PARKER: Shanny dream house

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Originally published 01:32 a.m., March 20, 2008
Updated 02:33 p.m., March 20, 2008

Photo by Rocky Mountain News

House formerly owned by Mike Shanahan

Mike and Peggy Shanahan sold their house for $16 million.

Need further proof that Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan is staying put and sitting pretty? He and wife Peggy have sold their Cherry Hills home for $16 million -- a record high price in the metro area -- and recently broke ground on a megamansion that will take a year to complete.

Shanahan declined to discuss details, but, through Broncos spokesman Jim Saccomano, confirmed that the house is under construction.

So here's what I've gleaned from sources, some of whom asked to remain anonymous:

Their existing home sold on Jan. 19, 2007, in a private transaction to a friend who used the name 20 Cherry Hills LLC. Its appraised value by the Arapahoe County Assessor's office is value was $6.5 million.

It includes three Jacuzzis, an 80-square-foot steam room, a 108-square-foot sauna, a 2,299-square-foot heated garage, a 2,100-square-foot swimming pool, a 165-square-foot hot tub. It was built in 2000 and has slate mission tile on the roof.

Two buildings are on the land, one with three bedrooms and six fireplaces; the other with two bedrooms.

The first building has 7,733 square feet, a 7,272-square-foot open porch, a 2,857-square-foot terrace and a 2,353-square-foot wood balcony. The second home has 1,089 square feet.

Some deets on the new abode:

The new place is a football throw from the old house but on a bigger lot with more privacy.

Rumor is that the new home will be 30,000 square feet. "Every time you hear the rumor, the house gets bigger," said one spy.

The land formerly was owned by Janet Elway, who, I'm told, got it as part of her divorce settlement from Hall of Famer John Elway.

Peggy is an interior decorator who is designing the new digs with a friend.

"Peggy loves doing big projects like this," another spy said. "I think she needs a new project."

SCHOOL SPIRIT: CBS 4 News sports anchor and Notre Dame alum Vic Lombardi will emcee a pep rally for the the Notre Dame Club of Denver at 4:15 this afternoon in front of the Pepsi Center. Former Nuggets coach and ND alum Bill Hanzlik is expected to make an appearance at the rally before the Fighting Irish face George Mason tonight. "I hope Notre Dame trounces George Mason by 30," Lombardi said. "Is that impartial? Go Irish! And that's saying a lot, coming from an Italian."

THE SEEN: Mia Farrow, in town on St. Patrick's Day as part of the Unique Lives & Experiences series at the Buell Theatre, checking out of the Hotel Teatro Tuesday.

Also a Teatro guest, Pulitzer Prize-winner Anna Quindlen, who was here for the Post-News Pen & Podium Series Tuesday at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts.

EAVESDROPPING at a meeting at Denver International Airport discussing a possible name for DIA's Mustang statue: "Caballo Azul del 'DIA'-blo," which translates to "Blue Horse of the Devil" or "The Devil's Blue Horse."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.

• March 20, 2008

  6:49 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Gene writes:

  Penny,
  Not being involved in this business, what is a deet? And was glad the word McMansion was not able to be used!

• March 20, 2008

  6:54 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  PMSXpress writes:

  Deet = Details.

  Gee, good thing he didn't try to build the thing in Boulder.

• March 20, 2008

  7:14 a.m.

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  Gene writes:

  Can you see Cherry Hills going through anal exams on how big a house should be?

• March 20, 2008

  7:25 a.m.

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  PMSXpress writes:

  LOL Gene.

• March 20, 2008

  8:07 a.m.

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  davies writes:

  It has been my observation over the years that when couples decide for no apparent reason that they need to build or move into a fabulous new home, there may be a problem in the relationship. I give them three years after they move in; remember you read it here first.

• March 20, 2008

  8:09 a.m.

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  Contempt_for_Texas writes:

  Does anyone else hate Cherry Hills? I don't have any disdain for rich folk, but I can't stand the elitist attitude the city has. Those dam cops pulling over anyone and everyone on University, the only thourofare b/c the city blocked off every other road. I would be so much more impressed with Mike Shanahan, who just lost a ton of style points in my book, if he restored a historic mansion in Denver as a opposed to building a saudi sheik style mansion covered in stucco. I guess the coaches aren't that much different from the players. The players look like morons showing off the diamand bling, but then so do the coaches. I can't wait for Mike to get an 3 carrot diamond earing next.

