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Tuesday, November 2
Updated: November 9, 5:16 PM ET
 
ESPN Zone makes Times Square debut

Sept. 14, 1999

ESPN Zone, a 42,000 square-foot sports dining and entertainment complex, will make its debut in Times Square on Tuesday, Sept. 14, with a star-studded gala. As part of the grand opening, ESPN Zone will celebrate the athletes who were voted to ESPN's SportsCentury list of the greatest North American athletes of the past 100 years.

The Grand Opening festivities will include appearances by some of the biggest names in the sports and entertainment industries, and part of Broadway will be closed off for a public viewing party in Times Square for fans. The Zone will be open to the public on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

Located on 42nd and Broadway, ESPN Zone is a sports fan's paradise. The Zone features interactive sports attractions, delicious American grill food and state-of-the-art technology that allow sports enthusiasts to watch their favorite games from around the world in luxury and comfort. In addition, video monitors throughout ESPN Zone will replay some of the most memorable moments and classic games in New York City sports history.

The New York ESPN Zone will have a distinct Big Apple flavor. The decor will showcase New York City sports artwork exclusively produced by more than 15 local artists, featuring local teams and some of the most prominent athletes in the history of New York City.

"Times Square is the Crossroads of the World - there is no better location for our flagship ESPN Zone," said Art Levitt, President of Disney Regional Entertainment. "New York City is the sports capital of the world. We think the fans of New York City will discover this is an unparalleled environment to watch their favorite sports team, sample delicious food and enjoy interactive sports games better than the Zone."

"Celebrating and honoring the greatest athletes of the SportsCentury will make the grand opening of ESPN Zone in Times Square exciting and memorable," said George Bodenheimer, President of ESPN.

Some of the most recognizable sports figures of the past 100 years have made up the distinguished list of ESPN's "100 Greatest Athletes of the SportsCentury," including New York legends Joe Namath (No. 88), Althea Gibson (No. 65), Lawrence Taylor (No. 40), Mickey Mantle (No. 37) and Joe DiMaggio (No. 22).

The New York ESPN Zone has been designed on three floors to distinguish the three individual, yet integrated components:

  • Studio Grill: The Studio Grill recreates the electric atmosphere of the ESPN studios. It features replicas of the SportsCenter, NHL 2Night and NBA 2Night sets. Patrons are treated to great food with a decided flair, including entrees like Cedar Plank Salmon, Grilled Chops or a New York Strip. Also, individuals will be able to view their favorite games on one of the many television monitors situated throughout the Studio Grill.

  • Screening Room: The Screening Room will be the ultimate place to watch an array of televised sporting events from around the world. This section offers state-of-the-art technology, multi-game viewing, direct audio control for all televised games, statistical updates by the minute and specialized sports features centered around a two 12-foot screens as well as a dozen 36-inch video monitors with tiered seating. In addition, the Screening Room also features individual Skyboxes for private dining, custom "Zone-Throne" viewing stations and remote broadcasting capabilities.

  • Sports Arena: Challenging fans with a variety of interactive and competitive attractions, the Sports Arena will feature several proprietary games developed exclusively for ESPN Zone. Over 200 fans can compete simultaneously in this high-energy area of the complex.

    ESPN Zone launched at Baltimore's Inner Harbor in July 1998. In July, a second ESPN Zone opened in Chicago. Following the grand opening in Times Square, two additional openings are planned: Atlanta in January 2000 and Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2000.

    Disney Regional Entertainment also operates DisneyQuest, an indoor interactive theme park, now open in Orlando and Denver; and Club Disney, community family playsites now open in Southern California, Phoenix and Denver.





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