bill gates yacht seattle

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates reportedly sells home in Washington in fast deal

Bill Gates reportedly now has one fewer home.

That became the case earlier this month after the Microsoft co-founder reached a deal to sell a 2,430-square-foot house he owned in Medina, Washington, according to Realtor.com .

How much the property ultimately went for is unknown. It was originally put up for sale on March 29 with an asking price of nearly $4.989 million, per the outlet. 

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Gates worked with RE/MAX Northwest to sell the house, Fortune reported . RE/MAX’s listing showed a "pending" status for the "mid-century modern" home.

FOX Business reached out for Gates’ comment.

READ ON THE FOX BUSINESS APP

The property boasts "spectacular & awe-inspiring 180-degree Lake Washington, Seattle skyline & Olympic mtn views," the listing said.

It sits on a 0.61-acre lot. It also comes with a large deck and zen garden.

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The house itself contains four bedrooms and three full bathrooms, according to the listing. It has been equipped with radiant heated floors, too.

The other home Gates owns in Medina remains under his ownership, Realtor.com. It has been referred to as "Xanadu 2.0."

The tech billionaire invested tens of millions of dollars into building that 66,000-square-foot house, FOX Business previously reported .

Medina is located in King County, where Microsoft has long had its headquarters. 

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Gates spent 15 years as the CEO of Microsoft, with his tenure ending in 2000. He exited the tech giant’s board in 2020 to "dedicate more time to his philanthropic priorities including global health, development, education, and his increasing engagement in tackling climate change," Microsoft said at the time.

The tech billionaire still owns roughly 1% of Microsoft shares, according to Bloomberg.

Original article source: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates reportedly sells home in Washington in fast deal

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Bill Gates Yacht: Everything You Want To Know

In 2020 the yachting world was abuzz with news that Bill Gates had bought as stunning and advanced yacht known as Project Aqua. The massive, 370-foot concept yacht was revealed in 2019 at the Monaco Yacht Show and news soon followed that billionaire Bill Gates, once the richest man in the world and the founder of Microsoft, had commissioned the construction of his own hydrogen-powered Aqua. But that never actually happened and, in fact, as near as anyone can tell for real, Bill Gates doesn’t own a yacht at all. 

So where did the story come from? What’s the deal with the Aqua? And hasn’t Bill Gates been pictured on a yacht before? Let’s get some answers.

How Much Did the Aqua Yacht Cost at the Monaco Yacht Show?

According to the stories online, Bill Gates paid $600 million for the hydrogen powered yacht. But that’s not true at all. According to the yacht makers, the Dutch company Sinot, the price tag is $645 million but no one bought it after it was revealed at the Monaco Yacht Show, and that includes Bill Gates. It’s expensive but definitely not the most expensive in the world.

How Fast is the Aqua Yacht?

Aqua is a unique yacht in the yachting world which is why it garnered so much attention in the first place. It’s the first mega yacht that runs on a fully operational liquid hydrogen and fuel cell system that features two hydrogen engines that can produce 1,341 horsepower. The top speed is 17 knots and  the Aqua has a cruising speed of 12 knots. The total range is 3,750 nautical miles. The liquid hydrogen is stored in two 28-ton vacuum sealed tanks where it can be held at -253 degrees C. The only exhaust is water.

What Does the Interior of  the Aqua Yacht Look Like?

The Aqua has 7 suites meant to house up to 14 guests at any given time. Two of those suites are larger VIP cabins. The ceilings throughout are 9 feet and stretch as high as 12.5 feet elsewhere thanks to the luxury Sinot yacht architecture. The vessel has room for a crew of 31 as well. The beach deck lounge aboard the boat alone looks like a luxury hotel space.

The Aqua features a bow observation room which is surrounded by windows to give a panoramic view of the ocean which has been described as the “ultimate superyacht owners lounge.” In addition, there’s a movie theater on the upper deck. It also includes a wellness center with a hydro massage room. You can also do some yoga in a workout space. There’s a fully equipped gym, a beauty salon, and even a hairdresser.

Up on the main deck there’s a luxury swimming pool that even includes a waterfall. One of the yacht’s defining features is the spiral staircase that covers all five decks and is covered by a skylight. On the way up it also offers a view of the interior of the hydrogen fuel tanks so you can see just what 56 tons of ultra cold liquid hydrogen looks like as you move between decks. 

The tender garage has an array of toys such as jet skis while the main deck features a beach club with a dining area designed for all 14 guests and a lounge that converts into the cinema space.

What Yacht Has Bill Gates Actually Been On?

Bill Gates does seem to like yachts, just not enough to spend his money owning one, and that’s fair. Yachts cost millions to maintain every year. No one got rich spending millions to maintain a boat.

That said, Bill Gates has not only vacationed on yachts – he spent his 66th birthday on one – he also got married on a yacht.

In 2021, Gates made the news when he celebrated his 66th on board a luxury yacht called the Lana alongside Jeff Bezos. He spent $2 million to charter the yacht for a week and flew 50 guests out to celebrate with him. 

The Lana is a 351 foot yacht with room for 12 guests and a cruising speed of 12 knots with a max speed of 18 knots. The master suite is 1,184 square feet. The room features his and hers walk-in dressing rooms and a private terrace.

Elsewhere on board you’ll find a piano in the lounge area as well as a full gym for working out. There’s both a sauna and a well-appointed spa as well. On deck you can head to the beach club or take a dip in the pool. 

There are three tenders in the garage alongside a bunch of toys including various jetskis, a seabob, wakeboards, WindSurfers, fishing equipment, scuba diving equipment and more. 

Back in 2014, Gates rented an even more expensive yacht, the $5 million per week Serene, to go on a vacation with his family. The Serene, once owned by  Russian vodka magnate Yuri Shelfer before being purchased by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, clocked in at a massive 450 feet making it one of the world’s biggest and even had its own on board submarine

The Serene features 7 decks, a saltwater pool, a climbing wall, a surprisingly large library, health spa, outdoor cinema and a nightclub. This is all spread across 48,000 square feet.

It’s also been confirmed that Gates met his wife Melinda on a yacht owned by Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft, all the way back in 1994. 

Why Do People Think Bill Gates Owns the Aqua?

It’s easy to see why people may have thought Gates owned the Aqua when you consider a handful of factors. First, as mentioned, we have lots of evidence that Bill Gates really does enjoy luxury yachts. The extremely high price tag was something that only a few people in the world are going to be able to afford and Gates, who doesn’t own a yacht, seems like a likely candidate for those reasons. 

In addition, Gates has spent several years now as a climate activist and has supported a number of green technologies. A yacht that runs on hydrogen seems like something he would support as well. So, with no real evidence, the circumstantial evidence was enough to easily convince people. Once it’s presented as fact on the internet, and it was in many articles and videos, few people had reason to question it. 

