Flip or flop: Ivanka and Jared Kushner planning $1.4B resort on Cold War base

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are investing $1.4 billion into transforming a former Soviet Cold War weapons base into a high-end luxury island resort

The couple has worked over the past year to turn the Albanian island of Cezanne, notably one of the few underdeveloped islands on the Mediterranean, into a tourist destination for the rich

Plans moved forward after the couple saw their proposal receive preliminary approval from the Albanian government in January, as reported by the New York Times

Prior to the plan's approval, there was speculation among locals about the future of the former military installation, now dubbed Trump Island by some

While the couple's families have deep ties to the real estate industry, this marks the first time they have tried their hand at a luxury hotel

Kushner and the Albanian Prime Minister have pushed back against accusations of the deal's

approval being influenced by President Trump's relationship with the couple. Albania Prime Minister says he just happy to have an American entrepreneur showing interest in investing in his country In spite of the site dark past the island reopened a limited amount of beaches in 2017 to the public after they been closed for years But Kushner and Ivanka

still face major hurdles, including unexploded landmines and weapons that remain on the island

Efforts are already underway by the Albanian government to clear the area of landmines and

chemical weapons buried in the ground. That project began in 2020 by Albania and has since resumed

The planned 1,400-acre resort will also sit where abandoned bunkers and decaying buildings now stand

Ivanka says she plans to incorporate some of the structures in the design of the tourist spot

The proposed resort also faces criticism from those within the Albanian government

who believe the prime minister is being secretive of the deal because it benefits his political interests

Environmentalists have also expressed concerns about the potential impact to ecosystems and natural habitats

Kushner dismissed those concerns in 2024, saying he plans to carefully consider the environmental impact of the couple's project

For more on this story, download the Shader News app or visit san.com. For Shader News, I'm Kaylee Carey