Jim Irsay, the billionaire proprietor of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, died in Might 2025 on the age of 65.
Jim lived a legendary life. He constructed the Colts right into a Tremendous Bowl–successful franchise, turned one of the colourful figures in skilled sports activities, and spent a long time amassing one of many world’s most useful personal memorabilia collections. Jim famously as soon as turned down a $1 billion offer for the gathering, which incorporates Muhammad Ali’s championship belt and Kurt Cobain’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” guitar.
Irsay was outspoken, eccentric, and deeply human. And when he wanted to flee all of it, you’ll have discovered him at his lake home.
That lakefront compound, which encompasses a bowling alley, capturing vary, arcade, and a 350-foot underground tunnel, simply hit the marketplace for $19.9 million. And we discovered a video tour of the property that provides a uncommon look contained in the retreat that served as Irsay’s personal escape for greater than 20 years.
A Lakefront Playground
Positioned on Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver, Indiana, the property spans roughly 35,000 sq. ft throughout a number of constructions. The principle residence, clad in stone with a shingle roof, covers about 14,000 sq. ft with eight bedrooms, wood-paneled libraries, and wide-beamed dwelling rooms.
Throughout the road sits the leisure advanced, designed with rustic exteriors and glossy interiors, housing a four-lane bowling alley, a capturing vary, shuffleboard, arcade machines, and a bar. The buildings are linked by an underground tunnel, a element that completely suits Irsay’s love of the weird.
The property additionally encompasses a pool home, a guesthouse, sand volleyball courts, hearth pits, a non-public dock with solar-powered boat lifts, and porches overlooking the lake. In accordance with the itemizing agent, the property can comfortably host 35 or extra individuals directly.
Jim Irsay’s Legacy
Jim Irsay was born into soccer, however he carved out his personal place in its historical past. His father, Robert Irsay, engineered the notorious late-night transfer of the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. By then, Jim had already joined the entrance workplace, and at simply 24 years outdated, he turned the NFL’s youngest common supervisor. After Robert suffered a stroke, a bitter authorized battle ensued over management of the franchise. In 1997, Jim emerged as the only proprietor, as soon as once more the youngest in league historical past to carry that title.
From the second he took the reins, Irsay reshaped the Colts. He introduced in Corridor of Fame govt Invoice Polian, drafted Peyton Manning with the primary general decide in 1998, and constructed a roster that dominated the AFC for greater than a decade. Beneath his watch, the Colts made 18 playoff appearances, received 10 division titles, and captured their first championship for the reason that transfer to Indianapolis with a victory in Tremendous Bowl XLI in 2007. He additionally spearheaded the event of Lucas Oil Stadium, guaranteeing Indianapolis remained a significant NFL metropolis.
However Irsay’s life stretched effectively past soccer. He turned one of the eclectic figures in American sports activities — a touring rock musician who jammed with members of the Heartbreakers and the Allman Brothers, and a cultural curator whose personal assortment included the whole lot from Ali’s “Rumble within the Jungle” belt to Jack Kerouac’s unique “On the Highway” manuscript. He known as the gathering “priceless,” as soon as turning down a $1.15 billion provide to purchase it outright, and he took it on the highway without cost public exhibitions throughout the nation.
On the similar time, Irsay battled demons in public. His decades-long struggles with habit led to a number of rehab stints and a 2014 arrest. Fairly than conceal his points, he used them to gas “Kicking the Stigma,” a psychological well being initiative that challenged disgrace and expanded therapy entry. He gave hundreds of thousands to varsities, hospitals, and native charities — typically anonymously. Through the COVID-19 shutdown, he pledged $1 million to feed Indianapolis college students if town raised $200,000, a problem the group rapidly met.
By the point of his demise in 2025, Irsay’s internet value was $4 billion. He delivered a championship to Indianapolis, introduced pleasure to followers by his music and his museum-like assortment, and left an enduring mark as a patron, a survivor, and a voice for these struggling in silence. His lake home was only one reflection of his outsized, unpredictable, and deeply human legacy.
