Michael Jordan’s Former Mansion Proposed for Theme Park

The owner of Michael Jordan’s formerly long-unsold Highland Park mansion is proposing a second act for the property — one that borrows more from rock-and-roll pilgrimage than private estate living.

John Cooper, who bought the 7.4-acre lakefront spread for $9.5 million in 2024, is asking city officials to green-light a museum concept he’s branding “Champions Point,” complete with shuttle buses, curated exhibits and a $75 ticket price. The pitch, headed to the Highland Park City Council ahead of a Monday meeting, compares the estate to Elvis Presley’s Graceland and Prince’s Paisley Park, Crain’s reported.

An economic impact study by Chicago-based SB Friedman Development Advisors frames the property alongside a handful of legacy estates-turned-attractions, including homes tied to circus mogul John Ringling and Nashville’s Cheekwood, according to the outlet. The consultancy projects 108,000 to 180,000 annual visitors — well above Paisley Park, but far short of Graceland’s draw — with roughly $1.37 million in spillover spending at local businesses.

Cooper’s vision focuses on the experience. Visitors would park offsite, shuttle to the Heller Nature Center and walk wooded trails before reaching the mansion, where programming would center on “excellence, character, discipline and personal greatness.” Amenities would include access to the estate’s indoor basketball court and putting greens.

Notably absent from the pitch: Jordan’s name. Neither Cooper nor consultants use it in formal materials or interviews, suggesting potential licensing constraints tied to the NBA icon’s brand, according to the publication. Instead, the concept broadens into a general celebration of achievement, a move Cooper argues differentiates it from celebrity-specific attractions.

To win over skeptical neighbors, Cooper is offering unusual financial assurances. According to city documents, homeowners nearby could secure appraisals paid for by the museum entity, with an option for Champions Point to buy properties at a 10 percent premium or cover any loss if a sale falls short, effectively acting as a hedge against perceived downside from increased traffic and tourism, according to the publication.

The plan also promises operational guardrails such as limited evening hours, tightly managed visitor flow and relocation of the mansion’s iconic “23” gate deeper into the property to curb drive-by traffic.

Earlier this month, Cooper removed the 56,000-square-foot mansion at 2700 Point Lane from rental listings after a series of short-lived marketing strategies failed to gain traction. In September, the city council effectively killed a fractional ownership plan Cooper proposed for the estate when they banned timeshares in single-family homes.

The property was on the market for nearly 12 years, and went through massive price reductions after initially being listed for almost $30 million. It relisted for a little under $15 million before Cooper’s purchase in 2024.

— Eric Weilbacher