Plans are emerging for a landmark development that could bring the Trump Organisation’s brand to Australian shores for the first time, with discussions reportedly underway for a Trump Tower in Surfers Paradise.
Sources familiar with the negotiations say the Trump family’s property company is in advanced talks with developers regarding a proposal for a high-rise project at 3 Trickett Street, the former site of the Iluka Resort on the Gold Coast.
While conversations are ongoing, the deal has not yet been finalised, with confidentiality a major concern among the parties involved.
The 3,494-square-metre Surfers Paradise block has long been viewed as a prime development opportunity.
The Iluka Resort, once a coastal fixture, was demolished in 2013.
A 285-metre residential tower including nearly 700 units was approved for the site in 2015, but has yet to progress.
The land’s current owner, Malaysian investor Loi Keong Kuong, purchased the property for $56.5 million in 2019 and advertised it for sale in 2024.
If confirmed, the Gold Coast development would mark the Trump Organisation’s first branded presence in Australia, expanding a global portfolio that includes hotel and residential ventures across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The company’s flagship building, Trump Tower in New York City, opened in 1983 and remains one of the brand’s most recognisable assets.
The potential Surfers Paradise project would continue the organisation’s strategy of collaborating with local partners, a model it has followed in international markets.
In many of its global developments, the Trump name is licensed to third-party builders and operators who manage construction and sales while leveraging the brand’s reputation for luxury.
City of Gold Coast representatives have not confirmed any formal plans.
A spokesperson for Mayor Tom Tate said the council had no details to share about the proposal but noted that a project of such scale would be a significant outcome for the local economy.
