Misplaced Pages

#360639

73-402: In 2005, David Hill , the president of Fox Sports , left his role to assume the presidency of the satellite TV company DirecTV . Shortly after, he discovered competitive gaming, influenced by his grandchildren. Recognizing the potential of esports, Hill became an early participant in the industry. Drawing on his experience from Fox Sports, he understood the challenges broadcasters might face with

146-525: A Chicago Mansion apartment throughout his first year with the company. While Hefner vowed to "spend more time in Chicago" during meetings in the city following the controversial dismissal of Anthony Jackson (a recruiter then characterized as Playboy's highest-ranking Black executive) in August 1975, his few documented visits thereafter consisted of a November 1975 stay referenced in subsequent press reports,

219-476: A July 1976 trip centered around an awards luncheon for Elton John and a December 1978 holiday jaunt coinciding with one of the magazine's 25th anniversary parties. Although the complex had been put on sale for $ 2.3 million (equivalent to $ 12.3 million in 2024) by late 1976 (increased to $ 2.5 million [equivalent to $ 12.5 million in 2024] a year later), Hefner's apartment and office (including many of his remaining personal effects) remained virtually untouched during

292-523: A Randall business trip) "in an attempt to make it pay its way" as a profitable event facility. During a thwarted attempt to sell the property amid Playboy Enterprises' financial difficulties in July 1975, Senior Vice President Victor Lownes estimated that the publisher only spent three weeks at the Chicago Mansion (including several short business trips, a visit centered around Arnstein's funeral and

365-476: A bedroom. This bedroom is connected to another, which has an exit that leads outdoors to the game house's rear yard. This backyard has lounge chairs and gates on either side. In 2006, Hefner's former girlfriend, Izabella St. James , wrote in her memoir, Bunny Tales , that the house was in need of renovation: "Everything in the Mansion felt old and stale, and Archie the house dog would regularly relieve himself on

438-454: A brass plate on the door—gifted to Hefner by A. C. Spectorsky, the magazine's influential editorial director—with the Latin inscription Si Non Oscillas, Noli Tintinnare ("If you don't swing, don't ring"). An adjacent 20-room townhouse at 1336 North State Parkway (originally built with a connection to 1340 North State Parkway as a residence for Isham's daughter in 1914) was reincorporated into

511-538: A chairman of National Geographic Channels . He served as an executive producer of the American version of The X Factor and the fifteenth season of American Idol . He along with Reginald Hudlin were chosen to produce the 88th Academy Awards after the end of a third term deal with previous producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron . Hill won an Outstanding Live Sports Special award at 33rd Sports Emmys for producing 2011 World Series . In 2017 he received

584-534: A culture where players prioritized individual interests, forming teams for assured victories and attending events selectively based on profitability. Moreover, the CGS's impact extended to competing companies, particularly if their flagship game was part of CGS and represented a substantial competitive threat. Elite-level talent from these organizations couldn't participate, leaving second-tier teams outside CGS with less thrilling victories and reduced prize funds. Additionally,

657-419: A game room with a pool table in the center. This room has vintage and modern arcade games , pinball machines , player piano , jukebox , television, stereo, and couch. The game house has two wings. On the left is a room with a television and a soft-cushioned floor that is surrounded by wall-to-wall mirrors. There is a restroom with a shower. The right wing of the game house has a smaller restroom and entrance to

730-551: A height of 50 staff members during the facility's heyday) and primarily opened thereafter to the public for "occasional charity benefits and business functions" following the concomitant closure of the Bunny dormitory, which had only six remaining residents in the months following the Arnstein affair. During this period, Derick Daniels (who served as president and chief operating officer of Playboy Enterprises from 1976 to 1982) lived in

803-463: A long period of deferred maintenance while under Playboy ownership." Under the permanent protection covenant, Metropoulos has further agreed to restore the house and facade to "its original grandeur." The compromise agreement reversed a move in November 2017 by Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz to seek landmark status for the mansion in the hope of protecting the architectural integrity of