The Bottom Line

The mega yacht known as the Aqua has a price tag of $645 million and it runs on clan burning hydrogen fuel. The only byproduct of its operation is water, making it a very environmentally friendly yacht. It made waves, so to speak, when it debuted at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2019. Rumors soon began to spread that billionaire and known climate activist Bill Gates had ordered one for $600 million. However, despite many videos and articles that refer to him as the owner, the truth is no one bought the Aqua at the yacht show and, as of 2023, Bill Gates does not own a yacht at all. He is know to charter extremely luxurious yachts for vacations and parties, such as the Lana and the Serene, but he does not own any just now.

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Bill Gates House: Inside His 5 Massive Mansions from Seattle to Florida

Bill 's house photos.

Bill Gates is arguably one of the most notable tech entrepreneurs in history. Along with Paul Allen, Gates launched the Microsoft Corporation in 1975, thus effectively revolutionizing the computer industry and jumpstarting the era of personal computers. Gates has effectively become a household name due to a combination of his business and philanthropic endeavors. If you’re interested in learning more about the insanely successful business magnate and his life, then look no further than these next few lines. We’re bringing you the #411 on everything from Bill Gates house and cars to his private collection of luxury toys and more.

Where does Bill Gates live?

Bill gates house seattle (current).

Gates owns an estate located in on L ake Washington in Medina Washington just outside of Seattle. It pretty much can only be described as something you aren’t even capable of dreaming of. How big is Bill Gates’ house, you ask? According to various sources, it’s a whopping 66,000 square feet in total. The gorgeous eco-friendly, high-tech, Pacific lodge-style home has also been nicknamed Xanadu 2.0 from the press after the estate of Charles Foster Kane from the film “Citizen Kane”. I mean seriously guys, if my words fail to grasp this insane home, just check out these photos below. It puts the Great Gatsby house to shame.

It took seven years and a whopping $63 million to complete. Bill Gates’ home is valued at between $127-170  million depending on the source. And,  what’s especially interesting is the fact that Gates purchased the lot for just $2 million back in 1988.

The Bill Gates mansion includes 7 bedrooms and an insane 24 bathrooms, ten of which are full-size. It also includes a 60-foot swimming pool complete with an underwater music system, a 2,500-square-foot gym, a 1,000-square-foot dining room, six kitchens, and a trampoline room complete with a 20-foot ceiling. And that’s not all, folks. The home also includes a 2,100 square-foot library complete with two secret bookcases and a hidden bar. Of the various interesting purchases the business magnate has made include a 16th-century manuscript from Leonardo da Vinci himself. It was purchased at an auction in 1994 for $30.8 million.

The home also includes a home theater that can accommodate up to twenty guests and a massive 300-square-foot reception hall which is capable of accommodating up to 200 guests. The estate also includes a spacious guest house, a 23-car garage, and an artificial stream that is kept stocked with fish. It’s also notably high-tech and comes with heated floors, a sensor system that monitors climate and lighting in each room, and massive screens that can change the artwork on the walls via the push of a button. It’s also situated on a beautiful lake. Get this — the family has sand imported from the Caribbean islands every year just to keep it nice and beautiful.

So, what is Bill Gates’ house address? If you’re interested in learning the deets on Bill Gates address, then feel free to check out our Celebrity Homes app which can give you the #411 on the homes of Mr. William Gates and many others as well!

Bill Gates Home in Del Mar, CA (Current)

As first reported by the Wall Street Journal, tech-magnate and philanthropic powerhouse Bill Gates plopped down $43 million for a sprawling estate with 120 feet of SoCal ocean frontage.

The home is located in Del Mar, CA and was previously owned by oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens. Pickens, who died in 2019, owned the home with his 4th wife (of 5) Madeleine Pickens. They paid $48.15 million in 2007. Madeline kept the home after their divorce in 2012 and ultimately lost a jaw-dropping $5 million in the sale.

Bill Gates Home in Indian Wells CA (Current)

Long ago, in 1999, the Microsoft magnet spent $12.5 million on a massive home in a posh resort community in the Palm Desert area of California. The 13,573-square-foot home has 6 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms and sits along a pristinely manicured golf course.

Bill Gates House Wellington FL (Current)

Bill Gates daughter is an equestrian, so it’s only fitting that in 2013 he bought a 4.8-acre property in Wellington, FL for $8.7 million. The 7,234-square-foot home has 4 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms, as well as a separate 20-stall barn.

In usual Bill Gates fashion, more is better. In 2016, he paid $13.5 million for the neighboring home. The rumor mill has been running overtime, and although we can’t confirm it, word of the street is that he also bought 4 other lots on the same street, making him the sole resident on the entire street.

Bill Gates Home in Wyoming (Current)

In 2009, Bill Gates plopped down roughly $8.9 million for Irma Lake Lodge, a 492-acre ranch that once belonged to Western legend William “Buffalo Bill” Cody. It’s about 50 miles from Yellowstone National Park and completely secluded.

Bill Gates Former Home in Jupiter Island FL

Also in 2009, Bill Gates bought a $5 million home on Jupiter Island in Florida. It was a gorgeous, 9,458-square-foot waterfront home with 4 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms. However, he listed it repeatedly from April 2010 (for $5.28M) until August 2018 when he finally sold it for $4 million. He lost $1 million…but who’s crying for this dude? #NotMe

Bill Gates Net Worth

Find yourself wondering how much money does Bill Gates have? The answer is an astounding $96.5 billion. That’s right folks. According to a recent article by Forbes, this ranks him as the second most wealthy individual in the world, just behind none other than Jeff Bezos. While Gates is notorious for leading a rather quiet, traditional lifestyle at home, this hasn’t prevented him from investing in quite a few toys. 

Bill Gates Cars

According to various sources, Mr. Gates has a penchant for spending big bucks on luxury cars. To be specific, German, and Italian luxury vehicles. Perhaps his favorite manufacture could be said to be Porsche. After all, the business magnate has owned at least three of them, including a Porsche 911 Carrera and a Porsche 930.

Gates also owns a Porsche 959. For those of you who aren’t aware, this is actually a pretty rare car considering only 230 of them were manufactured, each of which comes with a price tag of around $200,000. It’s also been noted that he’s owned several versions of Lamborghinis as well.

Bill Gates Yacht

To this date, Gates hasn’t purchased any yachts, but that hasn’t stopped him from chartering quite a few massive superyachts from time to time. It was recently noted in 2019 that the business mogul chartered a $1.4 million per week yacht named Lady S   in order to take a family vacation on the Adriatic Sea.

Sounds exciting, yeah? That’s small fries for Mr. Gates. In 2014 reports ran wild when it was found that he was holidaying on a massive $330 million yacht called Serene off the coast of Sardinia. This 133-meter yacht is listed as one of the largest in the world. It’s estimated that this yacht costs a whopping $2 million per week. That’s quite a chunk of change by even Bill Gates’ standards!

Bill Gates Private Jet

It’s also been reported that the business magnate has owned a total of four private jets. Gates has mentioned in interviews before that purchasing private jets is his “guilty pleasure”. It’s been reported that he owns two Bombardier BD-700s — the N887WM and N194WM — both of which would have set him back about $40 million each. It’s also been reported that he owns 2 Bombardier Challenger 350 Jets — the N754QS and N769QS — both of which would have set him back around $25.9 million each.

