But COVID vaccination, as a consequence of being made "political" by belligerent partisans, many of whom love football more than life itself, is terrifying territory for the NFL. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . The couple filed for divorce in 2013. Organizations also called to move The Masters, which begins April 8. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. So it really never defined me. Currently, over 200 Westside residents are working on the stadiums construction and the foundation has funded, among other things, Westside Works to help residents find employment and learn job training skills. /Producer ( Q t 4 . Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. The firing in 1978 was a political situation primarily between my partner Bernie [Marcus] and a gentleman, that has passed away now, who was his boss. Young you are. And to be sure, Atlanta is better than what we saw in the actions of a few last night. A documentary surrounding Brian Dowling and Arthur Gourounlian's surrogacy journey is set to air on RT on March 13. So we spent six months maybe talking to fans, or people that were not fans, but were, you know, living in the Atlanta area at that time, and we found out that there were four or five things we had to fix. /Type /XObject He and an associate, Bernie Marcus, began experimenting with product discounts in one Handy Dan outlet and observed positive effects of decreasing costs as a percentage of sales and an increase in customer volume. 1 2 . Stop making people feel so fearful. Pictured is the famous napkin deal that sealed Arthur Blanks agreement with Taylor Smith to purchase the Atlanta Falcons for $545 million in 2001. Over the past week, figures around the NFL have And they've worked collectively for the United States, for everybody in this country, 330 million people. But that was typical of my mother. Animals and Pets Anime Art Cars and Motor Vehicles Crafts and DIY Culture, Race, and Ethnicity Ethics and Philosophy Fashion Food and Drink History Hobbies Law Learning and Education Military Movies Music Place Podcasts and Streamers Politics Programming Reading, Writing, and Literature Religion and Spirituality Science Tabletop Games . >> "And I'm not 100 years old I'm getting there, but I'm not but the things I see and deal with are just inherently not what's made this country great. Blank allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be home to Atlantas MLS team, Atlanta United FC. In that way, I don't think my personality, probably, or my patience level probably is not the level it would have to be to sustain myself in this political atmosphere today. His is another example of how well powerful systems, in this case, the almighty NFL, can throw a PR cocoon around people and project to the public only the parts of its culture that serve its business interests until they dont. And I love him. Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. At the end of the day, you can have differences of opinion, which is a great thing to have, and different approaches, which is a great thing to have. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located adjacent to the Falcons current home, the Georgia Dome, in Atlantas Westside. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. It's hard to believe. One of the robbers tied me up in the bathroom, the bathtub, and I said a few things to him, which, at 10 years old, I don't think my mother even knew I knew those words. 10, Following proposed changes to Georgia voting laws in early 2021, Blank released a statement saying, We should be working to make voting easier, not harder for every eligible citizen, and that his businesses and family foundation will support efforts that advance voting access for the citizens of Georgia and across the nation. 11 Blank also participated in an online call with over 100 corporate executives to discuss taking action following changes to state voting laws including the possibility of delaying investments in states that pass allegedly restrictive voting laws. The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. They all have a great set of eyes and they're all different. By all accounts, those associated with the new stadium and the Westside view their presence as at least a 10-20 year commitment toward revitalizing a downtrodden community and bringing the city together. I want you guys to come up with real solutions. However, peaceful protests really go back and look at the history of our country back to the Boston Tea Party. When GALEO was established, Georgias Latino community was not well represented, nor was it a viable electoral force; today, there are over 385,000 registered Latino voters in the state. /Filter /DCTDecode The latest of Blank's many charitable endeavors is aimed at helping the museum expand its reach. This isnt just a short-cut, this is a long-term play with significant input and investment into the community and its future, said Scott Jenkins, the general manager of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, to The Daily Beast. Among Blanks diverse interests are the nationwide PGA Tour Superstore chain, three guest ranches in Montana, and a family foundation that counts millions in economic development investments on Atlantas beleaguered Westside among its $660-million outlay to date. Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. Marcus handed the CEO reigns to Blank in 1997; Blank held the position until a new president and CEO was hired in 2000. And so from there, since the 2001- 2002 season, we've only had three games that were not sold out during the season. One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. stream Student Loan Forgiveness and The Ghost of John Kline, (Who?). Peaceful protests of the past have led to new ways forward. But what, I ask, would be the effect of a dozen or so top current and former stars, coaches and league executives stepping up to a camera and telling pro footballs millions (and millions) of fans to get vaccinated for the sake of other people like the season ticket holders sitting next to them if not themselves? What Would Trump Steal That is So Ultra Top Secret and Why? The NFL owners club is a remarkable collection of avaricious gargoyles. But my mother would say to me, You know, what you have to say is important. Like all stories meant to inspire, he takes some knocks. You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. A protest has purpose. It's the customers. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. So, long story short, I think, is that we should recognize the past, understand the progress we have made. But the level where this Gruden idiocy touches the countrys perilous moment is where the NFL arguably one of the most popular and therefore influential organizations/corporations in the country could and should use Grudens buffoonish racism and sexism to make unambiguous statements to its fans, which is to say just about everyone in the country. Home Depot co-founders pictured in 1979, a year after the first store opened. endobj One where guys like the Vikings Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burned to the ground. I mean, it doesn't make a difference how old you are. (Confidentiality, you know.) Blank, who is Jewish, also addressed the administration's failure to recognize the losses suffered by the Jewish people during the Holocaust. He said, All of that really gave me time not only for redemption, but more importantly, for reflection. And he said, I really realized that I had done a lot of good things in my life putting aside and playing ball. My suspicion is that while Dungy and Tirico and dozens if not hundreds of other NFL leaders may have been surprised by Grudens racist imagery, they arent as unfamiliar with his other boys club stupidity. ', We have to be better than this moment. Atlanta rapper, advocate Killer Mike has message for protestors https://t.co/zb3oMHK7sx, "You are disgracing the life of George Floyd and every other person who has been killed in this country. We've broken every season ticket record per game. So when we started, MLS was ranked like 22nd among all the leagues in the world. Your support makes this possible. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. And then he worked in the laundry. I felt and others felt that we could be successful here. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. A reckless high-profile meathead, now out the $60 million remaining on his contract. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. They want to have a home-field advantage. Those come first. Two Gruden compadres, ex-Gophers star and former NFL coach Tony Dungy and his ESPN partner Mike Tirico, both black, are in a bad spot for defending Gruden about his michellin [sic] tires description of another black guys lips. If you go to a Home Depot shareholders meeting, they start out every single meeting for 42 years now with this value wheel that we developed. 14, He also had three children with his second wife of 16 years, Stephanie Blank. /CreationDate (D:20210314125741+02'00') And in fact, one of her famous expressions was: You do the right things for the right reasons and live with the consequences of them. And I'm trying to build that into my life as well. So I'm happy to see that, you know, he came back to Atlanta and spent time here. >> But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. I have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. In order to put this grinding pandemic behind us once and for all? How could Trump possibly have lost re-election? Paul, are you OK? I was going to call his secretary, thinking Paul got a heart attack or something. We expect to learn a great deal from these groups and have that learning inform our strategy on voting access and civic participation in Georgia and beyond. In 1978, they co-founded the home-improvement retailer The Home Depot, with the help of merchandising expert Pat Farrah and New York investment banker Ken Langone who assembled a group of investors. No. It's good to be different, said Blank, but he said it's the intolerance of some that worries him about the future. 3, By 1981, Home Depots stock went public and raised over $4 million. Nationality: United States Executive summary: Co-Founder of Home Depot. Enter your email address to be notified about new posts. 12, Blank has been married three times. 13 Diana is a left-of-center philanthropist based in Atlanta and anonymously contributed several high-profile donations in the area including a $4 million gift to the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra as well as a nearly $20 million gift to Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. This is chaos. Soccer fans don't want to feel like they go into a stadium and they're a second-class citizen citizen. 8 In 2012, Blank signed the Giving Pledge and committed to giving more than half of his wealth away to philanthropic efforts in his lifetime. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. Today, Blank is the Chairman of AMB Group LLC, parent company of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. The 79-year-old philanthropist has supported educational projects to promote civil rights and racial justice. Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. ATLANTA - Falcons team owner Arthur Blank has tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the team's final game of the regular season. Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. /SMask /None>> That was in 1979. Max died when Arthur was 15, leaving his mother to grow what became a multi-million-dollar business. But really, in my view, it's mostly that talking to young people about, you know, here's somebody who's been there, done it, gotten on T-shirts, lived it, and somebody whose name they respect or the least they know of, I should say, in most cases. endobj We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. With Labels, Listen to Affected Populations, Not Activists, As With Alcohol, Mitigation, Not Prohibition, Is the Answer, It Seems Democrats Are Blundering Badly (Again) with Their All-Abortion, All-the-Time Campaign. One reporter asked Fontenot whether he thought the Falcons were getting Watson. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!!! The stadium boasts roughly 4,000 solar panels and will use 70 percent less energy. a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. Come up with real solutions: Atlanta rapper Killer Mike condemns vandalism, >> 'If you care about this city then go home': Atlanta mayor, police chief call protests a disgrace, NCSHP arrest driver accused of nearly hitting 2 students at bus stop in Statesville, Rock band Kiss reveals Charlotte connection to hit song, After Murdaugh trial circus, Walterboro welcomes normality, Bank accidentally left unlocked in Fresno, police say, Charlotte woman celebrates $1 million scratch-off prize, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. Falcons owner Arthur Blank made a $15 million donation on Tuesday to The Cooper Institute, run by its founder Dr. Kenneth Cooper, a friend of Blank's and a strong proponent of preventive medicine. GALEO strives for a better Georgia where the Latino community is engagedcivically, and its contributions and concerns are recognized. So, I think the great political leaders and the great spiritual leaders, in my view, have always, always opened up their arms and included everybody. /AIS false Proceeds from sales of Good Companygo to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. How? They all have a great set of values. << Prior to the construction of the Georgia Dome they played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium with the Atlanta Braves, and you could see the spot where Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth in home runs. In our case, the fans, customers, guests or grantees, whatever the case may be, you're going to find out the ultimate truth of what you need to do to build a business response to issues, spot opportunities, deal with problems, whatever it may be. I've had conversations with a number of senators who made it very clear that some of their best friends, both politically and otherwise, are on the other side of the aisle. With Enemies Like Scott Jensen, Who Needs Friends? A Handful of Things I Could Not Care Less About, Matt Birk: Rape Victims Are Playing the Rape Card?, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. ,> U#kw1%dHT6qZq]9Ki o They put my mother, my brother and I in the living room with one of them and the other was searching the house, looking for cash that wasn't there. And my mother was giving him a lecture saying, You realize this is not what your parents would want you to do. 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. Tikkun Olam [a Jewish concept of repairing the world through action]. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with businessman Arthur Blank about gun regulation and philanthropy. There was a six-year period in there, when things went a little south. So in this case, we were coming back from a game after the team had played in St. Louis against the old St. Louis Rams theyre now in L.A. and instead of riding in the front of the plane with the coaches and managers, I sat in the back with the players. You know, dig in [your] heels and it becomes, "My territory, your territory," etc. Which country do you come from? This is chaos and were buying into it. And how do I put my shoulder to the wheel and lead by example and take the blessings of all the resources that our family. MATTIE'S CALL: A 9-month-old baby girl was reported missing from the Ellenwood area with a man police say was diagnosed with a mental illness. Scott Jensens Dramatic Fall Shows Ads Still Matter. "People are coming from different places, which is okay, but it's not okay when they're disrespectful; it's not okay when they're not kind. The guest. Our frontline associates and all those businesses come next. ATLANTA Protests over the death of George Floyd have been gaining national attention. I think when the president [Donald Trump] in the fall of 2017 commented during his speech in Alabama about I don't want to use the words, you know what they were but he termed the players that were kneeling, in my view, in a very derogatory way. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. /Title ( A r t h u r b l a n k p o l i t i c s) And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank released a statement on Saturday following President Donald Trump's comments on Friday about the NFL. