There is an interesting story about how early on Trump took over a NYC public ice arena rebuild. He hired the best and got-er-done in short order.
In his book “Art of the Deal”, he dedicates an entire chapter to that story. Good stuff !
just think of America as one big broken skating rink....
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In Rand Paul’s campaign book, Courage to Stand, published in May, he actually cited Donald Trump as an example of an effective private citizen accomplishing what government bureaucracies can’t:
Think of Donald Trump.
Wollman Rink is an ice-skating rink that is an iconic fixture and has been the backdrop of movies such as Love Story for well over half a century in Central Park. By 1980 it had fallen into the disrepair of urban blight. The City of New York and its then-mayor, Ed Koch, promised to renovate the rink. Six years after the mayor made his promise, in an entanglement of bureaucracy and big government lethargy, the reclamation project was in shambles, with little hope for completion. Enter Donald Trump. Though not quite the household name he is today, Mr. Trump then ran one of New York City’s biggest apartment construction and management companies. He was also just as brash then as he his now. He challenged Mayor Koch to let him take over the project. At first Koch said no, but public pressure forced the mayor to give the private builder a chance. Three months later, New Yorkers and tourists alike were skating in a beautifully renovated Wollman Rink, and nearly thirty years later it’s still one of the most popular and well-run destinations in Central Park.
Nevertheless, Trump’s efforts with Wollman Rink improved the surrounding natural area of the park. Some of the profit the rink turned — the first time it had done so – was given to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, which helps keep Central Park and other New York City parks beautiful. Trump’s rescue of Wollman Park also exposed the ineptitude of government-run construction projects and the dominion over private enterprise it holds.
This was the Wolman skating rink in Central Park which is an historic and popular place. The City of New York had not repaired it after six years. Millions had been squandered and it was a complete mess. So Trump stepped in and said he would get it up and running within four months and he did. The main thing Trump did was to hire the foremost Canadian company in building outdoor skating rinks and the custom refrigeration units used to maintain the ice.
I think The Donald does not bring this up because he is saving it for later. Keeping his powder dry.
I remember the photo in Time, Trump standing on the rink wearing a red cape.
If they had put him in charge of the Second Avenue subway it would have been done years ago.
Yep
I was there when it started
Across from the Plaza and Sherry
59/5th
It had languished for a good while
He banged it out with unions and city bs In about 4 months for 3 million and under budget and schedule for cost only.....he milked the PR though
Wanted it called Trump rink and referred to it as “his” in media events which drove the Commies running the boroughs crazy
It was around 86/87 and the city had worked on it for over 10 years and 12 million wasted in red tape and graft
The woolman rink or something
I skated there with all my girlfriends and one wife
Trump really publicized it like crazy and his calling it his rink really pissed off that red diaper baby Stern who was like Kochs right hand man
Koch always kinda liked the Donald
It’s funny now as a former Manhattanite watching him plow thru the race for POTUS
Trump is a one-off no question