DALLAS – Tom Hicks, the Texas businessman and philanthropist who owned two professional sports franchises in the Dallas area and an English Premier League soccer team, died Saturday. He was 79.
Spokeswoman Lisa LeMaster said in a statement that Hicks died peacefully in Dallas surrounded by family.
Hicks owned the NHL’s Dallas Stars from 1995 to 2011 and won the Stanley Cup in 1999.
From 1998 to 2010, he also owned the Texas Rangers baseball club, with which he won three American West Division titles and an appearance in the World Series.
In 2007 he acquired a 50% stake in Liverpool.
“Being shoulder to shoulder with him, however, has always been about more than ballparks and stadiums,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “It was about personal respect, trust and friendship. We have traveled many miles together and I will miss him enormously. My heart goes out to his family.”
Hicks co-founded Hicks & Haas in 1984 and helped reshape its private equity and investment strategy. From 1994 to 1999, he served on the Board of Regents of the University of Texas.
“Tom Hicks was an innovative businessman and a pioneer in the field of private equity,” said fellow Texas businessman Ross Perot Jr. in a statement. “He combined his dedication to business and sports through his ownership of the Stars and Rangers.”
Hicks is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cinda Cree Hicks, and his six children: Thomas Ollis Hicks Jr., Mack Hardin Hicks, John Alexander Hicks, Robert Bradley Hicks, William Cree Hicks and Catherine Forgrave Hicks.
His children released a joint statement, saying:
“Of all he accomplished in his remarkable life, Tom Hicks’ most cherished title was: ‘Dad.’ No matter the trials he faced in life, he was constant in his generosity and love for his family. He remains a guiding force for our family, and we are deeply honored to continue expanding his legacy. While we are devastated by this loss, we are deeply grateful to have been his children.”
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