*Tom Cousins/St. Louis Business Journal*

Thomas Cousins St. Louis Hawks co-owner and a key figure in the team’s relocation to Atlanta, has died at the age of 93. The real estate developer and philanthropist played a pivotal role in reshaping the trajectory of professional basketball in both cities.

On May 2, 1968, Cousins, along with former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders, purchased the Hawks and moved the franchise from St. Louis to Atlanta, ushering in a new era for the team, now known as the Atlanta Hawks.

Cousins was also instrumental in developing the Omni Coliseum, the team’s original Atlanta arena located downtown. The Omni became part of a larger complex that now includes the CNN Center, helping to anchor what would become a key civic and entertainment district in the city.

Following his passing, the Atlanta Hawks issued a statement honoring Cousins for his “enduring impact on the city’s sports landscape” and remembered him as a “visionary builder of communities.”

Content for this summary was derived from original reporting by the St. Louis Business Journal Facebook Page