Famous Like Me > Actor > D > William B. Davidson
Profile of William B. Davidson
on Famous Like Me |
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| Name: |
William B. Davidson |
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| Date of Birth: |
16th June 1888 |
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| Place of Birth: |
Dobbs Ferry, New York, USA |
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| Profession: |
Actor |
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From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia
- This article is about the billionaire and sports team owner. For the first Scottish settler on the Miramichi River in Canada, see William Davidson (lumberman).
William Davidson (1923– ) is the chairman of Guardian Industries Corp., one of the world's largest manufacturers of architectural and automotive glass; owner of the Detroit Pistons NBA team; and owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning NHL team. He has been successful in all three endeavors: his Pistons won the 1989, 1990, and 2004 NBA championships, his Lightning won the 2004 Stanley Cup, and his combined business ventures have led him to an estimated net worth of $2 billion.
A longtime basketball fan, Davidson purchased the Pistons in 1974 from Fred Zollner for $35 million. Displeased with the team's location in downtown Detroit, Davidson relocated the team to the Pontiac Silverdome in 1978 and then to the Palace of Auburn Hills, an arena financed entirely with private funds, in 1988. Today, the worth of the Pistons franchise has been estimated at $284 million. Davidson can regularly be seen at the team's home games. Davidson acquired the Lightning franchise in 1999 for $100 million; its worth has recently been estimated at $136 million.
In 1999, Davidson and his Palace Sports and Entertainment empire put in an unsuccessful bid to purchase the Tampa Bay Lightning and gain controling interest in the venue they sought - Tampa, Florida's Ice Palace arena. Yet, only months later, then owner Art Williams sold the team to Davidson and Palace Sports at a huge loss.
A noted philanthropist, Davidson has given extensively to various organizations. The William Davidson Institute has been created at the University of Michigan, Davidson's alma mater, following a gift of $30 million. In addition, Davidson funds the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York.
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