 A SECOND American tycoon has joined forces with US mogul George Gillett in a bid to take control of Liverpool FC. In an unprecedented move, it emerged last night that Texas billionaire Thomas “Tom” Hicks had entered into an agreement with Gillett to go half-and-half on purchasing the club. The two men already share both business and sporting interests in the United States, but this would be the first time two major sports owners have gone into such a partnership together. Hicks, 60, made his fortune in finance and is a high-profile supporter and friend of US President George W Bush. It was reported that Hicks was in the UK this week, and was due to return to the United States last night. The partnership idea is believed to have gathered steam after Hicks and Gillett both attended last week’s National Hockey League All-Star Game. The two men have previously worked together on the executive board of a meat processing company. The businessman is credited with revitalising the Dr Pepper brand, among others, through the Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst investment firm he co-founded in the late 1980s. He shares similar interests with Gillett, who owns the Montreal Canadiens, as he also owns an ice hockey team, the Dallas Stars, which he took over in 1995, along with the Texas Rangers baseball team in 1998. Both are operated under the Southwest Sports Group company owned by Hicks, which also includes the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. He has also been closely involved in developing new stadia for his teams, and is part owner of the new American Airlines stadium in downtown Dallas, the most expensive hockey and basketball arena in US history, at $420m. That fact is sure to be tempting to Liverpool FC, which is desperately hoping to move to a new stadium on Stanley Park soon. Hicks is also closely involved in a massive new 75-acre development called Glorypark, which, as well as including the Texas Rangers stadium in Arlington, will also include the new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys football team, along with retail, enter- tainment, residential and office use. Hicks, who is married with six children, is number 382 in the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans. | 
HAVE your say on our Reds Messageboard - click 
RSS News Feed