Orlando, Fla. — Hard Rock International has launched Hard Rock Japan LLC and appointed Edward Tracy as chief executive officer of the company’s new division. Tracy has held previous CEO positions for Sands China Ltd and the Trump Organization.
restaurants
Orlando, Fla. — Planet Hollywood, America’s preeminent restaurant destination dedicated to celebrating the entertainment industry, reopened its Orlando flagship location, Planet Hollywood Observatory, on January 30, 2017. The restaurant overlooks the heart of Disney Springs, the dining, retail and entertainment district located at Walt Disney World Resort.
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — Levy Restaurants will open Paddlefish, its newest dining experience at Disney Springs, on February 4, 2017. The seafood-centric restaurant, formerly known as Fulton’s Crab House, has undergone an extensive, multimillion-dollar transformation.
Dallas — Pollo Campero, the world’s largest Latin chicken restaurant brand, is expanding in Texas with the opening of three new restaurants in Houston. The first opened this week. Two others are slated to open in first quarter 2017 and will bring the total number of Pollo Campero restaurants in the Bayou City to eight.
Atlanta — Church’s Chicken® has signed a new franchising deal with Florida Chicken LLC, which has secured the rights to open 10 new restaurants in Florida. New markets slated for development include multiple restaurants in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Orlando, with another 10-restaurant deal expected to follow in 2021.
Atlanta — Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a leading fast-casual cafe concept, signed franchise agreements to develop more than 160 new cafes across the U.S. in 2016 and closed out the year with 86 new restaurant openings, expanding the brand’s presence in cities nationwide including Charleston, S.C.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Dallas and Houston.