Trump Enlists Golf Legend Jack Nicklaus To Renovate D.C. Military Base Golf Courses

President Trump announced on Saturday that he has enlisted legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus to help renovate the golf courses at Joint Base Andrews, the military facility in Maryland that houses Air Force One. The project adds another construction initiative to the president’s growing list during his second term. After an aerial tour of the base aboard Marine One, Mr. Trump told reporters outside the White House that improvements are needed. “We’re doing some fix-up of the base, which it needs. We’re gonna try and reinstitute the golf courses. I’m meeting with the greatest, Jack Nicklaus,” he said. “He’s involved in trying to bring their recreational facility back.”The president described the course as “a great place that’s been destroyed over the years through lack of maintenance.” He specified that Mr. Nicklaus would serve as the architect for two courses that are “in very bad shape,” adding, “we can – for very little money – fix it up.”The announcement immediately raised questions about the project’s financing, including who will pay for Mr. Nicklaus’s design services and the overall cost of the renovations on military property. When contacted, Joint Base Andrews directed inquiries to the White House, which has not yet provided further details, Reuters reported.Joint Base Andrews, located about 15 miles from the White House, features three 18-hole golf courses and was a favorite of President Obama. Mr. Trump, an avid golfer who owns 18 courses worldwide, has played there infrequently, preferring his own properties in New Jersey, Florida, and Virginia.This potential renovation at Andrews is one of several construction projects Mr. Trump has initiated. Work is already underway on a $300 million ballroom on the site of the now-demolished East Wing, which the president has said is funded by himself and private donors. Other changes include replacing the Rose Garden lawn with a patio and extensive redecorations within the White House, including the Oval Office and the Lincoln Bedroom.Mr. Nicklaus, 85, is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers in history, with 18 major championships. His former business, Nicklaus Companies, was a world leader in golf course design, having completed over 425 courses globally.However, the company recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing followed a Florida court ruling that ordered the company to pay Mr. Nicklaus $50 million in a defamation lawsuit. In its bankruptcy filing, the company listed liabilities between $500 million and $1 billion, Bloomberg News reported.

Trump Enlists Golf Legend Jack Nicklaus To Renovate D.C. Military Base Golf Courses

Trump Enlists Golf Legend Jack Nicklaus To Renovate D.C. Military Base Golf Courses

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