Fractional Ownership News

Kohler seeks to avoid Trump errors with Scottish golf development

Herb Kohler, a plumbing magnate who is one of the United States' richest tycoons, is aiming for a co-operative approach with his Scottish neighbours when he redevelops Hamilton Hall, which he reckons is the second most photographed building in world golf – after its neighbour, the R&A Clubhouse.

Kohler bought Hamilton Hall for £11 million last year and is hoping to avoid the controversy surrounding Donald Trump's golf project in Menie, Aberdeenshire, when work commences. Among the options Kohler is considering are timeshare, fractional ownership apartments and a private residence club. One of his companies operates several luxury hotels and a private residence club in the US.

And he is already listening to the views of the local community, with a public consultation due to take place this weekend. Speaking to The Scotsman during a visit to Edinburgh to meet Jim Mather, the Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Minister, Kohler said: "We are looking forward to the public consultation. We've already received a significant amount of responses without asking for anything. We've received them on the internet and some direct to the hotel and direct to me, too. I think 95 per cent of them have been very positive, one way or the other, and we've had some good ideas."

"We have a chance to create something special but, if I felt we could do what we wanted to, we would instantly fail. There's too many nuances that are different to this country – and thank God for that. It makes you unique and makes you distinct. To do something successfully in this country you better understand that," said Kohler.

www.destinationkohler.com

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