Vince Carter Hosts Obama Fundraiser At Massive FL Home
Thursday night, as the best of the basketball world began to descend into the Orlando area for All-Star Weekend, the leader of the free world swung through Central Florida to share some laughs and collect a little money from these power brokers of the NBA.
President Obama's $30,000- per-person fundraiser took place at the 30,671 square foot, Windermere, Florida home of Dallas Mavericks forward Vince Carter.
The event, whose attendees included Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, Clippers All-Star Chris Paul, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and NBA commissioner David Stern, was held in the eight-time All Star's regulation-size gymnasium.
Not surprisingly, the President was impressed with the setting of the gala. But, the well known hoops fan was not about to take the famous dunker's bait.
"It's a nice gym; Vince said he left the other side open in case I wanted to get in a dunk contest with him. I told him I didn't bring my sneakers, so not tonight," said President Obama.
Resting along the shores of Lake Blanche, down the street from the Isleworth Golf & Country Club, Carter's mansion boasts of nine bedrooms, 16.5 bathrooms, a very spacious kitchen and an 82-foot-long swimming pool.
Here is an aerial photo of the enormous home and a wider shot of Carter's lakeshore property.
Built in 2005, Carter's home is valued somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 million. No problem for a guy who has earned roughly $140 million, during his 14-year NBA career.
Located 12 miles southwest of downtown Orlando and five miles west of Universal Studios Orlando, Carter's pad is situated in one of the highest concentrations of athletes' homes in the country.
Nearby houses of note include Shaquille O'Neal's main residence (two miles away) and Ken Griffey Jr's post baseball palace (seven miles away).
Tiger Wood's infamous former abode (the site of the car accident that exposed his infidelities) is only two miles south of the Carter kingdom.
Come November, President Obama hopes this notable stretch of the always crucial I-4 corridor will provide him with the same level of warmth he felt on a Thursday night in late February.
