In total, they anticipate hosting each year 40 to 50 big events and an additional 100 to 200 small events in the neighboring park that will be built where the Georgia Dome currently resides. This is chaos. I'm not sure how they're going to receive you. Owner, Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC. I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr Arthur M. Blank is responsible for the sorry state of the Falcons. } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br I went to a small business school outside of Boston called Babson College I would always sit in the front because I always wanted to pay attention and learn. Our Family Foundation and the rest of our businesses here in Atlanta and elsewhere remain committed to being part of the solution., Together for Atlanta. There was a six-year period in there, when things went a little south. One where guys like the Vikings' Mark and Zygi Wilf and Arthur (Home Depot) Blank of the Atlanta Falcons come off as comparatively rational. 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. These are the kinds of people we need in leadership today, not thinking about red, blue, purple. 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.". Full statement from Arthur Blank: https://t.co/1lU870TGWa pic.twitter.com/0qejiahKKY, Please, please stop this violence!! << 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. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. /Height 155 Download the FOX 5 Atlanta appfor breaking news and weather alerts. 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. Given its footprint, we have good rights to expect a lot more from this monolith. And somebody knocked on the door. The pair always strove to create a work environment that put people before politics, said Blank. Blank spent 19 years as the company's president before succeeding Marcus as CEO. 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. 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. "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 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. 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. Generally speaking they dont do a lot to lift up the communities and neighborhoods around them. 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. Arthur Blank is worried that capitalism is getting a bad rap. 16 Blanks son, Kenny Blank, also sits on the foundations board and is the executive director of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. In 1989, the company opened its 100th store. Then I would not be bashful about asking questions. ,> U#kw1%dHT6qZq]9Ki o 2023 FOX Television Stations, Georgia Secretary of State calls many election changes 'solid', study by ESPN and FiveThirtyEight in October 2020, too restrictive and targets minority voters, Cobb leader says moving MLB All-Star game in protest would hurt business, Democrats dispute police report in Georgia lawmakers arrest, Civil rights groups file new lawsuit over Georgia voting law, Photos show rescue of Woodstock man 'buried up to his neck' in collapsed trench, Frederick, MD tanker explosion leaves 1 dead; Shuts down part of US-15, Sheriff's office continues five-year-long search for missing Carrollton man, Georgia baby girl reported missing with man diagnosed with mental illness, police say, Jesse Wilson: Adoptive mother arrested in boy's death in Arizona, Clayton County twin sisters make history rising the ranks in Georgia UPS facility, Alex Murdaugh killed wife, son to buy time, prosecutor says, UGA football star Jalen Carter facing charges in fatal crash: What we know, Young Thug trial: Judge orders probe of leaked evidence, Families intensify search for two men missing for more than a week. The system has worked well for the multi-billionaire and co-founder of The Home Depot. They want to have a home-field advantage. And now their story is a page-turning novel. I still remember this as if it was yesterday. Our frontline associates and all those businesses come next. /CreationDate (D:20210314125741+02'00') 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. It's our job is to serve the American people and I think we need to have more focus on that.". America has long struggled to deliver a fair and equitable democracy to all of its citizens. The statement came about five days after Gov. This is chaos and were buying into it. ~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? 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) 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? ', 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. /Creator ( w k h t m l t o p d f 0 . Looting is NOT THE ANSWER!!!! 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. As I've said, 95% of my estate is going to be recycled back through our foundations and they will provide their insights and their leadership and their views and values that their father and their mothers would be very proud of. 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. Hopefully we'll get back in the playoffs, but not as well as the first three years. Stop making people feel so fearful. We must not accept or condone violence in any way. . The statement reads: "We are at our very best. Soccer fans don't want to feel like they go into a stadium and they're a second-class citizen citizen. Friday on Political Rewind: Mary Rodgers grew up among some of Broadway's biggest names, from Sondheim to Bernstein. >> Link Copied! 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. 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. "Obviously, it's a tragic time in the history of the. "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. This is not a good way to make a living. And there are two [robbers] and they want to know, "Where's the money, where's the cash?" 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. 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. ATLANTA Protests over the death of George Floyd have been gaining national attention. I want you guys to come up with real solutions. One was in pricing. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. And they love that. 5 Other Blank family businesses include the nationwide PGA TOUR Superstore as well as a handful of ranches across the country. 7) If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. She was a woman of great principle, great personal authority. Blank is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party. a guy regularly reviled by sportswriters, players and fans as a (very wealthy) toxic idiot. I, like almost everyone else, had already started celebrating at halftime. Now 78, he is largely beloved in Georgia as an entrepreneur, owner of two professional sports teams and a prolific philanthropist. More must be done to bring people together through meaningful change. Arthur Blank is an American entrepreneur and a co-owner of the home improvement retail giant The Home Depot. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images), WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), >> Go home. /SM 0.02 Lawlessness, vandalism and intentionally upending the peace with any form of violence has never been productive and is not the answer. What Would Trump Steal That is So Ultra Top Secret and Why? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But Its All Too Familiar. 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. I know you see my partner, Bernie, on Fox News very often. 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. 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. meathead) culture inside the team formerly known as the Washington Redskins. Opponents of the bill argue it's too restrictive and targets minority voters. That Vote for Secretary of State? Our history of voting rights is a constant struggle, a repetitive cycle of expansion followed by restriction. We want to see the system that sets up for systemic racism burned to the ground. 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. Her father was one half of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Bernardo Little . endobj Paul, are you OK? I was going to call his secretary, thinking Paul got a heart attack or something. The Falcons owner, Arthur Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot with a net worth of $3 billion, at first glance certainly fits the bill of your standard billionaire athletic team owner. I have many friends who are no longer fervent Braves supporters. I would suggest, for anybody in business, that you listen to who you're serving. Which country do you come from? Yet the team continues to unite Atlantans during the ups and downs. 