A Connecticut mansion known for its famous former owners is up for sale, if you are in need of 21 bedrooms.
The mansion at 50 Poplar Hill Drive sits on over 17 acres just outside of Hartford and spans almost 52,00 square feet of living space. It consists of 21 bedrooms and 40 bathrooms.
The large estate in Farmington is currently owned by Casey Askar and the Askar Group of Naples, Fla., but was formerly owned by boxer Mike Tyson and rapper 50 Cent. Askar, a Florida businessman, purchased the home in 2019 for $2.9 million. 50 Cent owned it from 2003 to 2019 after buying it for $4.1 million and Mike Tyson was the owner before him, having purchased the mansion in 1998 for $2.8 million.
Askar, at the time of purchasing the mansion, said he planned to use it for his family and for business retreats after a major renovation. He wanted to put behind the history of conspicuous consumption of the 1980s and real estate swindler Benjamin Sisti; and later stripper poles in a disco room; and finally, a night club adorned with murals depicting 50 Cent wearing a cross medallion and pointing a gun.
Sisti built the mansion in the 1980s before his Colonial Realty real estate empire, now often referred to as a glorified Ponzi scheme, fell into bankruptcy as real estate fell into a deep recession in the early 1990s. Unsuspecting investors — dazzled by the lifestyle of Sisti and his two partners — lost hundreds of millions of dollars.
“It gave us something of the magnitude to be functional for the business and the family,” said Askar at the time in 2019. “We saw an opportunity as far as value and size.”
Askar is best known for his investments in commercial real estate and in restaurant chains such as Papa Romano’s, Papa’s Pizza, Breadeaux Pizza, Blackjack Pizza, Mr. Pita, Stucchi’s and C.J.’s Brewing Co.
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According to its listing, “the residence embodies unmatched opulence, with over $3 million in recent renovations elevating it to a world-class standard.” It includes an indoor pool and spa, nightclub, recording studio, billiards room, casino room, multiple games rooms, racquetball court, fitness center, grand foyer, elevator and seven kitchens.
Outside continues the opulence with a resort-style pool, grotto, waterfall, private bridge, 4-bedroom guesthouses, pool house, basketball and tennis courts and an eight-car garage.
