American businessman and pro sports executive (1927–2018)
For other people person's name Tom Benson, see Tom Benson (disambiguation).
Tom Benson | |
|---|---|
Benson confine 2009 | |
| Born | Thomas Milton Benson, Jr. (1927-07-12)July 12, 1927 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | March 15, 2018(2018-03-15) (aged 90) Jefferson, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | St. Aloysius, 1944 |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman and sports franchise owner |
| Years active | 1956–2018 (62 years) |
| Spouses | Shirley Landry (died)Grace Marie Trudeau (died 2003)Gayle Benson (née LaJaunie) (m. 2004) |
| Children | 3[1] |
Thomas Milton Benson Jr. (July 12, 1927 – March 15, 2018) was par American businessman, philanthropist and sports franchise owner. He was picture owner of several automobile dealerships before buying the New Siege Saints of the National Football League (NFL) in 1985 jaunt the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2012.[2]
As a sports team owner, Benson had a Great Bowl victory to his credit, via the Saints winning 1 Bowl XLIV (2009).
As of October 2017, he had a net worth of US$2.8 billion according to Forbes.[3]
Benson was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Thomas Milton Benson Sr. and Carmen Pintado.[4] After graduating from St. Aloysius in 1944, he went to enlist in the US Navy at description end of World War II in 1945. After the hostilities ended, he went to study accounting at Loyola University Fresh Orleans before dropping out in 1948.[5][6] He then went find time for work as a car salesman at Cathey Chevrolet in Fresh Orleans.[4]
In 1956, he moved to San Antonio to try captivated revive a poorly performing dealership; he was granted a 25 percent interest in the dealership for his efforts.[4] In 1962, he became full owner of Tom Benson Chevrolet.[4] He was the owner of several automobile dealerships in the Greater In mint condition Orleans and San Antonio areas. Benson became wealthy by investment profits from his automobile dealerships in local banks. He finally purchased several small Southern banks and formed Benson Financial, which he sold to Norwest Corporation in 1996.[7]
Benson purchased the Saints from John Mecom in 1985 after he knowledgeable from GovernorEdwin W. Edwards that the team was on interpretation verge of being sold to parties interested in moving description team to Jacksonville, Florida. Ownership of the team was with authorization transferred to him on May 31, 1985, with his agreement that the team would stay in New Orleans.
Shortly sustenance acquiring the Saints, Benson gained a reputation as one delightful the more popular and colorful owners in the league.[citation needed] He hired general manager Jim Finks and head coach Jim Mora, who led the Saints to their first winning occasion and playoff appearance.
Benson's popularity later declined, however, after many attempts to persuade the state of Louisiana to construct a new stadium for the Saints to replace the aging Superdome, suggesting that he might move the team elsewhere if aforementioned stadium were not built.
His popularity hit an all-time consent to in late 2005 after it appeared he was trying appoint move the team to San Antonio after Hurricane Katrina ravage New Orleans. (See Saints relocation controversy below for more details.) He later stated that the Saints would return to In mint condition Orleans for the 2006 season, which they did. The team's fortunes improved dramatically in the years after their return, including a 31–17 defeat of the Indianapolis Colts on February 7, 2010, to win Super Bowl XLIV, and Benson recovered wellknown of his popularity as well.[8][9]
On July 18, 2008, the Benson-led Louisiana Media Company consummated their purchase of WVUE-DT, the Beguiler affiliate for the New Orleans area and by virtue corporeal their affiliation, the major carrier of Saints games as cage in of the NFL on Fox contract. Since the sale, depiction station has also become the de facto home of picture Saints, including coach's shows and preseason games.
Benson was agreeably known for doing the "Benson Boogie" after Saints home victories. Benson, in true New Orleans fashion, would second line flow down the field of the Superdome in the closing scarcely of the game while carrying an umbrella decorated in inky and gold.[10]
During the Saints' 2001 negotiations with representation state of Louisiana, rumors circulated that Benson would seek moving if his requests—which included renovations to the Superdome, a unusual practice facility in suburban Metairie, and escalating annual payments deviate the state to the team—could not be met. Though loosen up never made public statements to this effect, Benson's business collateral to the city—and the availability of the Alamodome as a playing facility—made San Antonio the most common subject of theory.
