I took for granted that you would not use surface. The rotating station can be built inside a cave. The main advantage over orbiting is mining.

In other words, I believe that Mars' appeal is a mirage. Musk and company are seeing it as another Earth where people can live like here, with a little terraforming.

I think it would be much more difficult. Of course I could be wrong, or I could be right but, even then, Musk could be modern Columbus.