Those numbers are for brand new jets – and even with his money, he may have bought them used to save a few million.

How old is Bill Gates?

Bill Gates was born on October 28, 1955, which makes this fella a Scorpio.

How many kids does Bill Gates have?

Bill Gates has three children in total. Their names are Phoebe Adele, Jennifer Katharine, and Rory John — each of whom are slated to Inherit $10 million from their father. Now, this may sound like a massive amount of money to us regular folks, but the truth of the matter is that this is practically pennies for Mr. Gates considering he’s worth a whopping $96.5 billion.

Bill and his wife Melinda are notoriously traditional parents (their children weren’t even allowed to have cell phones until they were 14 years old), and the pair plan on donating the majority of his fortune to charity. 

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

In addition to running a multi-billion dollar business, Bill and his wife Melinda also manage the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — a philanthropic organization that has been noted to have a $50 billion endowment. Gates started the foundation in 1994 and funded it by donating a portion of his Microsoft stocks. The foundation was originally called the William H. Gates Foundation, but in 2000, he and his wife decided to combine three of the family charities and donate $5 billion in stocks in order to create the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

In 2013 the foundation was named the single wealthiest foundation in the world. In 2007 it was estimated that the family had donated over $28 billion in total to charity. At the time, this made them the second-most generous philanthropists in the world — and this was 12 years ago. 

Recent estimates place their total donations at $45 billion . This includes among many, substantial donations to Carnegie Mellon, MIT, Harvard, and Stanford. They’ve also donated $50 million to the Dementia Discovery Fund, which seeks to advance research for Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the Philanthropy Roundtable , the family is slated to give away approximately 99.96% of their wealth in total, leaving only $30 million for the family.

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-real-reason-bill-gates-children-wont-inherit-much-of-his-fortune.html/

https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-and-melinda-gates-marriage-2017-11?fbclid=IwAR0dxebSVugDM88xxS3E_e6o0XS3WJuMusbQBlQZgWuXiQ-WP2IidKl0IBU&utm_campaign=buffer-bi&utm_content=bufferaa37c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com#melinda-and-i-believe-that-everyone-deserves-the-chance-for-a-healthy-and-productive-life-and-so-with-the-help-of-our-amazing-partners-we-are-working-to-find-innovative-ways-to-help-people-in-need-all-over-the-world-bill-wrote-during-one-of-his-reddit-amas-34

https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/philanthropy-magazine/article/winter-2016-briefly-noted

http://www.nocarnofun.com/behold-the-impressive-car-collection-of-bill-gates/

https://www.thedubrovniktimes.com/lifestyle/feature/item/7148-bill-gates-enjoying-adriatic-family-cruise-on-1-4-million-a-week-mega-yacht

https://www.boatinternational.com/charter/luxury-yacht-charter-news/bill-gates-aboard-us330-billion-yacht-serene–24135

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates’s_house

https://www.businessinsider.com/crazy-facts-about-bill-gates-house-2016-11

https://www.businessinsider.com/crazy-facts-about-bill-gates-house-2016-11#someone-once-paid-35000-just-to-tour-it-19

https://www.arch2o.com/tour-inside-bill-gates-house/

https://seattle.curbed.com/2017/2/16/14637668/bill-gates-medina-mansion

.css-16urd06{margin:0;font-family:Roboto,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-size:1rem;line-height:1.5;} .css-1eo6nkc{color:rgb(0, 0, 238);font-size:24px;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;} Danni Holland

Danni Holland is a writer, artist and self-professed celebrity news junkie. Whether she's writing about digital marketing for some of the biggest names in the industry, politics , interviewing legendary fashion icons , or dishing out the #411 on local dirt —you can rest assured she's giving you a 100% truth #nofilter perspective. Check her out on Instagram @iheartcandyfromstrangers and Facebook !

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All About Bill and Melinda Gates' $131M Seattle Mansion - and Who May Live There After Split

The Microsoft co-founder and the philanthropist are getting divorced after 27 years of marriage

The home Bill and Melinda Gates share in Seattle is the most mega of mansions - so when the couple announced their decision to part ways last week after 27 years of marriage, it left many wondering what may happen to the palatial pad.

Nicknamed "Xanadu 2.0" - a reference to the massive, fictional estate in the movie Citizen Kane - the Gates family mansion is a 66,000-square-foot compound in the suburbs of Seattle, Washington. Though this property is their most notable, the pair have also bought multiple homes together over the years, including, most recently, a $43 million home in Del Mar, California, in April 2020, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Sprawling along the Lake Washington waterfront, their main home is worth an estimated $131 million, according to the New York Times , and the billionaire Microsoft co-founder, 65, and the philanthropist and former general manager at Microsoft, 56, own several parcels of land surrounding the property to keep it invisible to onlookers.

The Gateses have rarely shown or discussed their home over the years - but there are a few facts that have been documented or the couple themselves have let slip.

A 2008 profile of Melinda in Fortune (her first solo profile ever), revealed that Bill had been working on designing the home prior to their relationship, and it was far more of a tech-focused bachelor pad than a family home before she entered his life.

Construction on the home - a series of pavilions designed by architects James Cutler and Peter Bohlin - was even temporarily halted for six months for the pair to determine if it was a place they would be able to comfortably share and raise a family, according to the publication. Melinda eventually hired interior designer Thierry Despont to help make it more livable.

According to a 1995 story from the New York Times , published when the couple was putting the finishing touches on the property, the house includes a 60-foot pool, 20-car garage, reception hall for 150 people, gym lined with rock from the Pacific Northwest, trampoline room, and a spa.

There have been no updates from the Gateses on how they've changed or updated the home since then.

In 2007, a Microsoft intern shared a few more details about the home after having the chance to attend "one of the four annual intern BBQs" hosted by Bill, which the intern wrote about on a Microsoft blog.

According to his post , he and 265 other interns were bused to Xanadu 2.0 from the Microsoft campus and were allowed to explore the property when they arrived. He describes "getting screened airport-style" to ensure no one had a camera or phones before checking out the elaborate landscaping, dock, boat, hot tub and beach (with sand imported from Hawaii) in the backyard. Inside, he recalls seeing a movie theater and "a room that looked to be completely filled with couches and pillows."

Despite having opened their doors to company interns - as well as friends and family - a peek inside the home is coveted enough that, in 2009, a tour of the home sold for $35,000 at a charity auction , TechCrunch reported.

Now that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-founders have announced their decision to end their marriage, it's unclear what will happen to their family home. The pair share three children: son Rory John, 21, and daughters Phoebe Adele, 18, and Jennifer Katharine, 25.

In a 2019 interview with the New York Times , Melinda indicated that she would be happy to move out of the home, and that she and Bill would likely be making some "lifestyle changes" - including moving into a smaller home - when their youngest, Phoebe, went off to college.

"With the foundation in Seattle, we will be here for at least six months out of the year. But I assure you, if we decide to spend six months somewhere else it will be in a smaller house," she told the publication at the time.

When discussing the morality of owning a multi-million dollar home, Melinda said: "We certainly spend money on ourselves. You see it in the house that we built. We won't have that house forever, though." She continued: "Anyway, just to be clear, the house was being built before I came on the scene. But I take responsibility for it."

