Denver-Based Businessman Buys The Oklahoman

The Oklahoma Publishing Company (OPUBCO), which owns The Oklahoman, NewsOK.com, and several other assets, is being sold to The Anschutz Corporation after more than a century of being controlled by the Gaylord and Dickinson families.

Thursday, September 15th 2011, 11:53 am

By: News 9


News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Publishing Company (OPUBCO), which owns The Oklahoman, NewsOK.com, and several other assets, is being sold to The Anschutz Corporation after more than a century of being controlled by the Gaylord and Dickinson families.

Denver-based businessman Philip Anschutz owns The Anschutz Corporation. An article on NewsOK.com reports that in early October, Anschutz will acquire all the assets OPUBCO owns or has an interest in, and that includes The Oklahoman, NewsOK.com, its corporate headquarters building, printing facilities and all associated real estate.

OPUBCO's assets also include breakfast food company De Wafelbakkers LLC, the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa near Austin, Manitou & Pike's Peak Railway Company, and Dallas-based Pavestone LLC, which manufactures concrete pavers, retaining walls and other landscaping materials.

Christy Everest, Chairman and CEO of OPUBCO, says the deal has been in the works since Anschutz approached OPUBCO back in June.

"Our Board of Directors had to consider his proposal seriously and from several different perspectives – that of our 254 supportive and patient shareholders, our thousands of employees, the communities in which we operate, the legacies of the Gaylord and Dickinson families, and the general wellbeing of OPUBCO itself," said Everest. "This transaction will not cause OPUBCO to disappear - rather, only the ownership will change. There are amazing similarities between the interests and conservative values of The Anschutz Corporation and those of OPUBCO."

The Gaylord and Dickinson families have controlled OPUBCO for more than 108 years. According to the NewsOK.com article, all current employees of OPUBCO will maintain their current responsibilities.

Philip Anschutz is a 71-year-old billionaire from Colorado.  According to Forbes.com, he's worth more than $75 billion dollars and got his start in oil and gas.

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