who owns grant's farm in st louis
Grant's Farm In November 2015, the St. Louis Zoo agreed to purchase Grant's Farm from six heirs of the beer baron, August A. "Gussie" Busch Jr. for about $30 million. The deal requires a city judge to back four of the Busch heirs to release the land from a trust. Area residents would also have to approve $8.5 million in added taxes to support yearly park operational costs. The deal would triple the land holdings of the zoo and allow the zoo to build a breeding facility for its endangered animals. The Busch family would remain owners of the family mansion for the time being. A-B InBev leases the land from the Busch family and has operated Grant's Farm since it bought Anheuser-Busch. A-B InBev agreed to donate about $27 million to the zoo to buy the Farm. One Busch heir, Billy Busch, made a competing offer and wants to keep the Farm in the family. Billy Busch owns William K. Busch Brewing Co. and wants to expand his brewery on the land.[3] In March 2016, the St. Louis Zoo Association withdrew its offer to buy Grant's Farm, citing the family's disagreement as one of the reasons.[4] In April 2016, the family dispute continued as Billy Busch outbid his siblings offer by $1. His bid would be $26,000,001 along with $8 million to purchase the family mansion.[5]