Twelve years after it was first listed for sale, Michael Jordan’s sprawling complex in the suburbs of Chicago has found a buyer.
The former Chicago Bulls star’s 56,000-square-foot mansion in Highland Park, Illinois, went under contract Sunday, according to CoStar’s Homes.com.
The sale price is not yet available, but the property was listed for $14,855,000.
Located north of the city, the 7-acre property custom-designed by Jordan includes “every conceivable luxury amenity” and is “as legendary as His Airness himself,” listing agent Katherine Malkin of Compass said in the listing description.
A gate emblazoned with Jordan’s number, 23, welcomes visitors to the secluded property. Other amenities in the nine-bedroom, 19-bathroom house include a regulation-sized basketball court, a locker room, a trophy room, an infinity pool, a putting green, a tennis court, a cigar room, and a 14-car heated garage.
The property was built in 1994, but it underwent renovations in 2009. Malkin told the Wall Street Journal that Jordan spent about $50 million on the property.
Yearslong saga
The sale marks the end of a decades-long saga that’s been closely followed by fans and media.
When Jordan moved into the custom-built home with then-wife Juanita in 1995, he already had led the Chicago Bulls to the first of two three-peat championship runs.
Jordan also had emerged as one of the world’s most recognizable figures, with his own line of Nike shoes, Gatorade commercials urging viewers to “Be Like Mike,” and the movie “Space Jam” starring Jordan and Bugs Bunny in the works.
As Jordan’s Bulls teams captivated the city, the team also moved in 1994 from the historic Chicago Stadium to a new arena built next door called the United Center. Jordan’s No. 23 now hangs from the rafters, and a bronze statue depicting Jordan in flight is housed in an atrium that was later added to the arena on the city’s Near West Side.
In 2012, the then-retired Jordan listed the mansion for $29 million. At the time, he told the Wall Street Journal he was selling the house because “my kids are grown now and I don't need a large house in Chicago." After lowering the price to $21 million that same year, Jordan moved to auction the house. Though the auction found a buyer in 2013, Jordan ultimately pulled out of the deal because he didn’t want the property to sell for less than it was worth.
Since then, the property has been marketed to buyers as a possible opportunity for repurposing. Suggestions have included a Michael Jordan museum, a conference center, condos, or even a resort. It’s unknown what the buyer plans to do with the estate.