$35 million gift from Daniel and Tanya Snyder for unrestricted cancer research
Daniel Snyder’s French-style chateau in Potomac, Maryland was donated to the American Cancer Society.
According to a statement issued by the Cancer Society, the unrestricted donation “will play a critical role in accelerating [our] mission to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families”.
The American Cancer Society has long been a partner of Snyder and his wife, Tanya Snyder, the former co-owner and co-CEO of the Commanders, who was named Mother of the Year in 2013 for her “exceptional community efforts.”
When the couple owned the Commanders, Tanya Snyder, then 57, was the national spokesperson for the NFL’s “Crucial Catch” breast cancer awareness campaign. Snyder was diagnosed with the disease in 2008.
According to property records, Daniel Snyder, 59, paid $8.64 million for a portion of the Potomac property from the estate of Jordan’s King Hussein and Queen Noor in 2001. Over time, he amassed an estate that is roughly 15 acres in size.
The house was originally listed for $49 million in 2023, but later that year, the price was lowered to $34.9 million.
Inspired by an 18th-century French chateau, the 30,000-square-foot home was constructed in 2004 and was a joint effort between Horizon Builders, interior designer Geoffrey Bradfield, and architect John Ike, according to the listing.
Six bedrooms, a main suite occupying the entire third floor, a 24-foot limestone fireplace, and a great room with connections to the dining room and library are just a few of the extravagant features of this grand residence.
The home boasts a wine cellar, a theater, a gym, a spa, an office, and a paneled club room with a bar and pool table in addition to a chef’s kitchen and breakfast solarium.
Along with well-kept English gardens and lawns, the property also includes a gatehouse, manager’s house, two-bedroom guest house, and six-car garage.
In a statement, the American Cancer Society stated that the money raised from the sale of the Snyder property will support patient care initiatives and support research in 20,000 communities across the nation.
From 1999 until 2023, Snyder and his spouse, who founded the marketing firm Snyder Communications, owned the Commanders. In 2023, they sold the team for a record $6.05 billion.
They have contributed significantly to numerous charities over the years, and in 2000 Tanya Snyder established the Washington Commanders Charitable Foundation.
The foundation has given $31 million to support “local community programs on military appreciation, health and wellness, education and social justice” that aim to make a “positive and measurable impact on the lives of children that need it most.”
In 2000, Snyder founded the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation. Snyder has been a long-time supporter of Youth For Tomorrow, an organization founded by former Redskins head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs. In April 2010, the organization presented Snyder with its Distinguished Leader Award. ]In 2005, Snyder was inducted as a member of the Greater Washington Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2014, Snyder formed the Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation to provide opportunities and resources to aid Tribal communities. The foundation was formed to address the challenges in the daily lives of Native Americans. Snyder has also supported Children’s National Hospital, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and other organizations.
In May 2014, Snyder and Tanya received the Charles B. Wang International Children’s Award from the NCMEC.
Snyder donated $300,000 to several humanitarian aid organizations for people affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.