Stephen Ross

Stephen M. Ross
Born	Template:Birth year and age
Birthplace	United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Real estate developer, sports team owner
Title	Chairman, Related Companies
Known for	Founder and chairman of Related Companies; owner of the Miami Dolphins

Stephen M. Ross (born 1940) is an American real estate developer, billionaire, and sports team owner who founded and serves as chairman of Related Companies, one of the largest real estate development firms in the United States. Ross is also the majority owner of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Over several decades, Ross has built a reputation as one of the most prominent figures in American commercial and residential real estate, with his firm responsible for large-scale developments including the Hudson Yards project on Manhattan's West Side. In recent years, Ross has increasingly focused his business activities on South Florida, particularly West Palm Beach, where Related Companies and its affiliated entities have undertaken numerous high-profile condominium, luxury residential, and affordable housing projects. Alongside fellow billionaire Ken Griffin, Ross has become a leading advocate for Florida as a destination for major corporations and financial institutions, bankrolling campaigns to attract businesses to the state. His succession planning for the Dolphins franchise has also drawn public attention, with Ross indicating that his son-in-law, Daniel Sillman, is in line to take control of the team.

Career

Real Estate Development

Stephen Ross is the founder and chairman of Related Companies, a real estate firm that has become one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the United States. The firm is responsible for a wide portfolio of developments spanning luxury residential towers, commercial office space, affordable housing, and mixed-use projects. Among its most notable undertakings is the Hudson Yards development on the far West Side of Manhattan, one of the largest private real estate developments in the history of the United States.

In recent years, Ross and Related Companies have expanded significantly into the South Florida market, with particular emphasis on West Palm Beach. Through the affiliated entity Related Ross, the firm has pursued both luxury and affordable housing developments in the region. In February 2026, Related Ross secured a $157 million construction loan from GoldenTree Asset Management, led by Steve Tananbaum, for the development of Shorecrest, a 98-unit luxury condominium project in West Palm Beach. The Shorecrest project represented one of several major construction undertakings by Ross's firm in the area, cementing his role as one of the most active developers in the West Palm Beach market.

Ross has also pursued affordable housing initiatives in the region. In February 2026, plans were announced for a new rental housing complex in West Palm Beach designed to serve residents who cannot afford market-rate housing. The project reflected a broader approach by Ross and Related Companies to address housing affordability challenges alongside their luxury development portfolio, an approach that has characterized the firm's work in multiple markets across the country.

Advocacy for Florida as a Business Destination

Beyond his direct real estate development activities, Ross has positioned himself as a leading advocate for the state of Florida as a destination for major businesses and corporate relocations. In early 2026, Ross and billionaire financier Ken Griffin jointly bankrolled a $10 million campaign called "Ambition Accelerated," which was designed to convince chief executive officers and business leaders to relocate their operations to Florida.

The campaign attracted significant media attention, with coverage in The New York Times describing how Ross and Griffin, both of whom originally built their careers in New York and Chicago respectively, had come to view Florida as the future center of American business. The effort was part of a broader trend among wealthy developers and financiers who had established significant presences in South Florida, particularly in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the migration of financial firms, technology companies, and hedge funds to the region. Ross and Griffin's joint effort sought to formalize and amplify that trend through organized outreach and marketing to corporate decision-makers.

The "Ambition Accelerated" campaign reflected Ross's dual interests as both a real estate developer — who stood to benefit from increased demand for commercial and residential space in Florida — and as a civic booster who had invested heavily in the physical and economic infrastructure of the state. His growing portfolio of luxury condominiums, affordable housing, and mixed-use developments in West Palm Beach positioned him as one of the primary architects of the region's transformation into a major business and residential hub.

Miami Dolphins Ownership

Stephen Ross is the majority owner of the Miami Dolphins, one of the most storied franchises in the National Football League. His ownership of the team has made him a prominent figure in professional sports, in addition to his activities in real estate.

In January 2026, Ross publicly addressed the question of succession planning for the Dolphins franchise, indicating that his son-in-law, Daniel Sillman, was in line to take control of the team. Sillman, 37 at the time of the announcement, is married to Ross's daughter, Kim. Ross indicated that Kim had previously been part of the succession plan along with her sister, but the arrangement had shifted to place Sillman as the designated successor. The disclosure of these succession plans attracted attention both within the NFL and in South Florida business circles, given the significant financial and cultural importance of the Dolphins franchise to the region.

Ross's ownership of the Dolphins has at various points generated public scrutiny and controversy, though his continued investment in the team and the broader South Florida community has remained a consistent element of his public profile.

Personal Life

Stephen Ross has a daughter named Kim, who is married to Daniel Sillman. As of January 2026, Ross indicated that Sillman, then 37 years old, was in line to succeed him as the controlling figure of the Miami Dolphins franchise. Kim Ross had previously been part of the succession plan for the team, along with her sister.

Ross has increasingly based his business activities in South Florida, consistent with his firm's significant and growing development portfolio in the West Palm Beach area. His personal and professional interests in the region have overlapped, as he has simultaneously pursued major real estate projects and led advocacy efforts to attract businesses and residents to Florida.

Recognition

Stephen Ross is recognized as one of the most influential real estate developers in the United States. His firm, Related Companies, has been responsible for some of the largest and most prominent real estate developments in American history, including Hudson Yards in Manhattan. His activities in South Florida, particularly in West Palm Beach, have established him as a central figure in the region's ongoing economic transformation.

Ross's joint campaign with Ken Griffin, "Ambition Accelerated," received coverage in major national publications including The New York Times and the New York Post, reflecting his status as a leading voice in debates about the geographic future of American business. His development activities in West Palm Beach — spanning luxury condominiums, affordable housing, and large-scale mixed-use projects — have been extensively covered by real estate industry publications including Commercial Observer and Multi-Housing News.

Disambiguation

The name Stephen Ross is shared by several notable individuals, including:

• Stephen Ross, Baron Ross of Newport (1926–1993), a British politician who served as a Liberal member of parliament.
• Stephen Ross (economist) (1944–2017), an American economist and author known for contributions to financial economics, including the development of the Arbitrage pricing theory.
• Stephen David Ross (born 1935), an American philosopher.
• Stephen L. Ross (c. 1815–1891), an American farmer and legislator.
• Stephen M. Ross (born 1951), an American politician from North Carolina.
• Stephen Ross, former executive director of Golf Canada and a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, who passed away in February 2026 at the age of 71. Ross was recognized as one of the foremost authorities on the Rules of Golf.