Melinda also suggested she didn't think of the expansive property as her forever home: "I'm actually really looking forward to the day that Bill and I live in a 1,500-square-foot house."

RELATED VIDEO: Melinda Gates Calls Marriage to Bill 'Irretrievably Broken,' Declines Spousal Support Despite No Prenup

On May 3, Bill and Melinda shared a joint statement on Twitter, announcing their separation.

"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives," they said, referring to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , which they founded in 2000 and is now worth over $40 billion.

"We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives. We ask for space and privacy for our family as we begin to navigate this new life," they concluded in the statement.

A source tells PEOPLE that a "combo of things" led them to end the relationship after 27 years of marriage and that the recent timing reflects the fact that Phoebe is now an adult.

"It's absolutely because their youngest child is graduating from high school, and the idea was that they stayed together through that," the source says. "They limped through until their kids were out of school like a lot of people."

Melinda filed for divorce in documents that indicate she and Bill have a separation agreement in place - something the source says is likely part of a plan to keep things as civil and private as possible between the former couple, who have said they still plan to work together at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"Nobody is going to want to invite more scrutiny because it'll hurt their credibility," the source says. "I don't think they're so angry that anybody wants to take each other down, like you sometimes see. [Melinda is] not incentivized for that."

In Melinda's court documents, which were obtained by PEOPLE, the philanthropist said her marriage was "irretrievably broken," and that she was not requesting spousal support or child support - only that the court reinforce their separation contract.

Their split comes nearly three decades after they tied the knot on New Year's Day in Lanai, Hawaii after first meeting at Microsoft after she began working there in 1987.

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Home of the Microsoft co-founder and his family. Finished in 1996, worth $120 million in 2014. Sits on 5 acres with 415-feet of waterfront.

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Six Bridges Seattle provides safe, entertaining tours of the Seattle area and local Puget Sound waterways for small groups of up to six people. Captain Ben Capdevielle has been calling Seattle home for over 20 years. He loves to share his knowledge of everything the Emerald City has to offer. Locals and visitors alike will enjoy talking city history, the best places to dine out, and more.

The boat is a 1997 19’ Arima Seachaser built in Auburn, Washington and powered by a 2021 Yamaha 115 horsepower 4 stroke engine. Arima boats are known for their safety and comfort.

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Inside Bill Gates' real estate portfolio, from a Seattle mansion to houses at some of the US's most exclusive clubs

• Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates is one of the US's top landowners, with 275,000 acres across the US.
• While most of that is farmland, he owns homes in Washington, California, Florida, and Montana.
• Here's a look at his real estate portfolio, which he spent $150 million and three decades building.

Ten years ago, in an interview with The Telegraph, Bill Gates discussed his goal of giving away his fortune — which was worth $65 billion then and sits at $129 billion today.

"I'm certainly well taken care of in terms of food and clothes," he said. "Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point."

He didn't mention, though, the proverbial roof over his head. Or, in Gates' case, roofs.

As one of the richest people in the world for decades, the Microsoft cofounder has built up an impressive real estate portfolio. With 275,000 acres across the United States, he's the country's 42nd biggest landowner, according to the Land Report.

The vast majority of that — about 242,00 acres — is farmland, with the most acreage in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Arizona, per the Land Report.

"I have invested in these farms to make them more productive and create more jobs," Gates said in a Reddit Ask Me Anything last year. "There isn't some grand scheme involved — in fact, all these decisions are made by a professional investment team."

But he also owns dozens of properties across Washington, California, Florida, and Montana that are for his personal use.

Over three decades, he and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates , spent more than $150 million on their current real estate portfolio. Following their 2021 divorce , a number of the properties were transferred from one trust to another — so it's hard to discern who owns exactly what, as all of their trusts are linked to the same Seattle bank.

Here's a look at Gates' many homes, along with details about transfers around the Gates divorce. Neither Gates nor French Gates responded to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Xanadu 2.0, Medina, Washington

Known as Xanadu 2.0 — a name inspired by "Citizen Kane" — Gates' home base is Medina, Washington , a wealthy suburb of Seattle that's home to many tech titans. Gates owns at least 12 parcels of land there, totaling about 10.5 acres.

Purchased for about $34 million between 1988 and 2009, the current combined assessed value of the Lake Washington-adjacent properties is $183.5 million.

Built into a hillside and accessible via a driveway that feels "like arriving at Jurassic Park," according to a former Microsoft intern, the estate, which took a reported seven years and $60 million to build, is home to a 2,100-square-foot library (with one of Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks on the shelves), a 60-foot-long swimming pool with an underwater sound system, and a room with a built-in trampoline . The primary residence has seven bedrooms and 18.75 baths, according to public filings, and there's reportedly a 20-car garage for his Porsche collection .

It was also built to be energy-efficient and technologically advanced, with a heating and cooling system that automatically adjusts to guests' liking and lights that turn on and off automatically as people go from room to room.

"My house is being designed and constructed so that it's a bit ahead of its time," Gates wrote in his 1995 book "The Road Ahead." It is made of wood, stone, glass, concrete, and "silicon and software."

"I'll warn you, though," he added. "When I describe the plans, people sometimes give me a look that says, 'You're sure you really want to do this?"

One of those people could have been his then-wife, Melinda French Gates , whom he married after he had already begun work on the house. While she changed his plans for the kitchen and added her own office space, she may have never warmed up to the house.

"We won't have that house forever," she told The New York Times in 2019. "I'm actually really looking forward to the day that Bill and I live in a 1,500-square-foot house."

Vintage Club home, Indian Wells, California

Many of Gates' homes are situated on or near the grounds of a golf course.

"Bill got into golf in the same addictive way he gets into anything else," Steve Ballmer, his Harvard classmate and former Microsoft CEO, told Time in 1997. "It gets his competitive juice flowing."

In 1999, he purchased a $12.5 million home on the grounds of Indian Wells ' exclusive Vintage Club , known for its Tom Fazio-designed golf courses. The six-bedroom home is now valued closer to $15 million.

The Vintage Club, whose membership reportedly includes billionaires Charles Koch and Dennis Washington, costs $300,000 to join and charges another $45,000 in annual dues.

Gates was spotted at the club in 2021, following his divorce from French Gates, and was more recently seen at the Indian Wells Open.

Del Mar Country Club home, San Diego

Gates amassed a small real estate empire in San Diego County, and it started with a property in Rancho Santa Fe.

Purchased in 2008 for $3.1 million, the home is 4,300 square feet, and at the time of sale, it featured a 500-bottle wine cellar, saltwater swimming pool, and outdoor bar. It's part of the guarded and gated community on the grounds of the Del Mar Country Club, which reportedly costs six figures to join.

Like some of the other properties in the Gates portfolio, the Del Mar Country Club house was transferred "due to the dissolution of a marriage" in 2021 — the same year Bill and Melinda divorced — according to property records. It is likely now solely owned by one of the two Gates, though it isn't evident which one.

