Overview

"""The Making of a Blockbuster is an engrossing depiction of an outof nowhere, self-made American industrialist, Wayne Huizenga. Itcaptures with intensity the true grit and dynamic, unwaveringcharacter of a blockbuster personality and his rise to thiscountry's preeminent entrepreneur."" -- Sumner Redstone Chairman ofthe Board, Viacom Inc. ""This is more than a book. It's a fantasy about a man with greatvision. A must read for anyone with dreams for their future."" --Aaron Spelling Spelling Television Inc. ""I have always admired anyone who makes it on their own and Waynehas done that in a big time way while never forgetting where it allbegan. The whole story is between the covers of this fascinatingbook, The Making of a Blockbuster."" -- Frank Gifford ABCSports Despite all the media buzz surrounding Blockbuster video, littlehas been written about Wayne Huizenga, the charismatic man behindit all--until now. Here is the complete inside story of how thiscollege dropout-turned-garbage collector rose to become a corporatetitan. This eye-opening book reveals everything from Huizenga'sincredible transformation of 19 Blockbuster stores into a $4billion entertainment conglomerate to his successful entry into thesports arena as owner of the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, andthe Florida Panthers. Huizenga's winning combination of businessstrategies, management style, and vision is explained in thisbook--a fascinating testament to the power of true grit,seat-of-the-pants dealmaking, and sheer entrepreneurial genius. TheMaking of a Blockbuster is an enthralling read for all who followthe entertainment and sports industries, and business readers whowant to find out just how it's done."

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9780471159032

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Reviews

If diligence alone could yield good biography, Business Week correspondent DeGeorge would have produced a blockbuster on high-profile tycoon H. Wayne Huizenga. Unfortunately, the result of her considerable labors is a bloated, often gushy jumble of raw data. The grandson of a Dutch immigrant who set up shop as a trash hauler in the Chicago area, Huizenga (who turns 58 later this year) entered the same trade in South Florida's Broward County. In league with midwestern family members, the Sunbelt transplant parlayed his one-truck outfit into a sizable equity stake in the multinational disposal firm now known as WMX Technologies. Tired of the constant travel demanded by his executive post, Huizenga left the garbage game in 1982. He dabbled in any number of offbeat pursuits (bottled water, lawn care, portable toilets), but proved a decidedly restless retiree. Huizenga soon went active with Blockbuster Entertainment, a small chain of videocassette-rental shops that he turned into a show-biz power in less than seven years. Since he sold out last year, the major-league baseball, football, and hockey franchises he has bought or launched in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area have kept him occupied to a limited extent. But it's unlikely that the relentlessly enterprising Huizenga will be long absent from the commercial mainstream. At last report, he and his brother-in-law were organizing a new environmental-services/waste-disposal outfit whose revenues they intend to expand rapidly via strategic acquisitions. DeGeorge all but buries Huizenga in a welter of tedious particulars, although she glides quickly by his frequent brushes with regulatory authorities, invariably giving him the benefit of any ethical doubt. For all the detail she has amassed in her kitchen-sink narrative, moreover, DeGeorge never comes to grips with what makes Wayne run. (Kirkus Reviews)

Author Information

GAIL DeGEORGE is the Miami bureau manager for BusinessWeek. She has covered a broad range of business topics and has written about H. Wayne Huizenga and Blockbuster Entertainment Corp. since 1990.

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