Dracula's castle is bought by US entrepreneur in charge of Elvis Presley's estate

"Bran Castle, Romania, an attraction for tourists as the home of the fictional character "Dracula." KONTROLAB (KONTROLAB/LightRocket via Getty ) The U.S. businessman Joel Weinshanker, the chief administrator of Elvis Presley's rights and properties, has purchased a majority stake in the company that operates Bran Castle popularly associated with "Dracula.""

"Located in Brasov, a province nestled in the heart of the Transylvania region about 180 kilometers northwest of Bucharest, this medieval fortress became world-famous thanks to the dark legend of Count Dracula, a sadistic historical figure known as Vlad the Impaler, who inspired Bram Stoker to create the most famous vampire of all time. Paradoxically, the writer never visited Romania, nor did the character himself have any connection to the place, yet it remains the most famous destination for tourists."

"This year, the Bran Estate Administration Company (CADB) reached an agreement with a firm controlled by Weinshanker, best known as the administrator of Graceland — the home of the King of Rock and Roll in Memphis and his entire legacy. The deal was done through the Ad Populum group, a conglomerate specializing in entertainment products, collectibles, costumes, games, and lifestyle brands, which has expanded rapidly in recent years through a series of acquisitions."

"According to the Romanian media outlet, the transaction took place a few months after a dispute with the company managing the castle's commercial operations was settled in an arbitration court in the United States. The court ultimately ruled in favor of a full transfer to the heirs of Princess Ileana (1909–1991)."

Bran Castle in Brasov, Romania, is a major tourist attraction associated with Dracula. The fortress became world-famous through the legend of Vlad the Impaler, which inspired Bram Stoker’s fictional vampire, even though Stoker never visited Romania and the character had no connection to the place. This year, the Bran Estate Administration Company reached an agreement for a majority stake purchase by Joel Weinshanker, chief administrator of Elvis Presley rights and properties. The stake was bought from the heirs of Princess Ileana of Romania. The transaction was carried out through Ad Populum, a conglomerate focused on entertainment products and related brands. The deal followed a dispute over the castle’s commercial operations that was resolved in a U.S. arbitration court, which ruled for a full transfer to the heirs.

Read at english.elpais.com