‘House that Hockey Built’ auction is Saturday. Bring a hefty bankroll to get in on the action

Planning to attend the Saturday auction of one of the most lavish homes in the Mid-Columbia?

Plan to stop by your bank or credit union first.

Only registered bidders who bring a $50,000 cashier’s check and a blank check will be admitted to the auction for the six-bedroom, 11-bath Horse Heaven Hills mansion on 95 acres originally built by “Olie the Goalie” Kolzig and his wife Christin in 2004.

The auction is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.

The public and media won’t be admitted, said a spokeswoman for DeCaro Auctions, the Florida-based firm selling the estate on behalf of the current owners, a trust connected to local car dealer Russ and Jan Dean.

The public is being excluded for the privacy and comfort of prospective bidders, she said.

Bidders are required to bring a cashier’s check and blank check to ensure the highest bidder is able to pay a 10 percent deposit at the conclusion of the auction.

Buyers need to be ready to fully fund the deal. If the winning bidder can’t secure financing, he or she will forfeit the 10 percent deposit.

Listed for nearly $6.3 million

The 15,260-square-foot home is currently listed for nearly $6.3 million on Realtor.com.

That’s consistent with the “absolute” auction process DeCaro Auctions is using.

In an absolute auction, the seller agrees to sell the property to the highest bidder with no minimum or reserve price.

DeCaro and the seller reserve the right to sell the property prior to the auction or to cancel the auction at any point before the auctioneer accepts the first bid.

Once the auctioneer accepts the first bid, Washington law states that the property must be sold to the highest bidder. The auction can be canceled any time before the auctioneer accepts the first bid.

DeCaro outlines the rules in the small print on listing materials.

“Auctioneer reserves the right to cancel, postpone or withdraw the property before or up to the start of the auction. The auctioneer reserves the right to offer this property in any manner and reserves the right to sell the property in any manner it so desires up to the start of the auction. The auction does not start until the auctioneer accepts the first bid on the day of the auction,” it states in part.

The House that hockey built

Kolzig, who played for the Tri-City Americans before a long National Hockey League career, and his wife built their dream house in Kennewick in 2004. The couple intended to make it their “forever” home and packed it with luxury touches and high-end finishes.

Forever proved short-lived.

Kolzig’s old team, the Washington Capitals, asked him to return to coach their goaltenders, and the family moved to the East Coast. They listed the estate in 2011 for $4.1 million.

Despite widespread publicity, it took two years and a major price cut before it sold in 2013 for $2.3 million to the trust associated with the Deans.

The property is managed by Washington Hillside.

This story was originally published October 3, 2019 at 2:13 PM.