Trump International claimed the new course – named after Trump’s Lewis-born mother, Mary – would feature the “largest sand dunes in Scotland” and form “the greatest 36 holes in golf” alongside the original course, completed in 2012.
The resort has prompted controversy in the past – four years ago the dunes at Menie lost their status as a nationally-important protected environment.
But Trump International claimed the new course was “one of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable” ever built.
The Scottish Greens previously said Trump and his new golf course were “not welcome in Aberdeenshire”, accusing him of being a climate-change denier with a “long history of lies and dodgy business dealings”.
During his 2018 visit, Trump was booed during an afternoon game of golf by demonstrators gathered at the perimeter of the Turnberry complex.
A paraglider was also able to fly over the resort hotel with a banner criticising Trump.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Eric Trump said his family’s “love” for Scotland kept them investing in the country.
He said the Scottish government had made it “virtually impossible” to do business, saying “[it’s] very long to get permits, there are a lot of regulations, a lot of red tape, insane taxation, government leaders who just take pot shots at you for no reason whatsoever”.
The businessman, Donald Trump’s third child, said he had meticulously designed the refurbishment of the resort, including investing hundreds of millions of dollars into it, adding: “And I’ve never really gotten so much as a thank you.”
