State's Largest Mansion Goes To Auction
DENTON CO. (CBSDFW.COM)- The biggest mansion in the state of Texas has been on the market for years - and now it's headed to the auction block this Friday.
Hickory Creek in Denton County is a nice little town with a few thousand residents. It's right by a lake, it's got a few restaurants, a Wal-Mart and it has Champ d'Or (french for "Fields of Gold").
Laura Brady with Concierge Auctions says in total Champ d'Or is 48,000 square feet which includes the main house, the cabana and the 20 car garage. It also has a racquetball court and two pools, one inside the master suite and ballroom. Her main closet has two stories and she has her own hair salon. The veranda seats 450...and the detail is amazing.
"This is over, over the top" said Real estate blogger Candace Evans. "I'm just obsessed with real estate and house porn and I love every square inch of it. I look at the detail work. The tassels in the theater look like they're real." The in-home theater has box seats. There are two gold plated elevators.
PLAY: KRLD's Barbara Schwarz tours Champ d'Or
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Brady says the owners built the countryside mansion in 2002 for $46 million. "The owner was on site every single day of that seven years, so you can imagine how hands on she was with all of the artisans that were here painting the murals, all of the plaster moldings were created on site."
And after all that of that work and money, Alan and Shirley Goldfeld lived there for one year.
Brady says "They're selling it because they don't entertain as much as they used to. The wife would tell you she enjoyed having large events here but this is just a different time in their life now. They are ready for a simpler life with a smaller home.
Evans is much more candid. So what were they thinking? "I don't know. I would say...what were they smoking? I think this was a project. I think you have a lot of money and you like to build houses."
The mansion has been on the market for years. Originally listed for $72 million, it's current price is $35 million and the starting bid for auction is $10.3 million.
So what's going to happen to it? Brady says "this could be an entertaining venue for people to rent for very high-end events"
Evans says "this would make a great surgical center. Can you imagine coming here and having your plastic surgery done? Or a Betty Ford. What don't we have a Betty Ford Hickory Creek?"
And why is it that a house that cost $46 million to build could be yours for just over a little ten? Evans says "this house is the story of the bubble. See what happened? It ain't going nowhere"
Evans thinks the Goldfelds could eventually donate the place.
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