Got $27 million? South Florida’s Huizenga’s estate can be yours
Late corporate titan’s Fort Lauderdale home: 8 bedrooms, 9 baths
The sprawling riverfront estate that belonged to the late Fort Lauderdale billionaire H. Wayne Huizenga is now up for sale and is listed for $26.95 million.
Dubbed Tarpon Pointe, the estate boasts 60,000 square feet of land and a standout 18,000-square-foot home that is a mix of Mediterranean and French architectural styles. It has a pagoda at one of its swimming pools.
South Florida residents knew Huizenga for his multiple corporate successes. They also knew both the corporate titan and his wife, Marti, for their philanthropy. He is credited as being the only entrepreneur to launch three Fortune 500 companies: Waste Management, Blockbuster Entertainment and AutoNation. And he was known for his ownership of the Florida Marlins, Florida Panthers and the Miami Dolphins.
The house went to market just four months after Huizenga’s death in March, when he died at 80 after a long battle with cancer.
Veteran Fort Lauderdale real estate agent Kelly Drum, of Drum Realty, said the property has already attracted expressions of interest from corporate executives and entrepreneurs, though he did not name them.
“It’s like buying a piece of artwork,” he said. “It’s really at the epicenter of Fort Lauderdale real estate — certainly one of the largest estates in town.”
Huizenga acquired the home in 2005 from Michael Egan, a friend and business associate who founded and chaired Alamo Rent A Car.
Located in the upscale Rio Vista neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale, the home has eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms and separate wings for family, guests and staff.
“In addition to luxury, functionality is at the core of the estate's design,” according to a website pitch. “The family wing is complete with offices, bedrooms, a private kitchen and family room. The central portion of the house can accommodate a party of virtually any size. The guest wing and staff quarters permit the enjoyment of the home by others while not disturbing the primary residents.”
According to a 2005 Sun Sentinel report, the home was once the site of a house belonging to rancher and Deputy Sheriff Robert L. Clark. He and his brother, Walter, were figures in a U.S. Senate probe of organized crime and gambling in South Florida in the 1950s.
At the time Egan sold the property to Huizenga, the estate, which is situated on a bend in the New River, was on the market for $15.8 million, the Sun Sentinel reported.
The 1.5-acre estate is a popular talking point for sightseeing companies that ferry tourists along the river.
There’s 600 feet of waterfront and a dock can host vessels ranging up to 140 feet in length, Drum said.
“Most people in town know the property,” Drum said. “It’s very well-recognized from a boating standpoint, and most people know the ownership. Of all of the real estate we’ve sold over the course of 65 years, it is the most unique place.”