Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Mitchell Goldhar
View on WikipediaMitchell Goldhar (Hebrew: מיטשל גולדהר) is a Canadian billionaire and businessman.[1]
He owned SmartCentres, a firm that developed Walmart-anchored shopping malls in Canada and retains a significant ownership stake in its successor firm SmartCentres REIT.[2] Since August 2009, he has also been the owner of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club.[3]
Goldhar was born in 1962. He completed his bachelor's degree at York University in Toronto. Goldhar's net worth is estimated at US$2.6 billion as of December 2019.[3]
In 2010, Goldhar bought the sweater Paul Henderson wore while scoring the decisive final goal in the Summit Series; it was being auctioned off by an anonymous American collector for US$1,067,538 (a world record for hockey memorabilia).[4]
On December 30, 2011, Goldhar issued a libel notice against Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, after they published an article that Goldhar claimed was libel.[5][6] Haaretz responded by challenging the lawsuit, on the basis of a lack of jurisdiction and forum non conveniens.[5] In 2018 the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the case could not be heard in Canada, and that if Goldar wished to pursue the case further, it must be done in Israel.[6]
He is Jewish.[1] His father Leo Goldhar is Canadian, and his mother Sala Goldhar (née Armal) was a Holocaust survivor from Poland.[7]
In February 2023, Forbes Israel listed his net worth at US$2.3 billion.[8]
On October 2nd, 2025, he became a father, at age 63.
Further reading
[edit]- Lorinc, John Mr. SmartCentres, Mitch Goldhar, gives Canadians what they want, (October 2011), The Globe and Mail
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Goldhar libel suit found to be beyond Canadian purview". 7 June 2018.
- ^ King, Carolyn (April 16, 2015). "Calloway REIT to Buy SmartCentres Retail from Developer Mitchell Goldhar". WSJ. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ a b "Profile: Mitchell Goldhar". Forbes.com. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ Leahy, Sean (June 23, 2010). "Henderson jersey auction destroys records, sells for over $1 million". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ a b "Factum of the respondent, Mitchell Goldhar" (PDF). The Supreme Court of Canada. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
- ^ a b "Canadian owner of Israeli soccer club can't pursue online defamation case here". CBC News. June 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
- ^ Plocker, Sever (20 October 2018). "Goldhar, a tale of survival". Ynetnews.
- ^ "The World's Jewish Billionaires". Forbes Israel. February 2, 2023.
Mitchell Goldhar
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Education
Family Background and Upbringing
Mitchell Goldhar was born in 1962 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to a Jewish family with roots in Eastern European immigration and Holocaust survival.[5] His father, Leo Goldhar (1932–2023), was a Canadian-born entrepreneur who did not complete high school but built a successful carpet-contracting business from modest beginnings tied to family retail operations.[6] [5] Leo's parents, Mitchell's paternal grandparents, were Eastern European Jewish immigrants who operated a delicatessen and cigar shop near St. Clair Avenue West in Toronto, exemplifying the entrepreneurial grit of post-immigration Jewish communities in the city.[6] [7] Goldhar's mother, Sala Goldhar (née Armal), was a Polish Holocaust survivor who endured Nazi persecution by being hidden during World War II by a local Polish family, the Dembinskis; in 2018, Goldhar publicly honored this act by facilitating recognition for the rescuers' descendants.[8] [5] This maternal heritage of resilience amid extreme adversity contributed to a family ethos emphasizing perseverance, as Goldhar was raised in an environment where stories of survival and self-made success were central.[9] [10] Goldhar grew up in Toronto, immersed in a working-class Jewish milieu that valued hard work and community ties, with his paternal grandparents' cigar store and his father's business expansions providing early exposure to commerce and real estate dealings.[5] The family's immigrant-driven narrative, blending Canadian opportunity with European trauma, shaped Goldhar's worldview, fostering a drive for achievement evident in his later career trajectory.[8] [10]Academic Career
Goldhar earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from York University in Toronto.[4][3] Following his undergraduate studies, Goldhar served as an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, where he taught courses on real estate development.[4][3] His teaching tenure spanned approximately a decade, initially in the geography department before transitioning to the Rotman School.[5] Goldhar's instructional role drew on his practical experience in commercial real estate, emphasizing applied aspects of development and management rather than theoretical research.[11] Goldhar has been recognized as an award-winning professor for his contributions to real estate education at the University of Toronto.[3] His lectures focused on integrating business strategy with urban development principles, reflecting his belief in the value of experiential learning in professional training.[11]Business Career
