Champions Point Highland Park Aims To Become A Museum

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Champions Point, basketball star Michael Jordan's former mansion in Highland Park, has set its sights on a new venture, becoming a museum.

Owner John Cooper is seeking to change the zoning on Champions Point to create an immersive museum experience dedicated to greatness.

"The theme is inside the mind of greatness. And that mind of greatness is you, the person going through the experience," Cooper told Patch. "Because greatness is different to everybody. Once you've identified what greatness is to you, then we can start helping you think about, Well, are you there now?"

Jordan's mansion sold to Cooper in 2024 for $9.5 million after nearly 13 years on the market. Originally listed for $29 million in February 2012, the final sale price came in at less than one-third of the amount Jordan initially asked for the house.

Cooper previously announced plans to turn the property into a timeshare and began accepting bids at $1 million — plus 2 percent of the total annual expenses of the 7.4-acre estate — for the privilege of spending a week as a guest in his house.

Most recently, Cooper temporarily partnered with Airbnb last summer to offer luxury stays at the mansion. Looking to the future for the property, Cooper said he wanted to ensure as many people as possible could enjoy it.

"Is there a better way that I could use it for the betterment of the community, something that the neighbors would be more on board with, and something that would really allow a lot of people to enjoy the property? So that's where this idea of the museum was birthed," Cooper said.

Cooper originally proposed the museum idea to the Highland Park City Council in December, where community members and city officials expressed skepticism.

Both the public and councilmembers brought up concerns about the amount of traffic and visitors the property could attract. Neighbors said they were worried about a large number of strangers near their property.

Before Monday's City Council meeting, Cooper told Patch that he took everybody's feedback into consideration and made some changes to his proposal to better support the community.

Some changes include planned shuttle service, dedicated free days for residents, security detail for the property and the neighborhood and significant contributions to nonprofits and city funds.

"We heard the feedback, we did the work, and we came back with a plan that respects the neighborhood and creates real value for the community, while building something that inspires people to be better," Cooper said.

If approved, Cooper expects Champions Point to be a major draw in Highland Park that also helps boost the local economy.

Ideally, Cooper said the museum will offer 90-minute timed tickets that allow visitors to see the home and participate in "greatness exhibits." The museum would also host school field trips where kids can use the grounds, including the pool and basketball courts.

With the revised proposal, Cooper said his team worked to increase the community benefit from 13 percent to 36 percent. He did this by making connections with local organizations like Curt's Cafe, which provides essential work and life skills to at-risk youth and teens transitioning out of the penal system.

Cooper also said he wants to host evening events throughout the year to serve as fundraisers for local organizations.

On top of that, Cooper also founded the Champions Legacy charity, which aims to develop a curriculum that can be taught at local schools.

"I've really taken a lot of steps to address the city council's concern, the neighbors' concern. I want them to learn about all the different ways that this can really benefit the community," Cooper said.