DeBartolo Holdings

What DeBartolo Holdings does

DeBartolo Holdings is a privately held, family-controlled diversified holding company founded in March 2002 by Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. and headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The firm manages the DeBartolo family's strategic investments and operating businesses across four principal verticals: real estate development (via DeBartolo Development), philanthropy (via the DeBartolo Family Foundation), charter education (via Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School, co-founded with Derrick Brooks in 2007), and hospitality (via the Sacred Pepper restaurant in North Tampa). Since 2003, DeBartolo Development has deployed approximately $5 billion across 166 real estate assets spanning 32 states, specializing in market-driven acquisitions and ground-up development of multi-family housing, hospitality, industrial, retail, and mixed-use projects. The company operates through institutional partnerships with lenders and brokers rather than a technology-driven platform.

The business model combines episodic real estate development gains, recurring restaurant and charter-school operating revenue, and philanthropic grant-making funded by family capital. The firm retains a significant equity stake in Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG), the largest real estate company in the world, following the 1996 merger that created Simon DeBartolo Group with a $7.5 billion market capitalization. Edward J. DeBartolo Jr., a 2016 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and former owner of the San Francisco 49ers (1977-2000, five Super Bowl championships) and Pittsburgh Penguins (1990-1992, two Stanley Cup championships), leads the firm alongside President David S. Mallitz, CFO Patrick Ryan, and EVP/General Counsel James D. Palermo. The company has historically pursued board-level partnerships with healthcare and educational institutions including Moffitt Cancer Center (2012 Personalized Medicine Institute) and Notre Dame.

DeBartolo Holdings is a small organization of 11-50 employees that relies on the DeBartolo family brand, multi-decade institutional relationships, and proprietary deal-flow networks rather than proprietary technology. The company makes money through real estate investment gains, restaurant and charter-school operations, and appreciation of its retained Simon Property Group equity. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; each business unit operates with its own commercial arrangements. Distribution is conducted directly through DeBartolo Development's field relationships, the Sacred Pepper storefront, charter school enrollment, and foundation grant programs.

Name

DeBartolo Holdings

Legal name

DeBartolo Corporation

Website

https://debartoloholdings.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Development and Investment: DeBartolo Development invests in real estate assets of all sizes, specializing in property acquisitions, ground-up development of multi-family housing, hospitality, retail, and mixed-use projects. The company has invested in 166 assets with an approximate value of $5 billion since 2003.
2. Strategic Private Equity Investments: DeBartolo Holdings manages and optimizes diversified businesses and strategic investments including investments in industries such as healthcare.
3. Sports Ownership (Historical): Former NFL franchise ownership of the San Francisco 49ers (1977-2000) and Pittsburgh Penguins (1990-92), generating revenue through professional sports operations and championships.
4. Restaurant Operations: Sacred Pepper restaurant operation providing dining experiences with Contemporary American cuisine featuring Italian flair.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

DeBartolo Holdings is a diversified private holding company that manages the DeBartolo family's real estate investment and development activities, strategic private equity investments, restaurant operations, charter education, and philanthropy. Through DeBartolo Development, the company acquires and develops multi-family housing, hospitality, industrial, retail, and mixed-use properties across 32 states, having invested in 166 assets valued at approximately $5 billion since 2003. The holding company also operates Sacred Pepper restaurant in North Tampa, Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School in Hillsborough County, and the DeBartolo Family Foundation.

Product overview

DeBartolo Holdings is a diversified holding company operating multiple business lines across real estate development, education, hospitality, and philanthropy. The company's core operations include DeBartolo Development (real estate investment and development), Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School (charter education), Sacred Pepper (restaurant/hospitality), and the DeBartolo Family Foundation (philanthropy). The company is also associated with sports investments including partnerships with the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Penguins. DeBartolo Holdings operates as a unified corporate entity managing these portfolio companies under the family investment umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DeBartolo Development (Real Estate Investment and Development) A diversified real estate investment and development business that acquires properties and performs ground-up development of multi-family housing, hospitality, industrial, retail, and mixed-use projects throughout the United States; serves institutional partners, lenders, and brokers.
• Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School An A-rated charter high school in Hillsborough County, Florida, serving Hillsborough County students through a charter school enrollment process; co-founded with Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.
• Sacred Pepper (Restaurant) A restaurant in North Tampa operating as a dining destination serving Contemporary American cuisine with Italian flair; serves local residents and visitors for dining experiences and event hosting.
• DeBartolo Family Foundation A family foundation that provides charitable giving and community philanthropy, awarding student scholarships, teacher grants, family adoption support, and the Spirit of Humanity Award to strengthen Tampa Bay.

