By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-31 21:41:34 | Updated at 2025-01-03 20:40:30
2 days ago
A member of America's richest family and heir to the Walmart fortune has unveiled her $300 million superyacht, Kaos, the largest such vessel owned by a woman.
The incredible now-361-foot superyacht was purchased for a whopping estimated $300 million by Nancy Walton Laurie, daughter of Walmart's co-founder James 'Bud' Walton, in 2018 from a Qatari royal.
Under her ownership, Walton Laurie transformed the then-262-foot vessel to its sprawling size, having it rebuilt and customized by Oceanco, a Dutch shipyard that specializes in building custom yachts.
After its completion in 2022, Kaos was not only marked the Oceanco's largest build ever, but also the largest yacht ever built in the Netherlands - and the largest such vessel to be woman-owned.
The monstrous superyacht accommodates 34 guests in stately cabins and features an owner's deck separated from the rest of the yacht for privacy.
The 1453-square-foot main saloon is a regal space equipped with a large television and royal seating.
One of the four-decker ship's main highlights resides in its massive swimming pool, surrounded by additional seating and is elevated above the superyacht beach club.
Inside the opulent beach club sits an aquarium that offers a captivating view into the pool above.
A member of America's richest family and heir to the Walmart fortune has unveiled her $300 million superyacht, Kaos, the largest such vessel owned by a woman
The incredible now-361-foot superyacht was purchased by Walmart heiress, Nancy Walton Laurie, daughter of Walmart's co-founder James 'Bud' Walton, in 2018 from a Qatari royal. Pictured: Inside the luxurious superyacht
Kaos's impressive features continue with a helipad, a 12-person movie theater, a massage parlor, a hammam, a gym.
The grandiose ship also features an upscale room named 'The London Bar,' complete with smoke machines, a DJ booth, and a water wall chandelier.
The yacht also includes a separate gym for the crew and a small hospital for at-sea medical emergencies.
The vessel and Walton Laurie's ownership stands as a testament to women everywhere as the previous owner, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, had included rooms reportedly off-limits to women.
These restricted spaces likely included men's quarters or meeting rooms intended for the Emir's entourage, emphasizing a traditional and hierarchical approach to luxury.
Under her ownership, Nancy Walton Laurie, 73, transformed the then-262-foot vessel to its sprawling size, having it rebuilt and customized by Oceanco, a Dutch shipyard that specializes in building custom yachts.
However, the narrative took a turn when Walton Laurie became the yacht's new owner.
The ship, once defined by exclusivity and male-dominated spaces, underwent a complete transformation spearheaded by the Walmart heiress, to reflect its new purpose, as a sanctuary for a modern and independent woman.
in 2023, her now-famed superyacht was vandalized by climate activists who spray-painted the vessel as it was docked in Ibiza - an island off the coast of Spain.
Members of the Spanish environmental group, Futuro Vegetal, spray-painted the stern of the yacht in red and black as they held a sign reading 'You consume, others suffer.'
A video of the vandalization was later posted online, showing the workers hosing down the paint.
Kaos's impressive features continue with a helipad, a 12-person movie theater, a massage parlor, a hammam, a gym. Pictured: A pool atop the 361-foot, $300 million vessel
Walton Laurie, 73, is the youngest daughter of James 'Bud' Walton, who cofounded Walmart with his brother, Sam Walton.
The brothers opened the first Walmart in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas.
Walton Laurie currently lives in Henderson, Nevada, and Los Angeles, according to Bloomberg.
In 1973, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Memphis, where met her future husband, Bill Laurie.
When her father died in 1995, Walton Laurie inherited around half of her father's 40 million shares in Walmart, while her older sister, Ann Walton Kroenke, received the rest.
She now owns less than a 5 percent stake in the company, according to Bloomberg and she is not actively involved in Walmart's operations.
Collectively, members of the Walton family own an estimated stake of around 45 percent of Walmart.
Walton Laurie is the 269th richest person in the world as of April 29, 2024, according to The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with an estimated net worth of $14.5 billion.
The ship, once defined by exclusivity and male-dominated spaces, underwent a complete transformation spearheaded by the Walmart heiress, to reflect its new purpose, as a sanctuary for a modern and independent woman. Pictured: Kaos moored at Butlers Wharf in London, England
In 1973, Walton Laurie graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Memphis, where met her future husband, Bill Laurie (right). Pictured: Patrick Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie pose for a photo outside the Red Bull Racing garage in Miami, Florida
In 1998, Walton Laurie dove into her interest in the arts as she established a dance school in Columbia, Missouri, called the Columbia Performing Arts Center.
She also owned a contemporary ballet company called the Cedar Lake Ensemble in New York City, however, the company later closed in 2015.
She and her husband formerly owned the St. Louis Blues hockey team from 1999 to 2005.
Today, they have a commercial real estate portfolio, multiple homes, and two yachts, according to Forbes.
