After Retirement
In 1991, Easley bought a car dealership, Alderwood Oldsmobile & Cadillac in Shoreline, Washington, taking advantage of a General Motors program that made it easier for African-Americans and other minorities to own a dealership. He became a successful dealer, being named president of the African American Dealers Association.
In 1999, Easley, along with Buffalo Bills defensive end Bruce Smith was named as the new owners of the Norfolk Nighthawks of the AF2, a semi-professional arena football league that was branched out from Arena Football League. A day after the city announced Easley and Smith as owners, a controversy was formed between the owners of Hampton Roads Admirals, a minor league hockey team, Mark Garcea and Page Johnson, and the city of Norfolk, Virginia. Garcea and Johnson stated that they participated in the original AF2 meetings, and asked the city for exclusive rights to own the franchise, providing a $5,000 down payment. The city instead allowed Easley and Smith to pay the league a $75,000 franchise fee. The league started playing its first games in the summer of 2000. In his first season as owner, the Nighthawks averaged 6,500 fans at their home field per game, and sold 3,200 season tickets. The team made it to the AF2 playoffs, but lost money in his first season, something Easley blamed as "rookie mistakes" and startup costs. The team disbanded prior to the 2004 season.
He is currently a business entrepreneur.
Read more about this topic: Kenny Easley
Famous quotes containing the word retirement:
“The student who secures his coveted leisure and retirement by systematically shirking any labor necessary to man obtains but an ignoble and unprofitable leisure, defrauding himself of the experience which alone can make leisure fruitful.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Douglas. Now remains a sweet reversion—
We may boldly spend, upon the hope
Of what is to come in.
A comfort of retirement lives in this.
Hotspur. A rendezvous, a home to fly unto.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)