Quantifiable outcome

• Created Simon DeBartolo Group with $7.5 billion market capitalization in 1996
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Simon Property GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1996, the DeBartolo Realty Corporation merged with Simon Property Group to create Simon DeBartolo Group, uniting two founding families of the regional mall business and creating the largest public real estate company in North America with a total market capitalization of $7.5 billion. Mr. DeBartolo Jr. maintains a significant ownership position with Simon Property Group, the largest real estate company in the world. The DeBartolo/Simon portfolio included 111 regional shopping centers, 66 community shopping centers and six specialty retail centers in 32 states.
• Derrick BrookscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2007, Mr. DeBartolo partnered with Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks to co-found Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School (BDCHS), a high-performing, 'A'-rated charter high school in Hillsborough County.
• Moffitt Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2012, Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL, established the DeBartolo Family Personalized Medicine Institute to revolutionize the discovery, delivery, and effectiveness of cancer care on an international scale. Mr. DeBartolo serves on the Moffitt Cancer Center board.
• Tampa Bay American Cancer SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMr. DeBartolo has extended his hand to many boards of non-profit organizations, including the Tampa Bay American Cancer Society.
• Cleveland Clinic FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMr. DeBartolo has served on the board of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
• Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1989, the DeBartolo family donated $33 million to Notre Dame - one of the largest single contributions to higher education in U.S. history. Mr. DeBartolo is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• WS Development: WS Development is a privately-held, vertically-integrated real estate development firm focused on retail, mixed-use, and residential projects across the Eastern US. Comparable to DeBartolo Holdings' development-led approach to multi-product real estate.
• Simon Property Group: Simon Property Group is the largest publicly-traded REIT in the US and originated from DeBartolo's 1996 merger with Simon DeBartolo Group. Same real estate development and retail property investment focus; DeBartolo Holdings retained a significant equity stake, making SPG the most directly comparable peer.
• Kushner Companies: Kushner Companies is a privately-held, family-controlled real estate development and investment firm focused on commercial, multifamily, and mixed-use properties. Comparable to DeBartolo Holdings as a similarly family-led diversified real estate operator.
• Thor Equities: Thor Equities is a privately-held real estate investment and development firm operating across retail, multifamily, hospitality, and mixed-use projects in major US markets — directly comparable to DeBartolo Holdings' multi-product national real estate platform.
• Howard Hughes Holdings: Howard Hughes Holdings operates as a diversified real estate development platform with master-planned communities, commercial property, and strategic investments — closely mirroring DeBartolo Holdings' blend of real estate development and broader strategic investment activity.
• Related Companies: Related Companies is one of the largest privately-held real estate development firms in the US, operating across affordable and market-rate housing, mixed-use, office, and hospitality. Comparable to DeBartolo Holdings' diverse multi-family, hospitality, retail, and mixed-use development focus.

Broad incumbents

• Macerich: Macerich is a publicly-traded REIT focused on retail and mixed-use properties across the US. Comparable to the historical DeBartolo Realty Corporation that operated one of the largest regional shopping center portfolios in the US.
• Forest City Realty Trust: Forest City was a publicly-traded REIT with diversified residential, commercial, and mixed-use development that was acquired by Brookfield in 2018. Operates in similar property types as DeBartolo Holdings and provides a public-market comparable for diversified development models.
• Brookfield Asset Management: Brookfield is one of the largest global alternative asset managers with significant real estate, infrastructure, and private equity operations. Comparable to DeBartolo Holdings' diversified real estate plus strategic PE investment focus, but at vastly larger scale and public scale.
• Berkshire Hathaway: Berkshire Hathaway is the archetypal diversified holding company operating across insurance, energy, real estate, and strategic investments. Comparable to DeBartolo Holdings' family-controlled diversified holding structure with cross-industry strategic investments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/debartolo-holdings-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DeBartolo Holdings