In a June 5 letter addressed to Palm Beach County, President Donald Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach asked the county to defer some of the $88,338 monthly rent it pays to lease public land, citing the “significant impact†of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We understand that you are continuing to evaluate whether to offer certain accommodations to tenants of the County whose businesses have been impacted by COVID-19,” the club’s finance director, Ed Raymundo, wrote. “As you are aware, as a result of the pandemic, we, like many other businesses, were required by law to cease all operations. Unfortunately, these mandated closures occurred during the busiest parts of our season.”
“Due to the significant impact of this on our operation, and consistent with the proposals to grant accommodations to your other lessees and concessionaries, we hereby request abatement of annual rent on a day for day basis coinciding with Emergency Local order 2020-003 closing all parks and golf courses to the public,” he continued.
You can see the letter from Raymundo HERE.
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The letter follows a March 25 email Raymundo sent the county seeking inquiring how the county intended to handle rent.
“This mandate has resulted in the cancellation of events and forced the Club to close many of it’s [sic] amenities leaving limited services available to our members,†Raymundo wrote on the day the county ordered parks and golf courses closed. “In addition, with many New York based members, the Governor’s most recent order requiring individuals traveling from the tri-state area to self-quarantine further hampers our operation. Your direction in this is greatly appreciated.â€
The club has paid rent through June, and county officials noted that the county and its Department of Airports, which both hold leases on Trump’s golf club, have taken no action on the club’s request for a rent deferral.
Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.
