Page 101 - Trump Never Give Up: How I Turned My Biggest Challenges into Success

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T R UM P: N E V E R G I V E U P

new Wollman Rink and have it done in six months, at no cost to
the city. It would be my gift to this great city.
This sincere gesture was spurned by Mayor Koch, but he
published my letter in New York papers as a joke. Unfortunately
forhim,theNewYorkjournalistsandpublicralliedtomy
side. He totally underestimated the press reaction. As one
paper wrote, “The city has proved nothing except that it can’t
getthejobdone.”Koch’sreactiontomymagnanimous
gestureremindedmeoftheoldsaying,“Nogooddeedgoes
unpunished.”
The next day, after the papers and public took my side,
Koch reversed himself completely. Suddenly, the city was
virtually begging me to take on Wollman Rink. We had a
meeting in my office on June 6, 1986, with city officials, and
long story short, we came to an agreement. I put up the con-
struction money and agreed to complete the work by
December 15. At that point, the city would reimburse me for
my costs, up to a cap of just less than $3 million, but only if the
rink worked. If I came in under budget, the city would pay me
back only what I’d spent. If I went over budget, I’d cover the
overruns myself.

THE LOW POINT

Although I was genuinely interested in doing this renovation, I
must admit that when I went over and saw the conditions I was
walking into, I had a few moments of doubt. This rink is over an
acre in size, which makes it one of the largest man-made rinks
in the country. There were enormous holes in the roof of the
skaters’ house, there had been extensive water damage, and the

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