A Chicago-based executive is trying to break a record in Florida with the sale of his home by listing it for $115 million — and it’s nowhere near South Beach.
Steven Lempera, the president of an energy company in Illinois, bought the 87-acre lakefront compound in Tampa, Florida, in 2021 for $16.7 million and is trying to sell it at a nearly 600% price markup. Lempera and his wife, Jane, bought the property from Don Wallace, the cofounder of Lazydays RV, after surveying alternative options to Chicago during COVID.
“They were looking for an estate of this caliber with massive acreage,” One Sotheby’s International Realty agent Eddy Martinez told Business Insider. “In reality, they were looking in Colorado and in Wyoming, but they just couldn’t find anything that they really liked.”
The property, directly on Lake Thonotosassa, is 16 miles from downtown Tampa, but is its own oasis from the fast pace of the city. It’s surrounded by oak trees and even has its own private interior roads.
Privacy, Martinez said, is one of the most important features for the ultrawealthy when considering property.
“Finishes and those kinds of things have become secondary,” he said. “The most important thing for them to consider a property in a serious manner is, does it offer the privacy and does it have the capability of being secure?”
As for the reason for selling, Lempera hasn’t fallen out of love with the property; he just spends a lot less time there. His daughter is a professional horseback rider, and he and his family want to follow her career.
“They follow the circuit, and so Tampa’s not really in their scope as much anymore because of that,” Martinez said.
See all of the bells and whistles included on this 87-acre Tampa property for sale.
Steven Lempera purchased the Tampa home in 2021 in an effort to escape the city during the pandemic.
Lempera paid $16.7 million for the 87-acre property — a fraction of what he thinks it’s worth today.
The previous owner built the home in 2012.
If it sells anywhere near the listed $115 million price tag, it will smash the local record.
The current record in the Tampa area for most expensive sale is held by a Derek Jeter’s former Davis Islands mansion, which sold for $22.5 million in 2022.
That home, according to Martinez, was a teardown, and doesn’t compare to the property he’s currently trying to sell.
“It was only one acre of land, not 87,” Martinez said. “It was also lakefront, but it was also a teardown. It was not a move-in-ready home.”
Lempera is leaving the property to follow his daughter’s professional horseback riding career.
Lempera sold a different home in the Coral Gables neighborhood to the Weeknd in October 2025 for $55 million, according to The Wall Street Journal, and started using the Tampa property as a primary residence.
However, his plans changed once his daughter’s career took off.
“His daughter is a professional jumper, and that’s another reason why they bought this property, because it does have a dedicated 5-acre sector just for the equestrian component,” Martinez said.
Martinez added that Lempera intends to spend more time in Wellington, Florida, a city known as the winter equestrian capital of the world, as well as in New York and Europe.
Both Lempera and the home’s former owner are car enthusiasts, so there’s plenty of space for parking.
The property has a car museum that has room for 22 cars, and Lempera, who also has an extensive collection, made sure to fill it.
Not only does Lempera have space for his collection of Rolls-Royces and other expensive cars, but he also has someone on the grounds to service them.
“He does have an on-site mechanic, so you don’t have to take your cars somewhere; it’s all done there,” Martinez said. “There’s also a professional car painting booth.”
There’s also a workshop to craft all types of finishes for the home.
“He also has a mill workshop and a metal workshop,” Martinez said. “Those beautiful mahogany, humongous arch doors with the very elaborate hinges, those were created on site in the mill workshop and in the metal shop.”
Some of that millwork can be seen in posh spaces, such as the two-story closet in the primary suite.
“The hers closet in the master suite is two-story, so it has a staircase in the closet,” Martinez said. “When you go up, it’s kind of like when you’re in New Orleans in the French Quarter.”
The finishes of the closet match the rest of the home, mainly because a lot of the craftwork was done on the property.
“It has that beautiful French ironwork that sort of does a perimeter at the mezzanine, which you can look down to the first level of the closet,” Martinez said. “All of that ironwork was done on-site in the metal shop.”
A majority of the home’s features were already in place when Lempera bought it.
One bedroom in particular ditched the French Normandy Château style and was Lamborghini-themed.
“It was black and yellow, and you felt like you were in a sports car museum for that particular bedroom,” Martinez said. “So they made it in line with the European French — very whimsical, romantic.”
Lempera was able to keep the style consistent throughout the home in part because he purchased the furniture in a package deal.
“He had to pay $2 million, and that was a wise decision because it was really curated for every space, and it’s very, very whimsical. The whole thing is just a fairytale,” Martinez said.
There is also space for the next owner to work, so there’s no need to go to an office downtown.
“There’s an office complex with executive offices,” Martinez said. “Then you have a floating glass boardroom that admires all the cars down below it.”
And when you’re done working, you can relax at the spa.
Wellness amenities have become must-have features for homes of the ultrawealthy, and this home doesn’t skimp on them.
Along with a mile-long jogging path on the premises, there is also a state-of-the-art spa.
“It rivals hotel spas that I’ve been to in South Beach,” Martinez said. “It has an indoor saltwater pool, it has the steam hamam, the drywood sauna, and, of course, the treatment rooms.
“It all just spills out over to a beautiful series of arched terraces,” Martinez added. “You really feel like you’re in a professional spa.”
If that’s not how you want to unwind, you can take a go-kart for a spin.
“The go-kart is definitely a wow factor,” Martinez said. “It has a proper go-kart circuit, a little mini racing track, and it’s right on the lake’s edge with winding roads — it’s very fun.”
