You’ve probably seen the documentary. Or maybe you caught the Broadway musical updates. Either way, if you live in Florida or follow the world of "too much is never enough" real estate, you know about the Versailles house David Siegel started building over two decades ago. It’s a 90,000-square-foot behemoth sitting on a peninsula in Windermere, Florida. It is, quite literally, one of the largest single-family homes in the United States.
But here’s the thing: it’s 2026, and the house still feels like a ghost of the Gilded Age that refuses to be finished.
David Siegel, the billionaire founder of Westgate Resorts, passed away in April 2025 at the age of 89. He left behind a legacy of timeshare dominance and a half-finished dream that has survived a global recession, family tragedy, and even a $10 million hit from Hurricane Ian. Now, his wife Jackie Siegel—the "Queen of Versailles"—is the one holding the blueprints. Honestly, it’s a saga that feels less like a real estate project and more like a test of human endurance.
What’s Actually Inside the Versailles House?
People get the numbers wrong all the time. Is it 13 bedrooms? 14? Depending on which floor plan you look at, the specs shift because the Siegels kept changing their minds. Basically, the home is modeled after the Palace of Versailles in France, but with a weird, modern twist that only a timeshare mogul could dream up.
We’re talking about a main bedroom suite that’s 6,000 square feet. That’s three times the size of an average American home just for one bedroom.
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Then you’ve got the kitchens. There are 10 of them. Why? Because when you live in a house this big, you don’t want to walk a football field’s length just to get a glass of milk at 2 AM. There’s a commercial kitchen for catering, a family kitchen, and "satellite" kitchens scattered throughout the wings.
The Absurd Amenities
- A ballroom that can fit 500 to 1,000 people.
- A British-style pub because, well, why not?
- A 35-car garage for a fleet that most people only see in movies.
- A bowling alley and a roller-skating rink.
- A two-story movie theater inspired by the Palais Garnier in Paris.
- Three indoor pools and two outdoor ones.
It sounds like a resort because it basically is one. David Siegel spent $4 million just on the doors and windows. They used some of the last legal Brazilian mahogany in existence before the trade was banned. The exterior is wrapped in Pavonazzo marble. It’s the kind of opulence that makes you blink twice.
Why Has It Taken Over 20 Years?
Construction started in 2004. You’d think a billionaire could finish a house in five years, tops. But the 2008 financial crisis hit Westgate Resorts hard. David almost lost everything. For years, the Versailles house David Siegel loved sat as an empty concrete shell. It became a local curiosity, a "McMansion" on steroids that sat rotting in the Florida humidity.
Then came the personal hits. In 2015, the couple’s 18-year-old daughter, Victoria, died of an overdose. The project stalled again. Jackie later said she wanted to finish the house in Victoria’s memory, but every time they got close, something else happened.
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Hurricane Ian in 2022 was a massive setback. It ripped through the unfinished roof, caved in ceilings, and caused $10 million in damage. Imagine spending decades on a house only to have Mother Nature dump a lake into your ballroom.
The Reality of Owning a 90,000-Square-Foot Money Pit
Building a house this big isn't just about the initial cost, which is estimated to be well over $100 million at this point. It’s the maintenance. The property taxes alone are roughly $65,000 a year, and that’s for a house that isn't even done yet.
Jackie has been giving updates on social media recently, showing off gold-leaf ceilings and massive crystal chandeliers. In early 2025, she claimed they were "getting closer." But if you look at the background of those videos, you still see scaffolding. You see tarps.
It’s a project that is constantly under renovation while it’s still under construction. The marble on the outside started falling off because it sat for so long. The ironwork rusted.
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David Siegel's Passing and the Future
With David gone, many wondered if Jackie would just sell it. But she seems determined. She’s turned the story of the house into a brand—TV shows, a Broadway musical starring Kristin Chenoweth, and endless interviews. The house is no longer just a place to live; it's a monument to the Siegel family's resilience (and their appetite for excess).
What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of people think the house is just a hollow shell. It’s not. Most of the heavy lifting—the structural work, the massive $500,000 stained glass dome—is done. The delay now is mostly about the "finishing touches." But when your finishing touches involve hand-carved stone and rare gems, "soon" could mean another three years.
Another misconception is that they are broke. They aren't. Westgate Resorts rebounded massively after 2010. David Siegel bought the Las Vegas Hilton and renamed it Westgate Las Vegas. Money isn't the hurdle anymore; it's the sheer scale of the task.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you’re following the Versailles house David Siegel story, here is what you need to keep an eye on:
- The Documentary vs. Reality: Watch The Queen of Versailles (2012) to see the fall, but then find the 2022 series Queen of Versailles Reigns Again to see the comeback. The shift in tone is wild.
- Philanthropy: Jackie has stated she wants to use the finished mansion for charity events, specifically focusing on drug addiction awareness. This might be the house's ultimate "purpose."
- Real Estate Value: Don't expect this to hit the market for $100 million and sell instantly. A 90,000-square-foot home has a very limited pool of buyers. It’s more likely to remain a family legacy or a private event space.
The story of the Siegel mansion is a reminder that even for the ultra-wealthy, the "dream home" can become a bit of a nightmare if the timing isn't right. It’s a fascinating, messy, and very human tale of ambition that outpaced the reality of the world. Whether it ever gets a "final" certificate of occupancy is almost secondary to the legend it has created.
Keep an eye on Jackie’s social media for the next walkthrough. Just don't expect the scaffolding to come down anytime this week.