SECTION 10

#1732773270361

876-518: A metric that dwindled to 55% (6.6 months) in 1973 and 40% (4.8 months) in 1974. Although Playboy Enterprises remained headquartered in Chicago until 2012, Hefner designated the Mansion West as his full-time residence in 1975 following the criminal conviction and ensuing apparent suicide of Bobbie Arnstein, the culmination of an "investigation of drug use in Hefner's mansion" by U.S. Attorney for

949-488: A middling bowler) was constructed in the annex's basement; following nearly two years of "planning, remodeling, and building," the alley opened in July 1972. From 1971 to 1975, Hefner divided his time between the Chicago Mansion and the Playboy Mansion West. According to a 1979 U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission decision, the publisher spent 71% of his time (8.5 months) at the Chicago Mansion in 1972,

1022-533: A nearby Los Angeles soundstage. Each of these players would receive a starting salary of $ 30,000, covering the duration of the two-month shoot in Los Angeles. In addition to the salaries, a reported $ 5 million in prize money was available in the first year. This encompassed payouts for promotional events, global qualifiers, and the World Championships scheduled for December. The inaugural season of

1095-521: A similar stay for a May 1975 backgammon tournament ) during the previous year. “After [Arnstein] died, there really wasn’t a lot of reason for going back [to the Chicago Mansion]," Hefner recalled in 2009. “There really wasn’t anything left for me there.” Unbeknownst to the public at the time, the decision to officially "mothball" the Chicago Mansion in September 1975 also coincided with

1168-598: A six-car garage, exercise/game room, large ballroom and restaurant-type kitchen, the residence contained a top-floor dormitory for Bunnies employed at the Chicago Playboy Club and 13 discrete apartments and furnished rooms (most notably the luxurious Blue Room and Red Room guest suites, which shared a common bathroom) that were variously occupied by several employees and friends of Hefner; these ranged from Playmates completing protracted photo shoots to peripatetic cartoonist-songwriter Shel Silverstein (who lived in

1241-511: A substantial increase (from $ 7,800 to $ 36,000 per year) in the fair rental value of the publisher's Chicago accommodations—likely in anticipation of 1978 disputes with the Internal Revenue Service and a shareholder group concerning Hefner's potential embezzlement of corporate assets through the Mansion lease agreements—prompting the publisher to only renew his Playboy Mansion West lease thereafter. The contemporaneous sale of

1314-432: A tennis/basketball court, a waterfall and a swimming pool area (including a patio and barbecue area, a grotto , and a basement gym with sauna below the bathhouse ). Landscaping includes a large koi pond with an artificial stream, a small citrus orchard and two well-established forests of tree ferns and redwoods. The west wing (originally a servant's wing) housed the editorial offices of Playboy . The main aviary building

1387-551: Is an Australian-born American executive producer who served as the president of Fox Sports from 1993 to 2000, and as a senior EVP of 21st Century Fox for twenty-four years. After starting out at the Sydney Daily Telegraph and then working at Nine Network , he was hired by Rupert Murdoch 's 21st Century Fox in 1988 to help launch Sky Television and then Eurosport . In 1990, he took over BSkyB sports channel and created Sky Sports in 1991. He then led

1460-406: Is the original greenhouse with four guest rooms adjoining. Hefner's personal suite occupies several rooms on the second and third floors, and is the most heavily renovated area of the building proper, with an extensive carved-oak decor dating to the 1970s. Otherwise, the mansion proper is maintained in its original Gothic-revival furnishings for the most part. The pipe organ was extensively restored in

1533-708: The Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame . In 2014 he was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame . Playboy Mansion The Playboy Mansion , also known as the Playboy Mansion West , is the former home of Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner , who lived there from 1971 until his death in 2017. Barbi Benton convinced Hefner to buy

SECTION 20

#1732773270361

1606-671: The worst recessions in decades , the CGS announced in November 2008 that it would be shutting down. The presence of the CGS had significant consequences for the esports landscape, with games unprepared for professional tiers facing dissolution. In the case of Counter-Strike: Source , a number of players chose to stop competing in the game, contributing to a noticeable gap between professional and amateur players. Amateur organizations also felt pressured to provide salaries that were unsustainable, akin to those offered by CGS, in order to attract talent. This, especially in North America, led to