Rancho Paseana, San Diego

Six years later, Gates purchased the nearby Rancho Paseana for $18 million. Stretching 228 acres over 4 parcels, the property was originally a horse farm — which makes sense, given Gates' daughter Jennifer Gates Nassar's equestrian career.

At the time he purchased it, Rancho Paseana featured a racetrack, guesthouse, office, veterinarian's suite, olive orchard, and five barns with living quarters attached. It was previously owned by Jenny Craig, the weight loss personality, and was developed by thoroughbred racer Gene Klein and his trainer Wayne Lucas, according to a listing .

Like the rest of the San Diego Country properties, Rancho Paseana was transferred between trusts in 2021, around the time of Bill and Melinda's divorce.

Santaluz Club home, San Diego

The Gates purchased another house about 10 minutes from Rancho Panseana a couple of weeks later in 2014 for $3.2 million.

The 5,780-square-foot home has ocean views and an infinity pool. Like the Gates' first home in San Diego county in Rancho Santa Fe — all of 15 minutes away — this one sits on the grounds of a country club. The Santaluz Club features Rees Jones-designed golf course, hiking, and a spa.

Like the other San Diego homes, it was transferred between trusts in 2021 — and 5% is owned by the French Family Trust, Steven French, and Kristin French — likely relatives of Melinda. That could imply she is the current owner.

Del Mar beach house, San Diego

Gates and then-wife Melinda purchased their fourth San Diego property, this 5,800-square-foot beach house, for $43 million in Del Mar, California , in 2020. A year later, when they divorced, it was moved into another trust.

The property's most expensive feature is likely its 120 feet of Pacific coastline, but the move-in-ready mansion was listed as "one of the most prominent coastal contemporary beach homes" and boasted a 10-person jacuzzi and a two-bedroom guesthouse.

That doesn't seem to have stopped whichever Gates owns the property from doing major construction, with local outlets reporting noise and construction following the purchase.

Yellowstone Club lodge, Montana

Bill Gates has long been reported to be a member of the exclusive Yellowstone Club — a ski and golf club tucked away in Big Sky Montana.

Montana is a nondisclosure state when it comes to real estate, and the Yellowstone Club is very private in what it releases about its owners, but a 2009 county resolution helped point to which home belonged to the Gates.

The lot, which sits on 2.76 acres, has the same tax address as Gates' many other properties and was linked to his lawyer and family office. Its assessed market value is $29.4 million — up from $5.8 million in the 2009 county record.

There are no photos available of the home online, but property records indicate the main house is 6,993 square feet, with eight full baths, eight bedrooms, two half baths, a sauna, and a home theater. It's almost guaranteed to match the surrounding homes, which heavily feature timber and stone.

The house sits in the Andesite Ridge neighborhood, which is described as "a tree-topped hillside where luxury homes wind along the mountain offering a secluded alpine sanctuary" on the club's website. Its homes are largely ski-in, ski-out.

The club's annual dues were $41,500 in 2018, the most recent year for which data are publicly available, plus another $12,000 for the property owners' association. That buys access to the club's 15,200 acres, more than 100 ski trails, 18-hole golf course, and spa.

The home switched hands in 2021 — the same year Bill and Melinda divorced. A trust connected to a Seattle bank used by both of the Gates is the property's new owner, and it was never listed for sale. All signs point to one of the two still owning it.

Wellington equestrian compound, Florida

Gates' Wellington, Florida, estate in tony Palm Beach County is the main home of Jennifer Gates Nassar's horseback riding facilities.

Gates purchased the properties over three years for about $35 million, and together, the estate stretches a total of 20 acres. Most of the land is exclusively for riding. It's part of Gates Nassar's Evergate Stables, a collection of training facilities she and her husband, Nayel Nassar , run throughout the country and in Belgium.

There are at least two mansions, one 6,668 square feet, and the other 5,716 square feet, on the property, according to records. He's added a basketball court and pond to one, and both have pools.

The equestrian center was originally even larger, but Gates sold 5.5 acres for $26 million in 2022, reaping a $5 million profit.

He's one of many billionaires with properties in the horse-loving community. Michael Bloomberg and Laurene Powell Jobs have homes nearby — and daughters who ride.

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Where do Washington State's billionaires live?

From Jeff Bezos to Howard Schultz

Those tracking the area’s growing income inequality won’t be surprised that Washington State is home to the two richest men in the world: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. The pair teeter around the tops of richest-people lists depending on how Amazon and Microsoft shares are doing. But lately, Bezos has kept his iron grip on the top spot, and doesn’t show many signs of dropping back to second, although $111.1 billion and $107 billion are both unfathomable amounts of money.

The pair are neighbors not just in net worth, but physical location, both with sprawling estates in the wealthy enclave on Evergreen Point Road in Medina. Bezos owns additional homes from coast to coast, with a massive $23 million home in Washington, DC and a set of ritzy Upper West Side apartments .

Most of the state’s billionaires choose to hang their hats outside Seattle, even if their homes are just outside. The only state billionaires to openly live in Seattle proper are Starbucks founder and short-lived presidential candidate Howard Schultz, in a ritzy gated community in Madison Park, and Nordstrom shareholder and heiress Anne Gittinger, who’s part of an exclusive condo community in Belltown.

While Gates, Bezos, and Schultz are perhaps the most famous on the list, many impossibly rich people—tech billionaires, telecom billionaires, even a sunglasses billionaire—all live, or at least own property, within a few hours of Seattle. While they all don't spend their time living in Washington State exclusively, all of these billionaires own large swaths of property within. And yes, one of them owns an entire island.

Net worths are based on Forbes ’s real-time billionaires list as of October 8, 2019.

Note: Some addresses included in the map are used for proximity and not actual addresses. We make no guarantees as to

Jeff Bezos: Net worth $111.1 billion

Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos maintains his home in the ultra-rich community of Medina , which he’s had since the late 1990s. The Washington State Bezos property is a 29,000-square-foot estate , complete with both a main house and a boathouse, along 200 yards of shoreline. It’s estimated to be worth around $70 million. He’s registered to vote in a comparably modest midcentury farther south in Medina with an estate and trust lawyer as the listed owner

Bezos also owns property in Beverly Hills, which he expanded in 2017 by buying the lot next door for a cool $12.9 million , and in DC, the former home of a textile museum . In 2019, he added a chunk of New York real estate to his collection of abodes , buying three condos, including a penthouse, in a ritzy Fifth Avenue building.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos) on Jul 30, 2018 at 10:33am PDT

Bill Gates: Net worth $107 billion

Bill Gates’s house, dubbed “Xanadu 2.0,” is the stuff of legend around here: It’s located down the street from Bezos in Medina, and when it was built it had 24 bathrooms , seven bedrooms, and a trampoline room with 20-foot ceilings. The pool, at least at the time of its construction, spanned both indoors and outdoors, separated by a glass wall that swimmers can dive underneath. Predating modern smarthomes, Gates’s home has had room-control touchpads and music that can follow visitors from room to room since 1995.

The whole thing took seven years to complete, and the King County Assessor’s office values the home at more than $130 million . A tour alone went for $35,000 at auction.

