Neil G. Bluhm
Born1938 (age 85–86)
Chicago, Illinois, US
Alma materUniversity of Illinois (B.A.)
Northwestern University (J.D.)
OccupationBusinessman
Known forCommercial real estate, casinos
Spouse(s)Kimberly Paige Bluhm (m. 2022), Barbara Bluhm-Kaul (divorced)
Children3

Neil Gary Bluhm (born 1938) is an American billionaire real estate and casino magnate. He is a partner of Midwest Gaming & Entertainment, which owns several casinos.[1][2][3] He had an estimated net worth of US$7 billion in October 2021.[4]

Early life

Bluhm was born to a Jewish family in 1938 in Chicago.[4][5] His father left the family when he was 13, and his mother worked as a bookkeeper.[1] He grew up in a cramped apartment near his immigrant grandparents. He attended a high school on Chicago's northwest side.[6]

He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1959, studying accounting, and in 1962, he received a juris doctor degree from Northwestern University.[4][1] In 2009, he received Northwestern's Alumni Medal, the highest honor an alumnus can receive from the university.[7]

Career

He started his career as a lawyer and eventually a partner in the Chicago law firm of Mayer, Brown & Platt. In 1969, he co-founded JMB Realty[1] with Judd Malkin, his high school friend and college roommate.[8][6]

In 1994, he co-founded Walton Street Capital, a private equity firm. Soon thereafter, with Greg Carlin, he co-founded Rush Street Gaming.[8]

Bluhm and his children own real estate in Chicago and elsewhere, including Chicago's 900 North Michigan and Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton Hotels. The family is a minority owner of the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox.[9][10]

According to Forbes, he had a net worth of US$7.0 billion in October 2021.[4]

Personal life

He is divorced from art collector and philanthropist Barbara Bluhm-Kaul. They have 3 children: Andy Bluhm, who runs hedge fund Delaware Street Capital;[1] Leslie Bluhm, who co-founded Chicago Cares,[1] and currently serves as a Director on the Board of AmeriCorps under the Biden administration,[1] and Meredith Bluhm-Wolf, who helps direct the family's business and charitable foundation.[1] He is currently married to Kimberly Paige Bluhm.[11]

He lives in Chicago.[4] In December 2018, he purchased an apartment near Miami for $20 million.[12]

An art patron, he sits on the board of trustees of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Whitney Museum of American Art.[4] He has an art collection worth $300 million.[4] He sits on the board of trustees of Northwestern University.[13]

Political contributions

Bluhm is a Democrat. He hosted President Barack Obama's 49th birthday party, where admission cost a $30,000 donation to the Democratic National Committee.[4][1] He has contributed to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton, Dick Durbin, Melissa Bean, Rahm Emanuel, Lisa Madigan, Rod Blagojevich, Lou Lang, and Michael Madigan.[1] In 2017, Bluhm was criticized after calling in a request to Rahm Emanuel after making a $300,000 contribution.[14]

Philanthropy

In 2005, he funded the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute with a $10 million gift.[15]

In 2013, he made a $25 million gift to Northwestern University, including $15 million earmarked for the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.[16]

In 2015, he made a $1 million donation to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.[17]

In 2022, he made a $45 million donation to Northwestern Medicine to establish the Bluhm Heart Hospital.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Board Member Confirmation: Leslie Bluhn". www.americorps.gov. July 22, 2022.
  2. ↑ Harris, Melissa (July 17, 2011). "Knowing when to hold them". Chicago Tribune.
  3. ↑ Harris, Melissa (March 16, 2015). "Son of billionaire casino magnate Neil Bluhm invests in competitor". Chicago Tribune.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Neil Bluhm". Forbes. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  5. ↑ Cutler, Irving (1996). The Jews of Chicago: From Shtetl to Suburb. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252021855.
  6. 1 2 Phillips, Stephen (June 13, 1987). "A REALTY CONCERN WITH A BIG APPETITE". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ "Motion to Lead: The Campaign for Northwestern Pritzker School of Law". Northwestern University.
  8. 1 2 "Neil Bluhm". Rush Street Gaming.
  9. ↑ "Media Guide" (PDF). Chicago Bulls. 2016. p. 7.
  10. ↑ "Neil Bluhm". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-09-07. He [Bluhm] owns a minority stake in the Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox.
  11. ↑ Hofheinz, Darrell. "Real estate, casino billionaire Bluhm on buyer's side of $7.4M Palm Beach condo deal". Palm Beach Daily News. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
  12. ↑ RODKIN, DENNIS (December 4, 2018). "Neil Bluhm buys $20 million Florida condo". Crain Communications.
  13. ↑ "Life Trustees: Administration and Planning". Northwestern University.
  14. ↑ Neubauer, Chuck; Bergo, Sandy (January 9, 2017). "Rahm Emails Show Casino Chief Sought Help After Family Contributed To Mayor". Better Government Association.
  15. ↑ Kapos, Shia (February 27, 2015). "Billionaire developer Bluhm's favorite project". Crain Communications.
  16. ↑ Lazare, Lewis (December 17, 2013). "NU School of Law receives its largest gift ever". American City Business Journals.
  17. ↑ Kapos, Shia (September 2, 2015). "Neil Bluhm, Holly Hunt each donate $1 million to School of Art Institute". Crain Communications.
  18. ↑ Schencker, Lisa (February 14, 2022). "Northwestern plans new 'heart hospital,' with $45 million donation from billionaire Neil Bluhm". Chicago Tribune.
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