Alex Meruelo: From pizza parlors to owning the Atlanta Hawks
Alex Meruelo. (Photo courtesy of the Meruelo Group.)
The man who’s buying the Atlanta Hawks played basketball himself — at Don Bosco Technical Institute, a Catholic high school in Rosemead, Calif. Alex Meruelo became a starter for the Tigers as a junior, whereupon vocational opportunity intervened.
“My father gave me the chance to run my own business,” Meruelo said, speaking on a conference call with two AJC writers. “He had a bridal-and-tuxedo business. He leased the tuxedo part to me.”
That was it for his hoops career. (Couldn’t stay for practice when there were groomsmen to be measured.) Thirty-two years later, it’s no longer an either/or consideration. Alex Meruelo has made a bunch of money, having gone from renting out cummerbunds to building a chain of Southern California eateries — La Pizza Loca — to owning a TV station in Los Angeles to buying a hotel and casino in Reno. And now the entrepreneur is about to diversify into basketball.
“This is more than a dream for me,” Meruelo said. “It’s like when you think, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice?’ ”
Those four words — “Wouldn’t it be nice?” — were the title of the opening track on the greatest album (”Pet Sounds”) released by that California success story we know as the Beach Boys. Alex Meruelo has his own California story, and it’s downright harmonic, too. The son of Cuban immigrants, he stands to be the first Hispanic owner of an NBA franchise.
“I’m a person who doesn’t give up,” Meruelo said. “I want to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta.”
To date, Meruelo has had only a passing relationship with our town. (”I’ve been through the airport a couple of times,” he said.) Should the NBA approve this sale, that stands to change. His teenage children have checked out Atlanta houses via the Internet. He won’t abandon Los Angeles — the Meruelo Group is too rooted for that — but he and his family will commute.
We cannot know whether Meruelo will be an upgrade on the current ownership, but we can say this: He’s not apt to wind up suing himself. Although some of the men who comprise the many-headed Atlanta Spirit will remain as minority partners, Meruelo leaves no doubt as to the buck’s point of stoppage. “I will be in complete control of the team,” he said.
Beyond that, Meruelo can’t say much about his plans for the Hawks. The NBA doesn’t allow prospective owners to comment on personnel, and even if it did the lockout has imposed a league-wide silence. Throughout the half-hour conference call, Ruben Gonzalez, the Meruelo Group’s vice president for external affairs, would gently interrupt with reminders that a particular subject was “beyond the scope of our discussion.”
What did come through was Meruelo’s enthusiasm. He claims to love basketball without being a wonk: “I couldn’t name every single player on every single team.” He didn’t grow up a Hawks’ fan. (Born in New York, he followed the Knicks and the Jets and the Mets even after the family moved to California.) He goes to Dodgers and Angels games but prefers basketball. He has inquired — so discreetly as to have called no attention to himself — about buying other NBA teams.
Regarding the Hawks, he knows whispers of a Mystery Buyer have been circulating. The mystery at its end, Meruelo said: “I wasn’t trying to be coy. I just didn’t want my name to circulate until I had something certain.”
Here he said to his audience of two: “You guys know Atlanta and cover Atlanta. I wanted to talk to you. I owe you that respect.”
An owner who respects his constituency? That’s a concept this city should embrace. It has worked for Arthur Blank and his Falcons. Liberty Media, by way of conspicuous contrast, has made no effort to endear its Colorado-based self to the folks who actually buy Braves tickets. But you don’t turn one La Pizza Loca into a string of 50 by ignoring your customers, and the hope/guess is that Meruelo will connect with those who’ve soured on what has become, on the record, a pretty good NBA club.
“I’m 1,000 percent an Atlanta Hawks fan,” Meruelo said, and soon enough he figures to be leading them. And for those asking if he should be taken seriously … well, he wants this team badly enough to buy it when the league is locked out. Takes some guts, wouldn’t you say?
