The Trump organization announced a deal with the government of Cuba to build a resort complex including a hotel and golf course. The site is near Varadero on the northern coast, which is to be renamed Playa Trump. The deal was kept secret due to political considerations in the U.S., but construction is already well under way. Initial occupancy is expected in early 2019. The hotel at the all-inclusive facility will have 2,000 rooms and 6 restaurants.
According to tourism analysts, the move would seem to foreshadow an improvement in relations between the U.S. and Cuba, since without a considerable increase in tourists from North America, it’s difficult to see how the rooms would be filled.
Construction of the hotel and golf course was started simultaneously. The hotel will have a high percentage of large luxury suites. The golf course is expected to open at the same time. According to financial sources, the land at the site was paid for in cash with rubles.
The hotel seems to be following well-established construction procedures. However, observers noted some unusual aspects to the golf course work. Much larger drilling and excavating equipment than is usually seen in golf course construction has been spotted on the site.
There are also about half a dozen portable concrete plants in place, with large stocks of sand, gravel, cement and steel reinforcing bars nearby. This seems quite excessive since the concrete required for cart pathways and bridges would require one plant at most according to area contractors. And the rebar was of a quality usually used in tall structures such as skyscrapers or grain silos. Technicians speaking a “Slavic-sounding language” were heard supervising work on the site.
The design of the greens was particularly interesting to golf course architects we interviewed. “It appears that the surfaces of the greens are designed to slide off to the side” said Arthur Roman of GolfProScape Designs, who is in Cuba on a different project. “And I’ve never seen anyone dig a hole 100’ deep for the foundation of a green before”.
At this writing, 5 Russian container ships with large cylindrical objects on their decks had just docked near the site. The objects, covered with canvas, are about 80’ long and 10’ in diameter. The container ships were accompanied by two tanker ships with signs saying ‘Highly Flammable’ and ‘Keep back’ in Russian. Another ship displaying ‘Danger – Radiation’ signs also docked.
Workers said the cargo was destined for the Trump site, but didn’t know how it related to a golf course.
