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34 companies funded by Stephen Ross, the Equinox and SoulCycle owner facing controversy due to ties with Trump

Aug 9, 2019, 01:51 IST

Wilfredo Lee/AP Images

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  • The backlash against Equinox and SoulCycle in response to a Washington Post report that unearthed owner Stephen Ross's ties to President Donald Trump is showing no signs of slowing down.
  • Ross - an investor and real-estate mogul, who also notably owns the Miami Dolphins - has an ownership stake in several other buzzy brands through his firms Related Companies and RSE Ventures.
  • These brands include trendy eateries like Momofuku, Milk Bar, &pizza, and Bluestone Lane; media companies like VaynerMedia and Derris; and major sporting events including the Miami Open and International Champions Cup.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As angry consumers continue to cancel their Equinox memberships and SoulCycle classes upon learning of owner Stephen Ross's ties to President Donald Trump, many may be surprised the investor's brand portfolio runs quite deep.

Ross holds an ownership stake in 16 brands as founder and chairman of Related Companies, including buzzy eateries like Momofuku and Bluestone Lane as well as technology services like the reservation application, Resy. On Thursday morning, Related had blocked public access to view its list of brands, rendering a message that says "you are not authorized to access this page." Related has not yet responded to Business Insider's request to comment on the change.

Additionally, Ross's venture capital firm RSE Ventures - which specializes in sports, entertainment, media, and technology, according to the website - has backed numerous other companies across a wide spectrum of industries.

Business Insider has reached out to all 34 brands listed as financially tied to Ross, and has included their comments below.

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See more: People are threatening to quit Equinox and SoulCycle following a report that the chairman of the trendy fitness brands plans plans to host a Trump fundraiser

The boycotts erupted on Wednesday when The Washington Post reported that Ross will be hosting a fundraising event for Trump at his home in the Hamptons on Friday, where tickets are selling for as much as $250,000.

In response, #GrabYourWallet founder Shannon Coulter urged consumers to boycott Ross-owned companies and several notable figures including Chrissy Teigen, Billy Eichner, and Ilana Glazer took to social media to share plans to cancel their Equinox memberships.

On Wednesday night, Ross shared a statement with Miami Herald reporter Adam Beasley, in which he mentions his decades-long relationship with Trump and his intention to work with "leaders on both sides of the aisle" to address his "deep concern for creating jobs and growing our country's economy."

"I always have been an active participate in the democratic process," Ross said in the response. "While some prefer to sit outside of the process and criticize, I prefer to engage directly and support the things I deeply care about. I have known Donald Trump for 40 years, and while we agree on some issues, we strongly disagree on many others and I have never been bashful about expressing my opinions."

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We took a closer look at the companies in Ross's brand portfolio. Here they are:

Equinox is a luxury fitness and lifestyle company that boasts several celebrity clients and pricey memberships.

The company sought to distance itself from the fundraiser and said it had "nothing to do with the event" and that it did not support it.

SoulCycle, which is owned by Equinox, is an upscale cycling studio.

The CEO said SoulCycle "in no way endorses" the Trump fundraiser hosted by Ross and said the investor "is not involved in the management" of the company.

VaynerMedia is a digital media company. A spokesperson for VaynerMedia declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.

Bluestone Lane is a cafe and coffee company.

&pizza is a trendy pizza company located primarily on the East Coast.

Momofuku is a restaurant group created by founder and head chef, David Chang.

Milk Bar is a popular bakery run by Christina Tosi as part of the Momofuku restaurant group.

Tosi wrote that Milk Bar "is in no way affiliated with the Trump fundraiser" and that "company decisions are all made independently by the Milk Bar team and me." The CEO also said that she personally did not support Trump's policies and that Milk Bar believes "unequivocally in equal rights for all."

Blink Fitness has more than 80 locations across the US.

Snark Park is an experiential exhibition space located in Hudson Yards in New York City.

Pure Yoga is a series of yoga studios in New York City.

Virginia Lam Abrams, spokesperson for the internet service provider Starry, wrote in a statement to Business Insider that Related is only a minority investor and holds no board seat for the privately held company. Still, Related plays an integral role in their business.

"We work with Related Companies to connect their apartment communities with competitive, affordable broadband service," she wrote. "In particular, they are an important partner for us in enabling Starry to deploy free and low-cost internet access solutions in their affordable housing portfolio, which is the largest in the nation. As companies, we are aligned with the shared mission of lowering barriers to broadband access and providing consumers with competitive alternatives to the incumbent monopolies. That is what makes Related Companies a great partner as we grow and expand our network."

She continued: "Mr. Ross's personal political viewpoints and his decision to host this fundraiser are entirely his own."

Pocket Living helps first-time home owners navigate real estate in London.

Dog City is a dog daycare service.

Related Companies invested $25 billion in the development of Hudson Yards, the massive real-estate complex in New York City.

Shaun Osher, founder and CEO of boutique real-estate firm Core, shared the below statement with Business Insider:

"As a naturalized American who immigrated to the US in my twenties from South Africa, and who lived for years in fear of being deported while my immigration status was being sorted, I hope that Mr. Ross spends his time with the President advocating for the humane treatment of all people wishing to live here in peace, immigrants and non-immigrants alike," he wrote.

He continued: "I wish that all those attending the event push for the American dreams and values that brought me here in the first place. Anything less undermines the very idea of America's greatness — a haven for those wishing to reach the highest potential for themselves and their families. The very reason so many of us risked everything to be here today."

The Miami Dolphins are part of the National Football League.

Hard Rock Stadium is home to the Miami Dolphins.

Lola is a feminine care company that sells organic tampons.

The International Champions Cup is a major global soccer tournament.

The Miami Open is an annual tennis tournament.

DRL is a global professional racing league for drone pilots.

Skout delivers cybersecurity protection to companies.

Outstanding Foods makes popular snacks like Pig Out Chips.

Banza is a gluten-free pasta company.

Derris is the public relations agency that represents buzzy brands like Glossier, Everlane, and Warby Parker.

Fanvision develops mobile technology for car racing.

Omaze is an online fundraising platform.

Krossover is a sports coaching service that offers post-game analysis and statistics.

Crossfield Digital develops mobile apps and websites.

Radiate is a video-education company for C-suite executives.

NextVR is a virtual reality company.

Primesport is a global sports travel and event management company.

Student Sports is a marketing organization for student athletes.

June is a modern appliance company that makes products for a smart and connected kitchen.

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