Quick Facts
Biography
Neil G. Bluhm is an American real estate and casino magnate.
Early life and education
Bluhm was born to a Jewish family in 1938. His father left home when he was 13, and his mother worked as a bookkeeper. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received a law degree from Northwestern University.
Career
He started his career as a lawyer and eventually a partner in the Chicago law firm of Mayer, Brown & Platt. In 1969, he co-founded JMB Realty with Judd Malkin. He serves as a Managing Partner of Walton Street Capital and Lamb Partners. He is also President of the ALP Liquidating Trust and the Northbrook Corporation, and Chairman of the Board of HSP Gaming and the Falls Management Company. He owns the Holdings Acquisitions Co.. He is a former Co-Chairman of the Board of Urban Shopping Centers. He is Chairman of the Board of Midwest Gaming & Entertainment which owns casinos in Vicksburg, Mississippi, the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Illinois, and Casino Niagara in Niagara Falls, Canada.
Philanthropy
He hosted President Barack Obama's 49th birthday party, where admission was a $30,000 donation to the Democratic National Committee. He has made further donations to Democratic candidates, such as Hillary Clinton, Dick Durbin, Melissa Bean, Rahm Emanuel, Lisa Madigan, Rod Blagojevich, Lou Lang, and Michael Madigan. An art patron, he sits on the Board of Trustees of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Whitney Museum of American Art. He also has an art collection worth $100 million. He sits on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University.
Personal life
He is divorced from Barbara Bluhm-Kaul and has three children:
- Andy Bluhm, who runs his own hedge fund, Delaware Street Capital;
- Leslie Bluhm, who co-founded Chicago Cares;
- Meredith Bluhm-Wolf, a philanthropist.
He lives in Chicago.