It doesn't mean we agree on everything, we don't, but that's healthy," he said. This is chaos. Now it's ranked like seventh. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be home to Atlantas MLS team, Atlanta United FC. 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 have what's called a veil state, or I am a stutterer. And so he carries a weight of authority that somebody who's just called a suit and comes in and talks to them and doesn't quite feel the same, same way. Though the 78-year-old who's now the owner of the Atlanta Falcons NFL team was aware of their political differences, he said it never had any bearing on their shared values. These are not political issues, they are human issues that need serious, earnest attention from leaders and . That origin story is well known in business and retail circles as an example of how bold, disruptive thinking can change the game, but Good Company provides a more personal view. So it really never defined me. Soccer fans don't want to feel like they go into a stadium and they're a second-class citizen citizen. So, long story short, I think, is that we should recognize the past, understand the progress we have made. How could Trump possibly have lost re-election? Why Is Doc Jensen Still So Obsessed With His Long-Disproven COVID Claims? 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. He had a gun on his lap, sitting on his right thigh. They all understand it's, you know, you have an opportunity to be here on Earth and how do you want to leave it? 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. Did the Vikings and NFL Just Blacklist Another Left-Leaning Player? The stadium boasts roughly 4,000 solar panels and will use 70 percent less energy. Given its footprint, we have good rights to expect a lot more from this monolith. Arthur Blank is getting more involved in the political process. 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. So I would fight for that and surround myself with people who believe the same thing, because you have to have that brain power in every institution or corporation or nonprofit. They were trying to indicate that what the military had fought for these rights, the civil rights, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, etc. 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. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. We had the option of going to a variety of companies, doing a variety of things in a traditional sense of management leadership. 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. It's a beautiful thing. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. During the 2020 elections, Blank contributed $300,000 to Biden Victory Fund, $35,000 to the Democratic National Convention, and tens of thousands of dollars to state Democratic Party committees. Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. And the Falcons new stadiumscheduled to open this summerwith an estimated cost of $1.5 billion, $200 million coming from Atlanta hotel-motel taxesis definitely big and shinny with tons of gadgets to enhance the fan experience. But this is where the similarities with most other stadiums end. And that's one of our core values as well: Include everybody. NFL Owner Political Donations: Who Gave to Obama AND Rubio? - The Big Lead 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. Statement from Arthur Blank on the 2020 election - Atlanta Falcons But I know where his heart is and his heart is really in a good place. The perceived linebetween politics and sports further blurred when Major League Baseball's union chief said players are ready to discuss moving the 2021 MLB All-Star Game out of Truist Park. "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. authenticate users, apply security measures, and prevent spam and abuse, and, display personalised ads and content based on interest profiles, measure the effectiveness of personalised ads and content, and, develop and improve our products and services. 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 Ambassador Young, another good friend would say the same thing. Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name. We are better than this We are better than this as a country. 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. One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. Brian Kemp signed the controversial bill, which includes new restrictions on voting by mail and greater legislative control over how elections are run. Arthur Blank Politics, Foundation, Businesses, Net Worth 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. << So, we had great confidence in our own abilities. I love CNN, I love Cartoon Network. Theres at least one more level to the Jon Gruden disaster that NFL fans should consider about the leagues remarkable influence. 6 0 obj We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burned to the ground. . PDF Arthur blank politics 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. And they found ways to get things done with people who had a little bit a different view but found that commonality that was really important. I mean, you write a book like this, it's really getting into kind of the political arena. Arthur Blank: I was fired from Home Depot - YouTube So, that represents that melting-pot philosophy: Were all in this together. /Width 625 Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is the first nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI) and Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (AMEMSA) communities in Georgia and the Southeast. Were trying to do the exact opposite of that.. 1 2 . But, you know, I needed to change my view on what I could give back and how it could be connected to other people.. The family foundation has already invested over $20 million into the surrounding community. And so he speaks to people throughout the United States, young people primarily, about that. 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. You can do whatever you choose to do. 4, Blank purchased the NFLs Atlanta Falcons for more than $540 million shortly after stepping down as CEO of Home Depot. But I know that his essence, at his heart and his soul, is a really good person that cares deeply about humanity. Sign up for notifications from Insider! After stepping down as CEO of Home Depot in the early 2000s, Blank's 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. 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. The couple filed for divorce in 2013. Arthur Blank enjoys one of his favorite hobbies at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, one of three guest ranches owned by Blank Family of Businesses. So, I would say it was very successful. 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) And they love that. Arthur is committed to changing the narrative around sports stadiums, said Frank Fernandez, the VP of Community Development at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, to The Daily Beast. Arthur Blank is firmly in Joe Biden's corner. Arthur Blank - Forbes Democracy - The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation So, you know, soccer is on the ascent in the United States dramatically, which is a great thing. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Atlanta Falcons employees are most likely to be members of the Republican Party. He would say, I don't need to be cut any slack, you know. I want you to talk to 10 of your friends. Their siblings, their families, you know, may have gone to battle and wore a variety of uniforms for our country over many, many years. JFIF K K C Bernardo Little . I am, in a certain sense. Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. 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? And I think we got disconnected. I seriously doubt the leagues TV ratings or ad revenue would suffer an iota. But We Aint Seen Nuthin Yet. Here, using insidegov.com's database, are the disclosed political donations* for majority NFL owners dating back to the 2008 election. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . Who knows how successful theyll be, and many residents worry that economic growth could facilitate gentrification. %PDF-1.4 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've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. Minnesota Legislature, What Are You Chewing? We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. And thats despite our recent record, which hasn't been, you know, one I'm particularly proud of, but we'll get better. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Kirk Cousins Failed His Character Test, But the NFL Gives Him Its Highest Award for Character Anyway, Bidens Junk Fee Fight Should Include Broders Deli as Well as Las Vegas. It's an inverted pyramid that speaks to our whole orientation and all of our businesses today. And he should know. Steve Bullock, and the Democratic National Committee, to name a few, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission. It's good to be different, said Blank, but he said it's the intolerance of some that worries him about the future. Its a story about making bad choices and the impact of young people. In a statement released on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Twitter account, attributed to Blank, he said Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation leadership conveyed his sentiment directly to state officials in recent weeks. The league has recently been running in-game PSAs pushing cancer and mental health awareness screenings, etc. Home Depot Cofounder Arthur Blank on Politics, Supporting Biden The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. 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. The documentary will premiere exclusively Nov. 23, 2020 at 8 p.m.on Georgia Public Broadcasting.