By Mark Bradley
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204 comments Add your comment
Wayne stuck in AL
August 7th, 2011
1:47 pm
““I’m 1,000 percent an Atlanta Hawks fan,” Muruelo said,”
He’d be the only one in Metrolanta.
playmeortrademe
August 7th, 2011
1:50 pm
Unless he can find a way to void J-J-J-Joe’s max contract, he’s in for some rough years with this team.
In 5 years when Philips has less than 10,000 each night except when the Bulls, Lakers, and Celtics show up, San Diego or Seattle is going to look pretty appealing.
4 Jacks
August 7th, 2011
1:50 pm
Hell, move them to California, who cares. The NBA is nothing but a bunch of thugs and low lifes for the most part, and they run the league. Hope we don’t have to see them play for a very long time or until they find some class and character which that league deserately needs.
playmeortrademe
August 7th, 2011
1:56 pm
Have I been banned? I’ve lost two posts already….
Hope he’s patient. Heat and Bulls have the East locked up for the near future, Joe’s max contract is handicapping the franchise, and the Hawks are notoriously unlucky or stupid in the draft. Could be a long time before the Hawks can build a title contender, and Atlanta is not known for their passion for the local NBA team.
tbone
August 7th, 2011
2:06 pm
I still will not buy a ticket or watch a game until ALL of the ASG are gone.
Jason
August 7th, 2011
2:17 pm
I worry the man has a lack of vision of the future. While his businesses have been scucessful, you’d think he would have wanted to keep the Thrashers. Now, Thrashers fans will simply by angry that there could have been a potential owner to keep the Thrashers yet, for some reason, this man was never mentioned during the process. The stipulation should have been, for any new owner, should have been required to keep both teams here. Otherwise, no deal. But instead, ASG screws over the city and our NHL franchise. I am glad ASG will be for the most part gone, but Thrashers fans will never forget hos this BS went down. He could have invested money into the Thrashers, aka Mr. Blank, and with so many transplants here, had they started winning, the Thrashers would be VERY succesful.. But instead, there was no vision of what the future could, and should, have been. Instead, Atlanta gets to be the city that lost to NHL franchises. Way to go, ASG.
Dr. Warren
August 7th, 2011
2:21 pm
4 Jacks, you are a man of cliches. Give the term “thugs” a rest, will you? It’s actually Stern who still runs the league, and while there may be questions about his effectiveness these days, he’s far from a thug. And though I know generalizations feel good, actual statistics would show that the vast majority of the players are not thugs either.
4 Jacks is a Jacka$$
August 7th, 2011
2:28 pm
@Dr. Warren – people like 4 jacks aren’t worth the time. To him anyone who looks a certain way and has a tattoo is a “thug”. It has to be one sad existence.
won't be long
August 7th, 2011
2:28 pm
I imagine it won’t be long until the idiots of ASG will be selling their stake to Mr (Senor) Meruelo. They won’t like the idea of someone in the room having actually worked to acquire their fortune instead of having it given to them. I imagine the feeling will be mutual. The perspective that comes with earning it will be lost on them as well. Their stake will quietly be sold to Senor Meruelo soon, I hope.
jsmtih
August 7th, 2011
2:36 pm
move the hawks out of atlanta please
5150 UOAD
August 7th, 2011
2:39 pm
Will he be serving a New Pizza at his places? The HAWK? It feathers a lot of Cheese, a big helping of Road Kill Meat, and some cheep Wine.
drmaryb (*_-)
August 7th, 2011
2:40 pm
ALEX BABY!!!
Hurry and restock this Hawks team with big BIG MEN!! Dwight Howard has the biggest muscles this side of the Rio Grande, so PLEASE bring him to HOTLANTA!! And if you can find some BIG Hispanics, BRING THEM HOME, so us ladies can GO WILD, right, ladies??
OMG, I LOOOOOVE MEN!!!
