No. 17
Eli Broad Revives Disney Hall
When it comes to efforts to construct Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles, few have worked harder than Eli Broad, chairman and CEO of the financial services behemoth SunAmerica Inc. and one of the city’s leading corporate citizens.
In 1997, Broad’s relentless arm-twisting helped along by L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan sparked more than $70 million in corporate donations for Disney Hall, getting the project back on track after years of languishing. Prominent gifts have included $15 million from supermarket mogul Ron Burkle, $10 million from the Arco Foundation and, most recently, a $25 million challenge grant from Walt Disney Co. the largest gift so far and first substantial donation to come from L.A.’s entertainment community.
Broad’s efforts are driven by his vision of a downtown L.A. revitalized by a cluster of attractions, including the concert hall, a sports and entertainment complex adjacent to the convention center and a new Roman Catholic cathedral. But his work is far from over. The estimated $255 million Disney Hall still needs to raise some $30 million.
