Trump Organization called out for ”fake news” ahead of grand opening of Vancouver tower

On the same day that demonstrators will descend on a Trump hotel in Vancouver to protest its grand opening, the Trump Organization is being called out for dubious claims it made about the tower on Twitter that some are dubbing “fake news.”

The Trump Organization has now deleted a tweet composed on Monday claiming that the opening of its 69-story hotel and apartments will mark the first property to open in the city in over six years. Former Vancouver chief city planner Brent Toderian tweeted in reply that the claim is “so far from being true, it’s laughable.”

Vancouver is currently experiencing a real estate boom, and at least a dozen towers standing over 20 stories high have opened since 2011.

The Telus Gardens Residence and the Marine Gateway Residential Tower both opened last year. Both stand at 46 stories tall. There’s 2015’s MNP tower, MC2 South Tower, and a complex at 745 Thurlow Street that all stand 23 stories or taller.

Yaletown saw a 47-floor luxury tower known as The Mark open in 2013. CTV reported that speaking about hotel towers only, the last two hotels to open in Vancouver were the Shangri-La, in 2009, and the Fairmont Pacific Rim, in 2010.

The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Its tweet was deleted by mid afternoon Tuesday.

The Trump Organization has licensed its name for use on the $360 million tower, which was built by the Holborn Group. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson has called for the name to be changed.

And Toderian told Politico this week that “there’s a strong visceral reaction to the name being attached to our skyline.”

The tower is the second-tallest in Vancouver. A one-bedroom, 699-square-foot apartment costs around $1 million, while the average price for a two-bedroom runs around $1.7 million.

Vancouver’s Trump International Hotel and Apartments is the first building the Trump Organization has opened since the U.S. election. They opened a golf course in Dubai earlier this month.

President Trump’s sons Eric and Donald Jr. — who now ostensibly run the Trump Organization — are slated to attend the tower’s grand opening on Tuesday. Multiple protests are also planned, starting at 10 a.m.