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. A co-founder of Home Depot increased his giving for children in the pandemic because, he said, "they don't always have the tools to deal with what's happened to them.". He received his MBA from Harvard. Why Is Doc Jensen Still So Obsessed With His Long-Disproven COVID Claims? Give them hope. If you sit in your homes instead of burning your home to the ground, you will have time to properly plot, plan, strategize and organize and mobilize in effective ways., Two of the most effective ways is first taking your butt to the computer and making sure you fill out your census so that people know who you are and where you are. ", It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy We have to be better than this moment. If executed improperly, this stadium could continue a long line of broken promises for this blighted community. I'm not sure how they're going to receive you. Also watchRISING UP: A Westside Story,a documentary film by David Lewis Productions that gives viewers a detailed look into the ideation, construction, and impact of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the city of Atlanta. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The statement reads: "We are at our very best. Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. Support more understanding and be better listeners trying to see how the other people, you know, try to stand in the footsteps of others. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. It's the fans. But it's really not a story about dogfighting. And I remember he told me, he said, You know, when [I went into] the prison system, they gave me three pair of underwear, three shirts, three pair slacks, three socks and one pair of shoes, and that was it. He said, That was all I was going to have, as opposed to the lifestyle he was leading before. j"[p!d~oB?1].drwe GM]/v2q3^u[\ /. I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. I'll flip words around, you know, subconsciously and, and make sentences complete. And it was early on a Sunday morning. We Present You Trumps Deposition, More or Less Verbatim. It is my hope that we take this terrible moment in our history to elevate that conversation toward productive action and lasting, positive change. You need to figure out something else to do for the rest of your life. And after a while, he said, Would you please shut up? And she never did. Arthur Blank co-founded the Home Depot in the late 1970s after being fired from a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. /Height 155 But Its All Too Familiar. /CA 1.0 Liz Cheney Aint Going Nowhere in This Republican Party, Jensens Abortion Ban Promises Come Back to Haunt Him, Thanks to Oppo. Theres a revelation of Blank stumbling dazedly into a parking lot after being abruptly forced out of Home Depot in 2001, and his devastation after the Falcons epic 2017 loss in the Super Bowl. And next thing I know, he was sitting on his knees and with a gun to his head. But tell me what I can do to help? And they said, Well, you know, the reality is about 40% of our stadium is empty. But We Aint Seen Nuthin Yet. But I would keep raising my hand. And there are two [robbers] and they want to know, "Where's the money, where's the cash?" meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. And I remember him looking at me saying, If I told your mother what you just said, she would wash your mouth out with soap. But that was the last thing I said. !, And listen to me, be careful where you are getting your information to JOIN protests!! By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Over the next two years (2021-2023), we will create an inclusive relationship with and among these grantees to share ideas, best practices, lessons and challenges. For years, Americans have fallen prey to the con of wealthy businessmen who want to build shiny new sports arenas yet dont want to pay for them. We sit down with New York Times theater critic Jesse Green to discuss Rodgers' autobiography, Shy. But we both said, you know, if we ever had to compete with Handy Dan that was the most successful conventional chain of home improvement center stores in the country at that time it would be with a large, no frills, downmarket store. The Westside also suffers from severe flooding problems, and the stadium has a 1.1 million gallon storm vault underground to trap and reuse their rain water, and help prevent flooding. Additionally in 2014, the Atlanta Braves announced that they were building a new stadium outside the city in the northern suburbs, and leaving Turner Field, which was originally the site of Centennial Olympic Stadium for the 1996 summer games. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. Steve Bullock, and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. You're going to get a lot of your fellow owners really pissed. We must not accept or condone violence in any way. Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. The rescue team said the man was buried up to his neck in soil. When you find common solutions that work for everybody and [are] respectful of everybody to represent the best of you. But I know that his essence, at his heart and his soul, is a really good person that cares deeply about humanity. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. OMG, Democrats Are Criminally Bad At Marketing What They Accomplish. This is not a good way to make a living. But in any event, that was part of just being a good listener. Brian and Arthur welcomed their daughter Blake into the world via Arthur's sister Aoife, who acted as a surrogate for the couple, back in September -- with Brian previously teasing the documentary before Blake's arrival. So, you know, we understood that our culture had nothing to do with which party you are affiliated with. His percentage of giving back from his estate will be equal to mine and some of his philosophies don't exactly match mine. Blank, speaking with Falcons reporters via phone from the Super Bowl, expressed confidence in the direction of the team following a 7-10 finish under second-year coach Arthur Smith. And it's all connected not only to associates, but to the communities in which we live and operate. A message sent to Arthur Blank from President Obama in 2018, thanking him for his commitment to affordability at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium after Blank cut concession prices by 50%. Falcons owner Arthur Blank spoke with reporters during a 10-minute teleconference from the Super Bowl. Marcus has been an outspoken Donald Trump devotee throughout both the 2016 and 2020 elections, donating $7 million to Trump's campaign four years ago. I remember I called the commissioner then, who was Paul Tagliabue, and I say, Well, Paul, I have this idea. All Rights Reserved. The family foundation has already invested over $20 million into the surrounding community. So you take your time, you get the words out and people will listen to you. So I think that from those days in college where I raised my hand and I know my buddies around the class would think, Oh, boy, here goes another 5-minute answer, you know? And that's an example of the happiness that we're talking about. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] Arthur Blank on NFL kneelers: 'Players have no interest in being disrespectful to flag' Political Insider By Jim Galloway, Political Insider Trump is apparently referencing a highly sourced. The organization works directly with election officials to maintain accurate and complete voter lists and to secure their election technology infrastructure. That coming the day before the New York Times dropped the bomb(s) about Gruden calling the NFL commissioner a faggot, ripping the leagues concussion protocols, (in other words, Grudens pro-concussion) and trading nudie pictures of cheerleaders. He owns the team, after all. "It's not a red issue or a blue issue, it's about how you treat people, whether it be guests, fans, customers, associates, or shareholders in the case with HD," said Blank, whose Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted over $800 million to help underserved people across the nation. He released a statement five days after Gov. I worked with him for over 40 years and we shared the same bathroom for over 30 years, which is more than any of our marriages lasted," said Blank, who's currently valued by Forbes at about $6.2 billion. Of the other 60% who do come, half are rooting for the other team. So I understood what they were saying: They just wanted support noise. 17. How do I do my part in it? And now their story is a page-turning novel. Now, there's no place for violent protest. We have to be better than burning down our own homes because if we lose Atlanta what else do we have?, I want you to go home. So it was a great story and is a great story. My dad didn't look at who it was. 260 14th St. NW I suspect he had help. So the answer would be yes. And that's one of our core values as well: Include everybody. And, you know, living in poverty, we had friends coming by all the time and what have you. "I know Bernie's heart. There are nearly one million Latinos in Georgia, with one of the fastest growth rates of the Latino population in the nation. Walz Cooperation With Law Enforcement Deserves Praise, Not Punishment, If You Think Republicans Cant Ban Abortion in Minnesota, Look No Further than Iowa, Russia, Ukraine and My Seven Months with YouTube. Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl. Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. . And the great political leaders in the past, they were civil and they were good listeners. "So, you know, I love him. The book lays out a set of values that guided him to turn around the struggling Atlanta Falcons NFL team, launch the Atlanta United FC soccer club and build the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. How do you help repair the world if we can use that expression? "He cares deeply about giving back and making a difference in people's lives. GPBs Virginia Prescott asked Blank about some of those stories in a conversationpresented in collaboration with Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlantas Book Festival in Your Living Room, the National JCC Literary Consortium and the Atlanta History Center. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. We hold all the records. 1, I think at that time I didn't probably fully appreciate the environment, the communities and neighborhood that Michael was raised in, an area called New Newport News. The Arthur M. Blank Foundation announced on Wednesday a new series of grants focusing on mental health and well-being in response to America's growing mental health crisis. Arthur Blanks brother, Michael, and his father, Max, are photographed outside the OES Pharmacy family business, in 1940. To anyone interested in a deeper dive into NFL culture I strongly recommend, Big Game by New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich for an inside-the-suites sense of who says what to who when its more or less just them peer billionaires talking.