Chapter 967: 330, please step into the urn

Donnie has been very busy lately!

Even though he has another round of negotiations scheduled with Charlie Chaplin and others this afternoon, he spent the morning meeting several friends!

“Paul Warburg, why are you here?”

Donnie asked knowingly as he greeted Paul Warburg.

Paul Warburg smiled and said, “Right now, everyone on Wall Street wants to meet with you, Donnie. I merely have the advantage of being nearby!”

Donnie asked, “Are you here about the IPO for Trident Shipyard?”

Paul Warburg looked at Donnie with a hint of envy and said, “So, it’s true after all?”

Previously, Paul Warburg had some doubts about this matter. After all, Donnie had always tightly controlled the companies under Venus Bank. Moreover, as others speculated, Donnie didn’t seem to need extra funds, making the idea of listing Trident Shipyard seem unnecessary.

“That’s right!” Donnie didn’t deny it and responded cheerfully, “As you know, when I went to Europe earlier, I brought in technology from the Quanter Family. Now, Trident Shipyard is no longer wholly owned by Venus Bank. To raise more funds for its development, the best option is to take it public. This is also a way to honor our partnership with the Quanter Family!”

Paul Warburg praised, “If every businessman operated like you, Donnie, we wouldn’t need so many legal codes!”

Donnie laughed and said, “Joint development is the best development!”

After their brief exchange, Paul Warburg revealed his reason for visiting: “Mr. Block, you probably know about Gordon-Blalock Securities. Although they’re not on par with Goldman Sachs or Merrill on Wall Street, they’re still a very capable firm. They’ve successfully managed the IPOs for several companies in the past.

This time, I’m here to recommend their firm to you. I hope you’ll consider them when choosing your partners!”

Donnie nodded but didn’t commit either way. Instead, he asked, “I’ve heard of the firm before. It seems like the Gordon-Blalock Securities has ties to the Warburg Family as well?”

Paul Warburg nodded decisively and said, “Indeed, they do have some connections. The two founders of the firm previously worked at my company. I noticed their talents and encouraged them to venture out on their own. I also provided some assistance during their startup phase. As it turns out, they truly have proven their capabilities!”

Donnie remarked, “Your eye for talent is always spot-on, Warburg!”

Paul Warburg laughed heartily and said, “My greatest success in life has been establishing a strong partnership with you, Donnie!”

Donnie joined in a hearty laugh and replied, “Very well. I’ve got some time during dinner tonight. Have them meet me then. Whether or not I cooperate with them will depend entirely on their abilities!”

Paul Warburg nodded and said, “Of course!”

Donnie’s willingness to meet Shaw Gordon and Damour Bral made Paul Warburg extremely happy. It strengthened his belief in how much Donnie trusted the Warburg Family.

However, after finishing this topic, Paul Warburg didn’t leave. Instead, he brought up another matter: “Mr. Block, our two hotels are almost complete now. But I heard from Felix that Atlantic City Hall still hasn’t issued the secondary casino licenses yet. Could this delay our hotel operations?”

For Paul Warburg, two issues weighed heavily on his mind: first, the land investment in Florida; second, the two hotels in Atlantic City developed in partnership between Kuhn, Loeb & Co. consortium and Donnie.

The two hotels, after nearly a year of construction, were finally complete and now being furnished. With only months left until they could open for business, the secondary casino licenses that Donnie mentioned previously had yet to be issued. This made Paul Warburg anxious.

Currently, nearly all the transferable cash reserves of both the Warburg Family and the Kuhn, Loeb & Co. consortium were tied up in the real estate market in Florida, leaving their liquidity at a dangerously low level.

Any sudden disturbances could spell a financial storm for the Kuhn, Loeb & Co. consortium.

This is why Paul Warburg saw these hotels as critical cash flow generators for the consortium.

Donnie smiled unperturbed and said, “I thought it was something serious. This is just a minor matter that I can resolve with two or three phone calls. You can relax; it absolutely won’t delay the hotel openings!”

Paul Warburg’s trust in Donnie remained strong. Hearing this assurance, he felt relieved and chuckled, saying, “Alright, I’ll leave it in your capable hands then!”

“Father, Paul Warburg has left,” said Bobby Mozelle.

Donnie currently used the ABC headquarters building for his office. Outside Donnie’s office was a reception room designated for visitors to wait temporarily.

The Sachs father and son from Goldman Sachs Company were seated there now.

They had arrived earlier than Paul Warburg. However, Bobby Mozelle had told them that Donnie was meeting with an important guest, causing the scheduled appointment time to run over. They were now awaiting a rescheduled slot. Nonetheless, Seymour Sacks wasn’t about to give up so easily and conveyed to Bobby Mozelle that they were willing to wait there until Mr. Block was available.