The new owner of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls-era estate — one that took the NBA legend years to sell — now wants to turn it into a motivational, immersive experience dubbed Champions Point.

Outside of Chicago, the Highland Park City Council heard plans for the Graceland-like museum, and its request for a zoning change, on Monday night.

The bold scheme to install a tourism hub in the middle of the affluent, residential enclave received intense skepticism from the council and fiery public feedback.

John Cooper, who is a partner at real estate company HAN Capital, paid $9.5 million for the 56,000-square-foot mansion in December 2024 after the property spent more than a decade on and off the market.

Roughly one year later, the self-described Jordan fan wants to turn its 7.4 acres into a tourist destination where guests can“experience greatness,” Crain’s Chicago Business reported.

Jordan purchased the estate with his then-wife for $2 million in 1991 — the same year he won his first of six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. The NBA legend took full ownership in 2007, following his divorce.

Jordan first listed the property for $29 million in 2012.

Cooper’s previous plan was to sell million-dollar shares in the property — an effort struck down in September.

Cooper’s for-profit plan at Champions Point would create a museum with “living classrooms,” according to proposal materials. Programming will deliver an “immersive, multi-sensory experience focused entirely on personal transformation.”

He told the council he has a “hopeful” estimate of 300 visitors to the property per day.

“The theme of the tour is going to be greatness, and our goal is to kind of teach people what means to be great,” Cooper told the Council.

“The whole museum is going to be dedicated to teaching people about these pillars of greatness, so although it is a commercial enterprise, I believe there will be great benefit to the community and to anybody that gets the experience the museum,” he added.

The businessman sweetened the pot with planned local partnerships and charity work, including the park district, local schools and youth nonprofits.

Visitors would get access to estate amenities like Jordan’s swimming pool, regulation-size indoor basketball court and outdoor tennis court. The nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom home also boasts a gourmet chef’s kitchen, a movie theater and a poker room.

Cooper’s plan specifically seeks a partnership with a nature center that shares a border with the estate. Champions Point would use Heller Nature Center as a gateway to the property, according to the proposal. The museum would have a “symbiotic relationship” with 97-acre park district, the proposal says, “enhancing its existing education programs.”

No decisions were made on Monday night — the council moved to continue discussing the proposal, instead, with reservations. Members told Cooper the plan needed more work.

Public comment on the proposal included neighbors’ fears over unwanted crowds and use of the nature park.

“It’s very scary to think that this small, quiet area and neighborhood, where I know all of my neighbors, we have such a close knit community, will now be turned into, frankly, a zoo,” one speaker said.

“A nature preserve exists to safeguard fragile ecosystems, not to facilitate the monetization of private property,” one objector wrote in an emailed public comment.

Other residents voiced their support for the zoning request, telling the Council about “life changing” student tours of the property facilitated by Cooper.

“We got a glimmer of brilliance of a once-in-a-lifetime athlete, a universal athlete lived in this town, and Mr. Cooper has a vision to build something remarkable, and we’re going to shut it down just because we’re afraid of a few neighbors,” a speaker said.

The entire home is currently available for short-term rentals, according to the Champions Point website.

Cooper could not be reached for comment by press time.