Richard Denson
August 7th, 2011
2:41 pm
Fire Sund. Bring Dwight Howard & Trade Marvin Williams!
5150 UOAD
August 7th, 2011
2:42 pm
Isn’t Beau Turner (Ted’s youngest son) a member of the ASG? I think he would want to keep his shares to go with raising the Bison and loving on Teresa Heintz Kerry’s daughter.
Former hockey fan
August 7th, 2011
2:49 pm
I guess a losing hockey team that draws about as well as a winning basketball team is not viable. Most hawks games had crowds no bigger than the thrashers unless people were there to see lakers or heat. Maybe a team with a bottom of the league payroll is not viable but one with 7th highest payroll is.
Theron Sapp
August 7th, 2011
3:02 pm
Welcome to Atlanta, Mr. Meruelo. If you do the exact opposite of what your new minority partners suggest, you will be fine. Seriously. If those people tell you what time the mail is delivered, they’re lying.
Hawks Set To Enter Meruelo Era | California News
August 7th, 2011
3:09 pm
[...] with Meruelo’s unique success story, you can read more of it here, courtesy of the AJC’s Mark Bradley, it’s clear he won’t be afraid of taking a few chances to mold the franchise in whatever ways [...]
Bluestreak
August 7th, 2011
3:10 pm
Folks, he can’t move the team to LA, NY, Nashville, Winnipeg, Kansas City, Oakland, Seattle or anywhere if the NBA doesn’t approve it. Do you REALLY think the NBA would leave Atlanta? Really?
I’m a huge hockey fan and Thrashers (RIP) fan, but moving hockey from Atlanta when it isn’t really getting support from ownership, the league and (unfortunately) a large number of fans is a lot easier than moving a team that has been for 43 years and actually had success and a large following. Moving the NBA, MLB and NFL from Atlanta will be very difficult if not impossible (now that the Smiths don’t own the Falcons and can’t threaten to move them to Jacksonville). Unfortunately, hockey has had a history of failing here (though that is a misconception because of two pathetic ownership groups) and the Weasel, er…Gary Bettman, had that excuse to fall back on.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
August 7th, 2011
3:14 pm
Does this mean we can get some free pizza to toss in Levenson’s face?
Bitter Hockey Fans
August 7th, 2011
3:16 pm
@Former hockey fan – That is a flat out lie. Comparing the attendance numbers of the two is ridiculous. The Hawks consistently drew better than the Thrashers. The numbers are there. Look em up! And if I had to bet on which franchise inflated their numbers more then it would be on the one that is in Winnipeg. What is with the hockey fans (all five of them) in this city and their delusions of how popular that team was. Vast majority of Atlantans did not care about the Thrashers!!!! They’re gone, get over it!!!! Yes, the Hawks would usually only fill the place when the big teams came to town. But I find it funny how you twist the argument and leave out the Celtics, Knicks, Mavs, Bulls. That’s seven more huge home games. They all attracted huge crowds and there was never the same type of draw for the Thrashers.
Hawks Set To Enter Meruelo Era « NBA.com | Hang Time Blog – NBA
August 7th, 2011
3:16 pm
[...] with Meruelo’s unique success story, we can review some-more of it here, pleasantness of a AJC’s Mark Bradley, it’s transparent he won’t be fearful of holding a few chances to mold a authorization in [...]
Supes
August 7th, 2011
3:30 pm
Will not support the Hawks until all members of ASG are out as owners…ASG will never be forgiven for losing our hockey team to fraking Canada.
5150 UOAD
August 7th, 2011
3:41 pm
I am pretty sure Beau Turner( Ted’s youngest son) of the ASG will not sell his shares in the Hawks. He also lives in Montana running the Bison Ranch. He doesn’t do a lot of hands on with team.
Scooby
August 7th, 2011
3:45 pm
Has anyone one read the restaurant reviews for LA PIZZA LOCA out in California?
