Joe Robbie's nine children sued each other, his widow claimed her 30 percent, and a $47 million tax bill forced the sale of the Dolphins

Joe Robbie founded the Dolphins in 1966 and built their stadium with private money^†. He died in 1990, leaving the team and stadium in trust. Three of his nine children managed the estate. In 1991 other siblings sued them, alleging that the trustees had overruled objections and sold 50 percent of the stadium and 15 percent of the team to Blockbuster founder Wayne Huizenga. Robbie's widow, Elizabeth, claimed her 30 percent elective share under Florida law. The trust structure had been meant to defer estate tax until her death. Her claim, and the estate's settlement, left the children with a tax bill reported at $47 million. In January 1994 Huizenga agreed to buy the rest of the team and stadium. Sources give the price as $115 million, $140 million or $168 million. Huizenga sold the Dolphins to Stephen Ross in 2008 and 2009 for a reported $1.1 billion. No Robbie owns the team in 2026.