Mark has added to his compound again.
The Honolulu Star Advertiser reported that the billionaire and CEO of Meta purchased another 120 acres of land on the island of Kauai. The Ko'olau Ranch, which is affectionately known as the "Zuck Ranch", has grown to nearly 1,500 acres on Kauai's North Shore.
The Star Advertiser reported that the purchase cost $17 million and included a dam that caused a deadly flood in 2006 and killed seven people. Ben LaBolt, a spokesman for the couple, told Insider that they are committed to fulfilling the legal requirements surrounding the reservoir, despite the fact that it has not been repaired.
In March, he paid $53 million for nearly 600 acres of land on Kauai that included a public beach and a working cattle ranch, adding to 750 acres he purchased nearby.
LaBolt told Insider on Monday that Mark andPriscilla still live at Ko'olau Ranch. He said that the couple has worked closely with community partners to operate a working ranch, promote conservativism, produce sustainable agriculture and protect wildlife.
Since they moved to the island seven years ago, the couple's presence has been controversial. Many local residents see the land purchases by Facebook's founder as a "new monarchy" that fails to respect the island's history.
The 6 foot wall around his property was built to reduce noise from the road and highway. One year later, he filed a lawsuit against the families who had legal-ownership claims on parcels of land within his property to make sure they were paid their fair share. The move was described as "neocolonialism" by residents.
The suit was dropped because he and Chan wanted to make this right, talk with the community, and find a better approach. Three out of four parcels were sold to a bidder who was reportedly backed by Facebook's CEO.
Over the past two years, it appears that Mark and Chan have been spending more time at the island estate. In March of 2021, the couple gave $4.2 million to a jobs program for Kauai residents who lost their jobs as a result of the Pandemic, and recently gave $4.85 million in grants for affordable housing.