1679-611: The Art Institute when the agreement lapsed in 1989. In 1993, the Chicago Mansion was sold to developer Bruce Abrams and converted into seven high-price luxury condos . In 2011, one 7,874 sq ft (731.5 m ) condominium was placed for sale at an asking price of $ 6.7 million. According to Playboy Enterprises' SEC filings , Hefner paid Playboy rent for "that portion of the Playboy Mansion used exclusively for him and his personal guests' residence as well as

1752-515: The Big Bunny (the company's McDonnell Douglas DC-9 business jet , which was almost exclusively employed for commutation purposes by Hefner and his immediate entourage after 1970) also rendered his previous lifestyle untenable due to his disdain of commercial aviation . Beginning in the summer of 1975, the Chicago Mansion was maintained with a "skeleton staff" of approximately 12 security and maintenance employees (having previously burgeoned to

1825-463: The Bunny House was listed for sale for the asking price of $ 11 million. In September 2017, the property was sold to an unidentified buyer for $ 17.25 million. In January 2016, the Playboy Mansion was listed for sale by Playboy Enterprises, Inc. for the asking price of $ 200 million, subject to the condition Hefner be allowed to continue to rent the mansion for life. In August 2016,

1898-490: The CGS adjusted contractual agreements to incorporate "Limited Exclusivity," allowing teams to attend other events with express written permission. However, certain conditions applied, including wearing CGS jerseys, utilizing CGS players or approved substitutes (taxi players), and promoting CGS in media appearances. In July 2006, a pilot episode called the Championship Gaming Invitational (CGI)

1971-673: The CGS reportedly garnered a viewership of 50 million, with 90% of viewers coming from Asia. The three regional finals were hosted in Los Angeles, London, and Kuala Lumpur. The World Championships in December, which also took place in Los Angeles, were won by the Chicago Chimera. The CGS expanded for its second season expansion by introducing teams in Kuala Lumpur and Dubai. The league had also aimed to bring established European teams like SK Gaming and Fnatic on board, but

2044-481: The CGS was originally planned to be pre-taped, as was done in the previous pilot events. However, that plan was changed, and the entire season was filmed live. The first season was broadcast on DirecTV beginning on July 9, 2007, with two-hour episodes running twice weekly. The matches took place at a movie sound stage in Manhattan Beach , with an audience of around 200 people. The 2008 North American matches and

2117-775: The Carolina Core, Chicago Chimera, Dallas Venom, San Francisco Optx, were run by general managers of other existing Counter-Strike teams. The inaugural season's draft took place at the Playboy Mansion in San Francisco in June 2007, where each of the six teams selected ten players to participate in the CGS: one six-person Counter-Strike squad, one male and one female Dead or Alive 4 player, one Project Gotham Racing 3 player, and one FIFA 07 player. The first pick of

2190-618: The Celebrity Poker Tournament, a fundraising party for the Marijuana Policy Project , and an event to benefit research into autism. In February 2011, 123 people complained of fever and respiratory illness after attending a DomainFest Global conference event held at the Playboy Mansion. After an investigation in response to the reported illnesses of the DomainFest attendees, epidemiologists from

2263-563: The Chicago Mansion—from a methaqualone overdose. Hefner's use of the Chicago Mansion had already declined precipitously following his March 1974 breakup with Playmate Karen Christy , who had been domiciled there as his primary companion in the city (Barbi Benton seldom visited Chicago after the acquisition of the Mansion West) since 1971. Attorneys also had likely advised Hefner to keep a professional distance from Arnstein (who

Championship Gaming Series - Misplaced Pages Continue

2336-468: The City of Los Angeles which permanently protects the mansion from demolition. The agreement between Metropoulos and the City of Los Angeles, referred to between the parties as a "permanent protection covenant," is binding on all future owners. The agreement protects the mansion from demolition, but still allows Metropoulos to make modernizations and substantial renovations and repairs to the property "following