• March 20, 2008

  8:14 a.m.

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  Gene writes:

  Whenever someone starts, "I don't have disdain for rich folk, ." you know what is coming next.

• March 20, 2008

  8:19 a.m.

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  hakj writes:

  The unnecessary extravagance makes me want to vomit.

• March 20, 2008

  8:23 a.m.

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  sampson writes:

  How GD much is enough?

• March 20, 2008

  8:39 a.m.

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  Bob299 writes:

  His garage is bigger than my house! What the . . .

  And he gets paid to do what?! How many years has it been since the Broncos were evenly remotely close to the Superbowl! Maybe his pay should be tied to performance.

• March 20, 2008

  8:39 a.m.

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  superbad writes:

  He deserves it- the man is really good at telling grown men how to play a child's game.

• March 20, 2008

  8:50 a.m.

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  huffdiver writes:

  When we moved here from Southern Ca. (with a lot of our neighbors!!) a few years ago we could not believe how affordable Colorado home prices were.

  We sold an old "cottage" that was approx 1200 sq' in Huntington Beach for $850K and paid cash for a 5000 sq' brand new home in Cheery Creek!!

  Even though it is just the wife and myself (plus our 2 dogs and a cat LOL!!) we now have enough room to spread-out and enjoy the Colorado mountain lifestyle. Even the drive up to the mountains on the weekends is nothing compared to what we were used to in southern CA, you so-called "natives" don't know how well you have had it for so long. I know of a lot more people from back home who can't wait to get here as soon as the home prices rebound.

  As a mortgage broker, I am still getting a lot of business from transplants so things are looking up!!

• March 20, 2008

  8:51 a.m.

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  Kslayer writes:

  We can thank ourselves (the fans) for providing shanny and his wife with such a modest mansion. Same with the players and all the bling they like to flash! They are our Heroes!!! We insist on spending our money on their little game. That's much more important then our childrens education, or helping with the homeless situation.

• March 20, 2008

  8:55 a.m.

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  RJS07 writes:

  hakj said

  "the unnecessary extravagance makes me want to vomit"

  And you acting as the housing police makes ME want to vomit. Get your knickers in a twist over something significant...like child abuse or pedophiles or something.

• March 20, 2008

  9:05 a.m.

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  xbfan writes:

  It would have been better if he had built it in Texas, vacated his coaching job with the Broncos, and moved there to live.

• March 20, 2008

  9:13 a.m.

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  amcm writes:

  ok, did anybody notice the fact that he sold his house for $10 million MORE than it's assessed value? that must be some friend!

• March 20, 2008

  9:29 a.m.

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  tucucca writes:

  30000 square feet is all? Why not go for 60000? They'll have rooms they visit about as often as Shanny visits a Super Bowl locker room.

• March 20, 2008

  9:30 a.m.

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  Gene writes:

  amcm,
  Tip, when you sell your house, ask a realtor to assign a price, not a tax assessor.

• March 20, 2008

  9:42 a.m.

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  psu96 writes:

  RJSO7,
  how about our environment....houses like these are all about ego's and waste a lot of energy, resources etc...
  of course they have the right to build big but that doesn't make it right

• March 20, 2008

  10:04 a.m.

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  jhdteacher writes:

  a gross example of much

• March 20, 2008

  10:26 a.m.

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  Gene writes:

  I am learning a lot here. The meaning of deet. And that deet brings out dweebs. And that "much" is a noun? Must be if a teacher says so?

• March 20, 2008

  10:37 a.m.

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  roadstar writes:

  So many millions on one friggin home. Disgusting as can be. Professional athletes and coaches are obscenely overpaid. It's a crime how athletics are supported to such a ridiculous extent, and education is left to raise funds with bake sales, selling magazine subscriptions, and such. Shanahan could have donated some of his excess money to charities instead of building an even bigger mansion.

• March 20, 2008

  10:52 a.m.

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  drew writes:

  Shanahan got his 15 minutes of fame on the shoulders of John Elway. Since then he's done NOTHING - except make a big show of firing people - when he's the one who should be falling on his sword.

  He & Bowlen deserve each other - and while he remains coach this football team will remain mired in mediocrity, get used to it.

