Billionaire Stephen Ross has announced that his son-in-law, Daniel Sillman, will eventually take over ownership of the Miami Dolphins. In an interview with Bloomberg, Ross confirmed he had declined a $15 billion offer for the team, which would have represented a $14 billion profit since his original purchase in 2009.
“I’m fortunate,” Ross said during the interview.
Ross did not identify who made the recent offer. According to Puck, a previous deal involving Palm Beach billionaire Ken Griffin collapsed in late negotiations and would have valued both the team and Hard Rock Stadium at $7.5 billion.
It remains unclear if Sillman’s future responsibilities as owner will include managing Hard Rock Stadium or other sports assets held by Ross. The billionaire also holds exclusive rights to host Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix until 2041.
Since acquiring the Dolphins for $1 billion in 2009, Ross has seen NFL team values increase sharply due to limited franchise availability and rising media revenues.
Sillman has been participating in interviews as the Dolphins search for new leadership roles. He is co-founder and CEO of Relevent, a soccer-focused media company supported by RSE Ventures, another enterprise led by Ross.
Ross has shifted much of his attention from New York City to West Palm Beach in recent years. Through Related Companies—also known as Related Ross—he is pursuing major office developments aimed at establishing West Palm Beach as a significant business center. His properties accounted for many of South Florida’s largest office leases last year, and he recently secured a record-setting $772 million construction loan for two local projects.
