Stan Kroenke, the billionaire sports mogul best known for owning the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and other major teams through Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, has claimed a new title: America’s largest private landowner.
According to The Land Report, an authoritative publication that tracks private landholdings across the United States, Kroenke now controls an estimated 2.7 million acres of land nationwide. This positions him at the top of the 2026 Land Report 100 ranking, surpassing previous leaders and marking a significant shift in the landscape of American private land ownership.
The key to Kroenke’s ascent was a massive, off-market transaction completed in December 2025. He acquired more than 937,000 deeded acres of ranchland in New Mexico from the heirs of Henry Singleton, the founder of Teledyne Technologies (1916–1999). The properties, known as the Singleton Ranches, consist of noncontiguous parcels spread across several counties, primarily in eastern New Mexico. This deal is described as the single-largest land purchase in the U.S. in more than a decade (since 2011), vaulting Kroenke from fourth place on the 2025 list straight to number one.
The acquisition alone represents a staggering addition to his portfolio—equivalent to roughly 1.2% of New Mexico’s total land area—and propelled him ahead of longtime heavyweights in the rankings.
The Land Report’s 2026 list highlights the concentration of vast private holdings among a small group of ultra-wealthy individuals and families:
- No. 1: Stan Kroenke — 2,700,000 acres (primarily ranchland across the American West and extending into Canada).
- No. 2: Emmerson Family (Sierra Pacific Industries) — 2,440,000 acres (timberland in California, Oregon, and Washington).
- No. 3: John Malone (Liberty Media chairman emeritus) — 2,200,000 acres.
- No. 4: Ted Turner (CNN founder) — 2,000,000 acres (spanning the Southeast, Great Plains, and West).
Kroenke’s holdings now exceed the size of Yellowstone National Park (about 2.2 million acres) and equate to roughly 2 million football fields in scale. His properties include notable ranches such as the 560,000-acre Q Creek Ranch in Wyoming—the largest single ranch in the Rocky Mountains—and others scattered across multiple Western states.
While Kroenke, 78, built his fortune through real estate development, sports franchises, and his marriage to Ann Walton Kroenke (a Walmart heiress), his land investments reflect a broader trend among billionaires: viewing expansive rural acreage as a store of value, a hedge against economic uncertainty, and often a base for ranching, conservation, or recreation. His portfolio emphasizes working ranches and cattle operations, aligning with traditional Western land use rather than purely timber or media-driven holdings like some peers.
This development underscores how private land ownership in America remains dominated by individuals and families with immense resources, often focused on the vast open spaces of the West. As The Land Report notes, such transactions highlight the ongoing appeal of land as a long-term asset in an era of market volatility.
Kroenke’s rise to the top spot is a reminder that in the world of private land, fortunes can shift dramatically with a single, monumental deal. With 2.7 million acres under his control, he now holds sway over a territory larger than many small countries—and one that continues to grow alongside his diverse empire.
