Stan Kroenke Is the Strong but Silent Type : Profile: The Missouri real estate investment magnate’s pursuit of the Rams has been as private as the jet he owns.
He’s the money man behind St. Louis’ bid to land the Rams, but to many in Los Angeles and even St. Louis, Stan Kroenke might as well be The Invisible Man.
Unlike Peter Angelos, the colorful Baltimore Orioles owner who has spoken openly about his attempts to purchase a minority share of the Los Angeles Rams, Kroenke’s pursuit of the team has been as private as the twin-engine jet he owns.
The Columbia, Mo., real estate investment magnate, whose last-minute bid to land an NFL expansion team in 1993 fell short, does not return reporters’ calls or grant interviews about the subject.
He has issued two football-related statements in the past 10 months, one when St. Louis settled a controversial stadium lease dispute in September and one when his bid to purchase the New England Patriots failed in January; but he has not spoken publicly about his NFL aspirations since last November’s expansion effort.
Kroenke, 47, watched the Rams’ Sept. 25 game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Rams President John Shaw’s Arrowhead Stadium suite, but even Kroenke’s close friends are in the dark when it comes to his negotiations with the team.
“It may be surprising to you, but he doesn’t talk about it,” said Missouri Athletic Director Joe Castiglione, who jogs with Kroenke a few mornings a week. “I honestly don’t know how involved he is with the Rams because he never talks about it.”
One reason Kroenke has remained behind the scenes is that city and county officials have spearheaded negotiations to attract the Rams and consider Kroenke’s bid to purchase the team separate. In Baltimore, Angelos has overseen all aspects of the deal.
But even if Enos Stanley Kroenke, who was named after two St. Louis Cardinals baseball greats--Enos Slaughter and Stan Musial--was in the forefront of negotiations, it’s not likely he’d be as candid as Angelos.
Those who know Kroenke, a “regular, high-level contributor” to the Missouri athletic department, according to Castiglione, say he takes a reserved, low-key approach to all his business dealings.
“Stan’s not the kind of guy who makes a contribution just for accolades. He does it for the right reasons,” Castiglione said. “He’s a very down-to-earth guy with a terrific wit. He’s a wonderful family man who does not keep a high profile.”
Kroenke, who married Ann Walton, the niece of the late Sam Walton and daughter of Wal-Mart co-founder James L. (Bud) Walton, made his fortune developing shopping centers. Though his net worth has been estimated at $500 million and he lives in a 10,600-square-foot mansion in Columbia, friends say Kroenke is true to his modest, small-town roots.
“You would never know he’s a millionaire by talking to him,” said Al Eberhard, Missouri’s director of athletic development. “He’s one of the most sincere and honest people I’ve ever met. He doesn’t need the national attention or media.” Nor does he want it.
After being criticized for his less-than-inspiring performances at news conferences during the NFL expansion race last year, Kroenke hired the Fleishman Hillard public relations firm to field questions and coach him on dealing with the media. The former high school basketball star who continues to play in adult recreation leagues is a shy, private man but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be a successful NFL owner.
“He’d be a rock-solid NFL owner,” Castiglione said.
