Doug Manchester

Douglas F. "Doug" Manchester
Born	June 3, 1942 Los Angeles
Other names	"Papa Doug"
Occupation	Real estate developer, newspaper owner

Douglas Frederick "Doug" Manchester (born June 3, 1942) is an American businessperson, real estate developer, and former newspaper publisher based in San Diego, California.

Manchester, who prefers to be called "Papa Doug",^[1] has built some of the tallest hotels and office buildings in San Diego and is credited as a driving force behind the development of the San Diego Convention Center.^[2] From 2011 through 2015 he was the owner and publisher of the San Diego Union-Tribune, which he renamed U-T San Diego.

Early life and education

Born in Los Angeles, Manchester grew up in Coronado, California and the Pacific Beach neighborhood of San Diego. He attended La Jolla High School where he played football. He then went to San Diego State University, where he was a member of Sigma Chi and worked as a campus representative for an insurance company.^[2]

Business activities

After graduating from college Manchester went into real estate, eventually becoming known for developing large upscale projects. In the 1980s Manchester built a 27-story office tower called the Columbia Centre, now known as the First National Bank Building.^[3][4] In the 1990s, Manchester constructed the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel and the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina.^[4] Both were subsequently sold to Host Hotels & Resorts.^[5][6] Manchester also built the Grand Del Mar Resort & Spa, which sold to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in 2015; he maintains minority ownership. Manchester also built the Torrey Executive Centre, the Manchester Financial Building, and the Whitetail Lodge and Golf Club.

Manchester has also founded two banks, the La Jolla Bank and Trust Company and La Jolla Pacific Savings Bank.^[7]

Manchester is currently building the Fairmont Austin hotel in Austin, Texas and a waterfront development called Manchester Pacific Gateway is under consideration in San Diego.^[8]

His activities have helped to revitalize the Downtown San Diego area. Manchester was a major influence in persuading the city of San Diego to build the San Diego Convention Center.^[9] Manchester and his company also played a major role in revitalizing Navy Field and San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter into tourist destinations.^[10]

In 2011 Manchester bought the San Diego Union-Tribune for sum estimated to be in excess of $110 million.^[11] In 2012 he bought the competing North County Times and merged it and its subsidiary The Californian into the Union-Tribune.^[12] In November 2013 he bought eight local weeklies in the San Diego area.^[13] In May 2015, Manchester sold the U-T San Diego and its associated properties to Tribune Publishing Company for $85 million. The deal did not include the paper's headquarters, which Manchester retained and leases to the paper.^[14][15] After the transaction was finalized, the new owners changed the paper's name back to the The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Political activities

Manchester is "an outspoken supporter of conservative causes".^[11] He donates to Republican candidates at both the local and national level, and once described Donald Rumsfeld as his hero.^[2] On buying the Union-Tribune he stated his intention of using the newspaper to promote conservative causes, and the paper's editorial page took on a strongly conservative tone,^[16] including the use of front-page wraparound sections to promote development projects and political candidates.^[17][18] The New York Times noted that Manchester seems to be using the paper as a "brochure for his special interests", citing San Diego as "a situation where moneyed interests buy papers and use them to prosecute a political and commercial agenda."^[19]

In 2008 he donated $125,000 to support signature gathering for a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.^[20] When the amendment qualified for the ballot as California Proposition 8 he also donated to the campaign in favor of it. Manchester explained his position by saying, "While I respect everyone’s choice of partner, my Catholic faith and longtime affiliation with the Catholic Church leads me to believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman."^[20] His prominent support for the initiative, which was approved by voters in November 2008 but was ultimately ruled unconstitutional, led to calls by gay-rights groups for a boycott of Manchester's hotels.^[21]

Philanthropy

Manchester has been a prominent philanthropist in San Diego.

• He donated $5 million each to San Diego State University and Wake Forest University^[22] Additional multimillion-dollar donations have gone to the University of San Diego and The Bishop's School. When he contributed to San Diego State, the university changed the name of its Centennial Hall to Manchester Hall. It was the first time the university had changed a building name to honor an alumnus.^[7]
• He sponsors the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation in San Diego County and contributes money to the Preuss School, Monarch School, Polinsky Children's Center, Southern California Boys and Girls Club, Scripps Memorial Hospital and San Diego Diocesan Ministries.^[22][23][24] He also co-founded the San Diego Crime Commission and San Diego Port Tenants Association.^[7]
• Manchester donated funds to build the maternity wing at Scripps Memorial Hospital and helped build the Cathedral Catholic High School football stadium. He is the founding chair of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of United Way and gives money to St. Vincent de Paul, the National Conference of Christians and Jews and Billy Graham Crusade.^[23]
• He is a former trustee of the University of San Diego and of Wake Forest University. He is currently on the board of trustees of the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute^[25] and is a board member for the San Diego Symphony.

