Donald Trump leaves his name off a luxe condo complex he’s building in the Miami market

Donald Trump plans to bring luxury condominiums to a Miami suburb, but they’re missing one notable selling point: Trump’s name.

The former president’s latest South Florida real estate play moved closer to reality on Wednesday evening when the Doral City Council gave preliminary approval for the residential and commercial complex he wants to build on the edge of the Trump National Doral Miami.

READ MORE: Trump finally returns to his Doral resort, raising millions and agitating a dog

That’s the golf resort that has carried his name since he purchased the former Marriott out of bankruptcy in 2012, adding one of Miami-Dade County’s largest hotels into a portfolio of Trump-branded properties that helped make him the world’s most famous developer even before he won the White House.

So far, the 1,429-unit condo complex the Trump Organization wants to build above 141,000-square-feet of retail on the resort’s southeastern corner has what may be the most generic name in Trump’s holdings: Doral International Towers.

Ed Russo, Trump’s longtime representative in Miami-Dade, said Doral International Towers is a working title but that he doesn’t know if the complex would ultimately bear the former president’s name.

“I’m not so sure about that,” he said. “I think he likes the Doral name.”

Trump’s top local lobbyist downplayed the project’s Trump-less name ahead of the City Council’s 3-2 vote to advance the development proposal.

“It’s just the name used in the architectural plans,” said Felix Lasarte.

Voting against the Trump project were Christi Fraga, Doral’s mayor, and council member Rafael Pinyero. None of the five commissioners elaborated on their thinking during the meeting. A final vote is expected next month.

On Thursday morning, Fraga cited traffic and over-development of residential units in Doral for her no vote. “I value and appreciate President Trump’s business investment and presence in our city,” she said in a text message, “but my duty above all is to Doral’s residents.”

Lasarte, a Miami lawyer, described Trump as his main contact on the project ever since he drove to Mar-a-Lago in March 2021 to meet with the former president about his plans for the Doral property.

The meeting at Trump’s Palm Beach residence and private club came just weeks after the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by supporters of Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election and block Joe Biden from becoming president.

Now facing federal charges tied to the election plot and awaiting sentencing on unrelated “hush money” charges in New York, Trump is seeking a second term while continuing to bolster his real estate empire.

The Doral expansion is big enough that it will eventually require demolishing two resort buildings containing 170 of the property’s existing 643 hotel rooms. The plan calls for four towers, each 21 stories tall.

The project promises to test the appeal of luxury condos in the suburbs, with Lasarte telling council members the cheapest units will start at $2 million.

Despite the project’s vanilla title, Lasarte said the Trump factor will be central to getting those prices — especially with many expected to sell as vacation homes.

“We believe there is going to be a lot of international and local buyers and national buyers that like the brand, the Trump brand, and want to come in, be a part of the golf experience that they can have there,” he said.

Lasarte said his first meeting with Trump included son Eric Trump and that the message was to create an expansion that wouldn’t impact the four golf courses at Trump Doral. “We’re not altering a blade of grass,” he said.

The resort is an iconic property in Doral, where the city seal includes a golf course hole and fountain from the property. It opened in 1962 as the Doral Country Club by owners Alfred and Doris Kaskel, who wanted a golf club welcoming to Jewish people. Their names later formed the name of the city.

The new residential and commercial complex would not affect the name of Trump Doral resort, which will maintain its entrance and separate brand.

Renderings of the proposed complex where 36th Street meets Northwest 87th Avenue minimize the non-Trump name. Palm trees were drawn at just the right height to obscure the entrance with the name Doral International Towers name spelled out above the plaza planned below.

Council members had no questions or debate when the item came up for a vote. However, the lightly attended meeting did include criticism of the project.

Wearing a “Dump Trump” button, resident Richard Glukstad urged the council to say no to more development in a city he sees as already overbuilt.

“It’s too much traffic. It’s ridiculous,” Glukstad said, making clear he would prefer Trump sell all of his Doral holdings one day. “I can’t wait until his name is taken off that country club.”