`You're hired'
The Apprentice, promises a US$250,000 Trump job to the last contestant standing. Trump himself gets a steady payback from the constant promotion of his business interests.
He typically assembles the aspiring apprentices at one of his holdings to give them their corporate task of the week -- which also serves to fan the Trump empire.
He gathered them recently in front of the fountain in the lobby of Trump Tower, bragging how it draws tourists from all over the world to the building's vertical mall of high-end shops -- that have not exactly caught Manhattan by storm.
The Donald then challenged his charges to come up with promotions for the Trump Taj Mahal, which he described as the "top" casino in Atlantic City.
The Taj indeed is one of his three Atlantic City casinos, whose ability to continue as a "going concern" hinges on a deal allowing an influx of US$400 million from an outside financial services company, according to auditors.
Back in the early 1990s, Trump leveraged his casino business to help him escape bankruptcy and he is now paying the price, the Fortune profile explains.
Still, Trump rolls on.
He will be heard from long after he utters the words, "You're Hired," to another winning apprentice candidate.
The reality show has been scheduled to return for two more 16-episode runs in the 2004 to 2005 season, with the Los Angeles Times reporting Trump will have his salary "at least" doubled to US$100,000 an episode.
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