Donald Trump vs. The Dunes of Scotland

Hey there Rock Heads! Scratch here lookin’ for your help with a classic quandary across the pond in Scotland. Take a minute or two to get familiar with the situation, then chime in with your opinion with a comment below!

You see, back in ’08 good ol’ Donald Trump bought a bunch of oceanfront property near Aberdeen, Scotland. Besides building another world-class resort to put his name on, The Donald planned to carve out a links course as well. Which is kinda like bringin’ sand to the beach if you ask me, but if you’re gonna build a new links course, might as well be in Scotland, right?

Trouble is, the dunes that Trump wants to convert are environmentally protected land. Add in the handful of homeowners who refuse to sell or vacate their properties (and their lawyers!) and you’ll see why Donny might want to take a few Tylenol and lie down in a dark room for a while right about now!

Supporters make the case that ANY new development in the current world economy should be encouraged and that denying Trump’s plans might keep other investors away from Scotland. Residents and other protesters (Scottish actress Tilda Swinton recently jumped into the fray to work against the project) say the land should stay with the original owners and that the government shouldn’t cave in on the environmentally protected land laws.

Anyway, the dispute is locked in a bit of stalemate right now. Trump and his team of lawyers keep inchin’ forward, but the opposition keeps countering with protests and petitions of their own.

So, should Trump be allowed to build his golf course? I want your opinions Rockheads, please comment with your thoughts!

-Scratch

PS: If you want to read more than just this Caveman’s quick summary of the case, be sure to check out this article in Vanity Fair!