In 2010, Playboy's Hugh Hefner donated $900,000 to save land behind the Hollywood Sign from luxury homes. 16 years on, 138 acres at Cahuenga Peak remain protected in Griffith Park

Iconic landmarks can become symbols of an entire city, but the land surrounding them can sometimes face very various pressures. In 2010, the popular Hollywood Sign and the hillside behind it became the focus of a significant conservation campaign when development threatened to change the landscape.

The campaign required $12.5 million to secure the land at Cahuenga Peak. With the fundraising attempt still $1 million short, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner stepped in with a $900,000 donation, helping bring the campaign to its objective.

A Race to Protect the Hollywood Hills

The Hollywood Sign has long been one of Los Angeles' most recognizable landmarks and a famous place for visitors. During a Los Angeles bus tour, members of the Vaghtangadzeh family, New Yorkers originally from Georgia, the country rather than the U.S. state, explained the sign as “one of the biggest things” to see.

For those who needed the hillside preserved, the prospect of development was anything but wonderful.

The History of Cahuenga Peak

The land at the center of the campaign was called Cahuenga Peak. The 138-acre property had earlier been owned by industrialist Howard Hughes, who had planned to build a home there for his then-girlfriend Ginger Rogers.

The couple gradually broke up, and after Hughes died, his estate sold the land to developers. The property was subsequently featured as a potential location for luxury residences or a high-end hotel.

The developers offered to sell the 138 acres to the city, but the needed funds had to be raised within a brief deadline.

Hollywood Joins the Campaign

The fundraising attempt brought together people from in Los Angeles and beyond. Movie studios and members of the entertainment industry contributed, with figures that included Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg opening their checkbooks.

Angelenos, both popular and otherwise, also contributed. Yet the campaign remained around $1 million short of its target.

That was when Hefner made his contribution.

The Playboy founder donated $900,000, offering the final major contribution required to close the fundraising gap.

The $12.5 Million Goal Is Reached

The ultimate stage of the fundraising campaign brought relief to those working to protect the land.

As the fog lifted from the hill, the 45-foot-high Hollywood Sign stood behind Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who revealed that the campaign had reached its objective.

The successful campaign meant the land could be protected rather than developed with the proposed luxury properties.

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The Land Becomes Part of Griffith Park

The Trust for Public Land collected the funds and arranged for Cahuenga Peak to be donated to Los Angeles' park system.

Will Rogers, president of the Trust for Public Land, described the achievement as a “true Hollywood ending.”

The protected land would become part of Griffith Park, preserving the 138 acres for public use and natural habitat.

The region space for activities that includes hiking, dog walking and bird watching.

Other Major Donors

Hefner was not the only significant contributor to the campaign. Tiffany & Company Foundation and Aileen Getty also made million-dollar donations toward the attempt to preserve the land.

The campaign finally brought together celebrities, foundations, local residents and people from around the world who contributed toward the $12.5 million objective.

A Hollywood Conservation Legacy

The Hollywood Sign itself remained at the center of the attempt, but the campaign was ultimately regarding the protection of the land surrounding the landmark.

Hefner's $900,000 contribution was therefore part of a wider campaign involving several donors and supporters. The result was the protection of 138 acres at Cahuenga Peak, keeping the land linked to the Hollywood Sign within Griffith Park rather than turning it into a development of luxury residences or a hotel.