Olympic champion figure skater Oksana Baiul has announced she is putting her Louisiana home up for sale because she ‘can’t make a living.’
The Ukrainian skater, who won a gold medal in 1994 at just 16 years of age, had been living in a luxurious $1.195million mansion in Shreveport.
However, she shared on her Facebook page late last month that she was moving to Las Vegas after failing to make ends meet in Louisiana.
She explained, ‘I can’t make a living in Shreveport. Sadly, I cannot. I love all the people here. I arrived with a purpose, but it didn’t materialize. I came to create something, but it didn’t come to pass, so I need to go where the opportunity is.’
In a video posted to Facebook, Baiul, 47, called the home the ‘most beautiful mansion in all of Shreveport.’
Olympic gold medalist Oksana Baiul announced she is moving back to Las Vegas because she can’t make ends meet in Lousiana
The update from Baiul comes two months after she announced she and husband Carlo Farina were divorcing
Baiul won a gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway at just 16 years of age
Baiul reportedly resided at her Shreveport home for three years after relocating from Las Vegas in 2022. She moved to Louisiana with the intention of establishing a figure skating school.
She is now heading back to Sin City to work with the Las Vegas Golden Knights, as reported by WKRG. The NHL team boasts two training centers featuring four ice rinks used for both hockey and figure skating.
The real estate company Osborn Hays, in its property listing, notes that the mansion has undergone a ‘painstaking restoration’ in recent years by its current owner, who spared ‘no expense.’
Spanning 6,000 sq. ft, the opulent red-brick mansion boasts five bedrooms and five bathrooms, as well as a sunroom and library.
Constructed in 1925 with a Georgian Italianate design, the home reflects the opulence of the Gilded and New Ages, featuring marble fireplaces, original chandeliers and sconces, and a Virginia blue slate roof.
Every bedroom offers luxury with cedar built-out closets, while the primary suite includes an ensuite bathroom and connected nursery.
The oversized eat-in kitchen offers a pantry, butler’s pantry, a commercial grade gas stove, abundant storage and cabinets and silver closet.
It is also home to a floating spiral staircase, which is rumored to be the country’s first-ever.
Meanwhile, the expansive parklike gardens are perfect for families thanks to the two custom-built treehouses with a drawbridge.
Baiul posted this picture of her home with a ‘For Sale’ sign in front of it to social media
Baiul continued performing in various touring productions after retiring in 1994
The extensive outdoor area also includes a 500 sq. ft. apartment offering a private living space with its own kitchen, living area, bedroom, and full bathroom, along with an additional restored yet unfinished cottage.
The announcement comes two months after Baiul announced on social media that she and husband Carlo Farina were getting a divorce.
The couple have one child together: a 10-year-old named Sophia.
Baiul, who also won a world championship in 1993, said her ‘heart was broken’ by having to leave Louisiana and her reported 6,000 sq. foot property.
Baiul initially said she would be hosting a garage sale at the property from October 4-5. However, she announced on September 29 that she had unfortunately had to cancel it out of fear of overwhelming demand.
Following the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway, Baiul moved to the United States and would go on to live in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
She continued to skate in various touring productions and ultimately married Farina – who had been her manager – in 2012.
