http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/derek-jeter-tampa-mansion-030211
Derek Jeter's Tampa mansion draws curiosity
Updated: Wednesday, 02 Mar 2011, 1:09 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 02 Mar 2011, 11:05 AM EST
TAMPA - During a sunny day on Captain Larry's Tampa water taxi, it's one of the highlights of the tour. The newest waterfront mansion is the house that Derek Jeter built.
"Seven bedrooms, nine baths, two three-car garages, and enough boat dockage for five boats," Capt. Larry explained.
Impressive, even for New Yorkers.
"It's incredible, it's absolutely incredible. It's beautiful," offered tourist Tom Bozzo, a lifelong Yankees fan.
With Jeter in Tampa for spring training, he has fans on the field and fans of his house cruising by. Few have seen Jeter there, but many, like realtor Lance Williams, have gazed at the home in wonder.
"So you got this great Wayne Manor English country house look, but then you have this square modern-looking roof line," he observed.
Bottom line?
"It might be what we call eclectic. Baseball eclectic."
PHOTOS: Mansion nears completion
Williams has access to the home's plans. He walked us through the layout.
"You come in the front door and you have this grand entertainment room, and it is grand," he said, pointing to the blueprints as he spoke.
It's everything a superstar could want in a mansion. With a massive master suite, including closets the size of normal bedrooms, the master alone measures 2,500 square feet.
"I mean that would be a nice, pleasant, four-bedroom house in Tampa," Williams offered.
But the plans also reveal challenges, like a long way from bed to bathroom.
"Well, to me, if he has to get up in the middle of the night, he has to get up from the bed and walk to a different zip code," Williams joked, tracing the route on the blueprints. "Trot, trot, trot, trot. By that time, I'm awake and not going back to sleep."
That's a nice problem to have. But Jeter also has the tabloid shows to contend with. And the glamorous girlfriend. Will she like it?
"Should be an ideal playground for Jeter's girlfriend Minka Kelly," a recent Access Hollywood episode said.
And there's the new boss. Yankee co-owner Hank Steinbrenner seemed to take a swing at Jeter earlier this spring, complaining about "players concentrating on building mansions and not concentrating on winning."
Then there's the people who think the whole thing is, well, funny.
"A lot of people ask me why he built a house that big?" Capt. Larry added. "Well, I think it's because he wanted to drive his Maserati from the living room to the kitchen; I'm not sure."
The Derek Jeter tour stop is one of the hottest properties in Tampa. But how many more spring trainings will he have, and will the house that Jeter built be his retirement address? One extra perk: There's no state income tax.
And don't forget all the people who helped build St. Jetersburg.
"It is the Derek Jeter stimulus package," Williams laughed. "But at the end of the day, he's increased property values, he's given a lot of people a lot of work, and he's given a whole lot of people a whole lot of cocktail talk."
So, at almost 37, the Yankees captain may ponder how long he'll play. But he won't have to worry about a roof over his head.
Derek Jeter's Tampa mansion draws curiosity
Updated: Wednesday, 02 Mar 2011, 1:09 PM EST
Published : Wednesday, 02 Mar 2011, 11:05 AM EST
TAMPA - During a sunny day on Captain Larry's Tampa water taxi, it's one of the highlights of the tour. The newest waterfront mansion is the house that Derek Jeter built.
"Seven bedrooms, nine baths, two three-car garages, and enough boat dockage for five boats," Capt. Larry explained.
Impressive, even for New Yorkers.
"It's incredible, it's absolutely incredible. It's beautiful," offered tourist Tom Bozzo, a lifelong Yankees fan.
With Jeter in Tampa for spring training, he has fans on the field and fans of his house cruising by. Few have seen Jeter there, but many, like realtor Lance Williams, have gazed at the home in wonder.
"So you got this great Wayne Manor English country house look, but then you have this square modern-looking roof line," he observed.
Bottom line?
"It might be what we call eclectic. Baseball eclectic."
PHOTOS: Mansion nears completion
Williams has access to the home's plans. He walked us through the layout.
"You come in the front door and you have this grand entertainment room, and it is grand," he said, pointing to the blueprints as he spoke.
It's everything a superstar could want in a mansion. With a massive master suite, including closets the size of normal bedrooms, the master alone measures 2,500 square feet.
"I mean that would be a nice, pleasant, four-bedroom house in Tampa," Williams offered.
But the plans also reveal challenges, like a long way from bed to bathroom.
"Well, to me, if he has to get up in the middle of the night, he has to get up from the bed and walk to a different zip code," Williams joked, tracing the route on the blueprints. "Trot, trot, trot, trot. By that time, I'm awake and not going back to sleep."
That's a nice problem to have. But Jeter also has the tabloid shows to contend with. And the glamorous girlfriend. Will she like it?
"Should be an ideal playground for Jeter's girlfriend Minka Kelly," a recent Access Hollywood episode said.
And there's the new boss. Yankee co-owner Hank Steinbrenner seemed to take a swing at Jeter earlier this spring, complaining about "players concentrating on building mansions and not concentrating on winning."
Then there's the people who think the whole thing is, well, funny.
"A lot of people ask me why he built a house that big?" Capt. Larry added. "Well, I think it's because he wanted to drive his Maserati from the living room to the kitchen; I'm not sure."
The Derek Jeter tour stop is one of the hottest properties in Tampa. But how many more spring trainings will he have, and will the house that Jeter built be his retirement address? One extra perk: There's no state income tax.
And don't forget all the people who helped build St. Jetersburg.
"It is the Derek Jeter stimulus package," Williams laughed. "But at the end of the day, he's increased property values, he's given a lot of people a lot of work, and he's given a whole lot of people a whole lot of cocktail talk."
So, at almost 37, the Yankees captain may ponder how long he'll play. But he won't have to worry about a roof over his head.
