The Anschutz Corporation

Who owns The Anschutz Corporation?
Philip Anschutz owns and controls The Anschutz Corporation through his private holding structure. It was founded by his father Fred Anschutz in 1958, and Philip assumed control in 1962.

Is The Anschutz Corporation publicly traded?
No. It is entirely private and publishes no financial statements. Figures that appear in the press are estimates by outlets such as Bloomberg and Forbes.

What does The Anschutz Corporation own?
Its principal holdings are AEG (venues, promotion, sports teams, AXS ticketing), Xanterra Travel Collection (national park hospitality and resorts), Clarity Media Group (newspapers), Walden Media, and energy and real estate investments.

How much is Philip Anschutz worth?
Bloomberg's Billionaires Index estimates his net worth at more than $16 billion, making him one of the richest people in the United States and the wealthiest person in Colorado.

Does The Anschutz Corporation own Coachella?
Indirectly, yes. Coachella is produced by Goldenvoice, a subsidiary of AEG Presents, which is owned by AEG, which is wholly owned by The Anschutz Corporation.

Oil wildcatter Fred Anschutz started the company in 1958 to hold his drilling ventures. His son Philip took control in 1962 and spent the next two decades expanding oil and gas positions across the Rocky Mountain West, selling a large part of the holdings in the early 1980s for his first billion.

The 1980s and 1990s brought the deals that defined the fortune. Anschutz bought the Rio Grande Railroad, then Southern Pacific, selling the latter to Union Pacific in 1996 for $1.4 billion in profit. He used Southern Pacific's rights of way to build Qwest Communications into the fourth-largest U.S. long-distance carrier before exiting. He also assembled Regal Entertainment Group from bankrupt cinema chains into one of the largest U.S. theater operators before selling control.

Entertainment became the core after 1994 with the formation of AEG, which bought the LA Kings in 1995 and built the arena now called Crypto.com Arena. The corporation later added Xanterra Travel Collection, national park hospitality and resort operations including The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Clarity Media Group's newspapers, and the Walden Media film business.

Recent activity has been selective. AEG sold its ASM Global venue management business to Legends Hospitality in 2024, and the corporation continues to deploy capital through Anschutz Investment Company across communications, media, energy, hospitality, and real estate.

Anschutz has attracted sustained scrutiny for political donations to conservative causes and Republican candidates, reported extensively over two decades. His media holdings, particularly the Washington Examiner, make him a minor but consistent figure in debates over billionaire media ownership.

AEG's businesses have faced their own issues, covered in detail on that company's profile, including the Michael Jackson wrongful death litigation and antitrust attention on live entertainment.