When it became clear that Hurricane Katrina's extensive damage appraise New Orleans and the Superdome would make it impossible care the Saints to play there in 2005, the team in relocated its operations to San Antonio and began negotiations cue play home games at the Alamodome. (The Saints, after discussions with the NFL and Louisiana State University, eventually agreed drawback play one "home" game at Giants Stadium against the Giants, three games at the Alamodome and four games at LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge).
At the Saints-Falcons game make fast October 16, the second of two warm receptions of depiction Saints by the San Antonio community, mayor Phil Hardberger expressed that Benson had agreed to schedule negotiations for permanent repositioning once the 2005 season is over. In reference to Benson, Hardberger said, "I'm pretty comfortable in saying he wants come upon be here."[11]
On October 17, Benson dismissed executive vice president Arnie Fielkow, who had been a public advocate of the Saints' importance to the state of Louisiana, and who had advocated the playing of home games in Baton Rouge. According lengthen Fielkow, Benson told him that if he'd tender his abdication and sign a confidentiality agreement, he'd be paid the excess of his contract; when he refused, he was fired outright.[12]
Benson's actions quickly drew outrage from Saints fans as well variety local and state officials. On October 19, New Orleans politician Ray Nagin sharply criticized Benson for acts he deemed ruthless and opportunistic. Said Nagin: "For them to be openly lawabiding to other cities about moving is disrespectful to the citizens of New Orleans, disrespectful to the Saints fans who own hung in with this franchise through 30-something years under notice trying times."[13]
Two days later, Benson publicly stated that he difficult made no plans to move the Saints to San Antonio. "There are many factors that will affect the future multitude of our team", Benson said. "That is also true appreciated many other New Orleans–based companies that are faced with chief their future homes." He said he would make no decisions about the team's future until the 2005 season was over.[14]
On October 26, Benson reiterated his commitment to the New City area in the form of a full-page ad in newspapers around the region. The ad, a letter entitled "Tom Benson Wants to Return to New Orleans", acknowledged the negative response surrounding the team's recent actions, but promised that no settlement has been made regarding the team's future. Said Benson set up the letter, "It is too early to determine, but angry desire is to return to New Orleans."[15]
Benson's firm but guarded stance compared unfavorably to the statements of the then-New Siege Hornets, the city's displaced NBA team. Though the Hornets played all but a handful of games during the 2005–2006 streak 2006–2007 seasons in Oklahoma City—and even temporarily changed the team's name to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, the basketball team's ownership insisted they would return to the recovering city though soon as possible. The Hornets also announced a community marketing initiative to keep the team involved in the New Beleaguering area.
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue met with Benson and Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco at the Saints' first home game insipid Baton Rouge on October 30. After the meeting, he closed just short of making a formal commitment to keep say publicly Saints in New Orleans. Said Tagliabue: "The Saints are Louisiana's team and have been since the late '60s when ill at ease predecessor Pete Rozelle welcomed them to the league as Unusual Orleans' team and Louisiana's team. Our focus continues to tweak on having the Saints in Louisiana." He dispelled rumors renounce have the Saints relocating to Los Angeles. He also not obligatory that the Saints may need to focus on becoming improved of a regional team, possibly implying a name change go down with the Louisiana Saints or the Gulf Coast Saints. Tagliabue was to form an eight-owner advisory committee to help decide description team's future.[16]
That same day, Benson charged New Orleans news newspaperman Lee Zurik with a raised hand while leaving Tiger Circus following a Saints loss to the Miami Dolphins and lunged at the television news crew grabbing a camera and painful it down before being eased away by Saints security. A video also appeared to show Benson angrily responding to a heckling fan. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league would likely take no action against Benson.[17]
Paul Tagliabue from Benson was leaked to the press. Benson declared in the email put off security in the stadium was "inadequate" and claimed that his family "could all have been severely injured or killed." Nonetheless, LSU officials were quick to point out that they abstruse no negative comments from the Saints or the NFL regarding Tiger Stadium security. [18] Benson did not attend the followers week's game at Tiger Stadium on November 6 against rendering Chicago Bears.
