Ralph Porciani, Turnberry’s manager, didn’t respond to questions for comment.
“Like millions of businesses around the globe, we have been forced by government mandate to temporarily close our hospitality and leisure facilities,” said Sarah Malone, executive vice president of the Trump resort in Aberdeenshire. “We are no different to any other business, including many media companies -- this has nothing to do with Trump and does not benefit the business -- the actions we have taken are solely to protect people and their families who would otherwise be out of work and struggling to survive financially.”
She declined to comment on the resort’s use of government funds to cover wages.
Trump has invested several million dollars over the past decade to buy and revamp the three resorts in Scotland and Ireland, which have continued to lose money, according to their government disclosures. It’s unclear whether Trump has financed the resorts through bank loans or the Trump Organization’s cash flow.
His Aberdeen resort lost more than 1 million pounds in 2018, the last year for which results are available. Trump has provided more than 40 million pounds of interest-free loans to the resort, which has never posted a profit, and employed 77 people, according to 2018 filings. He won approval last year for a 150-million-pound plan to expand the resort by building vacation homes.
Trump’s Doonbeg resort in Ireland, which he bought in 2014, lost 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million), in 2018, but revenue increased by 7% to 11.4 million euros, according to filings. His flagship Turnberry resort lost 10.8 million pounds in 2018, the disclosures show. In total, Trump has lent 115 million pounds to Turnberry since he bought the resort in 2014.
--With assistance from Dara Doyle.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.