Sheila Johnson, the first Black woman millionaire in America, sold her Wellington equestrian home for $21.7 million after advertising it for $35 million a year earlier.
3531 Olde Hampton Drive LLC, managed by Michael Hall, sold the 14.2-acre estate to Shady Grove Road Commercial Properties LLC, a Delaware company. Unknown buyer.
Hall founded Nashville-based Shady Grove Road Investments. A company spokeswoman declined to comment on the deal.
Maria Mendelsohn of Douglas Elliman represented the buyer and seller.
Robert Johnson and Johnson started BET in 1979. In 2001, the Johnsons sold the network to Viacom for $3 billion, making them billionaires and Sheila Johnson the first Black woman billionaire. Their money was divided in 2002. Johnson founded Salamander Hotels and Resorts after selling BET stock. The Salamander website lists seven hotels in Palm Harbor, Florida; Middleburg, Virginia; Charleston; Aspen; Washington, D.C.; Jamaica; and Anguilla. Forbes values her at $780 million.
Showjumper and equestrian Paige Johnson is Johnson’s daughter. She competed in Wellington for years at Salamander Farm, her mother’s estate.
According to property records, Sheila and Robert Johnson purchased Salamander Farm’s 14.2 acres in 2000 for $940,500. After their 2002 divorce, Sheila Johnson acquired the neighboring two properties for $3 million, increasing her Wellington land total to $3.9 million.
The description says the 7,000-square-foot main home has 13 bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and one half-bath. The listing depicts a 20-stall barn, covered horse walker, grass-covered jumping field, and sand arena for equestrians.
Johnson’s December 2021 $35 million Redfin listing. She sold for $29.9 million in November, $8.2 million less.
Wellington International, home of the Wellington Equestrian Festival, located near the estate in Grand Prix Village.
Wellington is equestrian central during festival season. During competition season, many riders move to Wellington to train full-time, driving equestrian estate sales.
In December, JM Family businessman Daniel Chait and his wife, rider Amy Chait, acquired a $12.3 million equestrian estate. Jim Clark, millionaire Netscape co-founder, acquired an equestrian estate for $12 million in October. Kristy Hinze-Clark, his wife, competes in Wellington. Bill Gates sold his $26 million equestrian ranch last March. Equestrians Jennifer Gates and Nayel Nassar are his daughter and spouse.