Campus museum honors Colangelo, ‘godfather’ of Phoenix pro sports
Sep 21, 2017, 12:05 PM
(Screenshot/Grand Canyon University YouTube)
PHOENIX — Businessman and sports executive Jerry Colangelo has done more to shape the Valley in his 50 years here than just about any other single individual. Wednesday, a museum honoring him opened at Grand Canyon University.
“I’ve been a strong believer all my life,” Colangelo said. “And I believe that God had a plan for my life and it was meant for me to come to Arizona with a young family and get started and be part of what was going to take place in this state for the next 40-50 years. And so, for all of that again I’m very thankful for the opportunity.
“Phoenix has been a great home for us and I’m very appreciative of that.”
The Jerry Colangelo Museum special opening event taking place on campus. The museum opens to the public tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/KJoCneBPYS
— Grand Canyon U (@gcu) September 21, 2017
Colangelo first came to the university in 2008 as a board member. Since then the Phoenix school has named its College of Business after him.
“Jerry’s here on almost a weekly basis,” university President Brian Mueller said.
“He lectures in the classrooms, he brings guest lecturers, and the students hang on his every word. But the most important thing is they have a role model — somebody to look up to. Somebody to say: ‘That’s how to live your life, that’s how to manage a marriage, and a family, and a business, and how to treat people’!”
The Jerry Colangelo Museum special opening event taking place on campus. The museum opens to the public tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/KJoCneBPYS
— Grand Canyon U (@gcu) September 21, 2017
The museum houses the sports treasures Colangelo has won, been awarded, or honored with over his time as general manager of the Phoenix Suns, Suns owner, builder of America West (later Talking Stick Resort) Arena, founding partner of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Rattlers, and helped bring the Phoenix (now Arizona) Coyotes to the Valley.
Reflecting on the museum, Colangelo said, “It’s not just about me and my life, it’s kind of a story about the city of Phoenix, the state of Arizona, a lot of things that happened over the last 50 years that I’ve been involved in.
And it’s meant to be a legacy, and for that I feel very humbled.”