Donald Trump plans to submit more detailed information about his qualifications to redevelop Denver’s historic Union Station, but the city isn’t likely to consider it.
Trump’s team intends to provide more details about the team he’s assembled by today – more than two weeks after an Aug. 19 deadline to respond.
Trump’s team submitted a two- page letter indicating its interest in the project, while other development groups submitted hundreds. The team ran out of time to put together a comprehensive package, said Odell Barry, a former Denver Bronco and member of Trump’s team.
“There was an assumption that most people knew who Donald J. Trump is and that he has the necessary qualifications,” said Barry, principal of Barry Group Investments. Barry’s partner in Barry Group is Ernest Mennes, who partnered with Trump on Trump Plaza Phoenix. “It’s sort of like somebody asking Michael Jordan to come and try out to make the team.”
But the city is unlikely to consider information submitted after the deadline, said Jason Longsdorf, the project manager for Union Station.
“I don’t think we can consider anything submitted after the 19th,” he said.
Members of the Bayrock Group met Thursday with the Downtown Denver Partnership Inc., including Kate Peterson, housing program manager, and Jim Kirchheimer, director of economic development. Bayrock representatives included chairman Tevfik Arif, managing director Beau Woodring and vice president Senada Adzem.
Byron Koste, director of the real estate center at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said he hopes the city sticks to the deadline.
“Everybody else did a good job,” Koste said. “This group now feels like it miscalculated and wants to improve its position. They miscalculated whether they needed to spend extra effort at this point, and they chose not to, hoping their reputation or whatever would be enough to carry the day and get them to the next round.”
If Trump were selected as master developer, he would develop Trump International Hotel & Residences Denver, which would include a “world-class” restaurant, premier retail space and a high-end spa. The Trump Denver condominium hotel would be modeled after the flagship Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York.
In addition to Barry, members of the Trump team include Bayrock Group, an international real estate investment and development company specializing in luxury residential, commercial, resort, hotel and mixed-use projects; Adrian Smith, a partner in Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, one of the world’s largest architectural and engineering firms; and Luther Cochrane, former chairman of Bovis Lend Lease, a project management and construction services firm.
Staff writer Margaret Jackson can be reached at 303-820-1473 or mjackson@denverpost.com.