• March 20, 2008

  10:55 a.m.

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  OrangeCrush_77 writes:

  Us Natives DO know how well we've got it, and had it. It was a lot better before all of you Califonians came here. Tell your transplant friends to go Arizona.

• March 20, 2008

  11:13 a.m.

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  blondiearvada writes:

  Glad to see that the rich athletes and coaches of this city won't be facing a recession

• March 20, 2008

  11:16 a.m.

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  DougH writes:

  Gosh, it was just a couple of months ago that the Broncos raised ticket prices again citing increased expenses.

  Ain't it great to be the Cheif Executive in Charge for Life for a monopoly business so you can finally build your dream house just by continually raising prices. It is a goood thing the taxpayers built their playing field or Shanny's house may have been only 15,000 sq ft.

• March 20, 2008

  11:17 a.m.

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  queenjacyln writes:

  You guys had me LOL. And yes, his swimming pool is bigger than my house.

  Thanks for the advice huffdiver but the thing is us locals do know how good it is here and we like to keep it that way. We also do not own anything worth close to $850k and will never be able to buy our houses for cash. Just because you got lucky fleecing your California neighbors does not mean we can do that here.

• March 20, 2008

  11:30 a.m.

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  R8R_H8R writes:

  tax assessors always low-ball the value. Look at your own taxes and compare it to what the houses are selling for. It's always tens of thousands lower taxable value, houses sell for far more. The REALTORS are the ones over-inflating the prices and the market for their own greed.

• March 20, 2008

  11:31 a.m.

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  jhdteacher writes:

  dear gene:

  "much" can most certainly be used as a noun

  http://dictionary.reference.com/brows...

  your teacher,

  jhd

• March 20, 2008

  11:52 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Contempt_for_Texas writes:

  HuffDiver is nothing but a Califonia wanna-be. You know he was born and raised in Ft Lupton and now lives your run of the mill suburban apartment. He drives 1999 Civic. I don't doubt he is some 2004 college grad who majored in communications who jumped into the mortgage business and did fine for a little while, but now is pretty nervous. I don't believe he has a wife, though he may have a dog and ties a red handkerchief, but not two. If he could just get away from his momma's teet and find a real job he would be in So-Cal so fast.

• March 20, 2008

  12:02 p.m.

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  TheDenverB writes:

  wow. could he spot me a few bucks to renovate my kitchen? taht would be great, and i'd even let his wife do the planning.

• March 20, 2008

  12:11 p.m.

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  Gene writes:

  Dear Teacher,
  Thanks. What is your definition of much? You said "a gross example of much."

• March 20, 2008

  12:28 p.m.

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  HolierThanThou writes:

  Let's put together a referendum to have Shanahan's house named Invesco Mansion and give us back Mile High Stadium.

• March 20, 2008

  2:15 p.m.

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  RickyLee writes:

  Hopefully, the donkeys lose forever in INFESTED field.
  "The chickens are coming home to roost".....the immortal words
  of Wardo Churchill.

• March 20, 2008

  2:36 p.m.

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  JustMe writes:

  Holy excess, Batman!

• March 20, 2008

  3:32 p.m.

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  jjez writes:

  californication of colorado by those of the huffdiver persuasion is precisly WHY housing prices are so outrageous here! and why highlands ranch looks like a garbage dump from red rocks! all the architects were from or were emulating california style to appeal to the transplants. and who in the world NEEDS 30,000 sq feet of house? does mike have 30 kids who can't share a bedroom? it's a symptom of consumerism and compulsive spending on peggy's part that she needs a new place to decorate. maybe a boycott of the broncos when they aren't earning their keep is in order. send a message that the customers are tired of paying for shoddy workmanship? (no offense meant to the die-hard fans out there!).

• March 20, 2008

  3:39 p.m.

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  Earl writes:

  so who really gives a crap about a crappy coach and his new dog house?
  maybe he is having it built to hold all the superbowl trophies he wished he had. he took over a team on the way to the superbowl and not that he is using his selections he should do a uturn to get there.
  remember the last game of the season for the donkeys?
  Brett can in and on the first play threw a td pass and then in overtime repeated the same play and poor mikie didnt know what to do.

• March 20, 2008

  4:11 p.m.

