Breckenridge Home Builder Admits Peyton Manning Hoax
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (CBS4) - A custom home builder in Breckenridge admits he intentionally filed paperwork with the local building department to suggest a new luxury mountain home he was building was for Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, something he now admits was a hoax.
"There is no Peyton Manning house. It was a dumb joke in a small town," said construction contractor Jeremy Fischer of Ivan Stanley and Associates.
CBS4 unraveled the hoax which Fischer said got out of control.
"I wanted to see what would happen in a small town," Fischer said after CBS4 began looking into the construction project . "I'm sorry."
It began in 2013 when a limited liability corporation connected to Fischer, bought a 1.1 acre plot of land in a plush area of Breckenridge known as Shock Hill. The land was purchased for $850,000 and Fischer recently began construction of a 5,999 square foot luxury home on the site.
At one point, Fischer admits filing a building permit with the Town of Breckenridge saying the property was for "P. Manning." He subsequently met with Breckenridge Planner Matt Thompson who works in the town's community development department. Thompson asked if the home was being built for Peyton Manning. According to Thompson, Fischer replied "Yeah, maybe," and laughed, leaving the impression that the future Hall of Famer was indeed building a home near the ski resort.
From then on, public records for the Shock Hill home referred to it as "The Manning Residence" and the buzz began.
An architect working on the spec home, Tim Sabo, was in on the prank and initially told CBS4 the home was being built for the Denver Broncos star quarterback.
"It's going to be a cool house," Sabo said during a phone interview this week with CBS4.
Sabo went on to recount making two visits to the home site with Manning who he said found out about Sabo's architectural company, Allen-Guerra Design Architecture, via word of mouth.
"He was very cool and down to earth," said Sabo. But several hours later, Sabo recanted saying he had been lying.
"We have never designed a home for any pro football player, and the reference to the 'Manning Residence' on a project we have designed in Breckenridge is just a name for a project that, although interesting, is not related to #18 of the Broncos and does not reflect the true name of the owners of the project. I lied about meeting or working with Peyton Manning. I heard that there was a bit of excitement at the possibility that it was Peyton's house. I was joining in the fun. I should not have. I am sorry to have done so."
Jeremy Fischer told CBS4 he has never met Peyton Manning but he now believes the rumor he started has made its way back to Manning. He says the home will be completed in about a year and will then be sold on the open market.
CBS4 Investigator Brian Maass has been with the station more than 30 years uncovering waste, fraud and corruption. Follow him on Twitter @Briancbs4.
