Ivanka Trump readies the Trump National Doral Miami for its annual influx of golf loyalists and champions.
Ivanka Trump is overseeing the more than $350 million renovation of her family’s Trump National Doral Miami resort, which hosts the prestigious WGC-Cadillac Championship this month.
To those who play, golf is a passion, or even a religion. To those who make a living from the game, golf is a multibillion-dollar sport—perhaps more than $75 billion a year by now in the United States alone, after you add up the wages for the more than 2 million people who work in the industry, the cost of travel and hospitality, spending on apparel and equipment, and even on irrigating the golf greens.
The Trump family falls squarely into both categories. Ivanka Trump, executive vice president of development and acquisitions at The Trump Organization, has taken a leading role in overseeing the renovation of her family’s Trump National Doral Miami resort, which will host the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship this month. Ocean Drive spoke to Trump about the business of golf, Doral, and Miami.
Is this a Doral event, a Miami event, or both?
[Where most tournaments] are so rural that you have to drive five hours after flying into the nearest airport, here, you have incredible golf facilities and everything else the resort offers, on 800 acres in the middle of Miami. It’s a great benefit for Miami; I don’t know of another city with a PGA tournament of this stature. You have to be one of the top 72 players to be invited, and never does an invitation to play go unanswered.
What investments have you made to appeal to the dedicated golfers?
We’ve invested over $350 million in renovating the property as a whole. Golf Magazine hailed the renovation [of the Blue Monster course, where the championship will be played] as one of the best of the year. Now the Red Tiger course is open, and the Golden Palm will be next. We’re still working on the Silver Fox. We’ve built a TaylorMade Performance Lab for golfers, and now offer a driving range that is lit at night. If they want, participants in the championship will be able to go out at 3 am to hit balls.
Is it just about the golf for you?
I’m most excited for the golf. To be able to literally walk next to Tiger Woods—the energy is incredible. But I go down for the whole week of the event and host the fashion show, which I love. My oldest now is 3, and she has come with me; we created a kids’ camp at Doral, so there is plenty for the little ones to do without getting underfoot on the course.
Are there ways the community is involved, too?
We’ll be kicking off a series of conferences on Monday. I do a women’s event featuring local business owners, which is fascinating for me.
World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship takes place March 4-8 at Trump National Doral Miami, 4400 NW 87th Ave., Miami, 305-592-2000; trumphotelcollection.com.