The Trump International Hotel & Tower was to be the first development from the Trump Organization in the Middle East. During the planning phase, Donald Trump stated "When I look at potential sites for real estate investment, I concentrate on "location, location, location" — and this is the best location not only in Dubai but the whole of the Middle East." Christina Aguilera was booked to entertain guests at Trump's Los Angeles estate for the launch party on 23 August 2008. The joint venture of Al Habtoor Engineering and Murray & Roberts was selected as the preferred construction bidder in late 2007, and the estimated completion date was set to 2009 at a cost of. Foundation work started in August 2007. By 2008, the estimated cost had increased to. In late November 2008, the Trump International Hotel & Tower was one of three "landmark projects" to be delayed by Nakheel, as it was struggling with the global financial crisis. During construction, one bidder offered per square foot for one of the two planned penthouses. By February 2011, the status of the project was unclear. After the project was cancelled, Trump stated " were smart and we got a little bit lucky that we never started that job" in a 2014 interview.
Design
Orlando-based HHCP Design International, Inc. created the master plan for the Palm Jumeriah and the original design for the Trump International Hotel & Tower. The first design was nicknamed the "Golden Tulip" and featured a circular tower surrounded by four large golden petals attached to the sides. The Golden Tulip design won an award from the American Resort Development Association in 2006. Trump stated that he "wasn't a huge fan of ". Atkins Global was asked to evaluate the HHCP design in February 2006, and responded by revealing an updated concept design in November 2006. The senior design architect was Lee Morris. In Morris's design, two asymmetrical towers, linked at the 40th storey, form an archway over the Palm Jumeirah Monorail. The 62 storey-high towers feature stainless steel, glass, and stone facades, and a monorail station is located at the base of the two towers. The towers were planned to include a 378-room hotel and a 397-apartment residential component.