Founding and Growth of SmartCentres
Mitchell Goldhar established SmartCentres in the early 1990s with a focus on developing value-oriented, open-air shopping centers anchored by major discount retailers, particularly Walmart. His efforts began earlier, around 1989, when he pursued opportunities to enhance affordable retail access in Canada and facilitated Walmart's initial market entry through strategic site development and partnerships. This groundwork led to the construction of Canada's first Walmart store in Barrie, Ontario, which opened on November 22, 1994, serving as a foundational project for the company's expansion.[12][2][13] The company's growth accelerated through a model emphasizing Walmart as lead tenants, who often took equity stakes in projects, enabling rapid scaling across Canada. By securing development rights for Walmart stores, Goldhar built approximately 175 such locations, prioritizing suburban sites with high accessibility and ample parking to cater to everyday consumer needs. Over the subsequent two decades, SmartCentres developed more than 265 shopping centers, establishing itself as Canada's largest developer of Walmart-anchored retail properties and capitalizing on the retailer's dominance in discount big-box formats.[4][14][15] This expansion was driven by Goldhar's hands-on approach, including direct negotiations with Walmart executives—such as a pivotal handshake agreement in the early 1990s—and innovative site planning that integrated retail with future mixed-use potential on excess land holdings. By the early 2010s, SmartCentres had amassed a portfolio reflecting efficient land use, with parking areas comprising about 75% of holdings available for densification, while maintaining high occupancy through tenant-aligned leasing strategies focused on essential goods providers. The firm's success underscored a pragmatic response to Canadian retail demands, prioritizing cost efficiency over luxury formats amid economic shifts toward value shopping.[16][14]Key Partnerships and Developments
Goldhar established a pivotal partnership with Walmart in the early 1990s, facilitating the retailer's entry into the Canadian market through a handshake agreement with Walmart executive Duncan Mac Naughton in 1993.[16] This led to the development of the first Walmart store in Canada in Barrie, Ontario, in 1994, followed by the construction of Walmart-anchored power centres across the country.[2] By 2011, SmartCentres had invested $8 billion to build 47 million square feet of retail space in partnership with Walmart, creating a unique developer-retailer relationship unmatched globally.[14] In 2003, SmartCentres formalized a joint venture with Walmart, which owned 100 shopping centres, enabling further expansion of big-box retail formats.[12] This collaboration extended into mixed-use developments, such as a 2019 joint venture for a relocated 140,000-square-foot Walmart store in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, Ontario, with subsequent residential intensification on the site.[17] Over two decades, SmartCentres developed more than 170 Walmart-anchored centres, leveraging land acquisition and site preparation expertise to support Walmart's growth.[18] Beyond retail, Goldhar pursued diversified partnerships through SmartCentres and his Penguin Group of Companies. In 2019, SmartCentres partnered with Greenwin Inc. for a landmark residential development in Barrie, Ontario, combining rental housing with retail elements on a 10-acre site.[19] The company also entered joint ventures with Revera Inc. for retirement living residences, announcing four projects in 2020, including sites in Barrie and Markham, where SmartCentres and Penguin handled development while Revera managed operations.[20] Additionally, SmartCentres formed a partnership with SmartStop Self Storage for multiple facilities, adding sites in Brampton and Scarborough by 2023, bringing the total to six projects.[21] Goldhar's Penguin Group continued providing development services to SmartCentres, focusing on real estate expertise for intensification and mixed-use projects, as outlined in investor presentations emphasizing Penguin's role in site contributions and execution.[22] SmartCentres also maintained a joint-venture arrangement with Simon Property Group for Premium Outlets in Toronto and Montreal, integrating outlet retail into its portfolio.[19] These initiatives reflected a strategic shift toward urban infill and multi-asset developments while preserving core retail anchors.Transition to REIT and Ongoing Leadership
