Football
8y

Mexican exec Gabriel Brener becomes Houston Dynamo majority owner

A group led by Mexican businessman Gabriel Brener has acquired the controlling interest of Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo, the National Women's Soccer League's Houston Dash and BBVA Compass Stadium.

Brener has acquired the remaining 27 years on the 30-year lease on BBVA Compass Stadium, the club confirmed.

Brener, who initially bought 50 percent in the club along with former boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya in February 2008, acquired Phil Anschutz's Anschutz Entertainment Group's 50 percent controlling share in the Dynamo, according to the Houston Chronicle.

De La Hoya will remain a minority owner of the Dynamo as part of a new ownership group that includes Houston businessman Ben Guill and Portland businessman Jake Silverstein.

"I've been involved as a very proud minority owner for the last eight years and always have had a great admiration for Mr. Anschutz and the whole organization of AEG," Brener told the Houston Chronicle.

"But we feel the time has come for us to take the reins over here and give the team a little bit more of a family personality ownership than the corporate image that I had before. We're very excited about it and very happy to be able to now be at the helm of the team."

Guill, the founding and managing partner of White Deer Energy, also owns a minority share of the Astros.

With Guill, the Dynamo has a local ownership presence for the first time since the team moved to Houston a decade ago.

"It's an exciting time for the Dynamo, Dash and their fans," Dynamo president Chris Canetti said. "Gabriel is passionate about the club and will bring great value to us going forward. He has assembled a dynamic group of partners that bring the same passion and commitment."

With Brener's move, MLS no longer has owners with interests in multiple clubs.

AEG, which owns the Los Angeles Galaxy, moved the Dynamo to Houston from San Jose on Dec. 15, 2005.

Anschutz helped MLS survive through its infancy. At one point he owned the MLS teams in New York, Chicago, Colorado, San Jose, the District of Columbia and Los Angeles.

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