One of Helium Report’s readers sent us the Ciel membership package. It looks good and weighs in at 69 ounces.

We are still trying to get more details from the club on its membership programs, but from the brochure here is what we know:

• Founded by J. Joe Ricketts, the founder of Ameritrade which grew to $266 billion of assets under management and 6.1 million customer accounts.
• Ciel, the destination club, in contrast, is limited to 100 members.
• Six homes initially, all in the $10 million range, at the following locations: Cannes, Aspen, London, Jackson Hole, New York and Snowmass.
• Eight more homes planned in these locations: St. Barts, Sydney, Thailand, Capetown, Bora Bora, Buenos Aires, Paris and Virginia Hunt (?).
• Members will also get access to what looks like properties that the founder owns, including: a chateau in France, a 151-foot luxury yacht called the Highlander and a ranch in Colorado.
• Alliances, but no specifics, with Marquis Jet and Forbes (for member conferences).

Basically, Ciel looks from the brochure to be a very exclusive club, where 100 super-affluent get to share in the lifestyle of the founder. As soon as we know more about this new club, we will pass it on. If you know, feel free to email us at tips@heliumreport.com. Membership deposit? Probably in the $1 million range.

Do you have to be a billionaire to start or fund a destination club? No, but it can’t hurt. More on that later this week.

UPDATE (10/16/06): A reader and destination club member provided some information about Virginia Hunt via email:

“In listing the destinations for Ciel, you had a question mark after Virginia Hunt. Though I don’t live there any more, I grew up in Virginia and went to school in Charlottesville, and can tell you that “Virginia Hunt” means what’s known as Virginia Hunt country. It’s not a town, but rather an area an hour or more west of I-95, west of Washington, D.C., and an hour or so north of Charlottesville. It’s where the “horsey” set live, very into foxhunts and other equestrian exploits. Very old money. Think Middleburg if you are looking on a map.

I would imagine if they have a hunt country property, it will be a very large horse farm set in rolling, wooded hills, probably a hundred acres or more. I would think stables, riding lessons, maybe a foxhunt available on your visit. It’s a beautiful area.

Alas, I’m a member of High Country, and Ciel is a bit out of my league. Maybe they have a guest room out in the stables!”