Norman Green

Not to be confused with Norm Green.
Norman Green
Born (1934-06-12) June 12, 1934
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Occupation Shopping mall developer, and ice hockey team owner.
Known for Moving the Atlanta Flames to Calgary, AB.
Moving the Minnesota North Stars to Dallas, Texas.

Norman N. Green (born June 12, 1934[1]) is a shopping mall developer and owner from Calgary, Alberta. He was an original director and one of the principal investors in Sage Telecom, a private, telecommunications company operating in eleven US states.[2] He was also chairman and sole owner of Stewart, Green Properties Ltd., which owned a group of private companies specializing in the development and management of major shopping centers in Canada and the U.S., owning and operating approximately 5,000,000 square feet (460,000 m2) of commercial real estate. He was a member of the National Hockey League Board of Governors from 1979 to 1996, serving on all of its strategic committees.[3]

Career

Green, along with Harley Hotchkiss, Norman Kwong, Ralph Scurfield, B.J. Seaman, and Doc Seaman, was one of the original six owners of the National Hockey League franchise, the Calgary Flames.[4] They had bought the Atlanta Flames in 1979, moving it to Calgary, Canada shortly afterwards. Green remained a co-owner until 1990. He was minority owner with Calgary when they won the Stanley Cup in 1989.

At the NHL's request, Green sold his shares with Calgary and bought the Minnesota North Stars in 1990, from George and Gordon Gund.[1][2] He was the owner of the North Stars who made the decision to move the team to Dallas, Texas in 1993 despite the team making a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Championship in 1991.[5] However, in 1993, he moved the North Stars to Dallas Texas, citing poor attendance, and it became the Dallas Stars Hockey club.[6]

Green ran into financial problems stemming from his business ventures outside of hockey and was eventually forced to sell the Dallas Stars to Tom Hicks in 1996.[7] Once the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999, Hicks sent Green a championship ring in honor of his services to the franchise.[8]

Green was chairman of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce in 1977 and renovated the former Oddfellows Temple that would become the Chamber's new home.[9] and of the Hockey Hall of Fame historical building in downtown Toronto In 1997. He was an original director and one of the principal investors in Sage Telelcom, a private, telecommunications company. He was a director of Titanium Metals Corporation and the chairman and investor in Mirage Systems, and other smaller enterprises. Currently he is a member of the executive committee of the board for the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, Woodall Rogers Park Foundation and a board member of the Bank Of American advisory board central division.

Controversy

After relocating the North Stars franchise to Dallas, the team's unauthorized use of copyrighted photography owned by Minnesota photographer Frank Howard sparked a copyright infringement lawsuit that eventually led to a $65,000 settlement funded by Green.

A 1993 Sports Illustrated article stated Green was much reviled in Minnesota following the decision to move the team. Green defended his decision, citing poor attendance during a string of losing seasons and the failure to reach stadium deals in Minneapolis or Saint Paul. A sexual harassment lawsuit had also been levied against Green.[5]

Other ventures

He is a member of the executive committee of the board for the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University and has been active in philanthropic and community service activities for over 30 years.

Green was a director of TIMET.

Personal life

Green was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He lives in Dallas with his wife.

References

  1. 1 2 Heika, Mike (9 March 2005). "Former Stars owner offers advice on offers". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Norman Green".
  3. ↑ "Lighting The Lamp: From North Stars To Lone Star". 19 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Flames History". Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  5. 1 2 Montville, Leigh (19 April 1993). "Spleen For Green". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  6. ↑ Mary Ellen Egan (11 December 2000). "Born To Be Wild". Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  7. ↑ Tranchina, John (26 October 2007). "Green a hockey pioneer in Dallas".
  8. ↑ "The 35 Biggest Moments in Modern Dallas History". Dmagazine.com. Retrieved 2011-09-16.
  9. ↑ "The New Chamber of Commerce Centre". Calgary Commerce. May–June 1978. p. 3.
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