After the world found Aspen and its four main ski areas in the 70s, Aspen Square and the surrounding communities of Snowmass, Carbondale, Woody Creek and Basalt exploded with second homes for the rich and famous. By 2007, the permanent population of 3,000 people in the 70s has grown to 6,000 people, but the value of the property has increased dramatically. Recently, Prince Bandar from Saudi Arabia transferred his property in Aspen, a chalet of 56,000 square feet for $ 135,000,000! Yes, 135 million dollars! Aspen is probably one of the highest real estate markets per square meter in the world. Celebrities with houses in the Aspen area — Kevin Costner, Michael Douglas, Michael Eisner, Robert Wagner, Jill St. John, and so on. Our project, Aspen Club, has been sold several times, and now The Aspen Club and Spa is a very chic private enterprise serving health-oriented customers from all over the world.
In 1985, even at a mature age of 67 and still as an active promoter and personal tennis player, Riggs once again became the center of attention, challenging the best women team, Pam Shriver and Martina Navratilova, to “Battle the Sexes” "Playing with former champion Vitas Gerulitis. Once again, women won, in the long run, but who really knows who won the big money. Even the legendary tennis player Don Budge, who with Riggs, Jack Kramer, Pancho Gonzalez and Fred Perry formed the first professional track and teamed up in the 40s, always suspected that with 8-5 chances to beat Billie Jean King, one way or another Bobby had to argue with some big dollars to win. But no one will ever know.
Then, in 1988, at the age of 70 and for a long time out of the shady light, Bobby Riggs was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Realizing that the world knew little about this disease, Riggs decided to go publicly and share his diagnosis with the world and talk about where he could get an audience. In 1994, he founded the Bobby Riggs Museum Foundation to promote and finance prostate cancer. He will spend the last year of his life raising men and women in this disease.
Washington Post, October 27, 1995 - “Bobby Riggs, 77, former Wimbledon and US tennis champion who helped make women's tennis a major spectator and money sport, after losing the widespread 1973 match with Billie Jean King, died of prostate cancer at his home in Leukadia, California. He was married and divorced twice and survived with five children. ” Now you can understand how I came to the conclusion that Bobby Riggs was the biggest tennis player of all time. I hope Federer will ever make such a difference! "And this is my story of Bobby Riggs." Without a last word, Jay Smith informs me that one of his closest friends was one of the last people who spoke to Riggs shortly before his death. He asked him about the match with Billie Jean, whether he chose him or not. Bobby smiled and said: “I won!” And he disappeared.
I came to believe that Bobby Riggs is even more than great. Now I believe that he never lost, unless he wants to. My hat goes to him.
