Suh-weeeet deal
by digby
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| Trump Tower |
The Trump brand has a new amenity:
The U.S. Secret Service is the hot, new “amenity” in the Trump Tower, where desperate brokers are trying to lure well-heeled clients into the building on Fifth Avenue that has served as President-elect Donald Trump’s home as well as his campaign and transition headquarters.
Less than a week after Trump was elected, prominent New York real estate agency Douglas Elliman blasted out an e-mail with the subject: “Fifth Avenue Buyers Interested in Secret Service Protection?” to advertise a $2.1 million, 1,052-square-foot condo in the tower on 721 Fifth Avenue.
“The New Aminity [sic] – The United States Secret Service,” screamed the flier sent in an e-mail on Nov. 13 for a one-bedroom apartment on the 31st floor, represented by brokers Ariel Sassoon and Devin Leahy.
“The Best Value in the Most Secure Building in Manhattan,” it stated.
While there’s been a great deal of attention to how Trump plans to divest himself from his conflicts of interest, less attention has been applied to how business associates — including owners and marketers of his properties — may seek to profit from his new job in the White House.
As hard as Trump works to distance himself from his businesses, there may be no way of getting around other business associates using his brand for their own opportunity.
Trump was the developer and sponsor of the Trump Tower when it was built 33 years ago, but most of the 263 units are individually owned. Trump Tower does not retain a portion of the sales but since the building is managed by Trump Corporation, they retain a processing fee for unit sales which is about $2,000 per application plus $250 per additional adult dweller, as part of their service as managers of the building.
By the way, Politico? He’s not “working hard” to distance himself from his businesses. He isn’t distancing himself at all.
Let’s think about all the other Trump properties around the world, current and future? You know, the ones that have his name in 30′ letters? They’re going to have to be protected too, right? Trump’s name is going to be a powerful magnet for “events” and I’m not just talking about weddings and bar mitzvahs. After all, an attack on a Trump building will now be seen as an attack on America. If one gets taken down, you can bet it will be seen as a Casus belli.
And each developer will undoubtedly point out to possible tenents that American security comes with the deal. Because it will.
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