Thomas Arthur Brighton (January 22, 1943 - June 2, 2005) was an American real estate agent, entrepreneur, and businessman. He is most well known for founding Vista Parks in 1974 with his younger brother, Ken Brighton, and establishing the Arnie Dillo's Pizza Palace chain of family entertainment centers.
Early life[]
Brighton was born in Cobden, Minnesota. His father was a Polish Jew who fled the country following its invasion by the Nazis, and his mother was the daughter of the owner of a local ranch, which Brighton's father would inherit following his passing. Brighton spent the first few years of his life working on his father's ranch; he would later go on record to say that his experiences laboring on the ranch were what piqued his interest in technology and engineering marvels. When Brighton was 8 years old, he and his parents moved to Shorewood, Illinois, having sold the ranch for a large sum of money.
Career[]
Early career: 1965-1971[]
After graduating from Vanderbilt University in 1965, Brighton would move back to Illinois to set up a real-estate business. He would spend the next few years setting up connections in the industry and doing business. It was also through this job as a real-estate agent that he would meet Lucille Brighton, whom he would marry in 1968.
Theme parks and BBECO: 1971-1983[]
In 1971, shortly after his graduation from college, Brighton's younger brother, Ken Brighton, offered to take him on a vacation to Texas with his fiancee, Bianca Fletcher. Brighton obliged, and on said vacation, the two brothers would end up stopping by Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. Brighton was highly impressed by the park's elaborate theming and attractions, and, according to Ken's own testimony, repeatedly stated over the course of the trip that "they should have something like this up in Chicago".
Twin Diamond Group and Arnie Dillo's: 1983-1995[]
Illness and death[]
By the 1990s, Brighton's health had begun to decline, largely due to his increasingly sedentary lifestyle. The first record of his poor health was in 1992, when Leland Norris, the CFO of BBECO at the time, controversially referred to him as a "fat, washed-up heart attack waiting to happen" during a business meeting. By 1995, Brighton had been diagnosed with both type 2 diabetes and obesity; however, this did little to curb his poor habits.
On October 17, 1995, Brighton suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke while at a family reunion at his home in Naperville, Illinois. While engaging in a conversation with his second-eldest son, C.J. Brighton, Thomas suddenly collapsed, prompting C.J. to run inside the house and call an ambulance. He was rushed to Edward Hospital in Naperville, where he spent a few days on life support while doctors attempted to stop the bleeding in his brain. He would eventually be resuscitated on the morning of October 21, 1995; by then, he had already suffered substantial brain damage, and had lost most of his motor function control, as well as his ability to speak.
Trivia[]
- As with most members of his family, Brighton was Jewish; his faith is the main reason why kosher pizza is an option at most Arnie Dillo's locations.
- His favorite ride at Brighton Lake was reportedly The Last Stand.