Stockton developer Alex Spanos dies at 95
The Los Angeles Chargers announced that owner Alex Spanos died Tuesday morning at age 95.
A philanthropist and billionaire, the Stockton-born real estate developer and NFL team majority owner donated tens of millions of dollars to sports and non-sports related developments throughout California.
Mercy hospital in Sacramento opened the Alex G. Spanos Heart and Vascular Center in 2014. That project, which finished after a decade of planning and construction, benefited from a $15 million contribution by Spanos.
Spanos is also the namesake for Sacramento State’s Alex G. Spanos Athletic Center, the Alex G. Spanos Athletic Performance Center at UC San Diego, Alex G. Spanos Stadium at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the Alex G. Spanos Center at University of the Pacific in Stockton after giving generous donations to each of those campuses.
Spanos spent time studying at the latter two universities.
“Everyone at Pacific — and generations of future Pacific students who will benefit from his generous heart — are eternally grateful for his love of Pacific and what he has done for the university,” Pacific President Pamela Eibeck said in a statement issued following Spanos’ death. “His dedication to what we do in the classrooms, in athletics and beyond was exceptional by any standard.”
In his hometown of Stockton, Spanos gave $500,000 toward the renovation of the historic Fox Theatre in 2003. It was renamed the Bob Hope Theatre.
Spanos’ wife, Faye, died this August at age 92. They married in 1948. The couple settled in Stockton, where Alex Spanos was born in 1923.
Spanos, the son of Greek immigrants, made his fortune as a landlord and apartment builder, and purchased the San Diego Chargers in 1984. He ran the club for two decades before passing along the day-to-day responsibilities to his children.
“Aside from being a celebrated businessman and generous philanthropist, Alex’s greatest joy and source of pride was his family,” the Chargers said in a written statement. “His beloved wife Faye, his four children, his 15 grandchildren and his 12 greatgrandchildren always came first.”
“It was Faye’s unconditional love and support that gave him the strength and peace of mind to take risks and pursue his goals unfettered,” the team said. “Together they contributed generously to worthy causes and charities.”
The Chargers moved from San Diego to Los Angeles before the 2017 season.
“We have no words that can adequately express our sadness with his passing,” the team said. “We will continue to honor his legacy by dedicating ourselves to making a difference in the community and throughout our country.”