Several of those reviews may LITTLE CAESAR’S look like MAGGIANO’S or even LA GROTTA by comparison.
Mr. Meruelo must’ve made his money own hustling pizza-looking dough to illegal aliens.
Crazy Fan Sec 118
August 7th, 2011
3:49 pm
Anybody that truly believes the hawks would moved are complete idiots. The move of the team would not be as easy as it was the Thrashers, and it would cost way more to do it. Also Atlanta is a big market and the league would never approve its move from a large market to a small one in Cali. The only reason the league approved OKC, because it was tested out when NO played there. Stop with your hate talk cause it just doesn’t make sense and move on to one of the other sports you care about.
Atlanta Spirit Sucks
August 7th, 2011
3:55 pm
Bitter Hockey Fans – Not true. During the first few years the Spirit owned the Thrashers and Hawks, the Thrashers outdrew the Hawks. In recent years, the Hawks out drew the Thrashers. Look it up.
Also, during the period the Spirit owned the Hawks and Thrashers, compare the payrolls for the two franchises, the Hawks payroll went up nearly 40 million, whereas the Thrashers payroll stayed nearly flat.
DirtyBraveHawk
August 7th, 2011
4:01 pm
Some of you are as naive and shortsighted as the now outgoing owners of the Hawks. A. The NBA is not, I repeat, NOT going to allow a team to move out of a market like Atlanta. This is not Seattle or Charlotte or Sacramento. This is a top third market in basketball, despite the apathy of fans at times. B. The Hawks, if operated correctly, are not a bad investment. There has been 18 cents worth of ideas around here for too many years. Now that we have one person making key decisions, there won’t be such a conflict over these key personnel decisions that matter (i.e. coach, GM). C. This is not a hockey franchise. The Hawks have been here just about as long as the Braves and Falcons and while not as successful, they have outlasted the Flames and Thrashers. You bitter hockey fans are letting insanity cloud your common sense. The Hawks have always been owned by either a committee, a group, or co-owned since I can remember. Would you rather John Moore’s had bought the team? The guy who is trying to shake the San Diego Padres off him like a bad habit? I wouldn’t. Give Meruelo a chance. We gave the ASG a chance and they blew it.
JASon
August 7th, 2011
4:03 pm
Its good to know Atlanta’s arena is now owned by someone from another state. The economy is in the tank, and we had to be bailed out by china, home prices have fallen, everyone has lost their homes, and yet atlanta thinks this is a good time to raise sales tax.
Matt the Brave
August 7th, 2011
4:06 pm
Thank you sir. Feel free to bring your great looking pizza to Philips so that we have something that’s edible.
5150 UOAD
August 7th, 2011
4:22 pm
JASon
Nice point. It is funny the US is going bankrupt. We can’t afford to pay seniors the money we owe them. We can’t afford to educate our children. We can’t seem to find money to pay a bunch I mean a BUNCH of jack wads Millions of dollars a year to play a G D game.
I have not paid money to go to a Pro Sports event in more than 10 years. I do pay for college games.
The US has lost it’s collective minds.
If Pro Sports can make Billions of dollars/yr., then why not pay the players no more than $3 million a year for 5 years and use the rest to pay off much of the US debt? The Pro Athletes could really do something for the country that matters. After 5 yrs go back to paying sick money and give the players a tax break for 5 years too.
Delbert D.
August 7th, 2011
4:45 pm
A pizza chain and casino owner? Better check him out with the FBI.
DHD
August 7th, 2011
4:59 pm
At least it can’t hurt us like the “hope and change” guy has. It’s just a game. So, let’s see what happens.
Hockeyfan
August 7th, 2011
5:03 pm
Until all of the former owners of the Atlanta Spirit Group no longer have anything to do with the team or arena, I wont pay to go there.
eastbound and down
August 7th, 2011
5:13 pm
he made his money opening pizza joints up in the latino community because others were afraid to, beacuse of the perceptions about crime. he also allowed them to order in spanish the usa is a wonderful place.