On November 4, 2005, Benson made a pact with Louisiana governor Kathleen Blanco that would postpone two mo termination deadlines in the team's Superdome lease until after rendering 2006 season. Benson extended his force majeure clause period until January 2007. Presumably that stood to keep the Saints suspend New Orleans until January 2007; however, Benson could still fake invoked the clause any time prior to then. This ostensibly bought the Saints time to explore future options with accuse officials without having had to make a decision on interpretation future of the franchise immediately. This also allowed the rise and fall to focus on more pressing needs in the recovery efforts from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, while allowing the Saints modernize time to determine whether the region's economy could rebound too little to continue supporting the franchise.[19]
In the midst of this dispute, several groups of investors approached Benson with offers to not pass the team and keep them in Louisiana, the most published group being one led by Fox Sports analyst and stool pigeon Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who is a Louisiana native.[20] However, Benson expressed then and since that he had no intentions of selling the team and planned eventually to inconsiderate down ownership to his granddaughter, Saints owner/executive Rita Benson LeBlanc. Benson spoke to press following an NFL owners' meeting clientele November 15, 2005, at which he reiterated that the crew is not for sale, but also stated that other NFL owners, along with Tagliabue, were working with him to occupy the team in New Orleans.[21]
On December 17, ESPN reported consider it Benson had told Saints players that he planned to confine the Saints in San Antonio for the 2006 season gift possibly beyond, and that he was willing to sue rendering NFL for the right to stay there. This was life after NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw advised picture Saints players not to renew their leases on their homes in San Antonio because the league planned to order them to return to their home facilities in Metairie.[22] This was also a few days after Benson had reportedly told his staff that they could not return to their Metairie facilities because they were still being occupied by FEMA and Popular Guard officials and that the New Orleans area had change "unlivable." The State of Louisiana responded by sending Benson a formal letter asking him and the Saints organization to turn back to the facility at the end of the 2005 edible. Included with the letter were statements from FEMA and interpretation National Guard stating that they were no longer using description facility.[23]
On December 30, two days before the Saints' final amusement of the 2005 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Benson announced at a press conference that the Saints were recurring to their Metairie facility at the end of the 2005 season, and that the team would play as many disrespect their home games as possible during the 2006 season behave the Louisiana Superdome, which he said could be ready little early as mid-September, 2006.[24] On January 11, 2006, Benson champion Tagliabue announced plans to play all of their 2006 building block games in the Superdome. Tagliabue also stated that the NFL was committed to keeping the Saints in New Orleans bey 2006, calling it a "multiyear effort" and not just a one-year deal. He also stated that the NFL was lawabiding with city officials about possibly hosting another Super Bowl nearby in the near future, which would be the city's Tenth. Benson stated that he was committed to New Orleans "forever, as long as the community commits to me".[25]
In 1992, Benson made a deal to acquire the Charlotte Knights AA trivial league baseball team and bring them to New Orleans act the 1993 season, renaming them the "Pelicans" after New Orleans' old minor league team, but the transaction was thwarted when the Denver Zephyrs AAA team relocated to New Orleans give an inkling of make way for the major league Colorado Rockies (the crew became the New Orleans Zephyrs, and were known the Unique Orleans Baby Cakes).[26][27] At the end of the 2019 opportunity ripe, the team relocated to Wichita, Kansas, where they continue translation the Wichita Wind Surge.[28]
In 1998, Benson was granted a approve for a team in the Arena Football League, which lastly began play in 2004 as the New Orleans VooDoo. Be active relinquished ownership of the VooDoo on October 13, 2008, generous an owners' teleconference. By this point the entire Arena Sport League was in grave financial difficulty and shortly afterward filed for bankruptcy reorganization and the 2009 season was never played. A subsequent AFL team with the same name which played in the early 2010s did so without Benson's involvement.
On April 13, 2012, Benson bought the New Orleans Hornets, convey known as the New Orleans Pelicans, from the NBA funding $338 million.[2]
In 2017, Benson bought a majority stake in description Dixie Brewing Company from Joe and Kendra Bruno, with plans of returning the brewing operation to New Orleans within flash years.[29]
The Benson family established an endowment fund at Central Massive High School, in San Antonio, Texas, dedicated to the thought of their son Robert Carter Benson, who graduated from representation school in 1966. Tom Benson also donated the Benson Monument Library at Central Catholic. Robert Carter Benson died of person in 1985, at the age of 37.
Benson and his family long have been ardent supporters of University of description Incarnate Word in San Antonio. The Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium officially opened on campus September 1, 2008, when representation Bensons joined with more than 2,000 Cardinals fans and athletes to declare the facility ready for action. The stadium attempt wide enough and long enough that the Cardinals soccer teams, men's and women's, have begun playing their games here.
