Mike & Marian Ilitch appear annually on Forbe’s list of 400 Richest Americans. Currently Forbes estimate’s their net worth at $2 billion. The Ilitches are co-founders of Little Caesars pizza. He owns the Detroit Tigers MLB franchise and she owns MotorCity Casino. Together they own the Detroit Red Wings NHL franchise and numerous other affiliates under the Ilitch Holdings, Inc., umbrella. With Malik, they’ve pursued gaming opportunities in Michigan as well as New York, California & Hawaii.Shields/MRG were among a stable of consultants who planned and executed a secretly funded last minute advertising blitz in 1996 credited with winning voter approvals for Detroit's three Las Vegas-style gambling halls. Currently Shields is spokesperson and attack dog for a so-called "coalition" of undisclosed interests bankrolling plans for the proposed New International Trade Crossing (NITC), a second international bridge that would link Detroit with Windsor, Canada. Ilitch,. Malik and the portfolio of Ilitch brands are conspicuously absent from that battle; nevertheless, Shields is front and center.
The following is a list of clients posted on Marketing Resource Groups website. Those in bold are believed to be Ilitch/Malik affiliates and related. For at least a decade, Malik/Ilitch affiliates likely represent the overwhelming majority of MRG’s revenues. Shields is certainly obligated to get their blessing for any client that is not affiliated.
MARKETING RESOURCE GROUP CLIENT LIST
Clients | Website links |
BarWest | |
Bay Mills Community College | |
Bay Mills Indian Community | |
Border Crossing Labs | |
Coca- Cola Operations North America | |
Continental Aluminum | |
Detroit Red Wings | |
Detroit Tigers | |
Gateway Casino Resorts, L.L.C. | |
Hawaii Entertainment L.L.C. | |
Ilitch Holdings | |
Insurance Institute of Michigan | |
John Moolenaar for State Senate | |
Kennecott Minerals Company | |
Lauren Hager for State Senate | |
Little River Band of Ottawa Indians | |
Michigan Association of Public School Academies | |
Michigan Deer and Elk Farmers Association | |
Michigan Legislative Consultants | |
Michigan Township Association | |
Minerals Processing Corporation | |
MotorCity Casino | |
Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Indians | |
Nestle Waters North America | |
Packaging Corporation of America | |
Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians | |
Renegade Charters L.L.C. | |
Republic Services | |
Shinnecock Indian Nation | |
Thomas More Law Center | |
Wolverine Pipe Line Company - |
Blogger's Note: In Hawaii, several lobbyists and lobbying organizations have been retained by Tom Shields' Marketing Resource Group. It is understood that MRG has retained John Radcliffe, Radcliffe & Associates, Capitol Consultants of Hawaii and George A. "Red" Morris to represent the interests of Shields' client, a Detroit casino syndicate organized by Michael Malik and Marian Ilitch. That syndicate has pursued various schemes that would allow them to develop and operate a Waikiki casino. TVT and others believe it's likely that MRG is also the source of funding for a pro-gambling front group that suddenly appeared in Honolulu earlier this year, the so-called "Citizens" for a Better Way, LLC.
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