In April 2015, Calloway Real Estate Investment Trust announced its acquisition of the SmartCentres development platform and a portfolio of 24 properties from Mitchell Goldhar for C$1.16 billion, including 20 Walmart-anchored centres with approximately 5.5 million square feet of gross leasable area.[23] The transaction closed on May 28, 2015, integrating SmartCentres' property development, leasing, and management capabilities into the REIT structure, which had previously acquired individual SmartCentres properties starting in 2003.[24] This move transformed Calloway into a fully internalized real estate entity with enhanced development expertise, enabling it to pursue large-scale retail and mixed-use projects under public market oversight.[25] Following the acquisition, Goldhar received approximately $880 million in SmartREIT (the rebranded Calloway) shares, cash, and assumed debt, retaining a substantial ownership stake estimated at around 10% or more as of recent filings.[4] He assumed the role of Executive Chairman, providing continuity in strategic direction while the REIT focused on expanding beyond traditional retail into residential and mixed-use developments.[1] In 2017, the entity rebranded to Smart Real Estate Investment Trust to better reflect its SmartCentres heritage, later adopting the SmartCentres REIT name.[26] Goldhar's leadership persisted post-transition, with a 2020 arrangement extending his services through 2025, including a broadened non-compete clause to align his interests with the REIT's long-term growth.[27] As of September 2025, he serves as both Executive Chairman and CEO, overseeing operations across a portfolio of over 190 properties valued at billions, with emphasis on urban intensification and Walmart-anchored sites.[28] Demonstrating ongoing commitment, Goldhar has continued acquiring units, including 66,602 Class B limited partnership units in February 2025 via indirect holdings.[29] Under his guidance, SmartCentres REIT has navigated retail sector challenges by diversifying into multi-residential assets, completing projects like high-rise developments in Toronto.[4]Sports Investments
Ownership of Maccabi Tel Aviv FC
Mitchell Goldhar, a Canadian real estate developer, acquired Maccabi Tel Aviv FC in August 2009, becoming its principal owner. The transaction involved securing the club's 80% controlling stake from previous owner Alex Shnaider, a Russian-born Canadian billionaire who had purchased it two years earlier for an estimated €12 million, by agreeing to assume all of the club's outstanding financial commitments.[30][31] Goldhar separately bought the remaining 20% stake held by the Maccabi Tel Aviv sports federation for NIS 2.85 million (approximately $750,000 USD at the time).[30] The deal followed Shnaider's decision to divest amid ongoing operational and financial strains at the club, including a recent rejection of a NIS 32 million offer for 50% of his shares, ultimately transferring his majority interest for effectively nominal consideration due to the inherited liabilities.[32][30] This structure allowed Goldhar to gain full control without a large upfront payment to Shnaider, positioning him to stabilize and invest in the historic Israeli club, known for its 23 national league titles prior to his involvement.[4] Under Goldhar's ownership, which has continued uninterrupted as of 2025, he has maintained direct oversight as the executive chairman and primary investor, delegating day-to-day management to local executives while funding infrastructure and player acquisitions from his base in Toronto.[3][33] The acquisition reflected Goldhar's personal affinity for the club, rooted in his Jewish heritage and interest in Israeli sports, rather than immediate financial returns, as evidenced by his subsequent capital infusions exceeding initial costs.[34]Club Achievements Under Goldhar
Under Mitchell Goldhar's ownership since 2009, Maccabi Tel Aviv FC has achieved significant domestic success, securing seven Israeli Premier League (Ligat ha'Al) titles in the 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2023–24, and 2024–25 seasons.[35] These victories include back-to-back triumphs in 2013–14 and 2014–15, followed by consecutive wins in 2018–19 and 2019–20, and recent dominance with titles in 2023–24 and 2024–25, the latter clinched on the final matchday with a 5–0 victory over Beitar Jerusalem on May 25, 2025.[35][36] The club also captured two Israel State Cups (Gvia haMedina) during this period, in 2014–15 and 2020–21.[37][36] Additionally, Maccabi Tel Aviv won multiple Toto Cups (Gvia HaToto le'Premier League), including the 2014–15 edition and the 2024–25 title on December 25, 2024, against Maccabi Haifa, contributing to at least three such victories since 2013.[36][38] In European competitions, Maccabi Tel Aviv advanced to the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2015–16, one of only three Israeli clubs to achieve this feat twice in club history.[39] The team has regularly qualified for UEFA tournaments, including multiple UEFA Europa League group stage appearances and progression to the round of 32 in 2019–20. A highlight came in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League, where Maccabi reached the quarter-finals—the deepest run by an Israeli club in a major UEFA competition since the 1980s—before elimination by Fiorentina.[36] In the 2024–25 season, the club qualified for the UEFA Champions League league phase.[39]| Competition | Titles Won Under Goldhar (2009–Present) | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Israeli Premier League | 7 | 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2023–24, 2024–25[35] |
| Israel State Cup | 2 | 2014–15, 2020–21[37] |
| Toto Cup (Premier League) | At least 3 | Including 2014–15, 2024–25[36] |
