Saudi prince lists palace for $135 million: Bandar Bush

[MagickMuffin]

Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States, is selling his palatial home in Starwood Ranch for $135 million in what is likely the most expensive single-family residence listed in the nation.

The 56,000-square-foot palace is bigger than the White House and includes 15 bedrooms, anywhere between 16 and 26 bathrooms (reports vary), an indoor swimming pool, an elevator and dumbwaiters on a 95-acre estate with horse stables, a tennis court, trails, ponds and other water features all overlooking Aspen.

Aspen proved to be a welcome retreat during Prince Bandar's 20-plus years of service as ambassador to the United States for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He welcomed diplomats, presidents and friends to his 200-acre mountaintop spread above town, and he recently began constructing a second 15,000-square-foot guesthouse on the property. The first guesthouse includes a replica of a British pub. Those properties, however, are not for sale, at least not at this time.

http://www.aspendailynews.com/article_14895

[Syrinx]

1. maybe he knows something we don't...

Just saying. Maybe about Western property. :shrug:

[MagickMuffin]

4. Maybe, but he still has 200 acres

ontop of the mountain that he isn't selling off just yet.

Bandar purchased his property above Aspen in 1989 and built the main residence in 1991. The Pitkin County Assessor's Office notes that the palace has 70,071 square feet of total floor area when decks and other features are included. The assessor values the main residence at $55,953,500, but deputy assessor Larry Fite said that estimate is "probably conservative."

So, the property is valued at $56 mil, and he's wanting $135 mil for it. Quite a mark up.

Edited to include pic.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. That evil Saddam built and palaces while his people went

unemployed and scratched for a living. I wonder what the unemployment rate was pre shocking and awing. I'd bet it wasn't this.

http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/030305/2003030513.html
Saudi Arabia's unemployment reaches 30 percent
Saudi Arabia, Economics, 3/5/2003

Saudi Arabia has put out into actual implementation a decision yesterday which bans recruiting foreigners in Jewelry shops in the kingdom with the objective of ensuring job opportunities for its citizens, as unemployment rate in the kingdom reached 30%.

This decision, however, includes 6,000 Jewelry shops which employ 50,000 persons, expected to create 20,000 job opportunities for the Saudis.

This decision was taken in the year 2000 by the minister of the interior Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz.

Unemployment rate in this country which is the first ranking oil producing country, has been continuously increasing. An unofficial study issued yesterday estimated this increase at 30% of the Saudis eligible to work. Saudi Arabia's population tolls 22 million including 7 million foreigners.

Previous Stories:
Moroccan, Saudi businessmen sign cooperation accord (1/27/2003)
Saudi- Yemeni committee discusses today supply Mareb dam with electricity (1/25/2003)
Saudi companies construct residential complexes in Iraq (1/24/2003)

[Kagemusha]

5. Well someone had to build those palaces.

*Someone* was less unemployed as a result of them. Of course, probably all connected to Tikrit...

[saigon68]

3. Bring me back to the place I belong

[izzie]

6. I read some place he was going home to get a better job.

Maybe King?

[MagickMuffin]

7. He wishes he could be king, instead

he has to settle for the secretary general of the National Security Council for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -- a senior position that requires him to spend more time in his homeland than before.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

8. The Prince was very generous to local fundrasing...bought the Hospital

Major pieces of equipment (ct scanner, etc) and supported many arts and kids activities with
major sponsorship.

I got my best tip ever, working for the Prince, New Years Eve, about 9 years ago.
I asked for $250.00...I got a thou + a bottle of Dom Perignon rose 1982...I still have that
(empty now) bottle.

[havocmom]

9. Wonder if all the fingerprints have been scrubbed off everything

Seem pricey for a possible crime scene? :evilgrin: