And... we're back! The next owner we will get to know is Rich DeVos of the Orlando Magic. Mister DeVos is a cofounder of Amway, the largest "network marketing" company in the world. His position at the top of the Amway pyramid has "earned" him an estimated $4.2 billion fortune.
Amway and the Orlando Magic have been the recipients of hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks from both federal and local governments. The Orlando Magic debuted in 1989 at the Orlando Arena, which was financed entirely by local government at a cost of $195 million (in 2011 dollars). Within just a few years, Mister DeVos deemed the building obsolete and began campaigning for a new arena. Eventually he threatened to move the team to another city. In 2006, local government approved the building of a new arena for the team. The brand new "Amway Center" was completed in 2010 at a cost of $480 million, of which $50 million was contributed by Mister DeVos. The remaining cost of the building was financed by the public. The 22-year old, since-renamed "Amway Arena" is slated for demolition later this year.
Mister DeVos and his family are avid Republicans and have contributed millions of dollars to the party over the years.