2409-543: The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health disclosed their findings at a Centers for Disease Control conference. The disease outbreak was traced to a hot tub in the mansion's famed grotto, where they found Legionella pneumophila , which causes Legionnaires' disease . The 2022 A&E documentary series Secrets of Playboy featured interviews with former Playboy employees who alleged numerous acts of sexual and drug abuse took place at

2482-401: The Mansion was modeled as a more conservative household. The mansion next door is a mirror image of the Playboy Mansion layout, only smaller, and was purchased by Hefner in 1996, which would eventually serve as the home for Conrad and their children, Marston and Cooper, when she and Hefner separated. Hefner and Conrad married in 1989 and separated in 1998. In March 2009, Hefner and Conrad put

2555-664: The Northern District of Illinois (and future Governor of Illinois ) James R. Thompson that attracted significant publicity after Arnstein's March 21, 1974 indictment. Arnstein's apparent suicide (which occurred at the Maryland Hotel, situated in the immediate vicinity of the Chicago Mansion) followed the high-profile September 1973 death of Adrienne Pollack—a 23-year-old Bunny and former dormitory resident who may have been involved in drug trafficking at

2628-411: The Playboy Mansion was bought for $ 100 million by Daren Metropoulos, the co-owner of Hostess Brands and a principal in the investment firm C. Dean Metropoulos & Co. Metropoulos intends to renovate and restore the mansion to its original form. In 2009, Metropoulos bought the mansion next door to the Playboy Mansion from Hefner and his ex-wife Kimberly Conrad, and ultimately now wants to join

2701-564: The Red Room during extended stays in his hometown) and longtime Hefner aide Bobbie Arnstein. Located on the second floor of the building, Hefner's personal suite (containing a three-room apartment and bathroom) was prominently connected to the Roman Bath, an "elaborate bathing/sleeping area" designed for marathon group sex sessions that almost always encompassed Hefner, longtime friend/roommate John Dante and their respective paramours; by

2774-590: The United States. The American teams were given names associated with major cities and regions: New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Carolina, Chicago, and San Francisco. However, these designations primarily served to mimic the structure of traditional professional sports leagues, and none of the players physically relocate to those cities. Both CompLexity and Team 3D were sold to DirecTV, rebranding to Los Angeles CompLexity and New York 3D, respectively, and were run by their existing general managers. The four other teams,

2847-420: The challenges faced by CGS affected the perception of esports on television among potential outside investors. Despite the aspiration to showcase esports on television and garner mainstream attention, the struggles of CGS portrayed esports as unprepared and labeled it a risky venture that fell short of budgeted expectations. Before the start of the season, the CGS holds scouting combines in various cities around

2920-415: The complex in 1970; acquired in cash for $ 550,000 (equivalent to $ 4.3 million in 2024), it contained a board room, ancillary offices and bedrooms (including an addition to the Bunny dormitory, which could now accommodate up to 30 boarders); a single-lane bowling alley (possibly built for Christie Hefner and featuring a gold-plated ball for the elder Hefner, who largely eschewed the sport after proving to be

2993-515: The core esports audience for support and embarked on a recruitment campaign to attract well-known figures. Exclusivity was crucial to maintain the value of CGS, requiring players to commit exclusively to the league. Initially, the CGS aimed for complete exclusivity, but some team owners voiced concerns privately, expressing that this approach could restrict their earnings and potential sponsorship deals. Some franchises desired participation in local events for market exposure, and while CGS had reservations,

Championship Gaming Series - Misplaced Pages Continue

3066-599: The draft was female Dead or Alive 4 player Vanessa Arteaga , who was selected by San Francisco. In regards to the Counter-Strike picks, both Los Angeles and New York selected their respective squads, Dallas selected JaX Money Crew , Carolina selected Team Pandemic, Chicago selected Evil Geniuses , and San Francisco selected EFGaming . The sixty players selected in the draft would reside in corporate housing in Marina del Rey for two months while filming season one on

