Philip Anschutz facts for kids

Philip Frederick Anschutz (born December 28, 1939) is a very successful American businessman. He owns or controls many companies in different areas like energy, railroads, real estate, sports, movies, and music. He is known for being one of the richest people in the United States.

In 1961, he took over his father's oil drilling company and made a lot of money in Wyoming. He then started investing in other things like land, railroads, and entertainment. He helped start the American soccer league Major League Soccer (MLS). He also owned several MLS teams, including the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Chicago Fire.

Philip Anschutz is also the main owner of the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings. He used to own a small part of the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. He owns parts of famous places like Crypto.com Arena and The O2 in London. Through his company Walden Media, he has invested in popular movies like The Chronicles of Narnia and Ray. He also owns the famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

In 2023, Forbes magazine said he was the 45th richest person in the U.S. His wealth was estimated to be around $15.3 billion.

Early Life and Education

Philip Anschutz was born in Russell, Kansas. His father, Frederick Benjamin Anschutz, was an oil businessman and land investor. Philip's grandfather, Carl Anschutz, came from Russia and started a bank in Russell. Philip grew up in Russell, just like famous politician Bob Dole. He also lived in Wichita and Hays, Kansas.

Philip graduated from Wichita High School East in 1957. In 1961, he earned a degree in business from the University of Kansas. He was also part of the Sigma Chi fraternity there.

Business Adventures

Philip Anschutz has built a huge business empire by investing in many different industries. He is known for seeing opportunities and making smart moves.

Land and Oil Discoveries

In 1970, Anschutz bought a very large farm in Kansas. The next year, he bought 9 million acres (about 36,000 square kilometers) of land near the Utah-Wyoming border. This land helped him make his first big money in the oil business.

In the early 1980s, the Anschutz Ranch became the biggest oil field discovery in the U.S. since 1968. In 1982, he sold a part of this oil field to Mobil Oil for $500 million. For many years, he was the only billionaire in Colorado. He became one of the largest landowners in the United States.

Railroads and Other Companies

After his success in oil, Anschutz moved into railroads. In 1984, he bought the company that owned the Rio Grande Railroad. Later, this railroad bought the Southern Pacific Railroad. When Southern Pacific joined with Union Pacific Corporation in 1996, Anschutz became a top leader at Union Pacific.

He also invested in many other companies. He was involved with Qwest, a telecommunications company, and Regal Entertainment Group, which is one of the world's largest movie theater chains.

In 2002, Anschutz's company decided not to drill for oil in an area in Montana. This area was important to Native American tribes because it had sacred rock drawings. His company gave up its drilling rights to a group that wanted to protect the land. Because of this, his company received an award for its efforts to preserve history.

Anschutz also bought Xanterra Parks and Resorts, which owns places like the Grand Canyon Railway. In 2011, he bought the Oklahoma Publishing Company, which included The Broadmoor hotel and the Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway in Colorado.

Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG)

The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) is a big company that handles sports and music events. It is a part of The Anschutz Corporation. AEG owns many sports teams, events, and venues around the world. It also owns entertainment venues and is one of the largest organizers of live music and entertainment events. Through AEG Live, it owns the famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

In 2012, a sports business magazine called Anschutz one of the most important people in sports business.

Soccer and Other Sports

Anschutz is a very important person in the world of soccer in the United States. He is one of only four people to receive the Medal of Honor for helping soccer grow in the U.S. He was one of the people who started Major League Soccer (MLS). For a while, he owned six MLS teams at the same time, even when the league was struggling. Many people say that without Philip Anschutz, MLS would not exist today.

He helped MLS by pushing for the building of special soccer stadiums. These stadiums helped teams make more money. He also helped create Soccer United Marketing, which handles sales and marketing for the league. He now only owns the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team.

Besides soccer, Anschutz is the main owner of the Los Angeles Kings hockey team. He also owns parts of famous sports and entertainment venues like Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and the O2 Arena in London.

Other Business Interests

Anschutz has many other business ventures. He is the largest shareholder of Union Pacific Railroad. He also owns more than half of the Regal Entertainment Group, which runs about 7,000 movie screens.

He also owns several newspapers and media groups through his Clarity Media Group. These include The Oklahoman, a large newspaper in Oklahoma, and The Gazette in Colorado. He also owned The Weekly Standard, a conservative magazine, for some time.

Anschutz has invested in a company that helps with oil and gas auctions. He also owns radio stations in Colorado. He is also involved in building one of the largest wind power projects in the world, the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project in Wyoming. This project will have up to 1,000 wind turbines.

Giving Back

Philip Anschutz is very active in helping others through his charity work. He leads the Anschutz Foundation.

He and his wife, Nancy, have given over $100 million to the new medical campus of the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado. This campus is now called the Anschutz Medical Campus in their honor. They also donated to the University of Kansas, where they both went to college. There is an Anschutz Library and an Anschutz Sports Pavilion there. In 2009, they received an award for their great work in charity.

Personal Life

Philip Anschutz is a Christian. He and his wife Nancy, whom he met when he was 16, have three children.

He is a private person and usually stays out of the public eye. He has given very few interviews over the years. In 2015, he spoke publicly to talk about the 20th anniversary of Major League Soccer. Anschutz has also run 15 marathons.

His cousin, Wendall Anschutz, was a well-known news anchor.

Awards and Honors

• 1985 – Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
• 2000 – Kansas Business Hall of Fame
• 2017 – Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas "Kansan of the Year"

Books

• Out Where the West Begins: Creating & Civilizing the American West, Cloud Camp Press, 2017

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