The United States is a vast country with millions of acres of land spread across its length and breadth. Many individuals, corporations, and government entities own land in the country. However, one entity stands out as the largest landowner in the US, and that is the federal government. The US government owns nearly 640 million acres of land, which is about 28% of the total land area in the country. Apart from the federal government, several private individuals and corporations also own a significant amount of land in the US.
The largest private landowner in the US is John Malone, who is estimated to own over 2.2 million acres of land across the country. Malone is a billionaire media magnate and the chairman of Liberty Media, a company that owns various media and entertainment brands such as Sirius XM, QVC, and the Atlanta Braves baseball team.
Malone’s land holdings are spread across several states, with the majority of his land located in Maine, New Mexico, and Colorado. In Maine alone, Malone owns nearly 1.38 million acres, making him the largest landowner in the state. In New Mexico, Malone owns the massive 290,000-acre Bell Ranch, which is one of the largest cattle ranches in the US. Malone’s Colorado land holdings include the Silver Spur Ranches, which consist of over 200,000 acres of land used for ranching and farming.
Malone’s land holdings are valued at an estimated $6.6 billion, making him one of the wealthiest landowners in the world. He has acquired much of his land through his company, Liberty Media, which has a subsidiary called Liberty Expedia Holdings. Through this subsidiary, Malone has been able to acquire large tracts of land in several states, primarily for conservation purposes. Malone has also been involved in several philanthropic initiatives, including the establishment of the Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation, which is dedicated to conserving and protecting natural habitats and open spaces across the US.
Apart from John Malone, several other private individuals and corporations also own vast tracts of land in the US. For example, the Emmerson family, which owns Sierra Pacific Industries, one of the largest lumber producers in the country, owns nearly 1.9 million acres of land. The Irving family, which owns Irving Oil and J.D. Irving Limited, a forestry and paper company, owns over 3 million acres of land in Maine and Canada.
In conclusion, the largest landowner in the US is the federal government, followed by several private individuals and corporations. John Malone, the billionaire media magnate, is the largest private landowner in the country, with over 2.2 million acres of land spread across several states. Malone’s land holdings are valued at an estimated $6.6 billion, making him one of the wealthiest landowners in the world.
Here is a timeline of John Malone:
- 1941: John Malone was born on March 7th in Milford, Connecticut.
- 1963: Malone earned a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Yale University.
- 1964-1970: Malone earned his Master’s and Ph.D. in Operations Research from Johns Hopkins University and worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories.
- 1970-1973: Malone served as Assistant Professor of Industrial Administration at the Graduate School of Business at Johns Hopkins University.
- 1973-1990: Malone held various executive positions at Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI), eventually becoming CEO in 1978.
- 1990-1998: Malone served as Chairman and CEO of TCI until its acquisition by AT&T in 1999.
- 1996: Malone founded Liberty Media, a media holding company.
- 2001: Liberty Media acquired a controlling stake in Sirius XM, a satellite radio company.
- 2009: Liberty Media acquired QVC, a television shopping network.
- 2011: Malone became the largest individual private landowner in the US, surpassing Ted Turner.
- 2018: Malone’s Liberty Interactive acquired the remaining 62% of HSN, Inc., which operates the Home Shopping Network.
- 2019: Malone stepped down as Chairman of Liberty Media and was succeeded by Greg Maffei.
Throughout his career, John Malone has made significant contributions to the media and telecommunications industries and has amassed a vast fortune through his business ventures. He has also become a major player in the conservation and preservation of natural habitats and open spaces through his philanthropic efforts.
Here are five interesting facts about John Malone:
- John Malone is known as the “Cable Cowboy” for his pioneering work in the cable television industry in the 1980s and 1990s.
- In addition to his extensive land holdings, Malone is also an avid art collector and owns a significant collection of Western and Native American art.
- Malone is a self-professed introvert and has been known to avoid the limelight despite his immense wealth and business success.
- Malone is a philanthropist and has donated millions of dollars to various causes, including education, conservation, and medical research.
- Malone is an avid fly fisherman and enjoys spending time on his ranches in New Mexico and Colorado.
Here are five notable quotes from John Malone:
- “The beauty of the internet is that it’s the ultimate free market. Anyone with a computer can put up a website, and if it’s interesting enough or attractive enough, people will come to it.”
- “As I have always said, the only thing I really care about is the quality of my own work.”
- “I’m a contrarian, basically. Whatever people are doing, I like to do the opposite. I’ve never been a fan of the herd mentality.”
- “I’m a firm believer in not trying to micromanage everything. You hire people to do a job, you trust them to do it, and you give them the resources and support they need to succeed.”
- “In business, it’s important to always keep an open mind and be willing to embrace change. The world is constantly evolving, and those who can adapt and innovate will be the ones who thrive.”