BBC News reports on what happens when your brand and your name is Donald Trump. The Vancouver hotel designed by Arthur Erickson that was to open with the Trump name is now delayed until 2017, with the name covered on the front of the building. Local City Planner Brent Toderian was one of the first people to publicly call for the building to drop the Trump moniker. In December 2015 the Mayor of Vancouver also wrote a letter mentioning a petition with 50,000 names asking for a name change for the tower. Even the Premier got involved saying “Donald Trump does not represent our city.”
And in Toronto, the Trump building which opened in 2012 is now facing a lawsuit from investors who claimed they were “misled” into investing in the project.
Typically the Trump organization does not own these buildings but operates and manages the hotel portion and licenses the Trump name for a fee. The Vancouver building opening had a contest with a prize being a meet and greet of the Trump family. That’s on ice now too.
The BBC also states “In Dubai, a firm building a golf complex with Mr Trump removed his name and image from the property. In Turkey, the developers of Trump Towers Istanbul have tried to distance themselves from the Republican hopeful. And there have been protests outside Trump buildings in the US.”
There was an Angus Reid Institute poll released last December showing that 56 per cent of Canadians wanted to have the Trump name dropped from the Vancouver and Toronto towers. I suspect that percentage would be a lot higher if the poll was conducted today. The name controversy overshadows the elegant 63 storey building, one of the last projects from a brilliant architect.
Somewhat tongue in cheek, I hope they keep the name and it becomes … affordable housing!
even better … refugee housing 🙂
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Reblogged this on Sandy James Planner.
Most hotels are operated under license.
See the footer on this webpage for the hotels operated by Starwood (includes Sheraton, Westin, Element, W) which recently merged with Marriott (includes Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Delta, Renaissance)
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/
Starwood does not own the Westin Bayshore – rumour is that Concord Pacific bought it in 2015.
The Hyatt Regency Vancouver was bought in 2014 by Innvest REIT
https://www.biv.com/article/2014/12/hyatt-sold-140-million/
So the fact that the media is harping on a licensing deal – is just the media playing politics – because it’s perfectly normal in the business community. (Ditto for tax planning)
The licensee in any deal takes a risk associated with the transaction – but there are contractual obligations associated with the licensing contract.
Other deals where celebrity licensing / endorsements have gone awry:
Lance Armstrong – doping scandal
Tiger Woods – marital infidelity
Martha Stewart – criminal conviction
Jared Fogle (Subway spokesperson) – sexual assault on minors
If Concord bought the Bayshore I guess it’s just a matter of time before it gets mowed down under the relentless condo “boom”.