13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Mel Simon dies at age 82

Mel Simon dies at age 82

Scott Swan/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - One of Indiana's business giants is dead at the age of 82. Billionaire shopping mall developer Mel Simon died after a short illness. Simon was also co-owner of the Indiana Pacers and one of the world's richest people.

Mel Simon was a product of the Bronx who built his shopping mall empire from the heartland of America. He was so intertwined with his younger brother that it was difficult for Herb Simon to attend this year's Living Legends gala without Mel.

"I'm usually here with my brother. He couldn't be here tonight," said Herb Simon at the July event.

This July, the Indiana Historical Society honored Mel and Herb Simon as part of the 11th Living Legends Gala. They were chosen among 150 nominees.

Mel Simon was in the hospital, unable to attend a crowning achievement after a life's work of creating malls all over the world, owning the Indiana Pacers and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

"Whatever we've accomplished, he's a legend of all legends to me," said Herb Simon.

To Hoosiers, Mel Simon is one of the big reasons that downtown Indianapolis is vibrant, with Simon's property, Circle Centre Mall and Conseco Fieldhouse, at the heart.

"His efforts transformed our community," said Jim Morris, president of the Indiana Pacers. "They made Indianapolis a big league city. The Pacers, Market Square and Circle Centre."

Mel Simon's empire as a "Mall Magician" with ties to 300 properties in North America and 50 in Europe and Japan is worth an estimated $1.3 billion, according to Forbes.

Hoosiers talk about his enormous philanthropic efforts and generous gifts to Indiana University, Riley Hospital and most recently to the Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center at the IU Medical Center.

Generosity is one of the threads of the Simon legacy born in New York.

"He took me under his wing and showed me how to do business. How to treat people fairly, you live up to your word, and you give back," said Herb Simon.

"To think these guys could have lived anywhere in the world and have been monumental citizens in the world, they chose to live in our town. They made Indianapolis their home," said Morris.

Mayor and governor's statements

"The City of Indianapolis today lost a true partner and friend with the death of Mel Simon. Mel and the entire Simon family have done great work in strengthening our local economy and improving our downtown district. Mel will be truly missed and forever remembered for his many contributions to this city and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time," said Mayor Greg Ballard.

"A giant, pure and simple, and a citizen in the noblest sense of that word. When the U.S. Army sent young Mel Simon to Fort Ben instead of anywhere else, it was one of the greatest breaks the state of Indiana will ever get," said Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Personal life and achievements

Mel Simon was a member of Beth-El Zedeck congregation in Indianapolis.

Simon is survived by his wife of 40 years, Bren; his children, Deborah Simon, Cynthia Simon Skjodt, David Simon and Tammy McCauley; his grandchildren, Eli, Rebecca, Hannah, Noah and Sam Simon; Erik, Samantha and Ian Skjodt; Tasha and Dylan McCauley; and his brothers, Fred and Herbert. He was preceded in death by son, Joshua Max Simon.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Joshua Max Simon Primary Care Center at St.Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Simon's funeral will be held at Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, 600 West 70th Street, at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 18th. A private internment will follow.

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While Simon's guests at his estate in suburban Carmel included former President Bill Clinton and his philanthropy gave $50 million for Indiana University's cancer center and $10 million to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, he kept a low profile, rarely speaking in public or giving interviews.

Little was said about his recent health except when Herb Simon asked for prayers for him at the state historical society event in July.

"Whatever we have accomplished, I know in my heart he's a legend of all legends for me," Herb Simon said at the time. "He started this thing."

The Simon family has remained the largest shareholder in Simon Property Group, and when the founding brothers stepped down as co-chairmen in 2007, they turned the chairmanship over to Mel's oldest son, David, who had been its CEO since 1995. One daughter, Deborah Simon, leads the Simon Youth Foundation and another, Cindy Simon Skjodt, heads the Pacers Foundation.

Simon had been married since 1972 to his wife, Bren, a former member of the Democratic National Committee and a leader of numerous charitable and civic organizations. His first wife, Bess Meshulam Simon, died of cancer in 1977, and the Simons later gave $2.1 million toward an Indiana University music center that was named for her in 1995.

Simon had five children, including a son, Max, who died in 1999 at age 25.

The Indiana Pacers staged a great turnaround after the Simons bought the NBA franchise, even though they remained behind the scenes for most of their ownership.

The Pacers were coming off a 20-62 season and averaged home crowds of fewer than 5,000 fans when they bought the team in 1983 - less than a year before the NFL's Colts moved to the city from Baltimore.

The Simons promoted Donnie Walsh from assistant coach to general manager three years later and largely gave him control of the team for some 20 years. With star players such as Reggie Miller and Jermaine O'Neal, the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference finals six times in 11 years and the NBA finals in 2000, losing in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The team's success led to the construction of Conseco Fieldhouse, which opened in 1999, replacing Market Square Arena. A run of on- and off-court troubles with players - most prominently the 2004 brawl with Detroit Pistons fans - ended their playoff success and led Herb Simon to take over day-to-day operations after Walsh became New York Knicks president in 2008.

Simon's time as a Hollywood movie producer was marred when his daughter, Deborah, was kidnapped in 1981 from outside her parents' Beverly Hills mansion. The 25-year-old escaped unharmed the next day and police arrested the gunman who apparently picked her at random and then demanded a $500,000 ransom.

Simon said he was "absolutely flabbergasted" when "Porky's" - with its scenes of teenage boys spying on girls in a locker room shower and visiting a brothel named Porky's - became a big hit in 1982.

Melvin Simon Productions more frequently had flops, including "Zorro, The Gay Blade" with George Hamilton and Carol Burnett's "Chu Chu and The Philly Flash."

"I did about 25 movies and I got out of it, thank God - it didn't cost me any money ultimately," Simon told The Indianapolis Star in 2002. "It was a good lesson, and I wouldn't do it again."

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