Not only are Bezos and Gates close in net worth—their properties are located on the same road in Medina. Do billionaires ever have to borrow a cup of sugar?

Steve Ballmer: Net worth $53.5 billion

Microsoft employee number 30 Steve Ballmer bought this four-bedroom Hunts Point home on two acres in 1987 for $1.33 million. Since then, it’s increased in appraised value to more than $15 million .

Howard Schultz: Net worth $4.1 billion

After a legal issue with former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s driveway and nearby Viretta Park, he moved to the exclusive 12-home gated community the Reed Estate in Madison Park . One waterfront parcel in the estate with Schultz’s executive assistant listed as a contact was appraised higher than any of its neighbors: nearly $30 million .

Yes, he stops by his neighborhood Starbucks on occasion.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Howard Schultz (@howard.schultz) on Oct 18, 2018 at 2:58pm PDT

Ken Fisher: Net worth $4.1 billion

Ken Fisher’ s money management firm Fisher Investments has operated out of Camas, located in Southwest Washington, north of Vancouver, since 2015 . Last year, he and his family purchased a $10 million, 53-acre parcel of land adjacent, and he spends a lot of time in the southwest Washington town —and apparently settled in, since he’s registered to vote there.

While he’s a recent newcomer to Washington’s slate of billionaires, Fisher has thrown himself head-first into Washington State residency, pouring more than $1.25 million into state politics since 2015, according to Washington State Public Disclosure Commission records. That includes more than $100,000 to Tim Eyman-backed tax-limiting initiatives.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ken Fisher (@kenfisher_fisherinvestments) on Dec 28, 2017 at 12:56pm PST

Gabe Newell: Net worth $3.5 billion

Valve founder and Seattle-native Gabe Newell bought his vacation home in Ocean Park, north of Long Beach, Washington, more than a decade ago after falling in love with the grassy dunes in the surrounding environment. The house was completed by Replinger-Hossner Architects in 2001.

Location is for Ocean Park, not Newell’s home.

Charles Simonyi: Net worth $3.6 billion

Charles Simonyi, Microsoft’s 40th employee, lives in "Villa Simonyi" a.k.a. "The Windows 2000 House." The modern estate, designed by architect Wendell Lovett, was inspired by painter Victor Vasarely, whose work Simonyi collects.

One unnamed architect described the home to The Independent as a “James Bond modern” in 1996: “It has a bed that rotates, and a place by the pool for rock bands to come and play, and he collects the work of a Hungarian abstract painter. There's a whole phone and entertainment console in the toilet. You could spend your day there."

King County appraised the home at $8.2 million.

The Windows 2000 house. The CVP of Windows 2000 had this house built with literally 2,000 Windows. pic.twitter.com/iHzqBOgQwE — Christina Wheeler (@cwheeler76) August 17, 2016

James Jannard: Net worth $2.9 billion

While Forbes offhandly mentions a Seattle residence in its billionaire rankings, Oakley sunglasses mogul Jannard is best-known as owning the entirety of 500-acre Spieden Island in the San Juans, which he purchased in 1997 for $22 million. San Juan County property records show no recent sales, although the property is owned by an LLC , a common masking tactic for high-profile property buyers (this one is called “Under the Radar,” which is appropriate).

According the county, though, Jannard has not masked the several plots land he owns on Crane Island—a small island off the southwest coast of Orcas Island—or his $2 million property along Orcas’s West Sound.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ~Reggie (@doctorfate77) on Nov 17, 2018 at 10:47am PST

Craig McCaw: net worth $1.9 billion

Craig McCaw, founder of what used to be McCaw Cellular, bought his Hunts Point property, just a stone’s throw from Ballmer’s, from saxophonist Kenny G (yes, Kenny G) in 1995 for an undisclosed amount . The Seattle Times described it at the time as a “12,000-square-foot English-style manor.”

Property records show that as of 2013, the home now belongs to his brother, fellow cable magnate Bruce McCaw—but it wouldn’t be the first time the two owned property together. While it’s currently held in trust, both brothers are associated with a vacant mansion in the Denny-Blaine neighborhood of Seattle. Regardless, the property is still in the McCaw family. King County recently appraised the home at more than $30 million .

Other properties associated with the McCaw family, public records show, include a luxury condo in Kirkland ,

Anne Gittinger: Net worth $1.1 billion

Anne Gittinger, a member of the Nordstrom family and, along with her brother, one of the department store’s major shareholders, has been associated with this condo in Market Place Tower since at least the early 1990s—and is still registered to vote here. The unit is one of just seven in the building, which is primarily an office tower. It’s currently partially held in trust .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @whatatimetovibe on Feb 3, 2016 at 4:43pm PST

Bruce Nordstrom: Net worth $1.1 billion

Public records show Bruce Nordstrom purchased a house in the Mercer Island waterfront neighborhood surrounding Groveland Park in the late 1980s—although he’s registered to vote at Market Place Tower where his sister Anne Gittinger lives. Along with Gittinger, Nordstrom is one of the biggest individual shareholders in the Nordstrom department store chain.

Location is approximate.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Erin Ryan (@sadbumble) on Aug 10, 2016 at 11:29pm PDT

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Is this 376-foot-long, hydrogen-powered concept the ultimate sustainable superyacht.

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The 367-foot-long hydrogen-powered sustainable superyacht from Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design.

With multiple media outlets reporting that Microsoft Co-Founder  Bill Gates pledged well over $600 million to build a 376-foot-long, hydrogen-powered superyacht concept designed by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design and Lateral Naval Architects superyacht design and construction may never be quite the same again. (Even if Bill Gates is not connected to the project at all, as representatives of Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design have reported this morning.)

It's easy to see a guy like Bill Gates owning a yacht like this 376-foot-long hydrogen powered ... [+] design from Sinot Yacht Design and Architecture

Of course, Sinot’s 376-foot-long liquid hydrogen-powered superyacht concept  AQUA  received  lots of attention when it was unveiled at the most recent Monaco Yacht Show . But the requirements (boundless imagination and serious computing power) for designing a “ skies-the-limit-concept-superyacht ” are actually quite small compared to finding a pioneering mega-billionaire who has the vision, passion, experience, courage and oh yeah, over a hundred BILLION dollars to build a hydrogen-powered superyacht that has never been built before. 

This is the innovative 367-foot-long hydrogen-powered superyacht of the future.

However, it looks like designer Sander Sinot may have caught lightning in a bottle. "With every project, I challenge my team and myself to surpass ourselves,” he explains. “For development of AQUA we took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid versatility of water and cutting-edge technology to combine this in a 376-foot) superyacht with a fully operational liquid hydrogen and fuel cell system that features groundbreaking in technology, as well as design and esthetics.”

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Apple iphone 16 unique all new design promised in new report, rudy giuliani and mark meadows indicted in arizona fake electors case.

Evereything about the 376-foot-long sustainable yacht is out of this world.

That sounds like Bill Gates, right? 

According to advanced reports, AQUA’s power is fueled by liquefied hydrogen, stored at extremely low temperatures, in vacuum isolated tanks. The liquefied hydrogen is converted into electrical energy by Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells, with water being the only by-product. 

