The relationship between Donald Trump and the City of Doral has more drama than an episode of Celebrity Apprentice.
Mayor Luigi Boria originally planned to give Trump a key to the city yesterday before changing his mind within hours, claiming, "Trump doesn't deserve my key."
The unlikely relationship between the businessman-turned-pop-culture-caricature and the sprawling Miami suburb began in 2012 when Trump bought the iconic Doral Golf Resort & Spa, the town's jewel, and redubbed it the Trump National Doral Miami.
However, tensions arose when the Trump organization planted thick rows of palm trees around the resort's famous golf course, essentially blocking public and residential views of the greens.
"What happens is when you are on, as an example, the first green on the golf course, you are staring at houses with laundry hanging out their window in some cases. It's not appropriate for the finest resort in the country," Trump said at the time, angering many residents.
But in 2013, Trump decided to make Doral the official home of his Miss Universe pageant, potentially giving the city international exposure like it had never seen before. Of course, that wasn't without controversy. Mayor Boria was the lone dissenting vote on the earliest resolution allowing the city manager to work with the Trump organization to bring the pageant to the city. Trump himself found out and decided to pull the plan for 2014. Eventually, things got patched up, in large part thanks to the Doral Commission making the controversial decision to invest $2.5 million in the event. The Miss Universe Pageant will take January 25. Technically, the event will be broadcast from the FIU Arena, located outside the city of Doral.
Apparently deciding to play nice, Boria sent an email to the city commission yesterday afternoon requesting keys to the city for both Trump and Miss Universe President Paula M. Shugart.
Boria, however, has been criticized for freely giving out keys to the city, so he backtracked on the Trump deal within two hours.
"Trump doesn't deserve my key," he told the Miami Herald. "I think it's appropriate for Miss Universe and the Miss Universe organization to have the key. It doesn't make sense for Trump to have one."
Boria then backpedaled even more, pulling the resolution to award Shugart a key, as well as a proclamation dedicating a "Miss Universe Day" in the city.
Yep, more drama than Celebrity Apprentice.
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