3139-453: The early 1970s, it contained "baroque gold spigots and faucets that sprayed and showered" alongside "a tub with chest-high water" and a mirrored alcove with a mink -covered waterbed . Hefner's suite also was connected to three additional rooms that were employed as the publisher's nominal office (notwithstanding his oft-publicized penchant for working in his bedroom's metonymous round rotating/vibrating bed). The Chicago Mansion also boasted

3212-524: The ensuing interregnum. When no buyers manifested, the main building was leased for $ 10 per year as a dormitory (under the imprimatur of Hefner Hall) for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in August 1984; as part of the agreement, the School purchased 1336 North State Parkway outright for $ 500,000 (equivalent to $ 1.5 million in 2024), while Playboy Enterprises formally deeded 1340 North State Parkway to

3285-399: The estate for what he called "an excellent example of a Gothic-Tudor." If designated a historic landmark, Metropoulos would have faced a lengthy process for permitting and review for the rehabilitation of the property. The permanent protection covenant avoided a potentially drawn out and contentious legal action between the City of Los Angeles and Metropoulos for the City of Los Angeles seeking

3358-553: The formal designation of the mansion as a historic landmark. The original Playboy Mansion was a 54-room 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m ) classical brick and limestone residence in Chicago 's Gold Coast district at 1340 North State Parkway which had been built in 1899 (or 1903) for $ 100,000 (equivalent to $ 3.07 million in 2024). Its original owner was Dr. George Swift Isham, a prominent surgeon whose social circle included Theodore Roosevelt and Robert Peary . The building

3431-430: The hallway curtains, adding a powerful whiff of urine to the general scent of decay." She also observed: "Each bedroom had mismatched, random pieces of furniture. It was as if someone had gone to a charity shop and bought the basics for each room", and that: "The mattresses on our beds were disgusting – old, worn and stained. The sheets were past their best, too." During the time of Hefner's marriage to Kimberly Conrad ,

3504-751: The high costs involved led these teams to maintain their independence. The league made two changes to the games that were played, which included FIFA 07 updating to FIFA 08 and Project Gotham Racing 3 changing to Forza Motorsport 2 . The 2008 draft took place at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, in March 2008. The same month, CNET reported that the CGS was building a 1,000-seat arena and training facility that would be used exclusively for matches in Wuhan, China. The CGS reported that 2 million viewers watched its second season on DirecTV. The World Final Championship

3577-568: The home located in Holmby Hills , Los Angeles , California , near Beverly Hills . From the 1970s onward, the mansion became the location of lavish parties held by Hefner which were often attended by celebrities and socialites. It is currently owned by Daren Metropoulos, the son of billionaire investor Dean Metropoulos , and is used for corporate activities. It also serves as a location for television production, magazine photography, charitable events, and civic functions. Hefner established

3650-425: The last decade. There is also an outdoor kitchen to serve party events. These features and others have been shown on television. The game room (game house) is a separate building on the north side. There are two sidewalks from the fountain in front of the main entrance, running past a wishing well. That on the right leads to the game house and runs past a duplicate Hollywood Star of Hefner. Its front entrance opens to

3723-411: The league ultimately chose to include it to enhance legitimacy. Despite Counter-Strike being a more popular esports title, they opted for its sequel Counter-Strike: Source , due to its more contemporary graphics. The inaugural CGS season showcased franchises from six major American cities, with teams from other global regions qualifying through tournaments rather than a structured league format as in

SECTION 50

#1732773270361

3796-500: The mansion during Hefner's lifetime. Before the first episode of the documentary series aired on January 24, 2022, Playboy released a statement which dissociated itself from Hefner. On June 21, 2022, a California civil trial jury found that comedian Bill Cosby sexually assaulted 16-year-old Judith Huth at the Playboy Mansion in 1975. In response to Sondra Theodore 's later claim that Hefner manipulated her into an orgy and hosted prostitution sex parties known as "Pig Nights" during

3869-536: The mansion, which was then redeveloped for luxury condominiums. Following Hefner's death in 2017, allegations of drug and sexual abuse began to emerge at the Playboy Mansion during Hefner's lifetime. The 21,987-square-foot (2,042.7 m ) house is described as being in the " Gothic - Tudor " style of architecture by Forbes magazine, and sits on 5.3 acres (2.1 ha). It was designed by Arthur R. Kelly in 1927 as Holmby House for Arthur Letts Jr., son of The Broadway department store founder Arthur Letts . It