Here's a rendering of the owners BATHROOM aboard the 376-foot long sustainalbe superyacht from Sinot ... [+] Yacht Architecture and Design.

The generated electrical energy is transmitted to AQUA’s switchboards, where it’s distributed to provide power for propulsion, auxiliary systems and hotel services. Large batteries buffer the generated electricity to ensure power demands are always met. And thanks to the electric propulsion, AQUA is designed to be extremely quiet underway.

“Imagine AQUA at open sea, moving water with water,” says Sander Sinot “At 17 knots with a range of 3,750 nautical miles, AQUA could be solidly in the forefront of its superyacht peers."

It’s pretty easy to imagine Bill Gates being pretty excited by something like that, right? 

And as you can see in these detailed renderings, the design innovations don’t stop in the engine room. The owner’s pavilion that occupies the front half of the upper deck, is arranged in an open-plan area of interlinked spaces, divided by finely crafted wooden screens providing intimacy and subdued lighting.

The ultimate superyacht owners lounge for the ultimate superyacht owner.

Floor-to-ceiling windows supply amazing views and ample natural light. The owners bedroom section is located at the yacht’s axis and offers an endless sightline all the way up to the AQUA room at the bow. The owner’s pavilion is completed with a large bathroom, dressing room and an intimate private spa section. 

The AQUA room, located at the bow, at the far end of the owner’s pavilion, offers a top-of-the-world feeling and endless views from the best position on board.

Located on AQUA’s beach deck, close to the waterline, the expansive VIP state rooms stand out by virtue of their spacious design and highly elaborate furniture. All the guest cabins are designed for openness, luxury and comfort, providing a maximum sense of freedom in a highly detailed minimalist Japanese beach-style setting.

The beach deck lounge aboard the 376-foot-long sustainable suoeryacht from Sinot Yacht Architecture ... [+] & Design.

The indoor health & wellness center is designed with a hydro massage room, a yoga space and workout floor and a massive, gym-wide door in the hull which opens to reveal the ocean’s surface at water level.

Situated at AQUA’s core, the circular staircase is one of the yacht’s defining features, winding down from the top deck to the lower deck where two large liquefied hydrogen tanks reveal their industrial-strength structure behind a giant façade of strengthened glass.

The spiral staircase aboard hydrogen-powered Aqua designed by Sinot Yacht Design & Architecture

Meanwhile, the distinctive exterior look of the yacht was inspired by ocean swells. The hull is a sculpted, curved and intersected by the glass windows.

AQUA is configured with a five-deck set up while being able to provide those on board with the closest possible proximity to the water. The aft deck features a series of platforms all leading down towards the sea, while a large swim platform allows all AQUA passengers to enjoy the ocean.

Could this ultra-green hydrogen-powered superyacht represent the future of ultra-stylish superyachts?

Ahhhh. Bill Gates may be building the ultimate superyacht.

And can you think of a more appropriate guy to push innovative superyacht design and construction into the stratosphere than Bill Gates?

Stay tuned for much more. 

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Entrepreneur and investor Paul Allen was best known for being one of the co-founders of Microsoft with Bill Gates.

(1953-2018)

Who Was Paul Allen?

Born on January 21, 1953, in Seattle, Washington, Paul Allen met fellow Lakeside School student and computer enthusiast Bill Gates when Allen was 14 and Gates was 12. Less than a decade later, in 1975, college drop-outs Allen and Gates founded Microsoft. Allen resigned after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 1983 and continued to pursue other business, research and philanthropic opportunities.

How Did Paul Allen and Bill Gates Meet?

By the time Allen arranged for Microsoft to buy an operating system called Q-DOS for $50,000, the company had already supplied software for emerging companies such as Apple and Commodore. Gates and Allen reinvented Q-DOS as MS-DOS and installed it as the operating system for IBM's PC offering, which dominated the market after its release in 1981.

Microsoft and Vulcan Ventures

As Microsoft grew and its stock steadily rose, Allen's share in the company he co-founded made him a billionaire at just over 30 years of age. In 1983, Allen, known as the "idea man" counterpart to Gates' "man of action," resigned from Microsoft after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. After undergoing several months of radiation treatment, his health was restored.

Post Microsoft, Allen began to concentrate on other projects, hoping to find the next big idea lurking somewhere just out of sight. In 1986, he set up a company called Vulcan Ventures to research possible investments; to that end, he founded a Silicon Valley think tank in 1992 called Interval Research. Through Interval Research and Vulcan Ventures, Allen began to put his long-term dream of a wired world society — in which virtually everyone is online — into practice.

Diverse Investments

His investments were diverse: America Online, SureFind (an online classified ads service), Teluscan (an online financial service), Starwave (an online content provider), hardware, software and wireless communications. From 1994 to 1998, Allen built an infrastructure of well over 30 different companies in pursuit of his "wired world" strategy. With Vulcan's 1998 purchases of Marcus Cable and more than 90 percent of Charter Communications, Allen became the owner of the nation's seventh-largest cable company. In 1999, he invested nearly $2 billion in the RCN corporation, bringing his total holdings in the cable and Internet businesses to over $25 billion.

He also invested a good deal in the production of interactive media and entertainment. In total, Allen had major investments in over 100 "new media" companies. In 1993, he acquired 80 percent of Ticketmaster until he sold over half of his stock to the Home Shopping Network (HSN) in 1997. In late 1999, Allen and Vulcan Ventures agreed to fund POP.com, an Internet entertainment company formed as a partnership between two prominent production companies: Imagine Entertainment, founded by director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer, and DreamWorks SKG, founded by entertainment giants Steven Spielberg , Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen .

Allen, already an investor in DreamWorks, reportedly invested $50 billion in the company, which aims to create and distribute short features exclusively on the Internet. POP.com was set to debut in the spring of 2000, but failed to get off the ground. Allen has also invested in Oxygen Media, a highly-touted company co-founded by Oprah Winfrey and dedicated to producing cable and Internet programming for women.

Other Interests: Seattle Seahawks, Experience Music Project & More

Allen's other personal and philanthropic interests included sports (he owned the NBA's Portland Trailblazers and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks) and music. On June 23, 2000, his Experience Music Project, a $250 million interactive rock 'n' roll museum designed by the architect Frank O. Gehry , opened in Seattle. Allen co-founded EMP with his sister, Jody Allen Patton, who serves as the museum's president of the board of trustees. In April 2003, he announced he would be spending $20 million to build the Science Fiction Experience, which opened in the summer of 2004. The museum was billed as "entertaining and thought-provoking exhibits and programs." Allen had also established philanthropic foundations for the causes of medical research, visual and performing arts, community service, and forest preservation.

Playing Guitar

A dedicated Jimi Hendrix enthusiast since he first saw Hendrix perform in 1969, Allen played rhythm guitar in a Seattle band called Grown Men; the band released their first CD in the spring of 2000. In 2013, Allen released another album with his band the Underthinkers called Everywhere at Once through Sony.

