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LOS ANGELES — "Green Acres" was the place to be for mostly awe-struck members of the Penguins organization, as billionaire co-owner Ron Burkle hosted his Stanley Cup champions at the Beverly Hills mansion that goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said required "too much math" to count all the rooms.

Reportedly there are eight master bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, a maze of underground tunnels and, as Fleury noted: "a big driveway in the front with 10 classic cars; a basketball court; a tennis court and a soccer field."

"Oh, my, it was mind-blowing," he said. "It feels like a resort. It's so big that you can't go everywhere — not in one night."

The Penguins' other co-owner, Mario Lemieux, could not attend the festivities because of previous commitments to coach son Austin's youth hockey team. Burkle, whose only demand was that dress be casual (he is rarely seen in anything but blue jeans and a black polo shirt), provided the Penguins with a personal tour — something that reportedly even his famous neighbors, such as rock star Bruce Springsteen, have never received.

Dinner was served after "a couple hours of appetizers that were like a meal," Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis said. The Penguins were transported from their lavish Santa Monica hotel, "Shutters on the Beach," to Burkle's historic home - previously owned by late silent film comedic star Harold Lloyd.

Late pop star Michael Jackson once stayed in Burkle's guest house for three months.

"He was sharing all these stories and that one came up," Penguins forward Max Talbot said. "I was sitting at the table and he told me that. Ron said it, 'Aw, it's a (lousy) house.' So, I visited it later, and I got in there and was, like, 'This is beautiful.' I mean ... Michael Jackson, right?

"It's just another world."

Talbot remains blown away that Burkle flew on his private plane from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh last June to pick up him and center Evgeni Malkin for the NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas.

"He gives us two months of his schedule to watch our playoff games, and then an entire day just to get Geno and me to Las Vegas," Talbot said. "I was blown away."

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who was greeted by Burkle at his 21st birthday party last August in Nova Scotia, said that most fans don't know about his humility.

"That's why I think (Wednesday night) was special for him," Crosby said. "He's like a lot of hockey players in that he's come from a hard-working background to make it, but he doesn't want to make a big deal about that. He's very down to earth."

Not his house though.

"Nope, that's in a different world," Dupuis said.

RONNIE B GOODE

Ron Burkle, a fiercely private California grocery store magnate that doesn't grant interviews, has been a majority co-owner of the Penguins along with Mario Lemieux since their group purchased the franchise from bankruptcy in 1999. His zest for a low profile has not minimized his influence on the team's recent success story:

• Minority team owners told the Tribune-Review last spring that Burkle's strong ties to former President Bill Clinton and the Democratic Party eased tension between Penguins officials and Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell to allow for finding common ground on funding for Consol Energy Center in 2007.

• Club president David Morehouse said Burkle instructed no expense be spared to provide players, coaches and the hockey operations staff with the NHL's best surroundings at the new arena — including the league's biggest training area and dressing room.

• GM Ray Shero said Burkle has signed off on the team spending to the NHL's salary cap; also, Burkle (and Lemieux) assured Shero that paying former coach Michel Therrien around $1 million for two remaining contract years "should not be a concern" if Shero felt a change was necessary. Dan Bylsma was hired Feb. 15, and the Penguins won the Stanley Cup on June 12.

Burkle declined comment through representatives.

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