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  EZBakeOven writes:

  All that money and he can't even get his teeth fixed.

• March 20, 2008

  4:40 p.m.

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  justice2008 writes:

  hmmm 10 million more? I wonder what kind of "friend" is this? There's been rumors that Brittney Spears is moving to Cherry Hills in Denver. Only someone like her would have that kind of money to throw down on a house. God let's hope not.

• March 20, 2008

  4:57 p.m.

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  frontpage writes:

  Being in the construction industry, and having been involved with a few mega mansions projects. 30,000 sg ft is about right. when you break down what is expected of a house of this magnitude and stature and the size is about right. anything more would be "gross" even in mega mansion talk. I've seen 24,000-2,7000 sq ft jobs in cherry Hills and you could make the argument that each was missing somthing.
  hey folks, get over it. the real issue is that a house like this is going to get built and furnsihed and its gonna get done with cash. shanny's just along for the ride. his wife and friend are pushing this thing through, there ain't a thing he can do about it. Except ask for bigger doghouse.

• March 20, 2008

  5:34 p.m.

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  ezekiel777 writes:

  what a bunch of whiny crybabies.....jealous, envious, resentful. if you had the same opportunities you'd build it bigger and spend more.

  hypocrites.

• March 20, 2008

  5:45 p.m.

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  jjez writes:

  zeke:

  not on your life would i build a monstrosity like that! what ever happened to living modestly? even for those with millions upon millions of dollars! obama orated about not being able to leave a legacy for the next generation, how about a legacy of less? less consumerism, less waste of natural resources. leave a legacy of breathable air, drinkable water, forests and open space for the next generations. of course, a hundred years from now, cherry hills will be a slum and 30 families will be living in that house, so maybe he IS leaving a legacy for future generations! I can't imagine how much lumber is going into that thing! now, we could forgive him a little for using recycled materials (steel studs, demin insulation, etc) if he actually used them. it will be interesting to see.

  justice---he sold it sep 2007. brit wasn't acting like a spoiled child back then. well, not AS spoiled. do you suppose if we stopped talking about her (and paris and lilo and their ilk) that they'd just go away? probably not! ;-)

• March 20, 2008

  6:01 p.m.

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  Gene writes:

  I guess envy is a normal human trait, but gee, get over it. I’ll bet Shanahan has worked more hours than many of these bitching whiners. And what if he didn’t. Some people earn more than others, in a market economy. Tell me how much is "too much" house for someone? How would we determine that? Why would one want to determine that? This is the land of the free and the home of the brave, and full of opportunity. Is Shanahan taking something away from someone else to have the house? No. And the environmental impact crap is just that, crap.

• March 20, 2008

  6:22 p.m.

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  American100 writes:

  Wow - I felt a little guilty when I first saw my new home dry walled because it suddenly felt wastefully large but I feel better now.

• March 20, 2008

  7:26 p.m.

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  joeblow writes:

  Orange Crush 77....I am a Colorado native, but I assure you, I had nothing to do with it! Being a native doesn't entitle me to any special privileges or honor. Apparently some natives or people who've been in Colorado for years think it's an accomplishment to make this claim.
  I say Californians or Texans or Floridians or whomever can come to Colorado if they want. Of course, that's not a new idea. I think being an American kind of entitles you to move any place you choose without being the victim of sophomoric criticism.
  Hey, the author of the piece, Ms Parker, isn't a native Coloradan...but she like everyone else...is a native of somewhere. That, in my book, makes her my equal and yours, too.

• March 20, 2008

  7:36 p.m.

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  DenverRoot writes:

  What does it say about a town where the local paper's top two most read stories include 1) about Shanahan's new house 2) about the teams new offensive lineman.

  My guess is that Mike Shanahan just found out that his old house was sold for $16 million and that his new house is 30,000 sq. feet from this article. Mikeee, you might want to a conversation with your wife.

• March 21, 2008

  8:14 a.m.

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  ham writes:

  Hey, Penny - Here's a story tip for you; Go to the people's houses this week that the Broncos laid off in a "budget cut". Let's have a look at their humble homes, soon to be in foreclosure!

• March 21, 2008

  8:45 a.m.

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  Gene writes:

  ham,
  Petty much all your pettiness is covered in my well thought out post yesterday 6:01 p.m. . . Enjoy !