Later Career

On May 29, 2013, it was announced that Vulcan Productions, Allen's award-winning media company, had signed on as a production partner of Pandora's Promise , the groundbreaking documentary by Academy Award-nominated director Robert Stone. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, and was scheduled to debut in the United States in November 2013.

According to a press release issued by Vulcan Productions in May 2013, Stone's film tells the "intensely personal stories of environmentalists and energy experts who have converted from being fiercely anti to strongly pro-nuclear energy, risking their careers and reputations in the process." Stone exposes this environmental controversy with stories of defection by Stewart Brand, Richard Rhodes, Gwyneth Cravens, Mark Lynas and Michael Shellenberger, among others.

" Pandora's Promise presents nuclear power as a hopeful solution to climate change, and is opening people’s minds about one of the most critical issues of our time," Allen stated. "This is exactly the type of thought-provoking project we are proud to partner on and support." Acclaimed films and series from Vulcan Productions include Girl Rising (2013); This Emotional Life (2010); Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial (2007); Rx for Survival: A Global Health Challenge (2005); No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005); Strange Days on Planet Earth (2005); Black Sky: The Race For Space , and Black Sky: Winning the X Prize (2004); Lightning in a Bottle (2004); The Blues (2003); and Evolution (2001).

In 2014, Allen pledged $100 million to combat Ebola in West Africa. That same year, he founded the Allen Institute for Cell Science, which researches cells in order to understand their behavior in how to fight diseases. Allen has also taken interest in space time travel and launched Vulcan Aerospace in 2015.

Allen lived on Lake Washington's Mercer Island, near Seattle.

Paul Allen Yacht

Loaned for rescue missions and scientific explorations, Allen's yacht, the Octopus , is one of the largest in the world at over 400 feet long, equipped with two helicopter pads, a pool and two submarines.

Battle with Cancer and Death

In the fall of 2009, Allen received another blow to his health: he had developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and had to undergo more radiation treatments. Luckily, Allen beat this cancer diagnosis as well. However, in October 2018, Allen revealed that he started treatments for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He passed away on October 15, 2018, from complications of the disease.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1953
• Birth date: January 21, 1953
• Birth State: Washington
• Birth City: Seattle
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Entrepreneur and investor Paul Allen was best known for being one of the co-founders of Microsoft with Bill Gates.
• Internet/Computing
• Washington State University
• Lakeside School
• Death Year: 2018
• Death date: October 15, 2018
• Death State: Washington
• Death City: Seattle

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CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Paul Allen Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/business-leaders/paul-allen
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• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: April 1, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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Remember Superyacht Serene? Gates Family Is Vacationing Aboard

• Carolyn Adolph

European news media are reporting that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has chartered a luxury yacht owned by Stolichnaya vodka magnate Yuri Scheffler.

The yacht, named Serene, is the third-largest superyacht in the world. The cost of chartering the boat runs around $2.1 million a week, according to Yacht Charter Fleet. That's roughly $212 a minute.

Gates and his family are vacationing in Sardinia. They are reportedly using the yacht's helicopter to go ashore for tennis.

But they could well stay aboard. Serene's many pleasures include pools , spas, a snow room for children to play in – the three Gates children are teens now – a glass-floored room and a submarine.

Visitors to Seattle's Pier 90 saw plenty of Serene last fall, where she was docked for repairs. As KUOW reported , Serene stayed in Seattle for nearly two months. The yacht left before incurring the wrath of Washington tax authorities, which tax any yacht here longer than 60 days a tenth of its value. For Serene, that would have been around $30 million - or 14 weeks’ worth of charters.

Although Gates has not acquired a yacht of his own, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen owns several, including Octopus, believed to be the fifteenth-largest yacht on the planet. He has been known to lend it for rescues and research.

Octopus is a stranger to Washington's shores. Its last known position was in the Mediterranean Sea.

• Carolyn Adolph More stories from Carolyn Adolph »

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Inside Bill Gates’ $2 Million-a-week Rented Yacht…

Superyacht Serene, and inset, Bill Gates

Take a step inside the 440ft superyacht Serene   Microsoft billionaire   Bill Gates rented for his family at the cool price of $2 million per week…

The amazing boat boasts a helicopter landing pad for that awesome private arrival and can accommodate up to 24 guests in 15 cabins, with a crew of 52 – meaning that your every whim would be tended to accordingly.

The luxury yacht is personally owned by Russian vodka businessman Yuri Scheffler and its current residents are off the coast of Sardinia, Italy, according to reports in the Daily Mail and other publications.

This huge $330 million ship arrived into port at Seattle’s Pier 90 approximately one year ago, and was the biggest private yacht to ever to glide into Seattle waters.

With very large indoor saltwater pool, two helicopter landing platforms and storage for a large submarine and tender, this is a pretty spectacular playground for someone!

It has hot and cold Jacuzzis, and a jet stream exercise pool. The upper-deck pool is 50 feet long. There are lounges, bars, spas, elevators, a powder-generating “snow room” for kids, a cigar lounge, hair salons, many galleys and wine cellars, a theater, and a room they call “Nemo” that has a glass bottom to view the waters beneath.

There’s a grand dining room, smaller dining areas and a plethora of pizza ovens and grills. And somewhere in all that is a spiral staircase that reaches six of the seven decks.

Chandelier inside Serene

Upper deck space on Serene

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Billionaire Bill Gates buys hydrogen-fuelled superyacht for $500 million

By Rebecca Cope

Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates is currently celebrating the engagement of his daughter, Jennifer, to Egyptian showjumper Nayel Nassar, but he's also got another reason to be happy - a brand new superyacht.

The 112-metre luxury vessel is the world's first hydrogen-powered super yacht, and will feature all the usual billionaire mod-cons, including an infinity pool, helipad, spa and gym. There are five decks, with accommodation for 14 guests and 31 crew members - more than two per person.

By Isaac Bickerstaff

By Harriet Johnston

As well as being powered by liquid hydrogen, another eco-feature are the fire pits, which are actually gel-fuelled fire bowls, designed to keep guests warm outdoors without burning wood or coal.

Costing in the region of $500 million, the Aqua ship was first publicised at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2019 by Dutch design firm Sinot. Speaking then, the company's eponymous designer said, 'For the development of Aqua we took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid versatility of water and cutting-edge technology, to combine this in a superyacht with truly innovative features.'

He went on to explain how the hydrogen fuel works, saying: 'AQUA is fuelled by hydrogen, a unique concept which represents a significant progression towards achieving a new balance between nature and technology. The system is based on the use of liquified hydrogen, stored at -253°C in two 28-ton vacuum isolated tanks. The liquified hydrogen is converted into electrical energy by proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, with water being the only by-product.'

The Daily Telegraph reports that the ship will be in service from 2024, and will reach speeds of 17 knots. It will be able to travel for 3,750 miles before refuelling but will also have a diesel back-up due to the lack of hydrogen refuelling stations available.

This will be the world's second richest man's first yacht. He has previously rented them for holidays, most recently including the $330m yacht Serene, which he borrowed from Stolichnaya vodka magnate, Yuri Scheffler, to sail around the coast of Sardinia.

By Isaac Zamet