Donald Trump deboarded his $100 million Boeing 757 at an Irish airport Monday to an extravagant welcoming party, and the scene was captured on video.
The real estate mogul and on-again-off-again political candidate landed in Shannon, in County Clare, en route to Doonbeg golf resort. Trump purchased the resort in February for 12 million British pounds, or around $20 million.
Three women, all dressed in red — a harpist, a violinist and a singer — performed chamber music as the tycoon led his entourage down a long red carpet that had been laid out at the base of his jumbo jet, emblazoned with the Trump name.
Among Trump’s greeters were Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan and the mayor of County Clare, where the Doonbeg resort is located.
Noonan has been in talks with Trump over the resurrection of the Doonbeg resort, The Irish Times reports.
Trump said he plans to spend up to the equivalent of $60 million to renovate the course. The plans include a helicopter that will connect the Doonbeg to a golf course at Turnberry and to Trump’s Menie Estate in Scotland, according to the BBC.
The project will add several hundred jobs to the area — an improvement that was apparently enough to warrant the Irish welcome.
“It’s not every day you get the Trump factor in town,” said Rose Hynes, chairman of the Shannon Airport Authority, in an interview with The Independent. “The minute he stepped off the aircraft, it was just fantastic. I mean, we’ve got global interests in both Shannon and the region in Doonbeg, that’s just great.”
“I’ve always loved Ireland, and this property is incredible,” Trump told The Independent. “And we’re going to make it one of the great golf courses anywhere in the world.”
“I love golf, and I love creating beautiful things, and I love creating golf courses,” said Trump.