Huizenga heirs launch PE Fund

Peter Huizenga has launched a new private equity fund, Huizenga Opportunity Partners, which is seeking an estimated $300 million, according to a regulatory filing.

The new fund will invest in the private equity and private debt markets, according to a description on the website of Graue Mill Partners, a Chicago-based investor that is backing the new vehicle.

Huizenga, the cousin of Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, has served for 15 years as the head of Huizenga Capital Management, the family investment office for the heirs of the publicly traded Waste Management Inc. (WMI).

Huizenga Capital was launched in 1990 and has invested in various asset classes, including private equity, real estate and hedge funds. The group has also frequently invested as a limited partner in other GP vehicles, such as funds managed by Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Co. and Northlight Capital, among others.

Peter Huizenga currently serves as the chairman of Huizenga Capital, while David Bradley is president. Peter Huizenga’s son, Peter Jr., is also actively involved in the family office.

Though Peter Huizenga has run Huizenga Capital, the public face of the Huizenga heirs has historically been cousin Wayne, who headed WMI for many years and then found additional success through an early investment in Blockbuster Video. With backing from the Huizenga clan, he has also launched additional businesses, such as car retailer AutoNation and motel operator Extended Stay America.