Personal life

In January 1965 he married Elizabeth "Betsy" Manchester, whom he met when both were students at San Diego State; they have six children and thirteen grandchildren. They divorced in 2013. His divorce proceedings have been called "ironic" because of his expressed support for "traditional marriage" and his Catholic faith.^[1][26] He and Geniya Derzhavina were married in December 2013.^[27]

Recognition

• May 31, 2012 (Manchester's 70th birthday) was declared to be "Papa Doug Manchester Day" in San Diego County by the county Board of Supervisors.^[28]
• In November 2013 the Nice Guys, a local philanthropic organization, named him "Nice Guy of the Year".^[22]
• Multiple buildings and facilities are named for him at Wake Forest University (Manchester Plaza, Manchester Hall),^[29] the University of San Diego (Douglas F. Manchester Executive Conference Center, Manchester Family Child Development Center, Manchester Village Apartments),^[30][31] and The Bishop's School (Manchester Library & Learning Center).^[32] Manchester Stadium, home field for Cathedral Catholic High School, is also named for him.^[33]

References

1. Davis, Rob (January 20, 2012). "Doug Manchester: San Diego’s Cheerleader in Chief". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
2. Davies, Jennifer (September 27, 2005). "Maverick with muscle: Manchester's combative nature overshadows the developer's softer side". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
3. Johnson, Greg (November 6, 1988). "Namewise, It's What's Up Top That Counts In Marketing Office Towers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
4. "San Diego's tallest buildings - Top 20". Emporis. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
5. Freeman, Mike (April 25, 2008). "Manchester sells stake in Marriott; Downtown hotel now 100% owned by Host". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
6. "Port Approves Sale Of Manchester Grand Hyatt; Developer Douglas F. Manchester Selling Property To Host Hotels & Resorts For $570M". ABC 10 News. March 9, 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
7. "San Diego State University Receives $5 Million Gift From Doug and Betsy Manchester: Donation Sets Record for Largest Alumni Couple Gift in University History". California State University System. November 11, 2005. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
8. Showley, Roger (November 23, 2015). "San Diego’s Rockefeller Center? Civic San Diego reviews $1.2 billion Manchester Pacific Gateway, reaction wasn’t particularly favorable". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
9. Davies, Jennifer (27 September 2005). "Manchester's combative nature overshadows the developer's softer side". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
10. Foster, Jason (11 November 2005). "San Diego State University Receives $5 Million Gift From Doug and Betsy Manchester: Donation Sets Record for Largest Alumni Couple Gift in University History". Newsline (The California State University). Retrieved 16 April 2014.
11. Cohen, Noam; Vega, Tanzina (November 17, 2011). "San Diego Union-Tribune Sold to Hotelier for More Than $100 Million". New York Times. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
12. Alison St John, "U-T San Diego Phases Out North County Edition", KPBS.org, May 30, 2013.
13. Jonathan Horn, "U-T buys 8 local community newspapers", U-T San Diego, November 1, 2013.
14. "$85M deal to combine U-T, LA Times". Retrieved 8 May 2015.
15. "L.A. Times parent to buy San Diego paper, expanding reach in Southern California". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
16. "San Diego Media Baron Expands Business to Promote Conservatism". The Blaze. October 22, 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
17. Lewis, Scott (September 11, 2012). "The Two Faces of Papa Doug". Voice of San Diego. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
18. "Editorial: Think big — New vision needed for downtown waterfront". San Diego Union-Tribune. January 22, 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
19. Carr, David (June 10, 2012). "Newspaper as Business Pulpit". New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
20. Cathcart, Rebecca (July 17, 2008). "Donation to Same-Sex Marriage Foes Brings Boycott Calls". New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
21. Hernandez, Barbara (September 15, 2008). "Politics + Economics = Boycott at Hyatt Hotel". CBS News. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
22. "Manchester honored at Nice Guys gala". U-T San Diego. 2 November 2013. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
23. "Philanthropy". Papa Doug Manchester. Doug Manchester. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
24. "Philanthropy". Manchester Financial Group. San Diego, California. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
25. "Biography". Manchester Financial Group. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
26. Wolff, Eric (August 11, 2009). "Ironic divorce: Protector of traditional marriage Doug Manchester leaving wife of 43 years". San Diego City Beat. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
27. Potter, Matt (December 30, 2013). "A cool extra million for Papa Doug's ex". San Diego Reader. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
28. "Papa Doug Manchester Day". Dougmanchester.com. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
29. Cox, Kevin (October 11, 2005). "Manchesters make $5 million gift to WFU". Wake Forest University News Release. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
30. "Manchester Conference Center". University of San Diego. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
31. "Campus Map". University of San Diego. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
32. DeRobertis, Shelli; Sherman, Pat (17 August 2012). "Bishop’s School to dedicate new library on Aug. 22". La Jolla Light. La Jolla, California. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
33. "Manchester Stadium at Cathedral Catholic High school". ABC 10 news. Retrieved 20 January 2016.