What are your thoughts on Trump's Mar-a-Lago being partially closed due to coronavirus infections among the staff?
The former president’s club partially closed last week after staff members tested positive
Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club will reopen Saturday following a partial closure due to employee infections from the coronavirus, according to an email sent to club members Thursday.
“Thank you for your patience and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the club!” said the email, obtained by The Washington Post. The club will start serving lunch again Saturday and dinner Wednesday, according to the message.
Last Friday the club announced the closure in a separate email to members, saying that as “some of our staff have recently tested positive for COVID-19, we will be temporarily suspending service at the Beach Club and à la carte Dining Room.”
The Trump Organization declined to say how many workers were affected at the club in Palm Beach, Fla., where Trump has made his post-presidency home.
“Out of an abundance of caution we have quarantined some of the workers and partially closed a section of the club for a short period of time,” a spokeswoman for the Trump Organization said in a statement to The Post after the closure.
Palm Beach County, where the club is located, still requires that all guests wear masks, except while “actively consuming food and beverage.” The club has not forced members to adhere to a mask policy, though it has suggested masks be worn and provided them to guests, according to people who have visited.
In January, a Florida state representative asked the county to shut down Mar-a-Lago after photos from a New Year’s Eve event showed that many guests were not wearing masks. In response, Palm Beach County sent the club a formal warning letter, saying that Mar-a-Lago had violated county code and could face fines up to $15,000 if there were another violation.
Trump’s business shrunk during his presidency, with partnerships on a number of hotel properties falling through over his divisive politics.
But there may be an opportunity for expansion in Florida, where Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), a Trump ally, is working with other state GOP leaders to draw up legislation that would allow new casino licenses in the state.
Should such a bill pass, it could allow Trump to acquire a casino license and redevelop his Doral golf club, which has suffered considerable losses in recent years, into a gambling destination.
“Many people consider Trump Doral to be unmatched from a gaming perspective — at 700 acres, properties just don’t exist of that size and quality in South Florida, let alone in the heart of Miami,” Trump’s son Eric Trump, who has been running his father’s company, said in an email to The Post about the possibility of new casino licenses.
