Canadian TV Star Buys Former Anheuser-Busch Ft. Lauderdale Estate

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The newest TV star of 'Dragon's Den', Michael Wekerle has purchases the former Anheuser-Busch estate in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for $12.5 million.

The home was built in 1938 for the Anheuser-Busch family. Designed by Francis Abreu, protégé of Addison Mizner, the 12,533-square-foot estate encompasses six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and four half bathrooms. Located on an Intracoastal point lot, it has 525 feet of deep water frontage with wide water views, and is one of the largest waterfront properties in East Fort Lauderdale.

The home is located on a 52,896-square-foot lot. Unique outdoor features include an oversized lap pool, outdoor band shell with sprawling lawns, 12-foot-privacy hedges, banyan trees and ample waterfront dockage.  There is a two-bedroom guest home on the property in addition to a media room, chef's kitchen and gym in the main house. The most recent upgrades to the home include double glazed hurricane impact windows and a city gas whole house generator. Wekerle will be the seventh owner of this estate, and has not been owned by an Anheuser-Busch family member since the late 1960s.

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate sales associate, Tim Elmes of the company's Fort Lauderdale Las Olas Office, closed on 1000 Riviera Drive in Fort Lauderdale.

"I have been a Florida resident for 25 years. My late wife fell in love with this house at first sight. We would take boat rides on the Intercoastal and were enchanted with this estate and its spectacular view. This house represents both emotional and physical value.  My family and I look forward to creating many memories at this historical home," said Wekerle.

Michael Wekerle is CEO of Toronto-based Difference Capital, Inc., a merchant banking firm. His company manages and invests in a variety of businesses. Michael has personally invested in commercial properties in Fort Lauderdale and the Canadian rights to Mark Wahlberg's burger franchise, Wahlburgers. Most recently, Wekerle was asked to be the newest Dragon on the CBC network's TV hit-show, "Dragon's Den".

"There is nothing quite like working with a skilled and successful CEO. He is the kind of buyer who knows what he wants and goes for it. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Michael on the purchase of this estate and the listing of his current home," said Elmes.