Pig Farmers Local 42
August 7th, 2011
5:14 pm
LOL….Los Hawkes el Terrible’……..new name on unies?
dale in newnan
August 7th, 2011
5:25 pm
Cannot, by the laws that govern the Universe, be any worse than ASG; can be AS worse, but theoricticly impossible to be worse. This maybe the greatest example of addition by subtraction in mankind’s existence.
GaDawg
August 7th, 2011
5:28 pm
Cigars( Cubans for everyone). I have 2 words for you Dwight Howard!!
oldtime
August 7th, 2011
5:41 pm
Hey 5150 UOAD,
So, these pro’s sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA & NHL) make all this money and the guys who we all pay to see get their deserved cut and you have a problem. But, you support college sports which sees mostly state universities make tons of money off the backs of “stu-dent ath-oleets” who are no more than indentured servants. Last time I checked while coaches and administrators walk off with millions of dollars, regular students keep seeing tuition sky rocket. Yeah, pro sports is corrupt…right!
Steve
August 7th, 2011
6:03 pm
Glad he is here.
Now, I wonder if he has a time machine and can go back and rescind that rdiculous contract offer to Joe Johnson. If he can’t, he is stuck with a team that will not excel until that contract ends.
Van Brocklin
August 7th, 2011
6:06 pm
Get rid of the old Philips dump.
Build a new basketball arena much better than the Spirit groupies’ ruined.
Ebony Man
August 7th, 2011
6:11 pm
Congratulations, Mr. Meruelo!! Bring us a championship!!
Ebony Man
August 7th, 2011
6:13 pm
Congratulations, Mr. Meruelo, bring us a championship!!
Magic Johnson
August 7th, 2011
6:30 pm
He must have sold a lot of pizza. At least the Hawks are not moving.
pay up
August 7th, 2011
6:58 pm
the hawks players will be wanting a lot more money from this new billionaire owner. He better get out the checkbook.
D Hawks
August 7th, 2011
7:11 pm
A new era begins! Welcome to ATL, Mr. Meruelo. I don’t care where you or from or what your heritage is as long as you bring a passion for building this franchise into a champion as you’ve done with your other business ventures. GO HAWKS!!!
ole
August 7th, 2011
7:33 pm
my owner is cuban. only in america. i love it. proud season tix holder.
Thrashers Fan
August 7th, 2011
7:35 pm
Unless and until the ASG is completely out of the picture, I will not enter Philips Arena for any event. Good news for the Hawks and their fans.
East Point Bob
August 7th, 2011
7:40 pm
I hope this guys lies like asg, Seattle would be an ideal location for this worthless team and their FEW fans who waste time & money on a Nothing sport that needs to LEAVE Atlanta once and for ALL !! MOVE TO SEATTLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
N.D.T.K.A.
August 7th, 2011
7:40 pm
Fire Larry Drew and get the Hawks a real coach. Meruelo has plenty of money, especially if he can afford a casino. Open up the wallet and get the Hawks a real coach and GM and watch how Max Johnson, JSmoove, Duck,and the Boss play for a real NBA team and organization. Not a couple of dummies (ASG) playing fantasy basketball with a real NBA team.
Hockey Fan in the South
August 7th, 2011
7:43 pm
Sorry guys, hockey fans love their sport as much as you guys love your basketball and football. No one is going to forget what the ASG did to the hockey fans of Atlanta. As much as some of you want to believe there were only a few, you are wrong. Certainly not as many as other sports, but a decent enough fan base that yearned for a winner and good ownership. That subject has been hashed out on these blogs in great detail. The fans left in droves in the last few years due to this ASG group. If their hand is still in the Hawks organization, Thrasher fans have a right to feel bitter. The Hawks fans are lucky they sold to a buyer that wants to keep them here.