Inspired by their experiences on campaign with their father, Eric and Donald Trump Jr. are launching a new hotel chain, American Idea, and they’re starting in Mississippi.
The initial three will be placed in Cleveland, Clarksdale, and Greenville. The hotels will use existing buildings that are to be renovated over the course of the next eight months. Renovation costs are expected to reach $1.5 million per location.
Donald Trump Jr. stated that he felt as though he received a crash course in America while on campaign and that, “they saw so many places and towns and so many stories.” The American Idea chain will be designed with local culture and heritage in mind. Trump Hotels CEO Eric Danziger suggested they might use items such as vintage firetrucks.
In addition to American Idea, Trump Organization will also erect the first of many Scion hotels. This four-star chain is designed to offer an upscale service to communities that would not be able to support an entire Trump luxury property. Scion will be built in Cleveland as well and is expected to be a $20 million endeavor. The project is financed locally by Guaranty Bank.
Trump Hotels will receive management and franchise fees, but the chains will be owned by Chawla Hotels.
Some are concerned that these business ventures could open up doors to unethical political funding veiled as investments from developers.
“They’re cashing in on the red states,” said Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert and law professor at Washington University in St. Louis. “I’m not surprised that the Trump family would look to opportunities to commercially exploit his political success.” 