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. Thats great. The ones in Atlanta on Friday started off peaceful but later turned into violent demonstrations and looting of local businesses. People are scared and in pain. 3 0 obj This is not the legacy of civil rights in America. /CA 1.0 And it was early on a Sunday morning. I stayed in touch with him to some degree when he was in prison. Please, please stop this violence!! 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. /Width 625 And if all goes to plan, its also going to help a depressed community thats heard big talk before. And Blanks role in this project extends beyond the stadium. How could Trump possibly have lost re-election? 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. 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. And that's all part of his story of redemption and his story of being a changed person. And then as Dr. King wrote in his last book, which his wife published a year after he passed away. That should never be tolerated. "His approach obviously is different. 4 0 obj Now it's ranked like seventh. Shrinking from conflict over something as valid, real and life-protecting as a vaccine is not what Id call, manly, brave, courageous or patriotic. 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. A little shaky now. In recent years Atlantas sports teams have attracted controversies that have highlighted the racial disparities that still largely define the city. Give them hope. The Falcons were the first pro football team in the South, founded during the civil rights era in 1965. One reporter asked Fontenot whether he thought the Falcons were getting Watson. It's good to be different, said Blank, but he said it's the intolerance of some that worries him about the future. And then he worked in the laundry. 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. But staying in the city and trying to work with the community definitely beats the usual stadium construction scam and unwanted racial division that has become far too common in sports today. I listen to what he says and sometimes I'll cringe. So thats Gruden. He released a statement five days after Gov. Brian Kemp signed SB 202 into law. All Rights Reserved. The Athletic reported that Blank gave $2,800 to Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, on July 1. And if you go to the Museum of Equal Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, [Equal Justice Initiative Director] Bryan Stevenson says the same thing: We need to recognize [that] these 5000 lynchings took place in the United States[a 2019 Report from the EJI documents more than 4440 racial terror lynchings in the U.S. between 1877 and 1950]. There's no place for looting and stealing and whatever else. But that was typical of my mother. 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. In Fall 2021, we launched our new Democracy program area with $10 million in grants designed to strengthen key democracy organizations to be resilient for the long haul of this work. And he should know. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. 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. 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. I want you to talk to 10 of your friends. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Arthur%2BBlank&contributor_employer=The%2BArthur&two_year_transaction_period=2016&contributor_state=GA, https://www.ajc.com/news/local/molly-blank-strong-widow-grew-successful-business-sons/JMYrzmcGsGc4nXD58rqltJ/, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197614, https://corporate.homedepot.com/sites/default/themes/thd/images/timeline/History-Of-The-Home-Depot.pdf, https://www.forbes.com/profile/arthur-blank/?sh=ae7b330749c3, https://www.atlantafalcons.com/team/front-office-roster/arthur-blank, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/arthur-m-blank/, https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/statement-from-arthur-blank-on-georgia-voting-rights, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/11/companies-voting-bills-states/, https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/arthur-blank-wife-angela-are-getting-a-divorce/897352464/, https://saportareport.com/a-longtime-anonymous-donor-reveals-her-identity/sections/abcarticles/maria_saporta/, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/dena-kimball/, https://blankfoundation.org/trustee/kenny-blank/. In the 1940sGeorgia mountains, eight children were taken into the woods and left to die. Pictured is the famous napkin deal that sealed Arthur Blanks agreement with Taylor Smith to purchase the Atlanta Falcons for $545 million in 2001. 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. 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. Young you are. Arthur Blanks brother, Michael, and his father, Max, are photographed outside the OES Pharmacy family business, in 1940. 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. Owner Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Flacons reacts before a game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 10, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. /AIS false The Atlanta Falcons new stadium is going to be beautiful. 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. 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. And he had to mop the floors for weeks and months on end. GALEO strives for a better Georgia where the Latino community is engagedcivically, and its contributions and concerns are recognized. Arthur Blank talks sensible gun reform. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images). Founded in 2010 as the Asian American Legal Advocacy Center (AALAC), the organization became part of the Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliation in 2014. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB The Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR) mission is to ensure elections are secure, voters have confidence in election outcomes and democracy thrives as civic engagement grows. Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks with businessman Arthur Blank about gun regulation and philanthropy. We believe that voting rights are critically important, and our home state of Georgia is at the center of the struggle. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. /Type /XObject At the time, Atlanta liked to call itself The City Too Busy to Hate, but as more African Americans moved to the city the moniker shifted to The City Too Busy Moving to Hate, as more white Atlantans escaped the city to the northern suburbs. So, that represents that melting-pot philosophy: Were all in this together. Georgia Politics FOX 5 Atlanta ATLANTA - Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United Owner Arthur Blank said Tuesday afternoon he believes voting should be made "easier, not harder for every eligible. And so he speaks to people throughout the United States, young people primarily, about that. 2023 Cox Media Group. But he was. Their frustration is real, and it must be acknowledged and addressed. 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 allowed the previous front office to make shortsighted moves that still are costing the. His faith is very strong. 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. ", CNN -- Ted [Turner] did a great thing. [/Pattern /DeviceRGB] GALEO has also handed out flyers at city events, supermarkets, and churches that target Latinos. Another Home. He came out of the prison system as a changed person for the positive, not for the negative. Arthur blank politics The largest donation made to a political party by an Atlanta Falcons employee was by Arthur Blank. It's not trying influence, but trying to share philosophies of life and stories and thoughts about a certain set of values, which really transcend business, nonprofit, as well as the political arena.

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