Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenny are making some big changes at Wrexham.
Actors, Welcome to Wrexham Stars and the owners of Wrexham AFC Football Club are selling a minority stake in the club, and also acquiring a local brewery, in a bid to grow the club and its influence.
Reynolds and Rob McIlhenny sell the stake to the Allen family, a wealthy family based in upstate New York. They will become minority owners of Wrexham AFC, and will also be involved in the takeover of a new company: Wrexham Lager Beer Co. Ltd., through a new joint venture called Red Dragon Ventures.
“Wrexham has captured the world’s attention and we are focused on bringing in global partners to help with the next phase of our growth,” Reynolds and McElhenney said in a statement. “We have been fortunate to get to know the Allen family and have been blown away by their intelligence, kindness and commitment. They are exactly the kind of partners we will need in this incredible endeavor.”
“For more than a century, our family has focused on building great companies, while also uplifting great communities,” added Eric Allen, principal and chief investment officer of the Allen Family Office. “Our decades-long efforts in the Syracuse area are similar to what Rob and Ryan started in Wrexham. We view Red Dragon Ventures as a way to invest in a world-class football club and, more importantly, in the welcoming community of Wrexham.
As for the brewery, Wrexham Lager was founded in Wales in 1882 and is the oldest brewery still operating in the UK. The Roberts family, which has owned it since 2011, will remain co-owners of the brewery. The company plans to begin distribution in the United States and Canada in the coming months, hoping to attract the attention of “Welcome to Wrexham” fans and others.
“As co-chairs of the Wrexham Football Association, we have learned a lot,” McIlhenny and Reynolds said. “The relationship between the club and the community, the complexities of the offside rule and the occasional need for a beer – especially after financial meetings. Wrexham Lager has a 140-year-old recipe and a rich history, and we’re excited to help write the next chapter.”
