The legendary owner of the Soderglen Ranch, Stan Grad, passed away at the age of 78 on July 29. His death has now prompted the official sale of the 10-square-mile, 7,000-acre ranch he founded in Balzac, Alberta.
Interest is already coming from a variety of potential buyers, a spokesman said.
The lead transaction advisor for the sale, Cam Crawford, said Soderglen is a private company that had begun the process of addressing the need for an ownership transition. Grad’s recent passing means the process has been initiated.
This is the first time Crawford has dealt with a situation of this magnitude. He claimed the property is unique in Canada, due its proximity to large urban centres, as it is sandwiched between Calgary and Airdrie.
In addition, Crawford said the substantial land mass the Soderglen Ranch is situated on also enhances the property’s value.
“I’ve never seen a situation like this,” he said. “There’s been large ranches sold in other parts of the province and country that are big, but I think [its proximity to two cities] is what makes it particularly unique. It’s a wonderful piece of property.”
With word now out that the ranch is officially on the market, Crawford said interested buyers from Canada and the United States are dialing his phone regularly. Crawford said offers are already being presented.
The Soderglen website provides potential buyers information on company assets and the sale process. Crawford said they will go through a structured process over the next few months to accept offers, with a current deadline of September 30, 2023.
“There is widespread interest in the property and so just the uniqueness of the situation means that we’re going to go out for offers,” Crawford said. “That process is underway now.”
According to a press release, the ranch has a world-famous pure-bred cattle breeding reputation with a “best-in-class feedlot.”
The release also states Soderglen is a leader in innovative cattle genetics, as they work with roughly 350 cow and calf pairings on an annual basis.
Crawford said no sale price will be set for the property due its overall uniqueness. Bids will be submitted to the ranch’s lawyers, who will then move forward with the qualified bidders.
Grad purchased the land for Soderglen Ranch 51 years ago when he was not yet 30 years old.
Grad, who holds a diploma in petroleum technology, became a laureate of the Alberta Business Hall of Fame for Southern Alberta. He also pursued a degree from the University of Wyoming in petroleum engineering. Grad was the co-founder of Grad & Walker Energy Corporation.
He served as president and chief executive officer of the company before selling to Crestar Energy in 1997. He was also a founding member of the Calgary Stampede Foundation.
