CIEL Club changes focus to become conservation trustees

LTTravel · 12-01-2007, 10:01 AM

Interesting article on Helium Report about CIEL Club closing membership and going into conservationism?

I would think that the $1 million entry point with only six homes was a difficult selling point. All the bad press about real estate is probably hurting the DC industry somewhat, but I still believe it is far superior to owning a second home and still a bargain in some cases, but that is my opinion.

DC4MS · 12-01-2007, 04:48 PM

Basically here is what is happening:

CIEL is no longer actively seeking new members.

Current members can resign with 100% refund of their membership deposit.

The club will re-focus their members to serve as trustees for a conservation trust that will allow them to get access to large tracks of land/homes and also be able to take advantage of the tax benefits of owning a property with a conservation easement.

Here is the link to the Helium Report article

Ciel Turns Towards Land Conservation, Halts Member Acquisition | Helium Report - Luxury 2.0 Guides and Reviews

DC4MS · 12-01-2007, 05:15 PM

CIEL Club Historical Overview

-------------------------------------

J. Joe Ricketts, CEO created the CIEL Club for a small and exclusive group of only 100 members. Unlimited access, unparalled service, and unique experiences are at the core of the club. The properties average $10 million each.

Current properties include: Manhattan, Aspen, Snowmass, Cannes, Jackson Hole, and London.

Future locations include: St. Barts, Sydney, Thailand, Capetown, Bora Bora, Buenos Aires, Paris and Virginia Hunt.

Members will also have access to a chateau in France, a 151-foot luxury yacht called the Highlander, and a ranch in Colorado.

Joe Ricketts is also the founder and chairman of Ameritrade (NASDAQ: AMTD), one of the largest online brokerage in the world in number of online equity trades placed per day and is based in Omaha, Nebraska.

www.cielclub.com
866-904-2435

TravelGuy · 12-04-2007, 10:15 AM

Interesting that Ceil has stated their intention to continue purchasing large parcels of land for new homes WITHOUT the revenue from new members and IN SPITE OF the potential loss of member deposits. I've love to see the CF and Pro Forma to determine where their revenue is coming from.

Kagehitokiri · 06-25-2008, 11:46 PM

11/30/07 Ciel Turns Towards Land Conservation | Halogen Guides

Quote:

...acquiring larger tracks of land to be put into conservation trusts...

...members serve as trustees for a conservation trust, getting both access to large tracks of land and homes, as well as garnering the tax benefits of owning a home with a conservation easement.

Central to the plan said Harding is acquiring large tracts of land and developing homes for member use as well as setting aside much of the open space to protect against future building. Our members will be conservation trustees. They will still have access to homes but also have a private and pristine playground, said Harding.

...members will be able to take advantage of the tax benefits that go along with land conservations. It's a more financially complex from a tax point of view, said Harding. And while the final purchase vehicle still needs to be determined, one option could be fractional interests in a conservation easement. Harding said he thinks the move also reflects a greater interest among the wealthy in green issues and philanthropy.

June/July 2008 Private Wealth Magazine - The Power Of Green

Quote:

...Elizabeth Snyder, the philanthropic director at GenSpring Family Offices, a multifamily office with locations mainly along the East Coast...says that land trusts and conservation easements generate lots of interest among GenSpring’s clients. They want to protect a particular region where they live or take vacations, or they want to benefit a particular region of the country. Of course, the state and federal tax benefits of easements can make them a good option, too...

12-01-2007, 10:01 AM	#1
LTTravel Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,020 Club: ER, HCC Corporate, DHH Lite, Bud Lite (A few too many)	CIEL Club changes focus to become conservation trustees Interesting article on Helium Report about CIEL Club closing membership and going into conservationism? I would think that the $1 million entry point with only six homes was a difficult selling point. All the bad press about real estate is probably hurting the DC industry somewhat, but I still believe it is far superior to owning a second home and still a bargain in some cases, but that is my opinion.

12-01-2007, 04:48 PM	#2
DC4MS Administrator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,698 Club: DC4MS.com	Re: Ciel to Close? Basically here is what is happening: CIEL is no longer actively seeking new members. Current members can resign with 100% refund of their membership deposit. The club will re-focus their members to serve as trustees for a conservation trust that will allow them to get access to large tracks of land/homes and also be able to take advantage of the tax benefits of owning a property with a conservation easement. Here is the link to the Helium Report article Ciel Turns Towards Land Conservation, Halts Member Acquisition \| Helium Report - Luxury 2.0 Guides and Reviews

12-01-2007, 05:15 PM	#3
DC4MS Administrator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,698 Club: DC4MS.com	Re: CIEL Club changes focus to become conservation trustees CIEL Club Historical Overview ------------------------------------- J. Joe Ricketts, CEO created the CIEL Club for a small and exclusive group of only 100 members. Unlimited access, unparalled service, and unique experiences are at the core of the club. The properties average $10 million each. Current properties include: Manhattan, Aspen, Snowmass, Cannes, Jackson Hole, and London. Future locations include: St. Barts, Sydney, Thailand, Capetown, Bora Bora, Buenos Aires, Paris and Virginia Hunt. Members will also have access to a chateau in France, a 151-foot luxury yacht called the Highlander, and a ranch in Colorado. Joe Ricketts is also the founder and chairman of Ameritrade (NASDAQ: AMTD), one of the largest online brokerage in the world in number of online equity trades placed per day and is based in Omaha, Nebraska. www.cielclub.com 866-904-2435

12-04-2007, 10:15 AM	#4
TravelGuy Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 540 Club: High Country Club	Re: CIEL Club changes focus to become conservation trustees Interesting that Ceil has stated their intention to continue purchasing large parcels of land for new homes WITHOUT the revenue from new members and IN SPITE OF the potential loss of member deposits. I've love to see the CF and Pro Forma to determine where their revenue is coming from.

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