CHICAGO, Feb. 14, 2012
/PRNewswire/ -- General Growth Properties, Inc. (NYSE: GGP) ("GGP")
and family-style Italian restaurant Buca di Beppo today announced
the scheduled opening of 10 Buca di Beppo restaurants set to open
at various properties within the GGP mall portfolio during late
summer 2012. The multi-restaurant deal expands the existing
diverse sit-down dining offerings at the 10 regional GGP malls and
marks a significant expansion of the Buca di Beppo restaurant
group.
The GGP properties that will soon welcome Buca di Beppo
include:
- Governor's Square Mall (Tallahassee, FL)
- Augusta Mall (Augusta,
GA)
- The Shoppes at River Crossing (Macon, GA)
- Market Place Shopping Center (Champaign, IL)
- Florence Mall (Florence, KY—Cincinnati)
- Oakwood Center (Gretna,
LA—New Orleans)
- White Marsh Mall (Baltimore,
MD)
- Town East Mall (Mesquite, TX—Dallas)
- Red Cliffs Mall (St. George,
UT)
- Fox River Mall (Appleton, WI—Green Bay)
The new Buca di Beppo restaurants will range in size from 4,500
sq. ft. to 7,000 sq. ft. and all units are scheduled to open in the
summer 2012. This expansion initiative is the first of
multiple deals that are in development with Buca di Beppo and
various GGP properties throughout North America. With these
new locations the Buca di Beppo restaurant group continues its
dynamic growth that began with multiple new restaurant locations in
the United Kingdom, Mexico and the opening of a flagship
restaurant location at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.
Staying true to the traditions that have made Buca di Beppo a
leading casual-dining Italian restaurant group with more than
ninety locations in the United
States, England and
Mexico, the restaurant will
feature its signature quirky decor, complete with irreverent
photographs, strings of multi-colored decorative lights, gingham
tablecloths and over-the-top service. The menu will include
generous portions of quality house-made cuisine including such
favorites as freshly baked Lasagna, Spaghetti with Meatballs "as
big as your head," Shrimp Fra Diavolo and Chicken Parmigiana, all
served "Family-Style."
"These malls are situated in markets where customers desire
expanded sit-down restaurant options. Each opening will complement
the dining selection, further solidify the mall's standing as a
popular dining destination and add much-needed jobs to the
market. It's great news for everyone," said Alan Barocas, senior executive vice president of
leasing for General Growth Properties.
"This is a dynamic and exciting time for the growth of the Buca
di Beppo brand," said Robert Earl,
chairman of Buca di Beppo. "By offering high-quality cuisine in
generous family-style portions at an exceptional value, Buca di
Beppo has emerged as the preeminent casual-dining, Italian family
restaurant. In partnership with General Growth Properties we will
strategically enlarge our restaurant group with multiple new
domestic restaurants with a rapid expansion into retail
environments that offer high traffic counts, appealing
demographics, and accessibility to consumers who appreciate great
quality at a great value."
ABOUT GGP
General Growth Properties, Inc. owns or has an interest in 136
regional shopping malls comprising approximately 140 million square
feet of gross leasable area in the United
States. GGP is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and publicly traded on the
NYSE under the symbol GGP. For further information please
visit the GGP website at www.GGP.com.
About Buca di Beppo
Owned by Planet Hollywood International, Inc., with locations
from Washington D.C. to
Honolulu, Buca di Beppo
restaurants embody the Italian traditions of food, friendship and
hospitality. Dishes enjoyed for generations in villages throughout
Italy inspire the menu, which
features both Northern and Southern Italian favorites. While the
food has pleased millions of palates from coast-to-coast, Buca di
Beppo is equally famous for its quirky decor and upbeat atmosphere.
Most Buca di Beppo locations are open daily for lunch and dinner.
Delivery is also available at many locations nationwide. Visit
www.bucadibeppo.com for locations, hours of operation, menus, and
reservations or to place an online order for Buca To Go. Or Follow
Buca di Beppo on Facebook or Twitter: bucadibeppo.
CONTACT: MEDIA – David Keating,
VP of corporate communications, (312) 960-6325,
david.keating@ggp.com
CONTACT: INVESTORS – Kevin Berry, VP
of Investor Relations, (312) 960-5529, kevin.berry@ggp.com
CONTACT: BUCA DI BEPPO – Michael
Coldwell, BRAINtrust Marketing, (702) 862-4242,
michael@braintrustlv.com
SOURCE General Growth Properties, Inc.; Buca di Beppo