7 Things You Must Know About T. Boone Pickens’ $250M Ranch

Mesa Vista Ranch; David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

It takes a lot of dough to buy a luxury ranch in America. And it’ll take $250 million if you opt for the most luxurious of them all.

That’s what business magnate and Oklahoma native T. Boone Pickens wants for Mesa Vista Ranch, located in the Texas Panhandle 30 miles north of Pampa and 85 miles northeast of Amarillo.

Landing on the market this week as the most expensive property in the country, the 65,000-acre property is jointly listed with Hall and Hall and Chas. S. Middleton and Son.

The two listing agents will team up again, as they did with billionaire businessman Stan Kroenke’s $725 million purchase of a 510,000-acre ranch in Texas last year. Forbes called Kroenke’s compound, the W.T. Waggoner Ranch, “likely (the) most expensive ranch ever.”

An elevated view of the ranch

Mesa Vista Ranch

According to Pickens’ personal statement about the sale, he says divesting the property is “the prudent thing for an 89-year-old man to do.”

He snapped up this property 46 years ago, beginning with 2,900 acres and building up from there, diving deep into his conservation efforts by pouring millions of dollars toward wildlife management of the land.

Quail hunting at the ranch remains among the country’s best (“the world’s best,” according to Pickens), and cattle grazing is kept to a minimum—just 400 to 500 cows, which is small for a parcel this immense.

In his statement, Pickens also mentions the sale’s proceeds will pad the $1 billion in charitable giving he already provides through the T. Boone Pickens Foundation.

In all, there are six structures on the property, plus a few buildings used for staff housing—obviously, a workforce is needed to run this place.

We’ve compiled a list of the eight most interesting facts about the lavish listing, in case you have a spare quarter-billion to spend.

1. There’s no need to fly commercial A private airport is included with the sale.

Mesa Vista Ranch

The estate has a private airport, a 25,000-square-foot hangar, and a 6,000-foot airstrip! Bye-bye, annoying layovers.

2. A wedding chapel is included The chapel where T. Boone Pickens married his fifth wife, Toni Brinker

Mesa Vista Ranch

Pickens swapped wedding vows with his fifth wife, Toni Brinker, in the 800-square-foot chapel in 2014. In front of friends, family, and celebs—including Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones—the couple embarked on their life together. If you’re setting future nuptial goals, you might as well aim high.

3. There are a whopping 20 lakes Fishing for days…

Mesa Vista Ranch

If you want to invite friends and family over to fish but you don’t want to actually fish alongside them, you can each have your pick of lakes. Launch the boats!

4. The property has four grand houses

These four homes aren’t charming cottages. The biggest home—known as The Lodge—clocks in at 33,000 square feet. The smallest is the relatively modest 1,700-square-foot Gate House.

In between are the Lake House, with 12,000 square feet of living space plus 4,000 square feet of porches, and the 6,000-square-foot Family House.

One of the property’s houses

Mesa Vista Ranch

Another one of the property’s houses

Mesa Vista Ranch

There’s plenty in The Lodge to keep a billionaire occupied. In addition to enormous space to host friends and family (the guest wing alone has seven bedrooms), there’s a 30-seat movie theater, and a living room boasting two fireplaces and a wine cellar. A free-standing spiral staircase is a design highlight.

5. There’s a building just for firearms

The Gun Room is a 400-square-foot, wood-frame structure with a limestone exterior on a concrete slab foundation. It’s where Pickens stores his rifles, shotguns, and other hunting gear. More than a storage closet or a boring old gun safe, it also comes with a lounge, bathroom, and kitchenette.

6. You can play tennis and golf without leaving home

It’s not all business at the ranch. There’s plenty to do in the downtime. You’ll find a tennis court with lights and a small golf course (with two fairways and greens), plus a skeet/trap range.

7. Even dogs have their own abode A kennel with room for 40 dogs is on property.

Mesa Vista Ranch

Most people have a fenced-in backyard or perhaps a doghouse to corral their favorite canine. Pickens went big in an effort to house his hunting dogs. He built an 11,000-square-foot kennel with 40 chain-link pens plus an outdoor exercise area. An on-site veterinary lab means the doctor makes house calls.

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