Part 3/9:
Amidst this display of wealth, a humorous yet telling story emerged about the negotiations for the ballroom's very excavation. The president’s team tried to secure a deal on excavation costs, starting at $3.2 million but eventually settling at around $2 million. The underlying theme? An effort to maintain a "once-in-a-lifetime" project—an elite playground that echoes the larger-than-life persona of its owner.
Meanwhile, the president was also captivated by the idea of expansion, pulling his guests into a conversation about the size of the famed Lincoln Memorial. Imaginary sizes—small, medium, large—were casually discussed, further cementing his obsession with grandeur and scale, extending even to national monuments.