Before Hugh Hefner died, he wrapped up many loose ends, even going so far as to purchase the crypt next to Marilyn Monroe for himself. However, not everything in the Playboy empire is certain. For example, questions remain concerning the next phase for the multimillionaire's Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills, California. But it turns out what is next for the estate is not in the hands of Playboy or the Hefner family, as someone else already owns the Playboy Mansion.
Last year, Hugh Hefner sold the Playboy Mansion to Daren Metropoulos, a co-owner of Hostess Brands, for more than $100 million. Metropoulos also acquired the vast estate next door to the Playboy Mansion in 2009. Afterward, he announced grand plans to renovate the properties and connect them to form a 7.3-acre compound and use it as his home.
Hugh Hefner bought the Playboy Mansion for $1.05 million in 1971. It reportedly was the biggest property sale ever in Los Angeles at the time. Four decades later, Hefner sold it for nearly 100 times the price he paid. That raised price tag was not all inflation; the Playboy Mansion was legendary. In fact, Daren Metropoulos apparently knew how vital Hefner and Playboy were to the value of the place because he struck a deal that let Hefner continue living there for the rest of his life.
So, Hugh Hefner never had to move, but there is no word what his 31-year-old wife, Crystal Harris, has to do now that Hefner is gone. Harris reportedly is living at the Playboy Mansion without problems, and the arrangement might remain in place for a while. Then again, it could change if Daren Metropoulos wants to connect the two estates. Still, some people hope Metropoulos' expansion plans will not alter the Playboy Mansion too much because of its history.
After all, Hugh Hefner and many of the women who worked for him called the sprawling Playboy Mansion home after Hefner relocated from Chicago to Los Angeles in the early 1970s. Since Hefner's passing, we have heard about a lot of happy memories from celebrities and Playmates who stayed at the Playboy Mansion or attended events there. For instance, People says Carmen Electra spoke fondly of her time at the Playboy Mansion and called it "an adult Disneyland." Similarly, Kim Kardashian tweeted that she and Paris Hilton were messaging back and forth reminiscing about the famous Playboy Mansion Halloween parties.
Architect Arthur R. Kelly originally designed and built the Playboy Mansion for Arthur Letts, Jr., the son of the businessman and designer who turned Holmby Hills into a fancy community of grand estates for affluent clients. According to Daren Metropoulos, the original plans for the property showed the Playboy Mansion was supposed to connect with the estate next door. Thus, Metropoulos' expansion would realize the original design ideas. It sounds like Metropoulos has done his research, so the final result should look great.
