- James Samson sold his Christchurch estate for $6m to a property developer in August.
- The 7493sqm property, once branded the Calendar Girls Mansion, will be developed by SG Residential Property.
- Sale is the second-highest in Christchurch this year, exceeded by a $9.55m deal last month.
A strip club boss has sold his sprawling Christchurch estate for $6 million in an off-market deal.
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Once tipped to be New Zealand’s version of the Playboy Mansion, the property on Russley Road, near Christchurch Airport, was snapped up by a property developer in August this year.
James Samson, whose family built up the sex show chain Calendar Girls, confirmed the sale to OneRoof this week. “Have been there 25 years ... got bored.”
Samson with his former partner, Jacqui Le Prou, in 2013. Photo / Norrie Montgomery
The 600qm property was owned by Samson’s mother, Vicki, but Samson’s businesses were all registered to that address.
Samson told OneRoof that the buyer planned to develop the 7493sqm site.
Records show the property was bought by SG Residential Property, whose director is Stacey Giles. Samson and Giles have previously been in business together.
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The sprawling estate is one of the last remaining undeveloped lifestyle properties in the area.
Calendar Girls, which owns R18 strip clubs in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland and Queenstown, took over the Russley Road property in 2020 for a show, rebranding it the Calendar Girls Mansion. A group of 10 dancers moved into the house, and their every movement was livestreamed for 12 weeks.
Samson, who was sentenced to five years on charges relating to a methamphetamine operation in 2004, has also been linked to a Viking-themed retreat in Kaiata near Greymouth, which offers an off-grid experience with onsite “barrel” accommodation pods.
Brenchley, on Saint Barnabas Lane, in Fendalton, is the most expensive property to ever sell in Christchurch. Photo / Supplied
Its website pitches it as “the ultimate retreat for battle-weary warriors”.
“Set amid unspoiled native rainforest, this incredible and off-the-grid slice of Valhalla is the perfect place to rest, relax and rediscover your inner Norseman,” the website said.
Samson told Stuff in 2023 that he decided to build the retreat to keep his son out of trouble and to tap into the international visitor market. At the time, he had submitted plans to develop a much larger lodge in the area.
The $6m sale of the Russley Road is the second-highest in Christchurch this year. The highest this year, and an all-time record for the city, is the $9.55m paid for a mansion on Saint Barnabas Lane, in Fendalton.
The 110-year-old heritage home, known as Brenchley, sold within two weeks of hitting the market last month. It was owned by prominent Christchurch property developer Richard Peebles and his wife, Suzanne, who bought the property in 2015. The pair told OneRoof they spent “millions of dollars” bringing it back to life.
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