Tony Pritzker, billionaire: $175 million to build his dream home in Los Angeles, which he now has to sell for this reason
Getting divorced can be a painful process. Even more so when there is a large estate to split up and you find out that there is nothing there, kind of…
One of the largest, and most expensive, homes in the United States, the Pritzker Estate went on the market in October 2024. The home was put up for sale after Tony Pritzker, one of the heirs to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, and his wife Jeanne decided to get divorced in 2022 after 33 years of marriage.
The Pritzker Estate, derogatorily called the Grand Hyatt Bel-Air by neighbors, is still awaiting a buyer. That might be because of the price tag.
The original asking price of $195 million for the Bel-Air property is pretty steep for most wallets, only the richest of the rich have the kind of wealth necessary like Jeff Bezos. In 2020, the tech billionaire crushed California real estate records for priciest home purchase when he forked over $165 million for David Geffen’s legendary Warner Estate in Beverly Hills.
She wanted to stay, he wanted to sell, so the lawyers told her to leave
Tony and Jeanne got married in 1989 and have six children. They began building their 50,000-square-foot mega mansion in 2005 on a six-acre parcel of land that was a conglomeration of several properties they purchased on a hilltop overlooking the Los Angeles basin.
The colossal structure was completed in 2011, designed to host large fundraisers as the two are major philanthropists. However, just over a decade after being able to move into the Pritzker Estate, they filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences.
Things were about to get more contentious though when Jeanne expressed a desire to keep on living in the Bel-Air property. She was in for a surprise, Jeanne didn’t have any rights to the estate.
His lawyers informed her that it was owned by series of trusts and LLCs, and she wasn’t a beneficiary. Furthermore, Tony, who is currently the CEO of Pritzker Private Capital and worth $4.4 billion according to Forbes, wanted to sell.
After some back and forth the couple reached a settlement in April 2024 and she moved out of the opulent mansion. Then in October the house was put on the market.
What do you get with the Pritzker Estate?
While the Pritzker Estate originally hit the market at $195 million, it is currently listed at $175 million after almost a year of wating for a buyer. Sitting atop a hill, the estate has panoramic views of the entire LA basin and is essentially a one-of-a-kind.
Stephen Shapiro of Westside Estate Agency, who is one of the people listing the house, explained to the Wall Street Journal that because of new building restrictions, “You couldn’t build it today.”
The 50,000 square foot house is set on a six-acre plot. It has a main house with 16 bedrooms and 27 bathrooms along with a guest house and staff quarters. Because of its intended use, it has a subterranean garage that can fit 100 vehicles.
Other amenities include a infinity pool looking out over LA, a tennis and basketball court, bowling alley, wellness center, and wine cellar, just to name a few.
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