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
Alex Meruelo: From pizza parlors to owning the Atlanta Hawks … | | The Hawks StoreThe Hawks Store
August 7th, 2011
7:49 pm
[...] link: Alex Meruelo: From pizza parlors to owning the Atlanta Hawks … This entry was posted in Hawks, Uncategorized and tagged Atlanta, atlanta-hawks, [...]
vuduchld
August 7th, 2011
7:57 pm
Hey. look at it this way. Now you Jawja Teabeggers can pick this Cuban’s fruits and veggies!
Strona o najlepszej pizzy » Alex Meruelo: From pizza parlors to owning the Atlanta Hawks …
August 7th, 2011
8:05 pm
[...] View post: Alex Meruelo: From pizza parlors to owning the Atlanta Hawks … [...]
mitch
August 7th, 2011
8:10 pm
yeah the thrashers thing really sucks but as majority owner of Phillips arena, he will have incentive to bring in an NHL team, should one ever become available-a long shot sure, but stranger things have happened (i.e. Atlanta Belkin Spirit)-happily hopeful for the Hawks and admire the passion of you hockey diehards (for the most part)-may that bitter taste pass, your grieving being understandable, time will heal in your time
Hawkalleujah
August 7th, 2011
8:28 pm
Don’t know if this has already been posted. Mark Cuban is not Latin American. He’s Russian and shortened his last name from Chabenisky. Just wanted to set the record straight.
Ramon
August 7th, 2011
8:28 pm
Mark, will the new owner have a hard time being approved by Stern even though he owns a casino and gambling business?
west coast
August 7th, 2011
8:39 pm
forget the BS this owner is putting out now–it’s all PR. In 2-3 years, he’ll be moving the team to California or Vegas.
mdc
August 7th, 2011
8:50 pm
don’t know why everyone is happy, having 50 pizza joints doesn/’t exactly give you enough money to buy these hi priced bb players that its going to take to get some excitment here
Alex Meruelo: From pizza parlors to owning the Atlanta Hawks … at Zapraszamy na pizzę farmerską!
August 7th, 2011
9:35 pm
[...] See original here: Alex Meruelo: From pizza parlors to owning the Atlanta Hawks … [...]
D-Man
August 7th, 2011
9:38 pm
FINALLY!! Welcome to Atlanta Alex!! Hopefully you’ll do for the Hawks what Arthur Blank did for the Falcons when he bought that franchise from some other not so good owners…this is GREAT!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!
Yum Yums
August 7th, 2011
9:42 pm
I would rather watch paint dry than a Hawks game.
JR1967
August 7th, 2011
9:57 pm
A move to Anaheim sometime down the road would not be a surprise. As some know, the Clippers played some of their “home” games back in the 1990’s at the current Honda Center in Anaheim (where the Anaheim Ducks currently play) and it is no secret that Orange County CA has been wanting an NBA Franchise, given their recent flirtation with the Sacramento Kings. If Mr. Meruelo decided to move the Hawks to Orange County, the area would fully support the team and give them a huge homecourt advantage.
LetPhilipsRot
August 7th, 2011
9:58 pm
Rich people live in a different world than the vast, vast majority of us. Since ASG decided to sell to this guy, and we all KNOW we can’t trust a single letter of a single word ASG ever said, how can we trust ASG sold to an honest person? ASG was 100% dishonest and why should we believe this guy is? Who’s to say he doesn’t move the Hawks somewhere else in a few years? Might as well get the demolition crew ready because then there won’t be any reason to keep Philips. Philips used to be my home away from home for Thrashers games. Where was this guy when they were trying to sell the team? ASG should have waited and found an owner who had to keep both teams here. Anyone else, out the door. But no. ASG screws the city out of our SECOND NHL franchise. Embrasses the city, state and a loyal and devout, yet small, fan base of rabid hockey fans. This is also very concerning because had he been willing to also invest in the Thrashers, the team could have been INCREDIBLY succesful. If they had started to win, this city would be abuzz with the Thrashers. But instead, I see a lack of vision and opportunity. Imagine an Arthur Blank- like owner willing to invest in both teams… we could have two very well to do teams who contend every year. Instead, we get an investor who is not from around here, has nothing to do with this city, so why would he even care if the team does well? Just another item on the list of businesses. What does he care about the ATLANTA Hawks if he’s from NEW YORK and CALIFORNIA? What does he really care? There is something very fishy about all of this… we all know was a bunch of incompetent liars, what makes you think this guy is any better? After all, it IS ASG who sold the team to this guy… liars work with liars. Every single member of ASG better not ever show their face at Philips Arena again.
