Trump Administration Ends Lease On Washington Golf Courses | EUROtoday

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has ended the lease settlement for 3 public golf programs in Washington, a transfer that gives President Donald Trump a further alternative to place his stamp on one other piece of the nation’s capital.

The National Links Trust, the nonprofit that has operated Washington’s three public programs on federal land for the final 5 years, mentioned Wednesday that the Department of the Interior had terminated its 50-year lease settlement. The Interior Department mentioned it was terminating the lease as a result of the nonprofit had not applied required capital enhancements and failed to fulfill the phrases of the lease.

While it was unclear what the Trump administration’s plans are for the golf programs, the transfer offers Trump, whose personal firm has developed quite a few golf programs within the U.S. and overseas, the prospect to remake hyperlinks overlooking the Potomac River and in Rock Creek Park and a website that’s a part of Black golf historical past.

Officials for the National Links Trust mentioned in a press release that they have been “devastated” by the choice to terminate the lease and defended their administration of the programs. They mentioned $8.5 million had gone towards capital enhancements on the programs and that rounds performed and income had greater than doubled of their tenure managing the programs. The nonprofit has agreed to maintain managing the programs in the interim, however long-term renovations will cease.

“While this termination is a major setback, we remain stubbornly hopeful that a path forward can be found that preserves affordable and accessible public golf in the nation’s capital for generations to come,” the officers added.

The Department of the Interior’s choice comes as Trump rebrands civic areas in Washington and deploys National Guard members to the streets for public security. The Kennedy Center added Trump’s identify this month after the middle’s board of trustees — made up of Trump appointees — voted to vary the identify of the performing arts house designated by Congress as a memorial to John F. Kennedy. Trump can be within the midst of a building venture to construct a ballroom on the White House’s East Wing, and he has put his identify on the U.S. Institute of Peace.