"Not Even a House, Yet 4 Billion Won?" ... Parents "Splurge" on Playrooms for Their Kids

How America's Wealthy Live

Customizing Homes for Children with Bowling Alleys, Spas and Fitness Facilities...
Leisure Facilities Sometimes Go Underused After Children Move Out of the House

Wealthy parents in the United States are spending hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars to install a range of recreational amenities in their homes for their children.

Photo unrelated to the specific content of the article. Pexels

On Nov. 9 local time, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on wealthy American families that have installed facilities such as game rooms and bowling alleys in their homes for their children to enjoy.

Jonathan Cooper, CEO of mining company Veruna Minerals, and his wife, Amy, spent about $3 million (about 4,034,400,000 won) renovating their home outside Denver, Colorado, in 2021. They created a recreational area of about 232 square meters in the basement and installed a snowmobile racing simulator and pinball machines. Last September, they also hosted a gathering for 28 of their daughter Chiara's friends.

Wealthy parents are setting up game rooms, screening rooms and karaoke rooms for their children, as well as fitness facilities and spas. An interior designer in Chicago said one client had budgeted $300,000 (about 400,200,000 won) for a karaoke room and wellness center for their children.

Jennifer Howard, who lives in North Carolina, spent about $100,000 (about 133,300,000 won) to build a bowling alley in her home. It has seven TVs and built-in seating. In 2023, the Howards also spent about $3 million (about 4,034,400,000 won) to build a vacation home in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Their 19-year-old daughter, Lily, a college student, has hosted a spring break party there and invited her sorority friends to stay over.

Photo unrelated to the specific content of the article. Pexels

Sometimes, spaces created for families are not used as much as expected. Norma Bradberg and her husband, who live in Florida, moved into a condominium with a space just for teenagers, equipped with video game consoles and arcade games, so they could spend time with their grandchildren. But when the grandchildren visited recently, they used the space only once. Norma said they enjoyed a fishing trip with her even more.

In some cases, the facilities built for children go unused after they grow up and leave home. Around 2020, Todd Migon and his wife, who live in Pinecrest, Florida, spent about $8 million (about 10,658,250,000 won) building a mansion for their three children. They installed a dance area, a playroom, pickleball and basketball courts, and even a custom-built wooden slide. But after their three children reached their 20s and moved away to places including Utah, San Francisco and Hawaii, the mansion became too large for the couple to live in alone.

The mansion is now on the market for $6.45 million (about 8,593,200,000 won). Todd plans to sell the house and buy one or two smaller homes, along with a boat and other amenities he can enjoy with his children.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.