Ross grew up nearby in Carol City in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house, “something to be proud of in Carol City, you know?” The house burned down when Ross was in fifth grade. “I came home and my damn bike was gone,” he said, his deep voice rising as much as it could. “And my Nintendo collection. Took me forever to goddamn save up those four games.” When the house was being rebuilt, “I remember when my mom was explaining to me what central air was. “‘Son, that’s when you hit the button, and the whole house get cold.’ And I was blown away, like, ‘wow, we gonna have that.’”
The bar stools are covered in a fabric by Pierre Frey and the chandelier is by Bomma Lighting.
Today, his Star Island home has a climate management system that constantly monitors and adjusts the temperature, humidity, air quality, and filtration in real time, said Manny Angelo Varas, his builder also known as “the Billionaire Builder.” (Throughout the two-year construction process, Varas says, Ross brought in food trucks to feed the hundred-plus craftsmen working on site.) As for the lost Nintendo? Now his vintage arcade game collection lives in his airplane hangar nearby in the Miami area, where he also stores his Rick Ross–branded private jet and 15-ish (he’s not sure) cars.
Custom dining chairs surround a table by Minotti in the dining room.