Real Estate Millions marks eight years: Review of top five featured estates

Along with glitz and glamour, Las Vegas (and outlying areas) boasts over-the-top multimillion dollar homes. This summer marks eight years Las Vegas Review-Journal Real Estate Millions has toured these unique private sanctuaries. Here are the top five choices for the most incredible multimillion estates profiled in the real estate section.

The Liberace Mansion

Liberace purchased several properties in 1972 and transformed two properties into The Liberace Mansion. Developed as a compound with other properties, the estate showcased the opulence and glamour of Liberace.

When Liberace died in 1987, the mansion and the other surrounding pieces were sold individually. As the owners and neighborhood changed, the mansion fell into disrepair and no longer represented glittering Las Vegas.

A big Liberace fan, UK businessman Martyn Ravenhill, purchased the property in 2013 and extensively renovated it, bringing it back to its former glory. In 2016, the Liberace Mansion received the Clark County Historical Designation.

The large entry door was once part of the state of New York governor’s mansion. Etched mirrors and sparkling chandeliers surround the front living room. The decorative mirrored bar feature etchings of Liberace’s name and musical notes near a formal dining room. The staircase was imported from a can-can bar in Paris, and the eight marble pillars were imported from Greece.

The “Hall of Mirrors,” lit by ornamental sconces, leads from the formal living room to the primary suite. The primary bedroom features an intricate ceiling mural depicting the Sistine Chapel and a mirrored fireplace and bar. The ceiling mural of Liberace’s face and cherubs surrounded by clouds looks over the oversized primary bathroom. The marble tub with 14-carat gold swan fixtures and a decorative fountain fits the persona of Liberace.

The second-floor atrium, dubbed the “Moroccan Room,” features a Tangier-inspired design and imported copper tiles. Memorabilia and pictures of Liberace remain placed throughout the property.

The mansion is now available for private tours and special events, including weddings, corporate events, fundraisers and product launches. Visit theliberacemansion.com for more info.

The Historic Underground House

The nondescript corner north of Flamingo Road conceals The Underground House, hidden by an ordinary two-story house. However, 26 feet below the street is an opulent subterranean home for sale for $5.9 million.

Philanthropist and businessman Jerry Henderson built the private residence in the 1970s. In 1964, Henderson pioneered underground living and sponsored the Underground Home exhibit at the New York World’s Fair in response to the fears of some Americans about the Cold War.

The luxury bomb shelter and home, with over 15,000 square feet, comes complete with everything needed to live underground. This includes artificial trees, faux rocks and life-like scenery, 500 feet of hand-painted murals with scenes from homes of the original owner from around the world.

The adjustable lights imitate different times of the day, and twinkling stars are on the ceiling to mimic the night sky. This underground residence has a four-hole putting green, two hot tubs, a sauna, a dance floor, a bar, a barbecue and a swimming pool.

The main house has two bedrooms and three bathrooms. There is even a casita for guests. The home is accessed by an elevator from an above structure.

Receptions, weddings and corporate meetings have been hosted in the home, and the property was featured in film, television, and print​ media.

Casa de Shenandoah

Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton, owned the luxurious 39.5-acre estate known as Casa de Shenandoah before selling the property in 2010 and becoming partners in the company that purchased the property with a new private home to be built on the property for the entertainer and his wife.

The company turned the mansion into a tourism hot spot about the life and times of Newton in 2015, envisioning the next Graceland (the estate of Elvis Presley in Memphis).

Guests explored the property’s manicured grounds, artisan wells and lakes, along with the home’s opulent interior, which featured memorabilia from his career both on stage and on screen, including a classic car collection and his luxurious personal jet. Items from celebrity friends like Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball and Michael Jackson were also featured. The attraction was closed in 2018.

In 1966, Newton purchased 5 acres of the site, naming the ranch “Casa de Shenandoah,” which included a stable and riding corral. As the ranch was expanded, a Learjet plane was placed on the site, and an Arabian horse-breeding stable was added in 1970.

The ranch would later include a heliport and a dozen automobiles in various garages on the estate. Rolls-Royces and a 1929 Duesenberg that once belonged to Howard Hughes were part of the collection.

Newton and his wife, Kathleen, moved off the property in 2013, and the ranch was sold to Smoketree in July 2019 for $5.56 million. The couple had to go to court to retrieve their property, and the name “Casa de Shenandoah” was removed. The property has been listed for sale for $28.5 million.

Primm Ranch

Casino developer Gary Primm built the 10-acre Primm Ranch estate in the early 1990s. The 21,000-square-foot Mediterranean residence with 10 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms is in the southeast valley near Sunset Park.

At the time Real Estate Millions featured the ranch it included eight horse stalls, two pasture stalls, a stall wash bay and an arena with underground tunnels. Cars were maintained with a deionized-water car wash, two gas stations on-site and a garage showroom.

The property included a tropical pool and spa with a water slide, a large grotto, a casino game room, a screening room, an automated golf driving range and an underground shooting range.

Casino owner Phil Ruffin purchased the estate in 2015. He planned on integrating the compound into his neighboring 12-acre estate and, with this purchase, owns 22 acres for his private use.

Seven Hills ‘Tony Stark’ mansion

The life of Mark Lindsey of Seven Hills mirrors Tony Stark, the wealthy industrialist portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. as a superhero in “Iron Man.” In the franchise, Stark owns a luxurious mansion known for its gadgets and advancements.

His home, listed for $32.5 million, could rival Tony Stark’s state-of-the-art estate. The retractable skylight in the ceiling above the bed in the primary bedroom brings in the blue sky and black night of Las Vegas.

A spa outside the bedroom on the covered balcony, made of glass with views of Las Vegas, creates the feeling that guests are hanging over the edge.

A table without legs in the dining room gives the impression that it is floating in the air. The Tony Stark touch features an elevator to lift the car from a single-car garage to the upper level next to the primary bedroom. The two other garages, including the one that serves as a heated and cooled half-court basketball court, add to the amenities.

The three-story, four-bedroom, nine-bathroom home, which includes a basement, sits on about 1 acre. While the structure measures 14,207 square feet, 26,416 square feet of amenities are included under the roof.

The exclusive section within Seven Hills with two other luxury homes offers a view down the fairway at the Rio Secco golf course surrounded by the Las Vegas Strip.

By the way, Lindsey owns an insurance company and operates a business that sells electronics and alarm systems.

Over-the-top and unique multimillion-dollar estates, whether owned by celebrities, successful business people, corporate giants or eccentric millionaires, add to the colorful landscape of Southern Nevada real estate.