South MS ranch expected to sell for millions at auction. Here’s what buyer will be getting
A stunning and unique property in Pearl River County will hit the auction block Dec. 4 with a starting price of $3-$5.5 million.
The list price for the 228-acre Running Creek Ranch Sporting Club & Resort is $9.3 million.
Louisiana attorney Ronnie Penton and wife Elaine hate to sell the ranch because they’ve poured so much work into the land since buying it in 2008. But Penton, a semi-retired Louisiana attorney, is ready to spend more time hunting and fishing instead of owning a ranch where others visit to hunt, fish and hold big events.
Under the Pentons’ ownership, the ranch has achieved two major distinctions: It’s one of fewer than 30 wingshooting grounds endorsed by prestigious outdoors retailer Orvis, and it has a resort designation from the state of Mississippi. The resort designation allows Running Creek to serve alcohol in dry Pearl River County and to keep its entertainment spaces open 24 hours, if desired.
“We have people who hunt there from all over the world,” Penton said, noting that he doesn’t have to do “a minute of marketing” because Orvis takes care of it.
Property near New Orleans, South MS casinos
Here’s what a Running Creek buyer will get for their money:
- A multi-million entertainment venue of 17,300 square feet, including a commercial kitchen, bridal suite, pro shop, stage with professional sound and lighting, offices and seating for 260. A bar seats another 95 guests and also features a professionally equipped stage.
- A 6,857 square-foot lodge with nine bedrooms, 8 baths, a great room with stone fireplace, suites and expansive porches.
- A 1,775 square-foot lodge on a lake with 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, a great room and ample porch space.
- A commercial smokehouse, grill and bar, featuring a spacious outdoor courtyard, entertainment area and fire pit. There’s seating for 75, a stage with professional sound and lighting, and commercial-grade restrooms for men and women.
Amenities for hunters are equally impressive. They include:
- 20 professional clay shooting stations with 50 sporting clay traps; 15 miles of trails for riding horses, bikes and ATVs, or hiking; a 20-unit lakeside campground for recreational vehicles.
- Two spring-fed lakes stocked with trophy fish
- Pine and hardwood forests that feature rolling hills and open fields.
The property also is only an hour’s drive from New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast, where visitors can enjoy casinos and the beach.
Wildlife abound on Pearl River property
Patrick Gibson, an associate broker with United Country-Southern States Realty has the Running Creek listing and has partnered with Concierge Auctions on the auction.
“When people understand how much thought and time and money it takes to develop a place like this, it’s truly a legacy property,” Gibson said. “It’s incredible.”
Gibson said Running Creek is in the top 1% of properties he’s listed over his 22 years in the real estate business. Based in Starkville, he specializes in high-end recreational properties in Mississippi and South Louisiana.
A resort centered around wingshooting is extremely unique, Gibson said.
“It’s a completely different type of property to market than a home, a piece of land or a farm. It’s a challenge.
Wildlife abound on the property, including the southern bobwhite quail, a popular game bird whose numbers have shrunk because of habitat loss. Penton has dedicated himself to increasing the bobwhite quail population on his ranch, where plenty of food and cover for nesting are available.
Penton said the buyer will need to reapply for the Orvis endorsement and fill out paperwork to keep the state resort designation for which the property has already qualified.
Bidding on the property starts at 5 p.m., Central Time, on Dec. 4. and closes at 3 p.m. CT on Dec. 17. More details are available on the auction website.
This story was originally published November 18, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
