Michael Sugarson ☦

What historical fact sounds fake but is true?

These two renderings of a potential "reimagined" East Potomac Park appear in a fundraising document distributed by the new "National Garden of American Heroes Foundation." It's unclear to what degree these (very AI-looking) images represent Tom Fazio's actual plans for the golf course, but I think they reveal some important things about the Trump administration's intentions at East Potomac: 1) The new "championship" golf course would take up most of the island. This would mean losing the perimeter road and bike path, the open space at the southern tip of the island, and perhaps even the famous cherry blossom trees, which feature prominently in an annual festival. These non-golf resources at East Potomac Park are used heavily by D.C. residents. 2) Building a bigger course would also mean reducing the number of available golf holes at the facility, likely from 36 to 18, as well as eliminating a historic, recently restored mini-golf course. Inevitably, this would make golf in D.C. less accessible, especially to beginning golfers. 3) Green fees for East Potomac's Blue Course currently top out at $48. There's no way the number would stay there post-reno. 4) The whole nouveau-riche, water-feature-centric aesthetic shown in the renderings is very much in line with Fazio's past work, but not at all representative of East Potomac's historical character and purpose. 5) The administration and the President himself have been open about their hopes to bring a major championship or Ryder Cup to the renovated East Potomac. I think it would be tremendously difficult to stage a tournament of that scale on this island, even after the reno. It does not appear to me that there's enough room.