Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic got into full-swing, so began the trend of celebrities
abandoning Los Angeles. Joe Rogan packed up and moved to Austin, and a bunch of his comedy
friends followed. Zac Efron just sold his $5.3 million LA home to permanently relocate
to Australia, where he has been living since 2020. Now, legendary Kiss co-frontman Gene
Simmons is officially leaving the City of Angels for Sin City.
Simmons first announced his intention to leave California back in March 2021, speaking exclusively
to the New York Post. And he gave the outlet plenty of reasons for his impending departure.
"There are earthquakes, fires, and pandemics every year. Even though there is nice sunshine,
I'm done."
He also cited celebrity tour buses as an annoyance he could no longer handle.
"After a certain point, we have had enough of that, even though we appreciate the attention."
And so began Simmons' quest to leave California.
In October 2020, Gene Simmons put his home of almost 40 years on the market for a whopping
$22 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, Simmons' 16,000-square-foot mansion
boasts a number of high-class features,
"[These include] a foyer with a domed ceiling, a living room with roughly 30-foot-high windows,
a formal dining room, and a wine cellar."
In addition, there are three rooms dedicated to Kiss memorabilia and a pool with a 60-foot
water slide. The mansion has seven bedrooms, a tennis court, and parking for 35 cars. Simmons
also made improvements on the house which upped the price to $25 million.
"And that's why it's good to be...me"
Simmons cited California's high taxes as a primary motivator for moving. He said,
"California and Beverly Hills have been treating folks that create jobs badly and the tax rates
are unacceptable. I work hard and pay my taxes and I don't want to cry the Beverly Hills
blues, but enough is enough."
At the time, Simmons told The Wall Street Journal that he was intending to move to Washington
state, near Mount Rainier. When he spoke to the New York Post in March 2021, he was living
in a 12,000-square-foot mansion on four acres near Lake Tahoe. He announced he was officially
leaving California for Nevada saying,
"The quality of life is better there, so we can go hiking without bumping into people
[and the] taxes there are much more appealing."
He added that high taxes made California, quote, "uninhabitable."
That wasn't the only big real estate purchase, though.
According to the New York Post, Gene Simmons' wife Shannon Tweed purchased a home in Malibu
for $5.8 million, back in March 2021. The 3,707-square-foot home is situated on two
and three quarter acres and includes a pool and a spa.
However, Simmons confirmed that the property was purchased as an investment, not as a home,
and that he had nothing to do with the purchase. He said,
"She purchased the home with her own money as a personal investment. I will not be living
in Malibu; neither is Shannon."
And Simmons was telling the truth. In May 2021, TMZ confirmed that he did, in fact,
leave California for Nevada. The online newspaper reported that he and Tweed bought an $8.2
million, 11,000-square-foot mansion in Henderson, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas.
Simmons' new pad has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, as well as glass walls that go
from the floor to the ceiling. Several amenities surround the outside of the mansion: a pool,
a hot tub, a barbecue, and a courtyard. Simmons said in a press release,
"We considered various properties in various states but ultimately decided that Nevada
is a better choice for us. We are at a place in our lives where a big city lifestyle is
just not our thing anymore."
Gene Simmons has since begun a quieter life in Henderson, Nevada, and is settling into
his new surroundings quite nicely. He's teaching a Bass MasterClass in Las Vegas and it's clear
he's putting all of those years in KISS to good use.
Once fans sign up, they'll get the opportunity to write a song with Simmons and perform the
song onstage with him, making this a true rockstar experience. Not to mention that they
will also receive a custom bass guitar signed by Simmons himself. The price of these guitars
start at $5,750.
On his website, Simmons recounts his reasons for offering such a personal and intimate
experience with his fans,
"When I was a kid, I couldn't sit with Paul McCartney and he couldn't teach me all the
secrets, but that's what I'm gonna do with you. We're gonna be serious here. A unique,
one-of-a kind event that you're gonna remember for the rest of your life."
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