Mark Zuckerberg Buys 110 Acres to Add to His Hawaii Estate

Mark Zuckerberg has bought an additional 110 acres to add to his now 1,500-acre estate in Kauai, Hawaii, The Hill reported on Wednesday.

The Facebook founder and CEO spent $17 million on the purchase.

Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, first bought some 700 acres of land nearby in 2014 for about $100 million and then approximately 600 more acres earlier this year to form a contiguous estate on agricultural and conservation land that includes farm operations and a residence, which the Zuckerbergs call their Hawaii home, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

The Zuckerbergs intend to extend farming, ranching, conservation and wildlife protection work occurring with community partners on their property, according to Ben LaBolt, a spokesman for the couple.

The newly acquired land also includes most of the earthen Ka Loko Reservoir, which broke in 2006, releasing an estimated 400 million gallons of water that led to the deaths of seven people.

Regarding the reservoir, which remains unrepaired and on Hawaii’s list of high-risk dams, LaBolt said the Zuckerbergs are committed to doing their part to fulfill legal requirements and promote safety.

Some Kauai residents have criticized Zuckerberg for actions he has taken  in the community, such as building tall walls blocking ocean views from the area’s main road and hiring security personnel who have been accused of harassment by some who access the public beach, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.

Zuckerberg was also condemned for using lawsuits filed four years ago to force the owners of several small uninhabited parcels within his property to sell their land at auction, although he later apologized for the attempted forced sale and withdrew as a plaintiff. 

But the Zuckerbergs have also received praise from the community, especially due to an initiative by the couple to create a charitable fund through the Hawaii Community Foundation to support local nonprofits that do work in areas such as education, health, the environment and culture.

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