After dwelling part-time in Maui for greater than 15 years, Oprah Winfrey has considerably expanded her Aloha state properties in current months, in response to a report by native information outlet KITV4. The media mogul spent about $6.6 million a yr on 4 870-acre farmland parcels in Kula, Maui. Maui now. Two of these tons have been offered by Ulupalakua Ranch final month: a 520-acre lot for $3.89 million and one other 330 acres for $2.47 million. Towards the top of final yr, Winfrey acquired two extra 10-acre tracts of land for $100,000 every.
The discuss present pioneer already owned greater than 100 acres of Maui land, in response to the report, which means Winfrey now owns about 1,000 acres on the island. The acquisition was met with blended reactions from native residents, a few of whom feared the acquisition would contribute to the displacement of Native Hawaiians.
Others, corresponding to Maui Councilman Yuki Lei Sugimura, praised Winfrey for hiring native residents and holding most of her land undeveloped. “[Agricultural] land is cherished right here, as you’ll be able to think about,” she informed KITV4, earlier than urging the billionaire to make use of her assets to handle the realm’s wildlife points, such because the overpopulation of Ash deer and pigs . taxpayers cash collectively to attempt to display and cull. We wish to shield our meals for meals safety and shield the watershed. These are the massive points and she or he steps proper into it,” Sugimura continued.
“I want we had extra individuals like her who assume after they purchase land […] how we have simply been inundated with a lot growth and tourism,” Hawaiian Senator Lynn DeCoite stated within the report.
Winfrey maintains her major residence on her 70-acre “Promised Land” ranch in Montecito, California.
