TORONTO -- Jeff Bezos has made another high-profile move sure to generate headlines – and this time, it will be followed by a literal move.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the Amazon founder and president has purchased the Warner Estate in Los Angeles for US$165 million. The purchase price is said to be the highest ever for a home in the L.A. area.
The most recent owner of the estate was music and film producer David Geffen, who reportedly purchased it in 1990 for US$47.5 million.
Bezos has been in the news already this year for a variety of professional and personal challenges. Amazon has faced criticism over its treatment of workers who want the company to do more to combat climate change, while Bezos has also been the subject of international intrigue over suggestions that his personal phone may have been hacked by the Saudi government. He's also facing a lawsuit from his girlfriend's brother, who Bezos accuses of leaking nude photos.
Given all those headaches, it's easy to understand the appeal Bezos might see in a 13,600-square-foot mansion that includes its own golf course, tennis court and gas pumps, according to a 2016 feature in Architectural Digest.
In addition to the amenities, the property comes with more than its share of Hollywood history. The Architectural Digest piece details the high status it enjoyed under original owner Jack Warner of Warner Brothers fame, with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Elizabeth Taylor passing through its doors.
Bezos' record purchase price may not last long. The One, a Bel Air property described as the world's first "giga-mansion," is expected to hit the market this fall with a list price of US$500 million.
