Pge 6 - The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition - Thursday, September 7, 1989 Controversial Pizza king continues stormy rule in A2 i4 By Miguel Cruz Gaily News Editor He's very rich. In a little over 30 years, Ann Arbor's Tom Monaghan has trans- firmed a bankrupt Ypsilanti pizza :store into a multibillion dollar em- -.ie. Since he and his brother pur- plPased Dominick's pizza parlor for 7$900 in the late 60's, the Domino's fizza chain has expanded to over ,5,000 stores in 15 countries, with sales of over $2.3 billion last year. But Monaghan is neither a typi- cal entrepreneur nor a typical tycoon. His understated flamboyance, if there is such a thing, makes him a fa- vorite subject for both national me- dia and local wags. At the same time, conservative political views have pitted activist groups against K him and his company. Tigers, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Big Things Most Ann Arbor residents can throw around a few biographical tid- bits about the town's most success- ful businessperson and biggest spender. He owns the Detroit Tigers, worships early 20th century architect Frank Lloyd Wright, collects cars, and builds big things. Monaghan's first major foray into the national limelight was in October 1983 when he purchased the Detroit Tigers. Since then, the Tigers have enjoyed some of their most successful seasons ever. Also since then, Monaghan began to feel that his team was outgrowing aging Tiger Stadium. Announcements of plans to replace the Detroit landmark were met with widespread rebuff, including "Save Tiger Stadium" campaigns by area radio stations which have managed to stall action. Speaking to the press after the ,$53 million purchase, he pro- claimed, "For the next five years, I want to win a pennant, expand the company at a 50% rate, add our 5,000th store, and just be an exam- ple to others that you can be both honest and successful." The first season that Monaghan signed the Tigers' paychecks, they set a record for the best 40-game start in baseball history, and went on to win the World Series. The Tigers' success under their new ownership may result from a realization by Monaghan that he's sometimes bet- ter at owning things than managing them; one of his first moves was a promise to leave the team entirely in the hands of manager Sparky Anderson. Another of Monaghan's famous diversions is the work of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Monaghan has said that since he first saw a photo- graph of a Wright building, he has been obsessed with the late archi- tect's work. Earlier, this had pushed him towards becoming an architect himself. Never making it to sopho- more year in college, however, proved an insurmountable complica- tion. More recently, as his wealth grew, this obsession has manifested as a need to purchase everything by, from, or about Frank Lloyd Wright. His Wright collection includes three houses and hundreds of pieces of fur- niture and art. But it's Monaghan's big things that have caused the most concern for many of Ann Arbor's citizens. Right now, the biggest of these is the Domino's headquarters building at Domino Farms. Designed by local architect Gunnar Birkerts, the four- story structure will be six-tenths of a mile long when completed (about twice as long as the Sears Tower is tall). The building, named the "Prairie House" after one of Frank Lloyd Wright's designs, is currently about 80% completed and has been in use for over a year. Since it opened, the traffic to the area on Ann Arbor's northwest side BILL WOOD/Daiy Every king must have his castle. Thomas Monaghan's just happens to be larger than most. has worn out roads and kept irate neighbors awake. His personal helicopter was similarly unpopular with nearby residents. Even bigger than his current biggest thing, Monaghan planned to complement the Domino's headquar- ters building with a 30-plus story of- fice tower, slanted at a 15* angle. Newspaper pundits immediately christened the proposed structure the "Leaning Tower of Pizza". Since then, widespread derogation has sent the tower's plans back to the drawing board. Monaghan and Michigan Though many Ann Arbor resi- dents do not share or enjoy Tom Monaghan's fascination with archi- tecture, it has proven propitious for the University's architecture school. A few years ago, he compiled a list of who he considers the world's 30 greatest living architects. Since then, he has regularly funded campus vis- its for many of them. Also, Monaghan sponsors full term visit- ing professorships at the school for some of the most eminent people in the field. In the words of college Executive Secretary Mary Anne Drew, "he has been very good to us." And the University has been good to him. It's no secret that the cam- pus is a gold mine for Domino's Pizza. The guaranteed 30-minute de- livery is especially popular with dormbound students, and special deals with orientation leaders almost ensure preemptive exposure to in- coming students. Controversial While many are aware of Monaghan's flamboyant purchases and enterprises, fewer are familiar with some more serious objections raised by local and national groups. Monaghan's political affiliation with right-wing groups and financial sup- port for their activities have long angered Ann Arbor activists. Monaghan is the founder and leader of Legatus, an exclusive order of wealthy Catholic businessmen. Legatus has reportedly been funding far-right-wing insurgencies world- wide, notably including the contras in Nicaragua. He has also contributed thousands of dollars to Ann Arbor's chapter of Right to Life, a group famous for its attempts to forcibly close abortion clinics and pregnancy counseling E centers. A year ago, Monaghan denied the National Organization for Women permission to use "public" facilities at Domino's Farms for a rally. A lawsuit is currently pending, and in January 1989, NOW launched a nationwide boycott of Domino's pizza stores. A further indignity, the office* dress code at Domino's headquarters requires that all women employees wear skirts. Monaghan has checked several attempts at unionization by Domino's workers, and requires all employees to take drug tests. In response to these and other concerns, a coalition of local groups has been organizing a boycott effort. The boycott will be sponsored by the Latin American Solidarity* Committee, Ann Arbor's Committee to Defend Abortion Rights, Ann Arbor Tenants' Union, and the Homeless Action Committee, said LASC member Phillis Englebert. Blueprint for success: headquarters building p ILLdirus w a uaJIm y a pizza diagram hangs on a wall at the Domino's -U I I Are you tire d of the same old job 4, 4r Is s Want to meet new people? WORK FOR THE DAILY! a student run organization Positions available in: iI arts news sports advertising Ready to get some real life experience? opinion finance Located at 420 Maynard. I, -I- m Pu m TREAT YOURSELF TO LIVING In one of our convenient, central campus locations- U " y1 alA a 10 DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT - Academic Requirements? " Classes? " Professors? - CRISP? ,* M Get answers and advice at the STUDENTS' COUNSELING OFFICE We offer peer academic counseling, course evaluations, old exams, and more ! We offer: " spacious furnished apts. 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