3942-512: The mayor, attended the opening of the Playboy Club and was a frequent guest at the parties and so was Jerry Brown , the governor.” According to Hefner friend and fellow pornographer Suze Randall , the Chicago Mansion "had for some time been hired out for large business meetings" (such as a January 1975 convention for the Texas food industry that coincided with Arnstein's apparent suicide and

4015-604: The next decade). Additionally, the December 1974 resignation of Robert J. Adelman (then chairman of the Rubloff Company , an influential Chicago real estate conglomerate) from Playboy Enterprises's board in the aftermath of the Arnstein conviction appears to have further estranged Hefner from the local business community, which was long circumspect of his lifestyle. "Things were very different here [in Los Angeles] from Chicago," Hefner later recalled. " Tom Bradley ,

4088-665: The northwestern corner of the Los Angeles Country Club , near the University of California, Los Angeles and the Bel-Air Country Club . Following the company's acquisition of the property, $ 15 million was invested in renovation and expansion. The mansion has 29 rooms, including a wine cellar (with a Prohibition -era secret door), a screening room with a built-in pipe organ , a game room, three zoo/ aviary buildings (and related pet cemetery),

4161-408: The original Playboy Mansion in 1959. It was a brick and limestone residence in Chicago's Gold Coast , which had been built in 1899. Hefner had founded Playboy in Chicago in 1953. After he permanently relocated to California in 1975, his company eventually let the mansion for a nominal rent to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and then donated it to the school outright. The school later sold

4234-509: The per-unit value of non-business meals, beverages and other benefits received by him and his personal guests". This amount was $ 1.3 million in 2002, $ 1.4 million in 2003, and $ 1.3 million in 2004. Playboy paid for the Mansion's operating expenses (including depreciation and taxes), which were $ 3.6 million in 2002, $ 2.3 million in 2003, and $ 3.0 million in 2004, net of rent received from Hefner. The Playboy Mansion has hosted charity events, including Karma Foundation,

4307-426: The property up for sale for the asking price of $ 28 million. In August 2009, the property was purchased by Daren Metropoulos for $ 18 million. In 2002, Hefner purchased a house across and down the street from the mansion for use by Playmates and other guests who would prefer to stay further from the busy activity of the Mansion proper. That residence was commonly referred to as the Bunny House. In April 2013,

4380-516: The rising popularity of esports, particularly concerning bidding wars for broadcasting rights. When conceptualizing what eventually became the Championship Gaming Series, Hill wanted DirecTV to secure ownership of the broadcasting rights for the league. Hill secured over US$ 50 million from News Corporation , associated with Rupert Murdoch , to finance the new venture for a period of five years. The CGS initially targeted

4453-527: The startup of Fox Sports and NFL on Fox in 1993 when the network won National Football League TV broadcasting rights , and introduced many new concepts including the FoxBox (a form of score bug), the 1st & Ten virtual first down line and making the broadcasts more entertaining. He left the Fox Group in June 2015 to open his own production company that focused on live TV events. In 2014 Hill became

SECTION 60

#1732773270361

4526-507: The time she lived at the Playboy Mansion, a spokesperson for Playboy issued a statement to Fox News Digital in August 2022 saying that "Today's Playboy is not Hugh Hefner's Playboy," and that "We trust and validate these women and their stories, and we strongly support those individuals who have come forward to share their experiences. As a brand with sex positivity at its core, we believe safety, security and accountability are paramount." Soon afterwards, renowned Playmate Jenny McCarthy , who

4599-566: The two properties. The Playboy Mansion and the mansion next door owned by Metropoulos were both designed by American architect Arthur R. Kelly and each estate has a common boundary with the Los Angeles Country Club. In May 2016, Eugena Washington was the last Playmate of the Year to be announced by Hefner at the Playboy Mansion. In March 2018, Daren Metropoulos, the owner of the Playboy Mansion, entered into an agreement with

