Under Kanye’s ownership, Monster Lake becomes ‘West Lake’

Kim Kardashian West says the family may become part-time Wyoming residents

Posted 9/17/19

On the heels of her husband Kanye West buying a ranch south of Cody, Kim Kardashian West says the family plans to regularly spend time in the area.

However, in a Wednesday appearance on The …

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Under Kanye’s ownership, Monster Lake becomes ‘West Lake’

Kim Kardashian West says the family may become part-time Wyoming residents

The sign that once welcomed guests to Monster Lake has been updated to read 'West Lake.' Kanye West reportedly purchased the ranch earlier this month.
The sign that once welcomed guests to Monster Lake has been updated to read 'West Lake.' Kanye West reportedly purchased the ranch earlier this month.
Tribune photo by CJ Baker
Posted

On the heels of her husband Kanye West buying a ranch south of Cody, Kim Kardashian West says the family plans to regularly spend time in the area.

However, in a Wednesday appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Kardashian West indicated they and their children will not be moving to Wyoming full-time.

“His [West’s] dream and his vision is to move there; I love L.A.,” she said on The Tonight Show. “So I envision summers, I envision some weekends [in Wyoming].”

Kardashian West added that “we love Wyoming,” calling it “such an amazing place.”

Kanye West is reportedly finalizing the purchase of Monster Lake Ranch. It’s a roughly 4,500-acre property that sits about 8 miles south of Cody off Wyo. Highway 120. While the ranch’s deed has yet to change hands, the celebrity couple has indicated the purchase is a done deal; the sign above the main entryway to the property has already been changed to read “West Ranch” instead of “Monster Lake Ranch.”

The week after Labor Day — before he purchased the ranch — West took Kardashian West to the Cody ranch and asked for her opinion of the property.

“It’s like the prettiest place you’ve ever seen in your entire life,” she said on The Tonight Show. “And even my sisters, everyone, we’ve had this dream of getting a ranch and just spending our summers there and getting away.”

Kardashian West also shared a message from her husband with The Tonight Show audience, in which West had texted a picture of the new “West Lake” sign.

“The first ranch in our family,” West wrote to his wife. “50 years from now this will mean so much to us.”

Monster Lake Ranch had once been listed for $14 million, but it was sold at auction in July to Jobey Eddleman of New York and her daughter and son-in-law, Kaley and Ryan Brandt of Powell; they purchased it from Jobey Eddleman’s brother, Dan. The price that West agreed to pay for the ranch has not been disclosed — nor have his full plans for the property.

Monster Lake Ranch had been operating a restaurant with a saloon, convention center, cabins and other accommodations; however, as of Sept. 6, Ryan Brandt said the ranch was only hosting large events and weddings. Signs posted at the  entrance advise visitors that the ranch is private property, with guests by reservation only.

In the past, West has expressed big ambitions for developing real estate. In an interview with media personality Charlamagne tha God last year, West said he intended to be “one of the biggest real estate developers of all time — what Howard Hughes was to aircrafts and Henry Ford was to cars.”

This summer, West built a series of dome-shaped homes on a 300-acre property he owns in the Los Angeles area. However, they were recently torn down after the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works told West to stop work and obtain proper permits; the department said they’d received complaints from neighbors, according to reporting by TMZ.

West — a musician, entrepreneur and fashion designer — and Kardashian West — a media personality, businesswoman and model — have millions of people who track their every move. Kardashian West has 147.8 million followers on Instagram; when she posted a Thursday video featuring her children in new cowboy outfits from Wyoming, it drew more than 5.5 million views within 24 hours.

However, the online buzz surrounding the couple does not appear to have translated into increased interest in the Cody area so far. The leaders of the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce and the Park County Travel Council said they had not seen an uptick in inquiries or traffic, nor do they have any plans to try capitalizing on the attention from the Wests’ possible relocation.

Meanwhile, the Wyoming Office of Tourism appeared to indirectly reference the Wests' news in a Thursday press release that encouraged people to "discover Western adventure and cowboy country this fall."

"There is a reason why celebrities have been declaring their love for Wyoming," the release began. "The cowboy country appeals to everyone from superstars to family vacationers looking to reconnect with nature, so it is no surprise the state’s ranches have been in the news lately."

The Cody chamber and travel council leaders expressed similar thoughts last week, suggesting that it’s not too shocking the celebrity couple is considering a move to the area.

“Cody’s lifestyle is attractive to many people and they want to live here,” said Claudia Wade, the travel council’s executive director.

Calling Cody “an amazing place,” Cody chamber executive director Tina Hoebelheinrich added that, “it really isn’t a surprise to me when people decide to purchase property or relocate here.”

However, Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show host, seemed a little more amazed by the news that the Wests were thinking about moving to the Equality State.

“Is Wyoming real?” Fallon asked; Kardashian West assured him the reports were true.

During her recent trip to Monster Lake Ranch, she said she stayed at a rustic cabin without electricity or plumbing. On The Tonight Show, Kardashian West recalled spending the night in darkness, worrying that a bear or other animals might come, and using a bottle as a toilet. She described the cabin to the audience as being “like in the wilderness” — though she learned in the morning that the ranch had a lodge and more comfortable cabins at the bottom of the hill.

“He [West] wanted a romantic little night for us up above, and I’m like, ‘That’s not my vision of romance, babe, like, no no no. You’ve got to warn me,’” Kardashian West said. “I would have brought charged iPads with like movies set to go.”

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from the Wyoming Office of Tourism.

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