Political, of course
Spiteful DeB nixed Don pact: suit
The Trump Organization accused the de Blasio administration of canceling its lucrative Bronx golf course contract because of a long-running political vendetta the lefty mayor has against the former president, according to a suit filed Monday.
In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, the Trump Organization’s operator, Trump Ferry Point LLC, accuses the city’s Department of Parks and Recreations of using the Jan. 6 Capitol riots as an excuse to end their business deal.
“Mayor de Blasio had a pre-existing, politically-based predisposition to terminate Trump-related contracts, and the city used the events of January 6, 2021, as a pretext to do so,” the suit alleges.
After the siege, the city claimed the Trump Organization’s “tarnished brand” would stop it from being able to attract professional tournaments to the course, which the city said is a violation of the lease terms, the court papers claim.
But the suit states the contract doesn’t specify that Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point must be able to hold a tournament — and even if it did, the suit adds, all the accolades and support that the course receives across the country and internationally prove that it is capable of hosting this type of event.
Mayor de Blasio announced soon after the Capitol riot that the city planned to cancel the golfcourse contract, as well as contracts for three other successful attractions that the Trump Organization held with the city — the Central Park Carousel, the Wollman Rink and the Lasker Rink.
The rinks were set to be closed weeks ahead of their normal shutting dates, but Hizzoner abruptly reversed course in February.
While the golf contract was set to run for roughly 14 more years, the city plans to terminate the lease effective Nov. 14, 2021, the court papers say.
If the city doesn’t prove the Trump Organization violated the agreement and ends it early anyway, the city would owe the company roughly $30 million, the court documents claim.
Trump Ferry Point “has fully complied with, and continues fully to comply with, its obligation to operate the licensed premises as a first class, tournament quality daily fee golf course,” the court papers say.
The company is asking for the contract to be reinstated and is seeking unspecified damages.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the city’s Law Department said the city did nothing wrong in canceling the contract.