After 12 years of difficulties, the construction of the 18-hole Trump Links Golf Course at Ferry Point has been completed.
A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on 16th October at the course in the Bronx District of New York City, with Donald Trump, Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg and the course’s designer Jack Nicklaus in attendance.
Built on the site of a former landfill, work first started in 2001, but legal complications and exorbitant costs have hindered the project’s progress.
Nicklaus was first commissioned to design the course in 1998 by former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani, and current Mayor Michael Bloomberg has invested US$120 million of public money to see the project through to completion.
Trump’s company took over the Ferry Point Park project in 2011 and secured a 20-year lease contract to manage the course from the City of New York.
The 7,400-yard course has two returning nines and is designed to emulate the historic Links courses of Scotland and Ireland.
Trump is ensuring the course’s grow-in period will run smoothly by appointing Gregory Eisner as the course’s superintendent. Eisner,who has worked as the golf course superintendent on the Old Course at Trump National Golf Club, will work to make sure the various native grasses and fescues develop as planned.
Ferry Point Park lies beneath the historic Whitestone Bridge, which connects the Bronx to Queens. The course has panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline.
“I think Ferry Point will be a tremendous golf experience,” Nicklaus said. “I’ve been asked to create something that is world-class, a source of pride for New York City, and if they wanted to hold a national or international event, a course that will be a strong golf course from the back tees. Most important, the course needs to service the needs of those in the Metropolitan New York area who hopefully will play Ferry Point.”
Along with the Nicklaus firm, architect John Sanford has been working on the course for several years. Sanford has particular expertise with landfill projects: he designed the well-received Granite Links course in Boston, which was part of the city's Big Dig road tunnel scheme.
Some public programming, primarily junior competitions will take place on the course in 2014. However the course is unlikely to open to the public until the spring of 2015.
“Ferry Point was created to be a unique public golf experience and it is our collective hope that the golf course will add to New York City’s global reputation, enhance New York’s reputation for quality golf, and give the proud residents of New York City a place to play and call home,” added Nicklaus. “Donald Trump has a deep-rooted love for New York City and he deserves a great deal of credit for getting Ferry Point to the finish line and for delivering it to the golfers and golf fans of New York.”