Ted Turner has become the largest private landowner in the country with a total of 2 million acres in 11 different states. Turner recently outbid hopeful ranchers in an auction for 26,630 acres of ranch land in Nebraska.

After paying nearly $10 million dollars for the land, ranchers in the area began questioning the CNN founder's intentions. Ranchers are suspicious of Turner is going to do with all of his land. The Turner camp says he only wants to be a rancher, but farmers and owners of the neighboring land believe he is trying to put them out of business.

 

Other theories include Turner attempting to gain power by cornering the land over the Ogallala Aquifer, which is the largest underground water system. Others believe he is conspiring with the United Nations to create a wildlife refuge before turning it over to the federal government.

 

"With him it's such a concern. You don't know what his plan is and what he's going to do," said Nebraska landowner Cindy Weller. "The entire way of life here is threatened, and it's not just Turner, but he's one reason. The whole area is economically depressed."