Del Webb The Man

Born in 1889 in Fresno, California, Del Webb learned carpentry as a hobby and baseball as a passion at a very early age. Before he finished his freshman year in high school, his father's company ran into financial problems, and Del was forced to quit school to become a carpenter's apprentice.

Though he enjoyed carpentry, Del's love of baseball was still the driving force in his life. He would work only for companies that had a baseball team, always waiting for the call to come from the big leagues.

In 1927, when Webb was 28, he contracted typhoid fever, an event which would change the course of his life. On the advice of a friend, Del and his wife, Hazel, moved to Phoenix to recuperate. It was while working in Phoenix that Del Webb finally gave up his dreams of playing baseball professionally and poured all his talents into carpentry.

In 1928 Webb decided to start his own company and by the late 1930's, his contracting business was one of the largest in Arizona. He was offered numerous defense contracts to help the country prepare for World War II. Several contracts called for building entire cities, foreshadowing the kind of development work that would make Del Webb famous.

After the war ended, Webb continued working on peace-time projects for the government. These projects introduced Webb to some very influential people. One of the most interesting was Howard Hughes. Webb and Hughes became fast friends. Often Hughes would join Del and his golfing buddies, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and the Goldwater brothers, Barry and Robert, for a game. Webb and Hughes also shared a love of flying. So, when Hughes got a defense contract to build planes, he turned to Del to help him build the factory.

In addition to government projects, Webb's homebuilding reputation was growing. He had always been available to help homeowners "make due" during the war. Now that the war had ended, people were anxious to build new, and they remembered Del.

Combining his love of baseball and business, in 1945 Del realized a dream when he and a partner bought the New York Yankees. The purchase turned out to be a profitable investment as the Yankees won the World Series 10 times during the 20-year span in which Del owned them.

Webb's experience in building entire cities for the military paid off in a project in Tucson. In 1948, in response to the post-war demand for housing, Webb was hired to build Pueblo Gardens. The project called for 600 homes and a shopping complex in the open desert.

On January 1st, 1960, the start of the new decade brought a new kind of eminence for the Del Webb Corporation. The company built Sun City, the first-ever retirement community, outside of Phoenix.

After working for months to convert a cotton field into a city, complete with a golf course, recreation center, shopping center, and five model homes, Del hoped that 10,000 visitors would attend the New Year's Day opening. Instead of 10,000, more than 100,000 people toured the property over the three-day weekend. Sun City was a phenomenal success, prompting a Time magazine cover story, and the Del Webb legend had begun.

Hotel development would provide additional opportunities for the company's success. Webb had helped introduce the concept of "motor hotels" in the post-war years. What really brought Del Webb notoriety in hotel development, however, was the construction of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas for underworld figure Bugsy Siegel.

In the years to come, Del Webb himself would become involved in gaming with the Sahara-Nevada Hotel. Webb's entry into gaming was lauded by the Nevada Gaming Commission, which hoped his name would bring other reputable businessmen to Nevada. It did. Howard Hughes joined in, and the two were instrumental in polishing the image of Las Vegas.

On July 31, 2001, the merger of Pulte Homes, Inc. and Del Webb Corporation was complete, creating a $14.3 billion powerhouse, one of the nation's largest homebuilders.