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The Land Report Summer 2010

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Big Deal

Would you call a working cattle operation set on thousands of acres along the Continental Divide a ranch, or does the term “residence” seem more appropriate?

Major transactions like the sale of Colorado’s Boot Jack Ranch a few months ago always generate a lot of press. When you’re talking about a $46.5 million price tag, it comes with the territory. In addition to LandReport.com, local papers like The Durango Herald, regional dailies including the Denver Post, and of course The Wall Street Journal, whose excellent real estate section follows closings of all shapes and sizes, made mention of the sale of the Boot Jack.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that more than a few of these media outlets were way off base in their descriptions of the Boot Jack. In several instances, the deal for the sprawling 3,151-acre ranch was described as “the most expensive residential transaction in 2010 in the U.S.” Is it just me, or does it come across as a bit of a stretch to compare the Boot Jack, with its priceless water rights at the crest of the Continental Divide, to mega-mansions currently on the market in Palm Beach and Beverly Hills?
There’s only one way the Boot Jack can be considered residential, and that’s by counting the 4,000 trout and 800 head of cattle that swim in its streams and forage in its pastures as native to Archuleta and Mineral counties. A good rule of thumb for identifying residential properties is that they can be found in residential neighborhoods. By comparison, the Boot Jack’s neighbors include the San Juan National Forest, the Weminuche Wilderness, and other private landowners. Sound residential to you?
Thanks to the Boot Jack, we’ve done some research of our own. Turn to page 20, and you’ll find the inaugural version of The Land Report Top Ten. Featuring the nation’s leading land listings, the roster includes working ranches, woody retreats, and a few of the last large parcels found in close proximity to city centers like Manhattan, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara.
Eric O’Keefe, Editor, The Land Report

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The Land Report Fall 2013

With 2.2 million acres, John Malone takes top honors for the third consecutive year. His love of land, coupled with his wife’s love of horses, led to several key acquisitions, including a historic Irish castle just south of Dublin and two properties in Wellington, the epicenter of Florida’s equestrian community.
At more than 2 million acres, Ted Turner runs a close second to his good friend. Turner enjoys the distinction of being New Mexico’s largest landowner, and he capitalized on that honor by acquiring the historic Sierra Grande Lodge and Spa in Truth or Consequences. Guests at the Lodge will be able to enjoy tours of Turner’s 156,439-acre Ladder Ranch and his 362,885-acre Armendaris Ranch.
Thanks to his acquisition of the Broken O Ranch, Denver Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke moved up from No. 10 on last year’s list to No. 8 in the rankings. Among the newcomers to this year’s list are Texas’s Wilks Brothers, founders of Frac Tech. Their prized jewel is Montana’s 60,000-acre N Bar Ranch, which they acquired from former Land Report 100er Tom Siebel, founder of Siebel Systems. Another new name on the list is Arthur Nicholas, who serves on the board of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Nicholas is the owner of Wyoming’s historic Wagonhound Land and Livestock Co., which is the subject of a new book by Land Reporters Wyman Meinzer and Henry Chappell.
We invite you to be among the first to view the complete rundown of America’s top landowners, which is available exclusively on the Fay Ranches website. Click here to download your PDF today.

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