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Mitchell Wolfson Sr. (1900 – January 28, 1983) was an American businessman, theatre owner, politician, and founder of Wometco Enterprises.
In 1925, he partnered with his brother-in-law, Sidney Meyer, forming the Wolfson- Meyer Theater Company and began construction on a state of the art theater in downtown Miami.Parks, Arva Moore. Miami: The Magic City. Tulsa, OK: Continental Heritage Press, 1981. p.211 The Capital Theatre was completed in 1926 at the cost of $300,000 and featured an early form of air conditioning. They built the company into a business conglomerate using the portmanteau, Wometco Enterprises. In 1949, Wometco founded the first television station in Miami, WTVJ. Wometco went on to own and operate the largest chain of movie theaters in South Florida, six television stations, a cable television company, a soft drink bottling franchise, and tourist attractions including the Miami Seaquarium. At the time of his death, Wometco had over $500 million in sales.
Wolfson served two terms as city councilman in Miami Beach, Florida, before being elected its first Jewish mayor in 1943. He resigned after one term to fight Nazi Germany in World War II.
As a founder and for his later philanthropy towards Miami-Dade College, the downtown campus was named the Wolfson Campus in his honor.
Personal life
He was married to Frances Meyer (December 16, 1906 – May 9, 1980); they had two sons, Mitchell Wolfson Jr. and Louis Wolfson II. Wolfson died on January 28, 1983, at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.
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