Billionaire Stan Kroenke, known for owning the Los Angeles Rams and a string of other professional sports teams, has just pulled off the biggest private land deal in the country in over a decade. He acquired more than 937,000 acres of ranchland spread across New Mexico, pushing his total holdings past those of any other individual in America. The transaction, kept quiet until recently, came from the family of the late Henry Singleton, the industrial pioneer behind Teledyne.
This move lands Kroenke at the number one position on The Land Report‘s latest ranking of the nation’s top 100 private landowners. His empire now covers roughly 2.7 million acres, mostly in the American West and parts of Canada. That edges out the Emmerson family’s 2.44 million acres of timberland, John Malone’s 2.2 million acres, and Ted Turner’s 2 million acres. Kroenke started from fourth place last year and jumped to the lead with this single purchase.
The New Mexico properties, known as the Singleton Ranches, consist of several non-contiguous spreads that Singleton began assembling in the 1980s. They rank among the largest cattle and horse operations in the U.S., with significant water rights attached—vital in a region where water scarcity shapes everything from farming to development. Brokers from Republic Ranches and Hall and Hall handled the off-market sale, but neither side has revealed the price. Estimates from industry watchers peg the value of Kroenke’s overall ranch portfolio at around $4 billion, though that’s before accounting for this latest addition.
Kroenke’s path to this milestone traces back to his roots in Missouri, where he built a fortune in real estate before diving into sports ownership. He controls the Rams, the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, MLS’s Colorado Rapids, and England’s Arsenal FC, among others. His marriage to Ann Walton Kroenke, daughter of Walmart co-founder Bud Walton, has bolstered his resources for these ventures. Over the years, he’s methodically expanded into ranching, viewing it as a blend of business and legacy-building.
One of his standout acquisitions came in 2016 when he bought the historic W.T. Waggoner Ranch in Texas for $725 million. That 535,000-acre property, unbroken since its founding in 1849, remains the largest contiguous ranch in Texas. It includes oil fields, thousands of cattle, and over 1,000 miles of fencing. Kroenke has kept operations running strong there, maintaining the traditions of working cattle ranches while modernizing where it counts.
Beyond Texas, his holdings paint a picture of a man invested in the vast open spaces of the West. In Wyoming, he owns the 560,000-acre Q Creek Ranch, the biggest single spread in the Rockies. Montana adds 124,000 acres to the mix, Nevada contributes about 800,000 acres, and up north, Canada’s Douglas Lake Ranch rounds out the international piece. These aren’t just investments; they’re active operations that support livestock, wildlife management, and sometimes even hunting or conservation efforts.
What drives someone like Kroenke to amass this much land? In an era when government regulations tighten around resource use and urban sprawl threatens rural ways of life, private owners like him often step in to preserve these expanses. Ranchland under individual control can stay productive without the bureaucracy that comes with public lands. Yet, with billionaires scooping up massive tracts—think of Bill Gates’ farmland buys or Jeff Bezos’ Texas holdings—questions arise about concentration of power. Water rights, mineral resources, and even potential for alternative energy development make these properties more than dirt; they’re strategic assets in uncertain times.
Take the Singleton Ranches specifically. Henry Singleton turned them into a powerhouse for breeding high-quality cattle and horses, leveraging New Mexico’s arid landscape with smart water management. Now in Kroenke’s hands, they could continue that role, perhaps integrating with his other ranches for broader efficiency. But whispers in land circles suggest bigger plays: controlling water in the Southwest amid ongoing droughts, or hedging against inflation by holding tangible assets that appreciate over time.
Comparisons to other top landowners reveal a pattern among the elite. The Emmersons focus on sustainable timber harvesting in the Pacific Northwest, turning forests into long-term revenue streams. Malone, the cable magnate, spreads his acres across Maine and New Mexico, emphasizing conservation through partnerships like his work with The Land Institute on perennial agriculture. Turner, the media icon, uses his bison ranches to promote ecological restoration across the Great Plains.
Kroenke fits right in, but his sports background adds a unique angle. He’s no stranger to competition, and land ownership seems like another arena where he’s aiming to dominate. His representatives haven’t commented on the New Mexico deal, keeping details sparse as is common in these high-stakes transactions.
For rural communities, deals like this can mean stability. Large ranches often employ locals, boost economies through supply chains, and keep land from being subdivided into smaller parcels that might end up as housing developments. In New Mexico, where agriculture faces challenges from climate shifts and policy changes, a owner with deep pockets could invest in innovations that sustain the industry.
Still, the scale prompts reflection. With the federal government holding about 640 million acres—mostly in the West—private giants like Kroenke represent a counterbalance. They operate without taxpayer funding, driven by market forces rather than mandates from Washington. In a time when debates rage over land use, from energy projects to wildlife corridors, having capable stewards in the private sector matters.
As Kroenke settles into his new status, the land world will watch his next moves. Will he expand further, or focus on optimizing what he has? One thing’s clear: in the American tradition of building empires from the ground up, he’s written a new chapter.
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