It looks like Donald Trump has taught an Australian promoter the true Art of the Deal – pocketing $1.6 million for essentially not doing a thing.
Malcolm Quinn booked Trump for a series of three talks in mid-November – dates that have now been canceled due to lackluster sales of the high-tab tickets, caused by the dour Aussie economy and missteps by the inexperienced promoter.
Quinn, who was inspired by Trump’s book, “Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life,” is now facing some ass kicking of his own, as the 650 people who purchased a total of 1,500 tickets before Quinn went bust now want their $1.5 million back.
Meanwhile, Trump has cashed the $1.6 million deposit and is technically owed around another $1 million for appearances he now can’t complete. “He’s trying to come up with something for the ticket holders,” said someone familiar with Trump’s thinking. “After all, it’s his reputation and his fans that got screwed.”
Tickets for the ‘Think Like A Billionaire’ seminar series, with Trump as the top billing, were apparently priced for fellow billionaires – $850 to $1,200 for one seat and a whopping $2,500 for an exclusive meet-and-greet Trump package. While Quinn pursued Trump with dreams of a $20 million payday, he never got close to the 6,000-to-8,000 tickets he needed to sell to make the event profitable.
“Donald had nothing to do with the ticket sales. He signed a contract and Malcolm was not able to put it together,” said a source in the Trump Organization. During several successful US tours, Trump has always drawn tens of thousands of people who pay closer to $99 for the privilege.
Trump is regularly asked, and generally turns down, speaking dates. But Trump had never been to Australia, and the gig was secured by the New York-based Greater Talent Network speakers bureau – which Quinn approached after six months wooing Trump with gift baskets and other goodies.
Trump’s “Apprentice” producer Mark Burnett is repped by GTN and Quinn figured GTN could therefore get through to Trump. It worked. GTN didn’t return a call for comment.
“It gave us a comfort level as we expected [GTN] vetted the promoter,” said the Trump source.
But Quinn, a newspaper and advertising executive, was apparently in over his head, skimping on ads and leaving venues, travel agents and investor friends also holding nothing but a bag of hot air from a showman who tried and failed to play in the big time.