4672-566: The world tournament took place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica . Tickets were free and were distributed by Jam Packed Entertainment. Commentators on the broadcasts included Paul "ReDeYe" Chaloner , Marcus "djWHEAT" Graham , and Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel . Hosts throughout the years included DJ Stryker , Tommy Tallarico , and Andrew Siciliano . Source: David Hill (producer) David Hill (born May 21, 1946)

4745-429: The world. Based on the results of the combines, the general managers then meet and draft players to participate in the league. Combines are open to all comers. In 2008, leagues could protect players in two of the five events; everyone else is put into the draft pool and can go to any team. Points are awarded for each event as follows: No bonus points are awarded to any team for winning an event. The first season of

4818-440: Was acquired by Playboy Enterprises (as with the earlier Chicago Mansion, Hefner nominally rented his living accommodations from the company, which also designated the homes as promotional facilities) in 1971 for $ 1.05 million (equivalent to $ 8.2 million in 2024). Its previous owner was Louis D. Statham (1908–1983), an engineer, inventor and chess aficionado. In early 2011, it was valued at $ 54 million. It sits close to

4891-576: Was affiliated with Playboy in later time in 1993 and 1994, claimed to Fox News that she did not experience the claims described in Secrets of Playboy and that the mansion had become "almost like Catholic school" by the time she was living there, but also did not speak out against the claims made by the Secrets Of Playboy accusers, stating "I think I went in there in a window of time that was kind of safe, but hearing some of these girls' stories

4964-420: Was designed by architect James Gamble Rogers , best known for his work at Yale University and Columbia University . In December 1959, the building was acquired by Playboy Enterprises in a $ 370,000 (equivalent to $ 3.9 million in 2024) cash transaction. The Chicago Mansion's basement, renovated upon occupancy as Hefner's original "grotto", had a swimming pool with a glass wall and attached bar. In addition to

5037-483: Was held in June 2008 and was won by the United Kingdom's Birmingham Salvos. In August 2008, Andy Reif was replaced as commissioner with Dale Hopkins, the former chief operating officer of G4 . The substantial growth of the league in its second season consumed a significant portion of DirecTV's initial $ 50 million commitment. Coinciding with a challenging economic climate as the global economy approached one of

5110-439: Was in the early stages of preparing to move to Los Angeles—under the stipulation of not residing at the Playboy Mansion West as a condition of maintaining her role with the company—at the time of her death) for the duration of her legal proceedings, prompting him to spend even more of his time at the Mansion West after August 1974 (as inferred from the dates of newspapers that remained in Hefner's Chicago Mansion apartment for much of

5183-407: Was really rough." In 2024, Hefner's widow Crystal would publish a memoir backing allegations that the Mansion was an environment of sexual abuse, and also describing it as a place where she felt "imprisoned." Crystal also told The Guardian that "Hef was on the extreme side of narcissism" and "I had to play mind games to survive." A house inspired by the Playboy Mansion makes an appearance in

5256-945: Was sold to Liberty Media . DirecTV then partnered with Britain's British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB) and China's Star TV and secured sponsorships with Mountain Dew and Alienware . To replace Hill, Andy Reif, who had formerly worked with AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour and Paramount Pictures , was brought on to the league's CEO and commissioner. In determining the gaming titles for the league, CGS aimed to secure exclusive broadcasting rights by collaborating with game publishers. The league prioritized titles with modern graphics and, for its inaugural season, selected fighting game Dead or Alive 4 , soccer simulator FIFA 2007 and racing simulator Project Gotham Racing 3 in their first season. The league also debated on whether or not to have Counter-Strike as one of their games, considering its potentially violent and disorienting nature for viewers. However,

5329-668: Was taped at Treasure Island in San Francisco, California. A second CGI then took place in Santa Monica, California, on December 16, 2006. On January 8, 2007, at the International Consumer Electronics Show , DirecTV announced the official launch of the Championship Gaming Series. The first season was to be broadcast from July to December. The league immediately faced setbacks, as in March 2007, Hill returned to Fox after News Corp's stake in DirecTV

#360639