H. Wayne Huizenga, the founding owner of the Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers, as well as the former owner of the Miami Dolphins, died Thursday night at his home. He was 80.
Valerie Hinkell, a longtime assistant to Huizenga, told The Associated Press of Huizenga's death when reached at the family residence Friday. She gave no details on cause of death.
Huizenga, a billionaire who made his fortune creating Fortune 500 companies such as Waste Management Inc., Blockbuster Video and AutoNation, simultaneously owned all three sports teams from 1994 to 1998 -- the first man to own teams in three major sports leagues.
His net worth in 2017 was reported to be $2.8 billion, according to Forbes Magazine.
He brought Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League to South Florida via expansion with the Marlins and Panthers, respectively. His costs for the Marlins were $95 million in 1991, while he shelled out $50 million for the Panthers in 1992. Both teams began play in 1993.
By 1996, the Panthers had reached the Stanley Cup Finals. A year later, the Marlins won the World Series.
After buying 15 percent of the Dolphins and 50 percent of the team's stadium from founder Joe Robbie's family in 1990, Huizenga became sole owner of the Dolphins in 1994 for $168 million after persuading the NFL to waive its ban on cross-ownership of teams in other leagues.
The Dolphins made the playoff eight times under his ownership but never reached the Super Bowl.
He sold the Marlins to John Henry in 1998. Three years later, he sold the Panthers to Alan Cohen. In 2008, he sold 50 percent of the team and the stadium to current owner Stephen Ross.
The Panthers retired the No. 37 jersey in Huizenga's honor on Jan. 18. It's just the second number to be retired by the franchise.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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