If you’ve ever wanted the Disney-style experience without the lines, there’s a mansion in Utah that may have caught your eye. A 154-acre estate in Hyrum — Utah’s largest private residence — that went up for auction on June 13.
The sprawling home features more than 70,000 square feet of space, including a five-level, 10-bedroom main house, a Swiss Family Robinson-themed bunk room, a Disneyland Tiki Room replica, a Star Wars-style underground tunnel and a 65-seat theater modeled after Walt Disney World’s Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade. Initially listed for $35 million, the price has since dropped to $19.5 million. Bidding for the home will open at $8 million.
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That has locals in Hyrum, a quiet Cache Valley community of around 10,000 residents, wondering who might want to live there.
“It was a big deal … in our little teeny Hyrum,” resident Kathy Schroeder told KSL-TV.
“People are kind of blown away by that because we’re kind of a rural, you know, kind of community. People don’t really expect that there.”
Disney-themed rooms, a pool barn and an underground racetrack
In addition to the main residence, the property includes a 27,000-square-foot unfinished pool barn, with plans for a massive swimming pool, an exercise center and 16-car garage — all connected by that 140-foot-long underground tunnel.
The home also includes an underground racetrack that circles the home’s footprint.
Other highlights include:
- Stunning mountain views.
- An expansive entryway with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams.
- Dining room with a 42-seat table.
- A nearly complete pond.
- Vaulted ceilings and ensuites in each bedroom.
- A guest house and well house.
- Event space.
The property listing also notes that the home sits just 15 minutes from the city of Logan and 75 minutes from Salt Lake City, near Blacksmith Fork Park and Hyrum Reservoir.
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How could this home impact Hyrum?
In spite of all these amenities, some residents remain skeptical about whether the home will sell at all.
“I don’t know who would want to buy it here,” local Adam Berger told KSL-TV. “It’s not Jackson Hole or like other places where millionaires go.”
That skepticism stems in part from Hyrum’s identity as a rural, working-class community, not a luxury destination. While nearby mountains and reservoirs offer outdoor appeal, the community lacks the kind of high-end restaurants, shopping or airport access typically found in luxury markets.
Mansions of this size are rare anywhere, but in small communities like Hyrum, they can have an outsized impact, both good and bad.
On the positive side, increased tax revenue for Hyrum could bring in a chunk of change for local services if the home is sold and reassessed. The estate could also be converted into a rental or event space to create local jobs and attract visitors. Finally, the buzz surrounding the sale could drive broader interest in Cache Valley properties.
On the negative side, a sale of this size could lead to market distortion. If the home goes for at or near $19.5 million, it could skew local home value comparisons and complicate appraisals of nearby properties.
The limited buyer pool for the property is also a risk factor. If it doesn’t sell, it may sit empty and remain unfinished. Some residents also worry new ultrawealthy neighbors may not integrate into the community and its small-town atmosphere.
Schroeder, who also runs the Cache Valley Buzz Instagram page, says she’s optimistic someone will make the most of the mansion’s potential.
“We just really want someone to buy it and make it a fun place where they can live and have vacations and things like that,” she said.
“They put a lot of time and effort into it … to make it a really family fun kind of place.”
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
