NASCAR SPORTS GRILLE DEBUTS AT UNIVERSAL CITYWALK IN ORLANDO
NASCAR Chairman Brian France, The Cordish Company, Platinum recording artist Collective Soul and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Robby Gordon on hand to celebrate opening of new NASCAR-themed restaurant at Universal Orlando Resort
ORLANDO, FL (February 14, 2007) - The Cordish Company, a Baltimore based real estate development and entertainment operating company has launched the NASCAR Sports Grille restaurant. The grand opening of the first NASCAR Sports Grille occurs on Wednesday, February 14 at Universal CityWalk in Orlando. NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, platinum recording artist Collective Soul and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Robby Gordon, will be among those in attendance to celebrate the unique dining experience for all sports fans.
“We are thrilled that our partnership with NASCAR has resulted in the launch of the inaugural NASCAR Sports Grille. This cutting edge concept provides a world class gathering place for the tremendously loyal NASCAR fan and anyone with a passion for sports. We are dedicated to bringing the excitement of NASCAR to the Sports Grille and our total commitment to the guest makes for an unrivaled dining and entertainment experience,” stated David Cordish, Chairman, The Cordish Company.
The 25,000 sq. ft., $10M, two-level NASCAR Sports Grille combines quality design and finishes, great good and service and state-of-the-art audio and visual attractions for the passionate sports fan including: a 37’ media wall, booth-side interactive plasma screens with advanced audio and video reception - perfect for watching that big game and interactive simulators and games. Museum-quality sports memorabilia provides additional décor along with a 20’ artistic adaptation of the NEXTEL Cup flanking the main entrance. A retail shop, featuring NASCAR merchandise will be located on the ground floor of the restaurant.
In addition to cheering on your favorite sports team, NASCAR Sports Grille is the perfect location for client entertainment, social gatherings, casual get-togethers and more. NASCAR Sports Grille is dedicated to providing premiere customer service and quality food and entertainment to all of their guests.
“We selected The Cordish Company because they have world-class credentials and experience in real estate development, food and beverage and entertainment,” said Mark Dyer, NASCAR's Vice President of Licensing and Consumer Products. “What they've done in creating the NASCAR Sports Grille concept at Universal CityWalk is nothing short of spectacular. We're excited to have The Cordish Company as partners."
“The NASCAR Sports Grille will be a great complement to the current offerings at CityWalk,” said Ric Florell, Senior Vice President of Revenue Operations for Universal Orlando Resort. “NASCAR is hugely popular and will completely immerse guests in the NASCAR experience.”
Grand Opening festivities will take place at 6:45 p.m. followed by a private reception and special acoustic performance by Collective Soul.
NASCAR Sports Grille will serve lunch and dinner and open daily at 11:00 a.m.
ABOUT THE CORDISH COMPANY
The Cordish Company, now in its fourth generation of family ownership, is a multi-billion conglomerate including one of the leading real estate development companies in the United States. The Company has diverse development expertise with divisions focused on Entertainment and Mixed-Use, Gaming and Lodging, Sports Anchored Districts, Shopping and Lifestyle Retail, Office and Residential. The Cordish Company also owns and manages a diverse group of operating businesses, ranging from restaurants/clubs to live music promotion to film/media distribution. The company values itself on the quality of its operations, its long-term relationships and high level of integrity in all of its endeavors.
The Cordish Company is the largest and most successful developer of entertainment districts and concepts in the United States. In particular, the company has unparalleled experience in creating and revitalizing high-profile destinations in urban core locations. Many of the Company’s projects involve public/private partnerships and are of unique significance to the cities in which they are located. Prime examples are the company’s prominent role in the redevelopment of four highly successful projects in Baltimore’s world famous Inner Harbor; Atlantic City, NJ; Hollywood, Fla., Charleston, SC; Houston, TX; Louisville, KY; and Tampa, Fla. The company, which has received the highest possible national awards in its various areas of expertise, currently has more than $1 billion in construction focusing primarily on Sports Anchored Districts.
ABOUT NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR), which began in 1948, is the sanctioning body for one of America's premier sports. NASCAR is the No. 1 spectator sport – holding 17 of the top 20 attended sporting events in the U.S., the No. 2 rated regular-season sport on television with broadcasts in over 150 countries, and has 75 million fans in the United States. These fans are the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport.
NASCAR consists of three major national series (the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series), four regional series and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. NASCAR sanctions 1,300 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach (Fla.), NASCAR has offices in New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte (N.C.), Concord (N.C.), Conover (N.C.), Bentonville (Ark.), Mexico City and Toronto.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT
The Universal Orlando Resort destination (www.universalorlando.com) includes two dramatically distinct and adjacent theme parks, the Universal Studios motion picture and television theme park and Islands of Adventure, Orlando's most thrilling and exhilarating theme park. Universal Orlando also includes CityWalk, a 30-acre dining, shopping, club and live-entertainment venue as well as premier on-site Loews hotels and world-class film and television production facilities.