Ringside Stories

In Ringside Stories, real estate guru Dick Corbett reveals the secrets to his success in business and in life, tracking the rough-and-ready life of a man who won't accept failure as an outcome. Setbacks large and small are taken as lessons for the future, and one small success leads to another, larger one until the dream achieved is grander than any restless youth could have imagined. In Corbett's long and remarkably successful career, his commitment to economic development and growth management have been stunningly reflected in the more than one billion dollars of complex real estate ventures he's financed, developed, and constructed—including International Plaza, a three million square foot mixed-use retail, office, and hotel development at Tampa's International Airport. Corbett's work has generated thousands of permanent jobs, hundreds of new commercial sales entities, office space, adjunct hotels, and restaurants—all producing hundreds of millions of dollars annually for the regional economy.

Richard A. Corbett's story begins with an alcoholic mother, an absentee father, and a search for self that resulted in boxing titles, street smarts, wilderness survival skills, degrees from Notre Dame and Harvard, a spot on the Kennedy presidential campaign, and later a place at Robert Kennedy's side when he died. This book documents the events that built this remarkable life, with lessons learned and wisdom gained.

• Mine the insight of a recognized real estate investing guru
• Learn how delicate relationships contributed to Corbett's success
• See the Kennedy family from the inner circle's perspective
• Discover how sheer ambition built Tampa's International Plaza

Life is precious—everyone gets exactly one. Few can say they've truly lived, but Corbett's experiences mark him as a man who has been there, done that. Ringside Stories is the story of how wisdom found a truly self-made man.

Acknowledgments vii

Prologue ix

Chapter 1 Robert Kennedy is Buried in My Clothes 1

Chapter 2 My Father Was a Bona Fide Hero 9

Chapter 3 My Mom Was an Alcoholic, and I Struggled to Hide It 17

Chapter 4 I Almost Ate a Boy Once 29

Chapter 5 I Found a Mentor—and a Kindred Spirit 35

Chapter 6 I Love Punching a Man in the Face 43

Chapter 7 I Am a Workaholic 51

Chapter 8 I Became a Part of History 57

Chapter 9 One of My Saddest Days: When JFK Was Inaugurated 65

Chapter 10 I Was Once One of the Most-Hated Men in the Kennedy Empire 79

Chapter 11 Mentored by an Invalid 91

Chapter 12 It Takes Guts to Write Checks for Money You Don’t Have 99

Chapter 13 Life Partnering 107

Chapter 14 Only an Idiot Would Purchase a Lease on Land Owned by a Federal Airport 119

Chapter 15 I Will Be Forever Grateful That I Injured My Back and Ribs 131

Chapter 16 Before I Could Be a Joe Kennedy, I Had to Be a Daniel Boone 145

Chapter 17 Getting Down to the Business of Making a Dream 155

Chapter 18 Who Shops at Malls, Anyway? 165

Chapter 19 A Day in the Limelight Becomes a Day of Darkness 171

Chapter 20 I Built Myself into Our Home 175

Chapter 21 Not Dead Yet, Just Getting a Third Wind 179

Chapter 22 Life Comes Full Circle 185

Chapter 23 Never Take Your Eye Off the Ball 191

Epilogue More of What’s Important, Not More of the Same 201

About the Author 205

Index 207

RICHARD A. CORBETT has financed, developed and constructed more than $1 billion in complex real estate ventures. As a presidential aide in the Kennedy White House, a senior staffer for Bobby Kennedy, and a manager of the Kennedy family real estate business, he learned to balance powerful political and financial forces to achieve stunning personal and community success.

RINGSIDE STORIES is an insider's view of Richard A. Corbett's successful honing of skills to achieve exceptional personal and business success. It recounts his hard-knock beginnings, to his time in the Kennedy White House and the Kennedy family business, to the creation of the International Plaza at Tampa International Airport.

"In this thrilling narrative, Richard Corbett describes the view from a front-row seat at some of America's most intriguing history. From humble beginnings to his major successes, Richard's story truly embodies the American Dream." —SONNY PERDUE, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Former Governor of Georgia

"Dick's passion, commitment, and unwavering drive has allowed him to utilize often unanticipated opportunities to convert dreams into reality." —JOHNNY MORRIS, Founder of Bass Pro Shops

"Dick's autobiography reflects a life deeply engaged with the external world and his internal family world. Worlds that reflect his curiosity, his spiritual self, his dreams, and his successes and failures. A life fully lived and experienced. A life story that helps us look deeply into our own." —JAMES (JAY) E. HUGHES, JR., Attorney and Celebrated Author

"The adversity and triumphs Dick Corbett has experienced in his life serve as a road map for those looking to find their way. From the boxing ring, to politics, business, and high-stakes real estate dealings, Dick's story is a compelling look at how hard work and perseverance can help anyone navigate their path to success." —BRIAN KELLY, Head Football Coach, The University of Notre Dame

"My good friend Dick Corbett has lived a very interesting and fascinating life. The adventures from the boxing ring, to politics, and real estate successes make this a must-read for anybody searching for diversity and road maps to success in their lives." —LOU PINIELLA, Former Professional Baseball Player and Manager of the New York Yankees

"For a decade-and-a-half Dick was in the ring with the Kennedy family: helping JFK attain the highest position in American politics, and at RFK's side when the family was devastated a second time. Dick enjoyed the family's trust and used his time in their financial office to assimilate the knowledge that helped him launch his enormously successful real estate career." —JOE HAKIM, Chairman Emeritus, Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises Inc.

"This is a great story of how a hardworking, focused kid from Rochester literally fought his way to academic, political, and business success through personal and national challenges. Dick's story is a great read and a slice of American political and business history." —JACK NICKLAUS, Legendary Pro Golfer and Course Designer

"My good friend, Richard 'Dick' Corbett, takes readers on a journey into the world of one man's determination to overcome personal challenges and tragedies and fight his way to academic, political, and business success. His fascinating life story is well worth the read." —TED TURNER, Environmentalist and Philanthropist

"Dick's story is a great read, capturing a distinctive slice of American political and business history. Dick's reflection of the people and events that shaped his life are a powerful meditation on resilience and leadership." —REV. JOHN I. JENKINS, C.S.C., President, University of Notre Dame

"Dick Corbett's story of a hardworking, focused kid from Rochester is one of many lessons for all of us. He overcame challenges, worked hard, took risks, and has achieved great success. Ringside Stories is a wonderful read." —JEB BUSH, Former Governor of Florida

Discover how Richard Corbett overcame obstacle after obstacle to live life to the fullest. Corbett's amazing experiences mark him as a man who has been there, done that . . . in remarkable style. Ringside Stories is the biography of a truly self-made man.