Blank writes about being teased for having a stutter. So we designed our stadium to accommodate not just for the Atlanta Falcons and National Football League football American football but soccer as well. I concede, as others who know him personally have, that Im stunned that a guy like Gruden who has been a high-profile media/cultural presence for over 20 years, regularly giving live interviews, chewing up air time as a TV analyst and obliging all the other requests for personal contact that go with being a football celebritry could conceal his essential meat-headedness so long and so well. Inside The Political Donation History Of Wealthy Sports Owners Kemp and the law's backers said it provides some common-sense reformsto ensure elections are secure. Mercedes-Benz Stadium aims to be the first stadium to receive LEED Platinum certification. The Braves leaving town also represented an end to the multicultural hub in the heart of the city that was forged by those Olympics. Do it in November. I do know it is hard. I said, Look, I'm going to be a new owner, tell me what I can do to help. I mean, everybody's standing for an hour-and-a-half and they just don't sit down. Blank and Marcus put their discounting experiment to the test in their own brand of warehouse stores called Home Depot and opened the first two Atlanta-area stores in 1979. endobj Democracy - The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation There was a six-year period in there, when things went a little south. How do you help repair the world if we can use that expression? And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. So we had 35, 40 players kneeling before that, after that speech, we had close to 300 players kneeling because they took it personally and their families took it personally and their parents and their siblings and their grandparents and their heritage was being challenged. Sign up for notifications from Insider! All of which is, yknow, really classy stuff. No. Give them hope. The Home Depot co-founder, Arthur Blank, candidly shares details of an impromptu meeting in an airport hangar when he was asked to step down, the company's short-term mistake of replacing him. Born on September 27, 1942, Blank owns the Atlanta, Georgia sports teams - the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and Atlanta United of the MLS. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". Statement from Arthur Blank on the 2020 election - Atlanta Falcons 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 understand that, but I respect it," said Blank. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Proceeds from sales of Good Companygo to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. There's no place for looting and stealing and whatever else. Which country do you come from? "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. In their sixth season of Major League Soccer, the Five Stripes bring some new faces onto the field this year. ~B?/"J()NF =|Z|&t?jCJw)C 0H>~9 ( 81c2fO=a>}@#y}~9]jqCZ'}*x:qj@PTj+2>dm?aU2 8'z?mWm)yt7,?:99=, +oG6 <4!I lg, ]6vDT2zu9~1bA'px#?)X&,:irv.q'/U:~]{tf&[eR|ozKD-sCEAMnO e=#MguofhNFT1vMfH# Q,e_oZdb_47OatAYs2=LJr~R1# gwg],Xs7q72 f) _n:R-r9-:Q`Mg?_t*"v8? So, long story short, I think, is that we should recognize the past, understand the progress we have made. Blank retired from the company in 2001 as co-chairman. Arthur Blank gives $17M to National Center for Civil and Human Rights 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. So, you know, soccer is on the ascent in the United States dramatically, which is a great thing. And he recently gave $250,000 to committees supporting Joe Biden, Forbes reported. I felt and others felt that we could be successful here. He released a statement five days after Gov. 12, Blank has been married three times. (Airlines resisting vaccination mandates for passengers are another prime example of failure of true leadership.) 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. The problem for the big, powerful, macho NFL, as it is for every other giant public entity, is that racism and cancer are kind of the easy stuff. Please stop the violence!, Im not in Atlanta, but if I were I would have been standing with our Mayor! I had another NFL player, while [Vick] was in prison, come visit me and say I came from exactly the same neighborhood, but it was in a part of Pittsburgh. So sadly, Michael was raised in an environment where that was kind of normal behavior, if you will. Atlanta Falcons employees are most likely to be members of the Republican Party. RELATED:Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid'. Blank, who is Jewish, also addressed the administration's failure to recognize the losses suffered by the Jewish people during the Holocaust. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will also be home to Atlantas MLS team, Atlanta United FC. So, you know, we understood that our culture had nothing to do with which party you are affiliated with. "He cares deeply about giving back and making a difference in people's lives. His faith is very strong. 6 Blank was the 2003 Chairman of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. 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. More must be done to address systemic racism. Blank told Business Insider that despite their differences, running a company is "not a red issue or a blue issue" and is instead about sharing the same values. And Blanks role in this project extends beyond the stadium. However, the Atlanta Falcons new home, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, may foster a new era of stadium construction and community engagement. All those 25,000 tickets were gone. /AIS false Not about dogfighting. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. 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. Despite being widowed at a young age, his mother managed the familys mail-order pharmaceutical business and sold it to a large retail conglomerate. We need to recognize those truths. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. 14, He also had three children with his second wife of 16 years, Stephanie Blank. Porn Star Pay Offs, Inciting Insurrection, Sexual Assaults, Bank Fraud, Election Conspiracy and FoxNews v. Dominion. >> Tikkun Olam [a Jewish concept of repairing the world through action]. Blank donated another $35,500 to the Democratic National Committee, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Hes a combination of father and brother to me. He's done a lot of work in terms of animal rights, which has been great and been appreciated by all of those agencies and all those institutions. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. "His approach obviously is different. And we've had a very successful team for the first threeand-a-half years this year. Falcons owner Arthur Blank is weighing in on Georgia's sweeping overhaul of election laws. 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. Good Company is billed as a visionary road-map for creating successful businesses. So there wasn't a word on the other end of the phone. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. 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. 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. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform. Were trying to do the exact opposite of that.. We Present You Trumps Deposition, More or Less Verbatim. That was in 1979. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. . One of the beauties is that when you come to the stadium, it feels like it's the United Nations. And it was early on a Sunday morning. Players and coaches appear giving quick testimonials. ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday afternoon he believes voting should be made "easier, not harder for every eligible citizen" and his business and non-profit partners plan to support efforts to advance voting access. Its appalling how heavily-to-tightly-managed entities, especially those controlled by a small cluster of well-heeled egos turn into shuddering eunuchs at the thought of riling just an ugly faction of its consumer base. Were usually very happy to talk, very happy to share our opinions and what have you I have enough humility to understand that the people were serving know better. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. Arthur Blank on Trump policies: 'Troubled by anything that Blank's statement did not specify any initiatives or call any elected officials or political parties by name. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. Soccer fans don't want to feel like they go into a stadium and they're a second-class citizen citizen. It is making no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out about the Redskins and others who had contact with the team. So everything is designed to accommodate the soccer fans so they feel like this is their place as a result of that. By Bob Bahr October 12, 2021, 5:48 pm. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] 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. But Still Not Even an Indictment. ", It is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy We have to be better than this moment. The Falcons leadership knows how to play politics. And so think about the implications of the choices you're making for yourself and for your loved ones, etc. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. The 79-year-old co-founder of Atlanta-based The Home Depot . Blank also contributed $28,500 to the Obama Victory Fund in 2008. And I love him. 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. ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank released a statement on Saturday following President Donald Trump's comments on Friday about the NFL. This is not a protest. Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. A company where we already know from law suits the teams executives treated its cheerleaders like Vegas escorts and, yup, traded nudie pictures of them changing outfits. The Atlanta media thrashed Arthur Smith, Terry Fontenot, and Arthur Blank about their interest level sometime after the news broke. How? We Have Every Reason To Expect a Lot More from the NFL, no promises that it will reveal everything it has found out. But go ahead and do it, if that's what you want. So we did it. 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. Bernardo Little . Like many other enormous corporations the NFL, selling a slick, bristling mix of testosterone and patriotism, ducks away from anything with a whiff of political conflict. 5) This can create a steady stream of jobs and revenue for the community. And at the top of that is who is being served comes first. And now their story is a page-turning novel. Atlanta, GA 30318 Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. Together we will rise above this on the strength of what has always made Atlanta great its people, its leaders of past and present and its unique culture that is welcoming to all. Here, using insidegov.com's database, are the disclosed political donations* for majority NFL owners dating back to the 2008 election. Arthur Blank is firmly in Joe Biden's corner. Where did your parents come from with your grandparents? We all came from someplace else, other than the other Native Americans. When you find common solutions that work for everybody and [are] respectful of everybody to represent the best of you. They have no serious public, political advocates. So the answer would be yes. << 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. 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. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. We sold out the entire stadium in two-and-a-half hours. GPB intern Eva Rothenberg contributed to this article. Arthur Blank greets a crowd of cheering Atlanta United fans in 2017. This is chaos. Blank who grew up in New York City said he believes the US is going through one of the most tumultuous times in its history. I mean, it wasn't like, You're Republican or Democrat. One was in pricing. 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. One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. !, Do not fall for this foolishness!!! So I would just cut him some slack. In the 1940sGeorgia mountains, eight children were taken into the woods and left to die. Now, the last game we had in the Georgia Dome before we moved to Mercedes Benz Stadium in August of 2017, wewere honoring all of our ring of honor members and he was one of them. You know, better than in the 40s and 50s, but not where we should be. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. Open, honest dialogue is needed on a much greater scale. Its more like cowardly, and meatheaded. Playoffs, playoff championships, etc. They want to have a home-field advantage. Did the Vikings and NFL Just Blacklist Another Left-Leaning Player? No, I'm not. Max died when Arthur was 15, leaving his mother to grow what became a multi-million-dollar business. And they love the camaraderie. The Athletic's Felipe Crdenas joined Georgia Public Broadcasting's Orlando Montoya tohelp breakdown what fans can expect this year on and off the field. Arthur Blank - InfluenceWatch - InfluenceWatch He received his MBA from Harvard. 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. Arthur Blank co-founded the Home Depot in the late 1970s after being fired from a regional hardware store chain in Southern California. But he did. And so he's used that time since he got out of prison and giving back to community, speaking to young people. The portfolio includes nearly $10 million in grants to 12 nonprofits that represent a diverse set of organizations with a strong presence in Georgia and the Southeast. On Thursday, Falcons owner Arthur Blank's foundation donated a five-year, $17 million grant to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. So, I would say it was very successful. 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. The latest of Blank's many charitable endeavors is aimed at helping the museum expand its reach. Friday on Political Rewind: Mary Rodgers grew up among some of Broadway's biggest names, from Sondheim to Bernstein. We must not accept or condone violence in any way. How aerobics changed the life of Arthur Blank long before he bought the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United owner Arthur M. Blank released a statement Monday on the importance of fair elections and democracy: "Free and fair elections are vital to the health of our. "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. Liz Cheney Aint Going Nowhere in This Republican Party, Jensens Abortion Ban Promises Come Back to Haunt Him, Thanks to Oppo. And if I stop talking now for two minutes, you realize just how long two minutes is. Blank also owns Atlantas Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a sports and entertainment facility valued at $1.5 billion that hosted the 2019 Super Bowl.

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