I was thinking about when I really first heard about Donald Trump. The year was 1986 and in Central Park there was the iconic Wolman Skating Rink. It’s a public ice rink in the southern part of Central Park, Manhattan, New York City. It is named after the Wollman family who donated the funds for its original construction. William J. Wollman operated the W.J. Wollman & Co. stock exchange firm, originally in Kansas City and later in New York. William died in 1937 and in 1949, philanthropist Kate Wollman (1869–1955) donated $600,000 for the rink’s construction to commemorate her family and it opened in 1950. In addition to the rink there was also a venue for live entertainment. From 1966 to 1980, summer music festivals consisting of 30 to 50 concerts each summer took place at the rink with seating for 8000 people.
In 1980 the rink was closed for renovations when it’s concrete base cracked and buckled. A renovation was expected to cost up to $4.9 million dollars and take 2 years. The typical bidding nightmare took place, work was started but flooding problems and renovation problems soon developed. Are you ready for this? By May of 1986 the project STILL wasn’t done. $12.9 million had been spent, with an additional $2 to $3 million estimated to complete the work by the winter of 1987 !!
Along comes Donald Trump who offered mayor Ed Koch to rebuild Wollman Rink at HIS expense WITHIN 6 MONTHS in return for the leases to operate the rink and an adjacent restaurant to recoup his costs. The final agreement was that the city would reimburse Trump for the costs up to the agreed limit and that he would donate the profits of rink and restaurant to charity and public works. Trump asked his contractors to also do the work WITHOUT MAKING A PROFIT, promising them publicity but not mentioning their contributions to the press afterwards. The work was completed TWO MONTHS ahead of schedule and $750,000 under the estimated costs!!! As part of its agreement with the city, the Trump Organization donated most of the profit to public works, including $50,000 for the rink’s electricity costs, and to charity, among them United Cerebral Palsy, Partnership for the Homeless, and Gay Men’s Health Crisis. But you’ll NEVER hear about ANY OF THIS from the main stream media.
In 2001 The Trump Organization won the right to continue to operate the rink through April 2021. Wollman Rink Operations LLC is owned by DJT Holdings LLC which is owned by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust for the duration of Trump’s presidency. In 2019, Trump’s name was removed from most signs and logos.
So there you have it. An insight of who Donald Trump was and is. A NON-POLITICIAN who gets things done that he SAYS he’ll get done. Not a “failed businessman”, not a “fake”, not a “greedy ogre”…….and MOST OF ALL ….not a candidate with a 47 year history of VIRTUALLY NO ACCOMPLISHMENTS!! Remember this story in November when you vote. You don’t have to like him….but you MUST appreciate that he has pretty much done EVERYTHING he said he would do……I don’t ever remember ANY politician that has done that in my lifetime. Oh, and by the way…..he’s also the only candidate I’ve ever seen that ANSWERS EVERY QUESTION….whether you like his answer or not. I haven’t heard Biden or Harris answer practically ANYTHING unless it was already loaded on the teleprompter!
Have a great weekend and remember……It’s later than you think!
Perfectly stated
Interesting story right?
Thank you. It is sad that there can not be civil discourse regarding what he has done. Yes he can be bellicose, overbearing,inartful and say things that make us cringe. He has also,on the flip side seen through,under,around and beyond anyone in memory. He has done much for people in need,friends who were down and gave up a comfortable life to work for the citizens of the USA when he felt most were not. AND we were much better off in all regards during his administration. I have been amazed at the lack of clarity,honesty and level of derangement exhibited and justified by those who dislike him. It is sad. Sad for all.