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Mike Tyson Mansion

Mike Tyson's Former Mansion in Ohio

3737 OH-534, Southington, OH 44470

Left abandoned for over a decade.

The former mansion of Mike Tyson might look abandoned, but it is now a place of worship.

Mike Tyson Mansion
Ken Fager: Flickr

So what happened to Mike Tyson’s mansion and why was he living in Ohio?

Contrary to common belief, Mike Tyson was not the original owner of the home. The mansion was built in 1980 and he purchased it in 1989 in a sheriff’s sale for $300,000.00. This location was great for Tyson because it was only about 20 miles from the Orwell, Ohio training facility of boxing promoter Don King. He was smashing in the ring and spiraling out of control in life. A 1992 rape conviction landed him in Indiana’s State prison system. On March 25, 1995, he returned home to Ohio after serving 3 years in the Indiana Youth Center near Plainfield, Indiana (now named the  Plainfield Correctional Facility.) His troubles landed him in prison again on an assault charge in 1998 and he received a 2 year sentence; he was released in 9 months.

After multiple prison stints and personal and financial troubles, Tyson was forced to sell the property in 1999 for 1.3 million dollars to TV marketer Paul Monea. Although Monea owned the home for over ten years, he never lived in it. He was eventually convicted of money laundering in 2007. He fell behind on the taxes and the property was sold at a sheriff’s sale to Ron Hemelgarn for $600,000 plus back taxes in April of 2013. Hemelgarn never lived in the home either and he eventually sold the home and 60 acres to the Living Word Sanctuary. The approximately 60 acres of land and the structures, is on the Trumball County Ohio assessors office web site; the owner is listed as The Living Word Sanctuary. In 2015, Pastor Nick Dejacimo of The Living Word Sanctuary, purchased the land and buildings for a knock out price of $750,000.00. Pastor Nick was impressed with the pool building, he felt it looked like and was meant to be a sanctuary. It already had soaring arches, skylights and beautiful windows. In January of 2016 the gate house and 2 acres was split from the original property and put up for sale at $150,000.00. However the listing was removed 20 days later with no sale date listed on Zillow. The main home has been listed anywhere from 33,000 square feet to 22,000. It has five bedrooms, a huge pool room with a boxing glove shaped pool, complete with jacuzzi and ice-cream sundae bar. The pool has since been filled in to make room for the sanctuary. The home also had several living spaces including a basement rec room, seven bathrooms, a full kitchen, two attached garages and one detached, a basketball court complete with bleachers, tiger cages, patios, two lakes, and walking paths. Tyson had decorated the home lavishly with gold and marble, chandeliers, and even tiger print carpet in black and white. It has been described as tiger print and also as zebra print. The master bathroom was extravagant with marble, gold finishings, a marble sauna, and a jacuzzi overlooking the backyard.

Mike Tyson Mansion
Goole satellite map

Before he sold the mansion in 1999, his then wife  Monica claimed the IRS started sending them letters stating they would seize the property and all of their belongings. She said he had moved out anyway because the authorities refused to let him keep his pet tigers. The home and grounds sat virtually untouched for fifteen years and it was in surprisingly great shape. There is not an exact time frame for the complete renovation, however comments and posts indicate they have held services in the new location. The exterior has been re-landscaped, the paths and basketball court have been cleaned up, and the buildings have received new roofs and paint. The bedrooms will be transformed into classrooms, the dining room and kitchen have been stripped for remodeling, and the gararge will be used for a nursery. As for the over the top master bathroom, that remains a mystery. Will the church keep the opulent bath and sauna and jacuzzi complete with mirrored ceilings?

MikeTyson’s former mansion is not abandoned anymore but will have perhaps a more calmer crowd compared to the wild parties Mike Tyson threw.

I’m wondering if the gate is still there with his name just for nostalgia…….

Mike Tyson Mansion
Photo by Jack Pearce: Flickr

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