Michael Jordan’s Highland Park Estate Buyer Pitches New Use

A year after buying Michael Jordan’s longtime Highland Park mansion, the property’s new owner is back with a fresh — and still unconventional — vision for the estate.

Han Capital partner John Cooper, who paid $9.5 million last December for the 56,000-square-foot home on 7.4 acres at 2700 Point Lane, plans to pitch city officials Monday night on turning the former Jordan home into what he calls a personal-growth destination dubbed “Champions Point,” Crain’s reported. The concept leans heavily on Jordan’s legacy of excellence without using his name, inviting visitors to “experience greatness” through programming centered on mindset, action and service, according to the application.

Cooper’s new proposal follows a September setback, when the Highland Park City Council blocked his initial plan to sell million-dollar shares in the property through a fractional ownership setup. Officials amended the zoning code to ban timeshares in single-family homes, a move aimed squarely at Cooper’s idea. The estate is also listed as a conventional rental for $89,000 a month with a nine-month minimum.

The revised vision still requires zoning relief. City staff said Cooper is requesting “a new type of land use” that would allow the home to operate as a tourist destination, offering tours and access to amenities like the indoor basketball court and pool. The discussion is scheduled before the council as a committee of the whole, meaning no vote is expected.

A key piece is a proposed partnership with the neighboring Heller Nature Center, a 97-acre park district property that borders the estate. Cooper’s plan would shuttle visitors to Heller’s parking lot and funnel them along existing trails to the house, a move aimed at reducing traffic on Point Lane, a quiet cul-de-sac with just seven homes.

The proposal also calls for moving the iconic No. 23 displayed on the front gate to an interior spot, another nod to neighbors’ concerns. Cooper said he also wants to launch a nonprofit, Champions Legacy, focused on youth programming, though it’s unclear how that would affect the property’s tax status. The estate’s annual tax bill is about $138,000.

— Eric Weilbacher