superiorblogman
August 7th, 2011
10:47 pm
Really doesn’t matter if he does not fire Drew and Sund then get a center this team will still be a mess.
gralt
August 7th, 2011
11:34 pm
Amazing! The difference between the MLB & NBA – http://www.atlantainsight.com
Curious George
August 7th, 2011
11:48 pm
WHEN (not IF) the Hawks are moved to Southern California, will they play in San Diego or Anaheim?
New Hawks Owner Alex Meruelo: ‘I Want To Bring A Championship To Atlanta’ | Norwalk Real Estate Blogger
August 8th, 2011
1:24 am
[...] Associated Press reported California’s Alex Meruelo as the new owner of the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mark Bradley dropped a conversation with the man [...]
clay
August 8th, 2011
2:17 am
Great news for the hawks and hawks fans
Stinger2
August 8th, 2011
4:18 am
Bradley: Why do you and Schultz write about the same thing on the same day?
bob from account temps
August 8th, 2011
5:15 am
i guess the hawks dancers will be doing the macarena instead of hip hop this year. and there is always hope the new owner will buy out the asg pretenders.
KevinM
August 8th, 2011
7:40 am
Let’s welcome the new owner and beg him to move Sund and Drewvoutvof here. Neither guy knows what it takes to build a ‘contender’ because we were far from a contender last year.
The new owner is what the fans wanted: a single point of accountability. Step 1 in the defacing of the Hawks is underway.
Note to the ASG: your attendance is no longer required in this city or arena…thanks for nothin!
No Thugs, Milady
August 8th, 2011
7:47 am
Who cares, I haven’t watched an NBA game in decades. It’s just a bunch of millionaire thugs playing now.
Mary from Cartersville
August 8th, 2011
7:50 am
“I would rather watch paint dry than a Hawks game.”
Or watch grass grow.
GTT
August 8th, 2011
8:09 am
Hope he brings La Pizza Loca here. Menu looks good and prices are great.
Yes they are sold, but the Hawks will not be on the move | ProBasketballTalk
August 8th, 2011
8:14 am
[...] Meruelo said the team was staying put in his interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Yes, we know that’s what Clay Bennett said even as he schemed to move his team from Seattle to [...]
Eric
August 8th, 2011
8:29 am
For all the ranting about him wanting to move the team, if you do just a little bit of research, you’d find out that the Hawks are locked in here for at least seven more years and to break any type of lease, he’d owe fees and the remaining bond money on Philips totally nearly $200 million plus the NBA relocation fee which would be tens of millions of dollars.
The Hawks aren’t going anywhere. Where they get better or not, that’s a whole other story.
bitter hawks owner
August 8th, 2011
8:31 am
i will sell more pizza to the transplants in the ATL who have moved down from the north east and think god himself blessed pro sports
————loosers its all about collage football here———-pro sports–bla–f—-bomb
——————————–i can see it now—the hawks jersey will have a pizza on the front
——————————————-just get rid of pro sports————–two much money to spend
========================to watch a low level of competion and yes vegas always
———————–will dicide who wins—————–this owner will also sell after turning a profit
———-dont have to worry about lossing your collage team to another state
————————————fake pro sports
TheAntiMe
August 8th, 2011
8:36 am
Good!
Icepack
August 8th, 2011
9:09 am
Welcome to Atlanta, Meruelos. I think you are to going to discover America’s best kept secret, the untapped-as-yet Atlanta fan base potential for this team. May our long suffering be over.
Chris from the Rock
August 8th, 2011
9:13 am
Great news! Now can you purchase the Braves please? Thanks!
Hawker 3
August 8th, 2011
9:14 am
I gave up my 2 season tickets 2 years ago and will not go back until the team puts a real product on the court and not these overpaid millionaires giving little effort and getting mediocre results.
agreene
August 8th, 2011
9:20 am
The big question should be is he bringing, La Pizza Loca with him? We should know if the guy can make a pie, right?
mgfind.com | Blog | Alex Meruelo, New Atlanta Hawks Owner, Knows How To Buy Low And Sell High
August 8th, 2011
9:21 am
[...] a tuxedo and spousal emporium in downtown Los Angeles. He got his initial business mangle when his father leased him a tuxedo partial of a business – a business that is now a immeasurable sovereignty that binds all from restaurants to [...]
