The astonishing reality is that one of America's most influential sports figures has now become the country's most significant private landowner. But here’s where it gets controversial—this isn't just about owning land; it’s about the scale of influence and wealth accumulated by individuals like Stan Kroenke. If you're curious about how a billionaire sports mogul transitions into dominating the private land market, keep reading.
Stan Kroenke, owner of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, has built a vast sports empire that ranks among the most valuable in the world. But recent developments reveal he's also taken the top spot as America’s largest private landholder, according to a new report from The Land Report. With holdings spanning approximately 2.7 million acres—an area larger than Yellowstone National Park, roughly two million football fields—Kroenke’s land portfolio is truly monumental.
Most notably, Kroenke acquired nearly one million acres of ranchland in New Mexico in December, purchasing it from the family behind the industrial giant Teledyne. This deal, recognized by The Land Report as the largest land purchase in the United States in over ten years, involved the Singleton Ranches. The Singleton family started their ranching enterprise in the 1980s, initially created by the late Henry Singleton, the founder of Teledyne, and it has since expanded into one of the country's biggest cattle and horse breeding operations.
This strategic purchase catapulted Kroenke from being the fourth-largest landowner in the country to the very top of the list—surpassing notable families like the Emmersons, who own about 2.44 million acres through Sierra Pacific Industries, and prominent billionaires such as John Malone and Ted Turner. Interestingly, most of the top 100 private landowners are not household names, but rather large corporations or legacy families.
The Emmerson family, for instance, is known for their extensive ownership of forest lands, while the Singleton family remains a significant player despite selling the New Mexico ranches to Kroenke, with 171,000 acres still ranking them high on the list.
Why are ultra-wealthy individuals and families increasingly investing in farmland? The answer lies in farmland’s appeal as a resilient hedge against inflation and stock market fluctuations. From 2019 to 2024, the value of farmland has grown at an average annual rate of 5.8%, though after inflation, the growth averages closer to 2%, according to the USDA. This trend sees billionaire entrepreneurs, including Bill Gates and Philip Anschutz, acquiring large swaths of land for purposes such as farming, ranching, and forestry.
Bill Gates, for example, owns approximately 275,000 acres, making him the largest private owner of farmland in the U.S., with his holdings growing soybeans, corn, cotton, rice, and even potatoes—some of which are used for McDonald's French fries. Other notable figures include Thomas Peterffy, a billionaire in online brokerage, with 647,000 acres, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, holding around 462,000 acres.
Kroenke’s rapid expansion stems largely from acquiring substantial ranches that have been in families for generations. A prime example is the Waggoner Ranch in Texas, purchased in 2016 for $725 million, ending 160 years of family ownership. Although such iconic ranches are rare and highly sought after, more properties are entering the market as heirs consider selling instead of continuing the family legacy.
So, what does this all mean? Are these land acquisitions purely investments, or do they reflect a broader trend of wealth consolidation and influence? And perhaps most provocatively: Is owning vast amounts of land a symbol of true legacy and stability or a sign of growing inequality? Share your thoughts—do you agree with the idea that land is becoming the new gold for the ultra-rich, or should we view this as a potential threat to public access and environmental sustainability?