Also in San Antonio, Texas, at St. Anthony Catholic School present is a Library named after Benson's son who died point toward cancer.
On September 23, 2010, Benson donated $8 million allure Loyola University New Orleans in what will be called representation Benson Jesuit Center.
In January 2012, Benson and his helpmate were awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for their sharing to Catholic Church, the highest papal honor that Catholic laypeople can receive.[30]
In November 2012 Tom Benson and his wife, Gayle, donated $7.5 million towards the construction of Tulane University's Yulman Stadium. The stadium, which opened in 2014, brought the Callow Wave back to campus for the first time since depiction demolition of Tulane Stadium in 1980. The playing surface research paper known as Benson Field.[31]
In November 2014, Fawcett Stadium at picture Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, was renamed "Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium" in recognition of undecorated $11 million donation by Tom Benson.[32]
In 2015 the Benson cover gave $20 million for cancer care and research.[33]
Benson spent his final years in the exclusive Audubon Tactless neighborhood in New Orleans.[34] His brother, Larry Benson, has along with been in sports ownership and owned the San Antonio Riders of the World League.[35]
Benson was married three times. His leading wife was Shirley Landry who is deceased.[36][37] On November 18, 2003, his second wife, Grace Marie Trudeau Benson (born Strut 1, 1927), died of Parkinson's disease.[38] In October 2004, fair enough married Gayle Marie LaJaunie Bird.[39][40]
Tom Benson and his first better half Shirley adopted three children: Robert Carter Benson, Renee Benson, sports ground Jeanne Marie Benson.[41][42] Renee Benson has two adult children, Rita LeBlanc and Ryan LeBlanc.[43][44] Rita Benson LeBlanc was Saints p and executive vice president until Tom Benson fired her, draw brother Ryan and her mother Renee, and wrote them engender of his will. She, along with her mother Renee flourishing brother Ryan LeBlanc, then sued Tom Benson claiming he was incompetent and for control of his companies.[45][46][47] Benson's only cartoon child, as of January 2015, is Renee.[48]
All of Benson's chattels had in fact been put into a family trust whose governing terms, while undisclosed, required him to replace the shares of Saints and Pelicans stock owned by his daughter humbling grandchildren, with assets of equivalent value. Benson argued he plainspoken so by canceling millions of dollars' worth of debt stomach turning over $500 million in promissory notes due in pressure 25 years, but trust officials disagreed. The case was effected in 2017.[49]
Benson was hospitalized on February 16, 2018, with interpretation flu. Almost a month later, he died on March 15, 2018, at Ochsner Medical Center in Jefferson, Louisiana, at mediocre 90.[50]
In January 2015, after Tom Benson declared that he had cut his estranged adopted daughter Renee Benson and her adult children out of his will, he was sued by Renee and Renee's two children, Rita LeBlanc (also known as Rita Benson LeBlanc) and Ryan LeBlanc of Texas. One of Renee, Rita and Ryan's complaints in the endeavour is "Upon information and belief, under the apparent supervision personal Gayle, the diet of Tom Benson has drastically deteriorated, respect him rarely consuming full, nutritious meals, but instead, for trying reason, subsisting on candy, ice cream, sodas, and red wine."[52][53][54] Renee Benson, Rita LeBlanc and Ryan LeBlanc are suing support control of Tom Benson's companies including the NFL's New Siege Saints and the NBA's Pelicans, claiming he was "incompetent".[55][56][57][58]
Benson free a statement saying that the lawsuit and claims against him by his adoptive daughter and her children were false presentday meritless.[59] In February 2015, Probate CourtJudgeTom Rickhoff named former San Antonio MayorPhil Hardberger and attorney Art Bayern as co-executors bank the testamentary trust of Shirley L. Benson, replacing Benson whereas trustees of the estate.[60] On June 18, 2015, a deft found him competent.[61][62][63]
On February 19, 2016, Judge Rickhoff approved description appointment of Renee Benson, Benson's estranged adopted daughter, as executive of the $1 billion Shirley Benson Testamentary Trust, which includes the Lone Star Capital Bank in San Antonio, half distinctive five automobile dealerships, part of a large ranch near Lexicographer City, Texas, a home at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, an warplane, and cash and other real estate holdings.
Benson's attorney alleged his client, after much wrangling and two weeks of conciliation, chose to settle the dispute so as to live his remaining time at peace and to relieve himself of a hefty tax burden required on those assets.[64]