Outrage over billionaire’s plan to build enormous brown ‘industrial’ mansion inspired by MINES in ritzy Utah city
A Utah billionaire’s plan to build a massive industrial–style brown mansion inspired by mines in a ritzy resort city is facing pushback from neighbors and local authorities.
Matthew Prince, 51, is seeking to construct an 11,000–square–foot home in Park City, a picturesque mountain-top community about 35 miles east of Salt Lake City.
The exclusive resort is popular with the rich and famous, and is widely known for being the place where Gwyneth Paltrow was caught up in a ski crash which later went to trial.
Prince, who was raised in the city, is the cofounder and CEO of cybersecurity giant Cloudflare and is worth about $5.9billion, making him the richest man in Utah, according to Forbes.
He is now seeking permission to build a huge single–family home with an outdoor pool and terrace that would overlook the valley.
But his application has sparked multiple lawsuits, with neighbors Eric Hermann, 73, and Susan Fredston–Hermann, 70, suing to stop the mansion from being built.
A decision on Prince’s mansion could be made on Thursday after years of friction, as the Park City Council will meet to consider a consent agreement for the home.
The agreement would effectively decide whether Prince gets permission to proceed with his plans, as he is only missing a building permit.
Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince’s 11,000–square–foot home plan in Park City, Utah, would feature an outdoor pool, terrace and underground parking
Prince, seen here with his wife Tatiana, said his massive industrial–style proposal was inspired by Park City’s mines
Prince initially submitted plans for the gargantuan home that included 7,000 square feet of finished living space and 4,000 square feet of underground parking in 2022.
The permit applications for the home also mentioned 6,000 feet of unfinished living space.
Prince has repeatedly backed his desire to build the mansion by pointing to its design rooted in local history and support from the local community.
‘I’m proud of the fact that the Historic Society, Friends of [Ski Mountain Mining History], the [Park City] museum, have all said, ‘This is something that if it was on the side of the hill, we would be able to point at and say it was inspired by the mines of Park City’,’ he said in 2024.
Meanwhile the city has been clear about its determination to make sure new developments are in line with its historical district, a battle the mayor reportedly told KCPW said related to the Prince home dispute.
‘We’ve been in this three–year defense of our historic district, and you’ve seen us at the legislature fighting back on attempts to take away any sort of local control around the historic district,’ Mayor Ryan Dickey told the outlet.
‘That defense has been successful and really hard,’ he added, saying that ‘after three years, we now have a house that was approved by the planning commission.’
Plans for Prince’s mansion overlooking the valley, which includes 7,000 square feet of finished living space and 4,000 square feet of underground parking, were first submitted in 2022
The exclusive resort is popular with the rich and famous, and is widely known for being the place where Gwyneth Paltrow was caught up in a ski crash
In 2024, his downhill neighbors – the Hermanns – sued to block the Park City Planning Commission’s decision granting Prince authorization to build the mansion.
They said the potential consent agreement would not solve their concerns.
‘The proposed consent agreement between the city and Prince would deny us our right to have our concerns heard in court,’ Eric Hermann said.
He added: ‘A consent agreement won’t stop the court hearing unless all parties agree to stop the court hearing.’
Park City is involved after Prince’s limited liability company sued following a decision made by the board of adjustment which reversed aspects of his planned home.
If the consent agreement goes through, that legal action would likely be dismissed.
However, the angry neighbors believe that would leave them without a say in the process.
Neighbors Eric Hermann and Susan Fredston-Hermann argue his proposal violates zoning laws – a declaration eight others in the neighborhood have rallied behind
Prince previously filed suit against his neighbors over the allegedly menacing behavior of their Bernese Mountain dogs
Hermann added that approving Prince’s home plans would ‘open the doors to any moneyed interest that is willing to threaten the city with legislation.’
However, a memorandum from the city’s attorney has stated that an agreement would not set new precedent, with approval by the city council being site-specific.
Amid the furious back-and-forth between the neighbors, Prince filed his own action over the ‘menacing’ behavior of their two Bernese Mountain dogs.
‘I get that we’re rich a**holes, but at some level I’m also a father and I have to protect my daughter,’ Prince told the Wall Street Journal in 2024.
He alleged the two dogs had ‘barked, snarled and charged’ at his toddler and threatened his 82–year–old mother.
The Hermanns said the billionaire never asked them to leash their dogs before the suit, and that ‘the dogs have had no interaction’ with his family.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Bruce Baird, Prince’s attorney, Eric Hermann and the Park City mayor’s office for comment.
