Former Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga died at age 80. (AP)
March 24 (REUTERS): South Florida sports and business icon H. Wayne Huizenga died Thursday, a family member confirmed.
Huizenga, who was 80, was the former owner of the Miami Dolphins and the founder of MLB's Miami Marlins and the NHL's Florida Panthers.
His daughter Pamela Huizenga Alexander confirmed the news but did not reveal additional details.
Huizenga made his fortune as the founder of Waste Management, Blockbuster and AutoNation. In 2017, Forbes listed his net worth at $2.8 billion.
Huizenga was born in Chicago, but moved to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. with his family when he was 15. He started his business empire with a small trash-hauling operation that would eventually become Waste Management.
In the early 1990s, he bought a 15 percent stake in the Dolphins.
But in 1994, as his Blockbuster video rental empire took off, he became the sole owner of the Dolphins and Joe Robbie Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium). He sold 50 percent of the team and stadium to Stephen Ross in 2008, followed by another 45 percent the following year.
He was awarded expansion franchises in the NHL and MLB, with the Panthers and Marlins opening play in 1993, making Huizenga the first owner to have teams in three major sports.
He sold the Marlins in 1998 and the Panthers in 2001.
Comments
Leave a Comment