For a basic sense of how the world of ultra-massive real estate has changed, here’s one fact: Between 2012 and 2013, the top 100 added 700,000 acres to their collective portfolios, bringing their total to two percent of the U.S. land mass.
In other words, stitching together all the land listed here gets you something about the size of Connecticut.
#1 John Malone
2,200,000 acres
Loves land and his wife loves horses, which explains #1’s 2013 acquisitions. The cable billionaire from Denver added two properties in Wellington, the epicenter of South Florida’s equestrian community, and an Irish castle with a solid set of stables.
Doesn’t just own CNN — he is the largest landowner in New Mexico. His purchase of the Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa brings tourists closer to two of his landmark properties and, ya know, space. Richard Branson’s spaceport is just a quick drive away.
The family behind logging company Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) with land holdings twice the size of Rhode Island. Still, that’s not as it much as it once was. The Emmersons have transferred 6% of that chunk to the public since Curly Emerson founded the company in 1949.
This businessman has ranch holdings in Texas, Florida, and New Mexico. He also knows his way around the rest of the world. His NC2 Media Company recently bought Lonely Planet guidebooks.
A logging family with a state-of-the-art $30 million softwood sawmill in Ashland, Maine. Because if you’re going to go softwood sawmill, you want to make it state-of-the-art.
This ranching family owns some of the oldest operating ranch land in the country. Their holdings outside New Mexico include the Peachtree and Top ranches in John Steinbeck’s Salinas Valley.
Via America’s Top 100 Land Owners - Modern Farmer
Posted by gerardvanderleun at October 16, 2013 5:46 PM
Leaves out the Federal government with something more than 640,000,000 acres.
Posted by: Fat Man at October 16, 2013 6:45 PMBut those Federal lands belong to us. About 2 acres per person. Of course the Park Service doesn't care. In their eyes we are intruders on our land.
Posted by: Jimmy J. at October 16, 2013 8:15 PMIf you want a big ranch of your own, the beautiful Rockpile Ranch in the remote trans-Pecos area of West Texas is for sale.
http://therockpileranch.com/
I would rather have it privately owned. The Federal govt owns much of America and puts up barrycades to keep Americans out. King barrycade owns the land and we are not allowed to step into open air War Memorial until King barrycade say we have his permission.
Posted by: A.Men at October 17, 2013 5:25 AM"But those Federal lands belong to us." I had a good laugh over that one.
Posted by: Lorne at October 17, 2013 5:32 AMAs I recall, everything west of the Mississippi, a good part if not all of the old Northwest Territory, and much of the South were bought and paid for, or stolen from others by the Federal Government, which then owned virtually all the unsettled land in the newly acquired area. Several of my paternal and maternal ancestors got Federal land grants for a nominal fee in Ohio and Indiana.
Posted by: BillH at October 17, 2013 7:58 AMThat picture....I want to live, and die, there.
Jimmy, the first part of your comment is retarded, in the last part you acknowledge it.
Posted by: ghostsniper at October 17, 2013 8:20 AMOn a world scale, Queen Elizabeth makes these guys look like squatters.
#1 Queen Elizabeth II
Land: 6.6 billion acres of land worldwide including Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia and a few other spots here and there. Also, the all-important Falkland Islands.
Background: England's third (and most likely soon to be second) longest serving monarch, Elizabeth II retains royal title over The British Commonwealth and as such manages to keep her face on money throughout the globe.
With her 6.6 billion acres, Elizabeth II is far and away the world's largest landowner, with the closest runner-up (King Abdullah) holding control over a mere 547 million, or about 12% of the lands owned by Her Majesty, The Queen.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-biggest-landowners-2011-3?op=1#ixzz2i03VLm7K
Posted by: Syd B. at October 17, 2013 10:07 AMghostsniper: Thanks for noticing. I pride myself on being retarded. It helps people misunderestimate me.
Posted by: Jimmy J. at October 17, 2013 11:11 AMI was going to say that the private-owner lists are a joke compared to what the feds and other governments own.
Posted by: Rich Fader at October 17, 2013 1:45 PM
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