In the world of sports entertainment, no name is more prominent or recognizable than Hulk Hogan. Over his 30+ year career in wrestling, Hogan has become one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world. His persona, famous red and yellow ring gear, and many trademark sayings such as “whatcha gonna do brother” have delighted and entertained millions of fans.

Hogan’s influence on wrestling is unquestionable, he brought a worldwide audience to the business and made the global event of WrestleMania legendary. His contribution to what today is a billion-dollar industry cannot be understated. With his unmatched draw in event ticket sales and some of the highest merchandise sales in WWE history, it seems that everyone wants a piece of Hulkamania.

When Hogan originally listed his exquisite celebrity estate at 130 Willadel Drive in Belleair, Florida for $25 million in 2006, no one expected the US real estate market to suffer a housing crisis and come crashing down. Unsold and re-listed since then, the estate is currently still listed for sale at $8.87 million (Update: Sold on April 17, 2012 for $6,200,000).

Showcased on the hit VH1 realty TV show “Hogan Knows Best” from 2005 to 2007, this majestic gated property offered Hulk Hogan and his family of then-wife Linda Hogan, daughter Brooke Hogan, and son Nick Hogan an unprecedented 17,145 square feet of liveability.

After body slamming Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III in front of 93,173 screaming fans at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1987, Hulk Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, purchased the 130 Willadel Drive property for $2 million in 1992 with plans of building a permanent residence for his family.

The luxury estate property is located in the exclusive Belleair area, north of St. Petersburg and west of Tampa, Florida. When Hogan originally purchased the property in 1992, he had the existing structure demolished and cleared. The next four years were spent constructing a grand European-inspired estate with German influence. Construction of the estate was completed in 1996. The estate Hogan created enthralls a welcoming pathway to the cobblestone entrance of the opulent custom-built home.

During Hulk Hogan’s 12-time World Heavyweight Championship career in Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Ted Turner’s defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the wrestling superstar battled the likes of “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, “The Icon” Sting, and the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage – earning “Hulkamania” a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2005.

Today, Hulk Hogan is back in the wrestling business, working side-by-side with TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter for the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. He can be seen on the company’s flagship program “IMPACT Wrestling” every Thursday night on Spike TV. Hogan also manages Micro Championship Wrestling (MCW) on truTV every week.

What made Hulk Hogan want to get back into the professional wrestling entertainment business again, full-time?

There are many contributing factors. Was it the much televised and bitter divorce from former wife Linda Hogan? Or was it the US recession that deeply affected the luxury housing market in Florida which caused Hogan to reduce the price of this multi-million dollar home several times?

The answer is probably both, but the fact that the median price of the 88 homes sold in Bellair, Florida over the past 12 months was $181,400 (Blockshopper.com) probably illustrates the point very well.

Originally listed for $25 million dollars in 2006. The home was re-listed three years later with a 45% price cut, down to $13.9 million after being taken off the market during his divorce proceedings in early 2009.

The luxury Belleair estate features a waterfront pool with a two-tier waterfall set on a flagstone terrace overlooking stunning views of Sand Key and Clearwater Beach. In December 2010, Hogan married his current wife, Jennifer McDaniel at his home.

Built with detailed architectural features and obvious craftsmanship, Hogan’s custom built home also has views of the world renowned Intracoastal Waterway and Clearwater Pass to the Gulf of Mexico.

The seventeen thousand square foot home includes a guest apartment and boat house to facilitate a comfortable luxury lifestyle. The estate features over 1.5 acres of manicured landscaping with century oaks and a gentle rolling lawn that leads to the property’s private beachfront with a dock that has two boat lifts and parking with a lift for jet skis and a boathouse.

With a warm and comforting environment, this home provides a wonderful gourmet kitchen with an adjoining butler’s pantry. The kitchen offers an accommodating breakfast bar, high exposed wood beam ceiling, and spacious layout.

Adjoining the spacious kitchen is the dining area. This design gives the home owner and visitors a comfortable restaurant style dining area, away from the chef’s area of cooking and meal preparation.

This one-of-a-kind manor home, with its many architectural details, is patterned after the look of northern Bavarian country homes. The spacious environment of the estate endows the ample living areas with a comfortable feel that would be ideal for a variety of homeowners. Each room was designed to feel open with an inspiring style of luxury country living in the unlikely location of Florida, which makes this estate truly unique for its location.

Fireplaces are a common feature found inside the home of wrestling’s most famous superstar, Hulk Hogan, who also starred in several Hollywood films, including Rocky III in 1982 as the infamous “Thunderlips” character against “Rocky Balboa,” played by Sylvester Stallone.

Two lavish bedroom suites and a large private exercise room with an adjoining glass enclosed spa to relax after working out is also included in this celebrity home. With the size of the estate you would expect a large master bedroom, and you get one. The incredible two-level master suite features an extraordinarily large living area of its own. Private spare rooms are included as part of the oversized master suite. A grand and luxurious master ensuite bathroom, with separate his and her baths, is also included in the master suite.

This 17,145 square foot celebrity estate comes with an abundance of space that includes a four-bedroom guest apartment located over the four-car garage and even a two-room playhouse. Located on an exclusive tree lined street in the residential town of Belleair, this exquisite home owned by television personality Hulk Hogan is a European country-style luxury showpiece for the state of Florida. Day or night, this luxury home at 130 Willadel Drive in Belleair, Florida glistens with beauty for the artistically inclined buyer who appreciates antique-inspired architecture and design. The many levels of expression this home offers, from its majestic exterior exotic feel with its surrounding treed and landscaping lot, to the interior warmth and country-style comfort, along with a marvelous pool, all take advantage of the stunning waterfront with Intracoastal Waterway and Clearwater Pass views, making this home one of the true gems in today’s Florida luxury real estate market.

Update:

@ThePinnacleList this is not my home anymore and I have no idea what type of condition it is in. HH — Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) September 19, 2013

This property was for sale at $8,871,527 as of October 15, 2011 when this article was published. It was originally listed for sale at $25,000,000 in June 2006, taken off the market in early 2009, re-listed on August 28, 2009 for $13,900,000 and removed again on August 6, 2012 with a selling price of $8,871,527. The property was sold on April 17, 2012 for $6,200,000 and is no longer owned by Hulk Hogan.