Michael Jordan’s estate located just outside of Chicago took over a decade and several price reductions to sell. Now, it seems like the new owner could take another decade to figure out what he wants, and more importantly, what he is allowed to do with it.
Jordan initially listed the massive home in Highland Park for $29 million. In December 2024, a real estate investor named John Cooper finally purchased the property for $9.5 million.
Naturally, in Chicago, a mansion owned by Michael Jordan, complete with a big number 23 on the front gate, is pretty notable. Owning such a property would be a dream for a Chicago Bulls fan. Unfortunately for John Cooper, his ownership of the estate has turned into a bit of a nightmare.
His first plan for the property was to convert the mansion into a timeshare called “Champion’s Point.” Under that plan, people could pay $1 million for the right to stay there for a single week per year. That idea didn’t work out.
Cooper’s second idea was to make it available for short-term rentals. He even listed it on Airbnb. That, it now appears, wasn’t successful.
The owner of Michael Jordan’s massive former estate has moved on to plan number three
Now, a year after buying Michael Jordan’s former 56,000-square-foot mansion in Highland Park, John Cooper has a new, third plan. He recently pitched it to Highland Park City Hall.
Cooper still calls his vision for the property “Champions Point.” Only now he is asking the city council for a “a new type of land use” for the estate, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.
Now, he “proposes use of the single family home as a tourist destination offering individuals the opportunity to tour the property and take advantage of the various amenities on site,” according to Karl Burhop, senior planner in Highland Park’s community development department.
He wants to create a partnership with Heller Nature Center, a 97-acre park district facility that shares a border with Michael Jordan’s former property. This plan would require a zoning change for the property.
“Champions Point proposes to create a symbiotic relationship with Heller Nature Center,” Cooper’s proposal states, “enhancing its existing educational programs while integrating the principles of the Experience Greatness Curriculum.”
Cooper also wants to create a non-profit called Champions Legacy. It will be “focused on helping kids—especially those with fewer opportunities—learn the pillars of greatness and see what they can become.”
He explained in a post in the Deerfield Dads group on Facebook, “The goal is to turn the home into a place where people can explore their own potential while experiencing the legacy of one of the greatest residences ever.”
In a not-so-surprising twist, at least one neighbor opposes the idea. One resident voiced a complaint which stated that “a nature preserve exists to safeguard fragile ecosystems, not to facilitate the monetization of private property.”