So what was it that Trump did (I guess I could order the book) that got the rink out of its doldrums.
He hired the right people to do the job and did it on time and under budget.
He didn’t have any experience building ice skating rinks (he doesn’t even skate), so he consulted and eventually hired a company that built the best professional hockey rinks for the NHL. Instead of using a newer, supposedly cleaner technology to keep the ice frozen, he went with an older technology that was better proven to work. He also didn’t have to worry about stuff like bids, as the city was compelled to do. So after the city took forever to make up its mind, and was stuck worrying about some ridiculous environmental impact, Trump busted in and informed Ed Koch that he was going to do it himself and donate any profits the rink made to charity.. And that’s what he did it (much to Koch’s ongoing dismay)! He got it down under budget and in time for the holiday season, too. It’s a fantastic story and I hope he recounts it in an interview or maybe in a speech at some point..
Every day and for years, literally, he would see this eyesore of a mess in Central Park where there was supposed to be a skating rink.... it motivated him enough to do something about it. Some call the rink “Trump Rink”, but I’m not sure if that’s the official name.. it might be actually!