Toby Harrah
August 8th, 2011
9:35 am
Ohhh nooooo! A Hispanic to own the Hawks!! An uncomfortable day for Hispanic-bashers in Dixie!
PBT: Hawks were sold, but they won’t be moving | The Game Bet - Sports News Portals
August 8th, 2011
9:58 am
[...] Meruelo said the team was staying put in his interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Yes, we know that’s what Clay Bennett said even as he schemed to move his team from Seattle to [...]
Move it!
August 8th, 2011
10:03 am
It’s a matter of time before the new owner buys out this lease and moves the team—probably to San Diego, Vegas or Seattle where the real money is.
ConVick
August 8th, 2011
10:05 am
Have we not yet come to a time and place where it doesnt matter what color the skin is or where one came from? First hispanic owner, proud to be a hispanic, proud of my orgin. blah blah blah. Dude who give a rats a**! How about win this city a championship and you can brag about that.
aquaking
August 8th, 2011
10:18 am
As long as the idiots at ASG are involved and profit from it, I won’t be a part of it. I’ll watch the Winnipeg Jets instead.
Long Live the Thrashers
August 8th, 2011
11:07 am
You are right; the city of Atlanta will never allow the Hawks to leave town….BECAUSE IT IS A MAJORITY BLACK SPORT! Why do you think they let the Thrashers up and leave without even a peep of a fight to keep them??
I too am still boycotting as long as the buffoons of ASG have any stake in the Hawks or Phillips!
jefferson
August 8th, 2011
11:08 am
Omni pizza was indeed a Quality Experience, sort of much like Hawks performances…back in the day when the team had vision and incentives. Which goes for Fans as well.
Daily Dirt #324: Kate Upton, Big Boi in trouble, The Hawks to NV? Steve Williams, Porn industry is down and 30 Something «
August 8th, 2011
11:32 am
[...] the owner of the Atlanta Hawks, Alex Meruelo. He owns a casino in Reno and I think an over/under of 3 years before Nevada has their first professional sports [...]
albatross
August 8th, 2011
11:48 am
atlanta…you still suck as a sports town…LOL!!!
James
August 8th, 2011
11:56 am
The only problem is that some of the Atlanta Spirit ownership will remain. That’s like leaving some of the cancer behind after a biopsy. This guy better have complete control, and hopefully he won’t decide to move after the low attendance numbers we have been putting up.
Stuart
August 8th, 2011
12:08 pm
As much fun as a lot of you have in roasting ASG, remember it was the idiots at Time Warner who botched this thing from the start. They had a deal with David McDavid (one real rich dude) and then out of nowhere we had the ASG with Charles Emerson Belkin and the Jed Clampett family.
T-W screwed up the Ted empire like crazy and this is an example.
Long Live the Thrashers
August 8th, 2011
12:40 pm
Stuart – I wouldnt say Time Warner “botched” it up as much as I would call it a corrupt deal to ASG keeping it in the family for “Slydel” Seydel Turner.
Chaplain Salazar
August 8th, 2011
1:30 pm
this is the best thing that can happen to the hawks, Alex is someone who will get the team to another level he never give up and he like to see everything happening before his eyes not in the office God has bless him because he has bless so many people, he give me an opportunity when I was 17 year old and that make me stronger, and I know he knows the Hawks can be better here(Atlanta) than LA.
truth
August 8th, 2011
2:02 pm
TRADE JOE JOHNSON
Reid in EAV
August 8th, 2011
2:12 pm
We said we wanted “a Mark Cuban.” We got a Cuban. And you know what? I’ll take it!
» What’s going on in the basketball world Basketball 101
August 8th, 2011
3:30 pm
[...] 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 ca…Atlanta Journal-Constitution Atlanta Hawks, Alex Meruelo | [...]
ATLER Ramblin Wreck
August 8th, 2011
3:54 pm
Bradley and Schultz suck as writers!!!!!!!!!!! Just thought you should know.