Billionaire Stan Kroenke, owner of the Los Angeles Rams, the Colorado Avalanche, the Denver Nuggets and a half-million acres of undeveloped land in Wyoming, became the largest landowner in the United States after purchasing more than 937,000 deeded acres of New Mexico ranchland last month.
The purchase shot his private land ownership to 2.7 million acres across the American West and Canada, consisting primarily of cattle ranches.
Just over 20% of the private real estate he owns is Wyoming land, primarily in Carbon County.
Kroenke, 78, is the owner of south-central Wyoming’s Q Creek Ranch, a 560,000-plus acre working cattle ranch and hunting and recreational venue. The land consists of 11,260 deeded acres, with the remaining acreage being private and public leases.
Large ranches with a mix of private and public leases is a positive thing for Wyoming, according to Charlie Powers, owner of Powers Land Brokerage LLC of Sheridan.
“The best stewards of the land are grazing tenants,” Powers told Cowboy State Daily. He added that publicly deeded land allows for open spaces, and the wide swaths of open space offered by these large ranches support the region’s natural habitats.
“With irrigation and proper stewardship, these ranches have brought about more habitat for wildlife — on both deeded and public lands,” Powers said. “All it’s doing is improving the quality of public land, in my opinion.”
Stan Kroenke, who is Wyoming’s second-largest landowner with 560,000 acres, became the nation’s largest landowner last month with the purchase of 937,000 acres in New Mexico. Of the 2.7 million acres Kroenke owns, about 20% of the land is in Wyoming. (Way Out West VP via YouTube) 
Stan Kroenke, who is Wyoming’s second-largest landowner with 560,000 acres, became the nation’s largest landowner last month with the purchase of 937,000 acres in New Mexico. Of the 2.7 million acres Kroenke owns, about 20% of the land is in Wyoming. He also owns the Denver Nuggets, and is seen here at right after the team won the NBA championship in 2023. (Getty Images) 
Stan Kroenke, who is Wyoming’s second-largest landowner with 560,000 acres, became the nation’s largest landowner last month with the purchase of 937,000 acres in New Mexico. Of the 2.7 million acres Kroenke owns, about 20% of the land is in Wyoming. (Way Out West VP via YouTube) 
Stan Kroenke, who is Wyoming’s second-largest landowner with 560,000 acres, became the nation’s largest landowner last month with the purchase of 937,000 acres in New Mexico. Of the 2.7 million acres Kroenke owns, about 20% of the land is in Wyoming. He also owns the multiple-time Stanley Cup-winning NHL team Colorado Avalanche. (Getty Images) 
Stan Kroenke, who is Wyoming’s second-largest landowner with 560,000 acres, became the nation’s largest landowner last month with the purchase of 937,000 acres in New Mexico. Of the 2.7 million acres Kroenke owns, about 20% of the land is in Wyoming. (Way Out West VP via YouTube) 
Stan Kroenke, who is Wyoming’s second-largest landowner with 560,000 acres, became the nation’s largest landowner last month with the purchase of 937,000 acres in New Mexico. Of the 2.7 million acres Kroenke owns, about 20% of the land is in Wyoming. (Getty Images)
First In Country, Second In State
Kroenke owned the most land in Wyoming until last week, when Chris Robinson of Utah’s Ensign Group purchased the 916,000-acre Pathfinder Ranches. Q Creek Ranch’s 11,260 deeded acreage pales in comparison to Pathfinder Ranches’ 99,188 acres.
However, the Q Creek Ranch is often cited as the largest contiguous ranch in the Rocky Mountains. It stretches at least 50 miles east-west and 35 miles north-south. According to longtime Wyoming realtor Bob Brockman, the land is used primarily for agriculture.
“The people who lease the ranch use it for grazing,” he said. “They’re all Wyoming people.”
The Q Creek Ranch also advertises guided hunting and fishing trips and hosts long-range rifle courses. Calls to the ranch were not returned prior to publication.
Amassing Real Estate
Kroenke began investing in real estate in the 1970s. Along with Wyoming and now New Mexico, he owns vast swaths of land in Texas, Nevada and Montana, as well as in Canada. His ranches were valued at $3.9 billion across the American West and Canada prior to the December’s New Mexico land purchase, whose purchase price was undisclosed.
“He’s a good landowner,” Brockman, a co-owner of Keyhole Land Company of Wheatland told Cowboy State Daily. “The neighbors speak highly of him. If fences need fixed, they’re fixed.”
Kroenke’s New Mexico purchase was the largest land purchase in the United States in more than a decade, according to landreport.com, and spanned four New Mexico counties.
Kroenke’s 2.7 million acres tops California’s Emmerson family, who owns and manages more than 2.4 million acres of west coast timberland. Liberty Media chairman emeritus John Malone claims the third largest land ownership in the nation with 2.2 million acres and CNN founder Ted Turner is now the country’s fourth largest landowner, with 2 million acres, according to landreport.com.
Along with the pro sports teams, Kroenke also owns the major league soccer franchise, the Colorado Rapids. He is married to Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke.
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
