Plans for a charity golf tournament at Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach course have hit a serious obstacle. The charity – the Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County – revealed that the course’s management are now asking for unexpected fees, which will take a large chunk out of the charity’s proceeds.
Scheduled for November 7
th, the day before Election Day, the charity event had expected to make between $50,000 and $100,000. The
Trump International Golf Club’s is based on county land and as a condition of its lease agreement, the club is obliged to make its links available for charity tournaments.
“This ‘free’ event is costing us $20,000 between golf and catering fees,” Mark Casale, vice president of philanthropy for the Boys and Girls Clubs, said on Tuesday in an email to County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay and Assistant County Administrator Todd Bonlarron. “What we had hoped for as far as a ‘net’ income for this event has been cut in half (if we are lucky).”
It’s understood that the gold club has charged charities a maximum of around $5,000 in the past.
Each year, a commissioner selects the group or charity who will benefit from the golf tournament. It was County Commissioner McKinlay who picked the Boys and Girls Clubs’ Belle Glade campus.
“None of this was disclosed to me when given the choice to select a charity,” McKinlay said in an email to County Administrator Verdenia Baker and Bonlarron. “I was under the impression the charity was able to host the event without any charges. Explain to me how this is supposed to be a benefit to the county?”
“How are smaller charities supposed to be able to afford this? This has placed me and the charity in a very bad position and I am quite upset by it.”
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