By Marcy Stamper
The Tice Ranch has sold for $2.55 million to Pirate Ranch LLC — half a million dollars less than a previously announced deal that fell through in November.
The sale of the 400-acre property, which includes the 15-bedroom, 20,000-square-foot main lodge; two smaller guest lodges; a caretaker’s residence and several outbuildings, was recorded with the Okanogan County Assessor’s Office on Dec. 18.
Pirate Ranch is listed in the assessor’s records at an address in Roche Harbor, on San Juan Island, Washington. The new owner could not be reached for comment and no information was available about plans for the property.
A previous deal for the Tice Ranch had been announced after an auction was held in October, but in November a spokesperson for the auction company said that the sale had not gone through. The ranch was initially auctioned with all furnishings and ranch equipment included, but it could not be learned if Pirate Ranch bought these items along with the buildings and land.
The initial sale that was never consummated had been announced at $3.108 million for 305 acres and had been awarded to the highest bidders, identified at the time as Robert and Laura Howson of Twisp. It also could not be learned if another parcel had been included to bring the total property size to the 400 acres shown in the assessor’s files for the Pirate Ranch transaction.
In addition to the main lodge and guest houses, the property includes a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, horse stables, organic fruit orchards, a stocked fishing pond and 100 acres of irrigated hay fields.
A spokesperson for the auction company said she was unable to get confirmed information about the sale because of the holidays.
The Tice Ranch was purchased and developed in the 1970s by Diane and Lou Tice, founders of the Pacific Institute, a Seattle-based corporation specializing in leadership development. The ranch served as a corporate retreat and event venue, and hosted many concerts and national and international gatherings over the years. It was also a working ranch.
