US tycoon Donald Trump will hold on to land in Northern Ireland for six months while he considers whether to build a luxury golf resort.
The option emerged as top executives for the billionaire developer visited the North to look at three or four sites on a two-day fact-finding mission.
Areas under consideration are understood to include Runkerry, near Bushmills in Co Antrim, and managing director for international development George Sorial is also to consider Belfast as he weighs up candidates for a spectacular links-style course.
Mr Sorial said: "We would not be here if it was not for real, there is no flying kites here, I would not be wasting my time."
They were invited after First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley met Mr Trump in New York in December. The ground, which can be held for six months, was first secured in December and the option recently extended.
Mr Sorial added: "It is a substantial piece of land, suitable for a golf-course, residential and hotel." No decisions have been made yet but the senior delegation stressed Northern Ireland was not in competition with a project planned for Aberdeen in Scotland.
"They are two separate projects, what is going on in Scotland is nothing to do with why we are here," Mr Sorial said.
"We came here for the simple reason that Mr Paisley invited us and it is really refreshing to be welcomed like that." Ian Paisley Jnr said the North represented the chance of a lifetime. Northern Ireland is open for business, he added.
"We will be visiting other coastal parts, it is a coastal links-type course which these gentlemen are interested in. "The whole leisure industry is something which needs to take off in Northern Ireland and it is certainly important that we show that off."
Mr Trump had hoped to build what he claims will be the world's finest golf course in the north of Scotland. However, Aberdeenshire Council's decision to reject his initial planning bid has forced him to contemplate alternatives.
The Scottish Executive is carrying out an inquiry on how the council handled the planning decision and the proposal could yet get the go-ahead. It is understood Mr Sorial will be one of the guests at a dinner hosted by Ian Paisley Jnr after today's fact-finding mission.
PA