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. "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. Our democracy is made stronger when we hear from all Americans on the issues of our day whether they be national or local. For the last two decades, sports have united this largely racially divided city, and partially due to the actions of the Hawks and the Braves, the Falcons could ill-afford to have a stadium plan that was not only racially inclusive, but also worked to incorporate the surrounding community. These are not political issues, they are human issues that need serious, earnest attention from leaders and citizens alike who understand that diversity is our strength and fair treatment is everyones right. But, you know, I think the word civility is terribly important today in the political world in which we just don't see it the way we need to see it. (Confidentiality, you know.) 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. 8 . Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. We believe the right to vote is sacred and should be protected, so that we can have an active and engaged citizenry that participates in our democracy year-round, not just during presidential election cycles. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. They all live life with purpose. 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. One reporter asked Fontenot whether he thought the Falcons were getting Watson. Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? Arthur Blank On Michael Vick, Bernie Marcus, And How He'd Run The U.S. And so think about the implications of the choices you're making for yourself and for your loved ones, etc. Do it in November. So, you know, we understood that our culture had nothing to do with which party you are affiliated with. Arthur Blank Politics, Foundation, Businesses, Net Worth And that's an example of the happiness that we're talking about. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. 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. Porn Star Pay Offs, Inciting Insurrection, Sexual Assaults, Bank Fraud, Election Conspiracy and FoxNews v. Dominion. And thats despite our recent record, which hasn't been, you know, one I'm particularly proud of, but we'll get better. After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blanks interests centered on a variety of Atlanta-based sports franchises and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, a private foundation that has awarded over $560 million. 2, In the late 1970s, Arthur Blank was an officer at Handy Dan, a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). Citizens and municipalities have for far too long believed these baseless claims, paid for the stadium, and watched them lie dormant during the offseason as the new businesses never came. How best to put it? Michael Vicks published letter, Atlanta, nearly made a whole city cry on the eve of the Super Bowl. Full statement from Arthur Blank: https://t.co/1lU870TGWa pic.twitter.com/0qejiahKKY, Please, please stop this violence!! Please stop the violence!, Im not in Atlanta, but if I were I would have been standing with our Mayor! Please, please stop this violence!! The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. American professional sports owners have contributed nearly $47 million in federal elections since 2015, according to research by ESPN in partnership with FiveThirtyEight, including $10 million. It's good to be different, said Blank, but he said it's the intolerance of some that worries him about the future. This is not a protest. And I think we got disconnected. But the two subsequent CEOs the gentleman there today, Craig Minear, the CEO and president Ted Decker both live the culture. /Filter /DCTDecode Arthur Blank says Falcons are 'excited' about Desmond Ridder's play Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons owner and co-founder of Home Depot) 2020Joe Biden 2016Hillary Clinton 2012Barack Obama Maxine Clark (founder and former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop) 2016Hillary Clinton Michael Eisner (former CEO of Disney) 2016Marco Rubio, then later Hillary Clinton 2016Kamala Harris Jack M. Greenberg (former CEO of McDonald's) Arthur Blank - Wikipedia If executed improperly, this stadium could continue a long line of broken promises for this blighted community. I mean, it wasn't like, You're Republican or Democrat. A number of events over the last couple of weeks have reminded us again that the long, worthy quest for equal justice, civility and unity in America is far from over. Blank Launches New Voter Education Project - Atlanta Jewish Times That should never be tolerated. Atlanta Falcons employees are most likely to be members of the Republican Party. We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. This is chaos. And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. It's a beautiful thing. 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. Is Arthur Blank the Only Good Owner in the NFL? - The Daily Beast Since then, they have re-organized their focus areas more specifically into four groups: policy advocacy, organizing and civic engagement, impact litigation, and legal services. The Blank foundation also emphasizes environmental sustainability and aims to support programs that foster this message in the Westside. But he was there and he finally said, Listen, you own the franchise, you have the option. /Subtype /Image How could Trump possibly have lost re-election? The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . 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. Arthur Blank on Trump policies: 'Troubled by anything that Why Should Tim Walz Even Bother Debating Scott Jensen? He also goes public about the pain of learning of Michael Vicks role in an illegal dogfighting ring, along with other ups and downs in a life of unimaginable financial success. I want you guys to come up with real solutions. "I know Bernie's heart. Well, I shouldn't say I'm not. So I think that part of that comes out of really being a good listener and responding to what you're hearing and trying to find a way to make things work for the benefit of everybody collaboratively. So, we had great confidence in our own abilities. Your support makes this possible. A study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020 showed Blank is a bipartisan contributor to political campaignsbut contributed more to Democratic candidates from 2012 to 2020. And they love the camaraderie. They have no serious public, political advocates. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. Arthur Blank's Wives & Family: 5 Fast Facts | Heavy.com You know, dig in [your] heels and it becomes, "My territory, your territory," etc. And we need to figure out, you know, how do we move past that and how do we learn from that and how do we get connected with our current reality? So I'm happy to see that, you know, he came back to Atlanta and spent time here. Arthur Blank - InfluenceWatch - InfluenceWatch He received his MBA from Harvard. Political Donations: Blank has largely donated to Democratic causes, most notably: $32,400 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2013; $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in '08; and. 3 0 obj . Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. ', 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. Another Home. But he did. We believe that voting rights are critically important, and our home state of Georgia is at the center of the struggle. One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. Big Game by New York Times Magazine writer Mark Leibovich, BLM Has Achieved Much More Than Its Critics. 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. Sign up for notifications from Insider! This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This is not the legacy of civil rights in America. 9, Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. My dad didn't look at who it was. It's an inverted pyramid that speaks to our whole orientation and all of our businesses today. He shares how he and Bernie Marcus were brusquely fired from executive positions at Handy Dan Home Improvement Stores the humiliating inflection point that led the pair to create The Home Depot. 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. Arthur Blank releases statement after Trump's comments on NFL And if I stop talking now for two minutes, you realize just how long two minutes is. To assist with the effective inclusion of community voices, the city of Atlanta participated in the Living Cities City Accelerator program, which streamlined and articulated (PDF) best practices for service providers and community leaders to build stable communities in Atlanta. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. And they love that. Those come first. Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!! Our family foundation seeks to preserve and strengthen our democracy, and weve chosen this as one of our new collective areas of giving. And whether, you know, be it Dr. King or, a great friend to America and a great leader, Congressman Lewis, [who] was a great personal friend of mine and served our country beautifully, would say peaceful nonviolent protest is how we that's how we make progress. 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. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Link Copied! Blank allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. Politicians, business owners and celebrities are speaking out to share their thoughts on Floyds death, the issues his killing have brought to the forefront and the protests that turned to chaos, specifically in Atlanta. The NFL could and should be a leader among other giant corporations in taking stark stands against belligerent stupidity like racism (which it is sort of good at in a lipservice/signage kind of way, considering 70% of its players are black) and sexism (where it has a long ways to go, despite promoting Breast Cancer Awareness Month with pink shoes), but also right now for wait for it COVID vaccinations. I was gagged. And so from there, since the 2001- 2002 season, we've only had three games that were not sold out during the season. Arthur Blank gives $17M to National Center for Civil and Human Rights Support more understanding and be better listeners trying to see how the other people, you know, try to stand in the footsteps of others. This must happen more than every four years, because theres no offseason for democracy. Home Depot cofounder, Arthur Blank, is a longtime Democratic supporter and donated $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden between July and September in 2020, Forbes reported. So, you know, soccer is on the ascent in the United States dramatically, which is a great thing. In 2014 it emerged that Bruce Levenson, who owned the NBAs Atlanta Hawks, had written an email that amongst other things theorized that the black crowd [at Philips Arena] scared away the whites, adding for good measure: I have even bitched that the kiss cam is too black. Levenson later that year sold his stake in the franchise, and the Hawks have worked hard to win back their black audience. "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. How do I do my part in it? And then he came up to my suite afterward and it was like 10, 15 minutes later, his face was just full of tears and he said that he was so moved by it. There are people and other countries who are posting things pretending to be US, pretending to stand for peaceful protest, but they are trying to incite us into violence and chaos to try and do more harm! 1, Arthur Blank was born to Molly and Max Blank in Queens, New York. They survived. /Height 155 "I know what he cares about and he cares about a lot of the same things that I care about.". Their siblings, their families, you know, may have gone to battle and wore a variety of uniforms for our country over many, many years. So when we started, MLS was ranked like 22nd among all the leagues in the world. So it was a great story and is a great story. So that's really what it was about. 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. The next thing is making sure you exercise your political bully power and going to local elections and beating up the politicians you dont like., It is time to beat up prosecutors you dont like at the voting booth. But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. Opponents of the bill argue it's too restrictive and targets minority voters. Statement from Arthur Blank on the 2020 election - Atlanta Falcons I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said Wednesday he is encouraged by the progress of quarterback Desmond Ridder and the potential of building around the rookie. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. And I know he considers the blessings that we had coming from Home Depot [and what its done] for all of our philanthropy today and all of our businesses today to be something that we're very thankful for. I mean, you write a book like this, it's really getting into kind of the political arena. . In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. More must be done to bring people together through meaningful change. Mercedes-Benz Stadium aims to be the first stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification. 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. He had three children with his first wife Diana Blank, whom he divorced in 1993. His faith is very strong. They want to have a home-field advantage. And the core values that our forefathers drafted for us they weren't perfect, either, but in their own ways, they strove for those things. We don't have any fans in our building, and this is what we plan on doing: We're going to, you know, promote season tickets for 100 bucks or $10 a ticket. And I remember waiting for, you know, probably two minutes. /Type /XObject %PDF-1.4 Blank retired from the company in 2001 as co-chairman. << Arthur Blank responsible for sorry state of Falcons - ajc 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. !, Do not fall for this foolishness!!! /SMask /None>> And now their story is a page-turning novel. meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. And I told him before, You get in a convertible and drive around the field and Michael, there are 73,000 people in the building. We were living in a single-bedroom apartment in Queens. 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.