World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Mysterious superyacht’s secret heiress owner unmasked after days of dominating LA harbor
The 281-foot superyacht Aquila, which has drawn attention during its stay in Marina del Rey, belongs to billionaire Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke, according to yacht industry website SuperYachtFan. Its identification has answered online speculation about who owns the enormous vessel and highlighted the scale of the wealth behind some of the harbour’s luxury craft.
Aquila is estimated to be worth $150 million, with annual operating costs of up to $15 million. VesselFinder lists the British-flagged yacht, built in 2010, as arriving on 14 October. Walton Kroenke inherited a stake in Walmart from her father, Bud Walton, and Forbes estimates her fortune at $14.8 billion. The article also notes that another recently discussed Marina del Rey superyacht, reportedly owned by author J.K. Rowling, is about 290 feet long.
In short
- Ann Walton Kroenke owns the 281-foot yacht Aquila.
- The yacht is estimated to be worth $150 million.
- Its reported annual running costs reach up to $15 million.
Explained simply
Aquila is a superyacht: a large, privately owned vessel used for leisure and travel. Its size and cost can attract public attention when it is moored in a busy harbour, even though details about its ownership may not be widely known.
Ann Walton Kroenke is an American billionaire and an heiress to Walmart, the retailer co-founded by her father, Bud Walton. Forbes estimates her wealth at $14.8 billion; the yacht industry website SuperYachtFan identifies her as Aquila’s owner.
Aquila was built in 2010 and is about 281 feet long. Estimates put its value at $150 million and its annual running costs at up to $15 million, figures that illustrate the scale of resources involved in owning and maintaining a vessel of this kind.