a toxic mix threatening the United States and our world."
While he lost some very important endorsements, Trump continues to be a huge fan of Dubai, even though he wants its citizens to stay out of the United States. Trump also wishes that his home town could be as successful as the Middle Eastern emirate.
"The world has so many problems and so many failures, and you come here and it's so beautiful," he said during the launch of Damac project, as Vice News reported. "Why can't we have that in New York?"
