06:05
A Dubai real estate developer that is building luxury villas and golf courses in partnership with Donald Trump is standing by the billionaire presidential candidate, saying his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. will not get in the way of their business projects.
Damac Properties is partnering with Trump because his organization is “one of the premium golf course operators in the world,” said vice president Niall McLoughlin in a statement. “As such we would not comment further on Mr. Trump’s personal or political agenda, nor comment on the internal American political debate scene.”
Damac is building the Trump International Golf Club as part of a mega-development on the outskirts of Dubai. The 42 million square feet Akoya district will also feature a cluster of Trump-branded villas alongside other high-end real estate.
The project is, in many ways, Peak Trump. In its Bugatti-branded villas, owners will be able to park their supercars in glass-enclosed spaces in the living room. “Cherish your car even when you’re not driving it,” read the ads. “Your guests can sit back and admire the unique centrepiece to your home.” Those who buy a Trump-branded mansion get their very own Trump Card, which “opens doors to a host of privileges.”
But Trump’s brand, in America and abroad, has taken heavy hits as his presidential campaign embraces bigotry and xenophobia.
Sultan al-Qassemi, a Dubai-based social commentator, said that while companies like Damac are likely bound by contracts that would be difficult and expensive to cancel, “they’re certainly uncomfortable” about Trump’s comments. As for potential Trump villa buyers in Dubai, “I wonder how many will feel comfortable enough to live in a community that bears his name,” he told the BBC World Service.
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