Trump’s White House ballroom is in limbo. His NJ one just got approved

☑️Trump's Bedminster golf club won final approval for an 11,300-square-foot ballroom

☑️Club officials said growing membership has made it harder to accommodate events

☑️The approval comes as the proposed White House ballroom faces an uncertain future

BEDMINSTER — While the future of President Donald Trump's White House ballroom remains unclear, the one at his Somerset County golf club has received final approval.

Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster filed an application with the Bedminster Land Use Board in the spring to expand the existing clubhouse with an 11,300-square-foot ballroom on the first floor. The plan includes a new parking area and “associated site improvements.”

General Manager David Schutzenhofer made a final presentation to the board at its Aug. 13 meeting and said the club's membership has nearly tripled over the past 20 years, causing problems accommodating events. While the plan includes increases in seating capacity that exceed the township's limit, the club does not necessarily plan to increase the number of events it hosts but instead improve how it accommodates them.

“The intent here is to make the club better for the members who are there. There are times when we cannot accommodate members. Thus this ballroom comes along which makes the service better, it makes the experience better and keeps people like me employed,” Schutzenhofer said.

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As Trump's Bedminster ballroom gets approval, White House project faces delays

Ed Russo, chairman of the White House Environmental Advisory Task Force and a former land use board member, defended Trump's impact on the property, including a conservation easement that is home to five threatened and endangered species of birds.

“People like to criticize him as an aggressive developer, but when he came to Bedminster he did the right thing. He could have done something that was terrible, but he did something that was wonderful,” Russo said.

As Trump's Bedminster ballroom gets approval, White House project faces delays

The White House ballroom continued to face delays after the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to suspend the project while the court considers a request from the Trump administration about the future of the $400 million project.

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