ESPN.com: ESPNINC - ESPN Zone opens in Chicago (2024)

CHICAGO -- ESPN Zone, a 35,000-square-foot sports-themed dining and entertainment complex located at the corner of Wabash Avenue and Ohio Street, hosted a massive public outdoor viewing party in honor of its grand opening Saturday evening, July 10.

	The stars were out in full force. From left, figure skater Michelle Kwan, model Tyra Banks, actor Dennis Franz and actress Minnie Driver.

A free performance by the power-pop trio Fastball kicked off the festivities. Next, a star-studded motorcade, featuring Dennis Franz, Minnie Driver, Michelle Kwan, Tyra Banks, and Billy Campbell to name a few, cruised east on Ohio Street, ending at the ESPN Zone. Then, attention turned center stage to a giant 16' x 20' screen, as ESPN SportsCenter anchors Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen led the countdown to the Five Greatest Teams of the Chicago SportsCentury. The top five teams, as chosen by Chicago sports fans during a six-week Chicago SportsCentury promotion, are:

#1 - 1985 Chicago Bears
#2 - 1995-'96 Chicago Bulls
#3 - 1997-'98 Chicago Bulls
#4 - 1998 Chicago Fire
#5 - 1906 Chicago Cubs

Special appearances by members of the 1985 Chicago Bears, including Dave Duerson, Mike Singletary, Tom Thayer, Otis Wilson, Emery Morehead, Jim Morrisey, Calvin Thomas, Shaun Gayle and Tim Wrightman, added to the excitement.

Later, a private VIP party featured a live performance by Grammy« Award-winning artist Seal and legendary deejay Grandmaster Flash. A "who's who" of Chicago athletes and celebrities were in attendance including Mark Grace, Mickey Morandini, Glenallen Hill, Jon Lieber, Steve Trachsel, Scott Sanders, Dan Serafini, Tom Gamboa and Jim Riggleman of the Chicago Cubs organization; Frank Thomas, Chris Singleton, Jeffrey Liefer, Jim Parque, Carlos Lee, Mark Johnson, Michael Caruso, Michael Sirotka, Paul Konerko and Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox organization; Chris Aramas, Frank Klopas, Dema Kovalenko, Andrew Lewis, Jesse Marsch, Peter Nowak, Ante Razov, Tom Soehn, Bob Bradley, and Zach Thorton of the Chicago Fire; plus current Chicago Bears Cade McNown, Ricardo McDonald, Bobby Engram, Marcus Robinson, and Todd Sauerbrun; former Chicago Bear Chris Zorich; Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors; La'Roi Glover of the New Orleans Saints; Corey Maggette of the Orlando Magic; Shane Battier of the Duke Blue Devils; Evan Eschmeyer of the New Jersey Nets; and Kenny Mayne and Charlie Steiner of ESPN.

"We're thrilled to be opening our second ESPN Zone in the greatest sports town in America," said Disney Regional Entertainment President Art Levitt. "We think fans will find there's no more exciting place to watch a sporting event, sample delicious American grill food and try your hand at one of our interactive sports games, than the Zone."

	The Atrium at ESPN Zone in Chicago leads up to the Sports Arena where you can find a variety of interactive attractions.

"Announcing Chicago's greatest sports teams in conjunction with the grand opening celebration gives Chicagoans the first opportunity to experience the high energy that the ESPN Zone will generate for years to come," added ESPN President George Bodenheimer.

ESPN Zone is a 35,000-square-foot sports-themed dining and entertainment complex composed of three individual yet integrated concepts: the Studio Grill, serving great American grill food in an authentic ESPN studio environment, including the SportsCenter, Baseball Tonight and NBA2Night sets; the Screening room, offering avid fans any game on the air in the ultimate sports-viewing environment, complete with 16-foot mega-screen and multiple luxury "skybox" viewing suites, custom "Zone-Throne" viewing stations and regular live radio and television remotes for a behind-the-scenes ESPN experience; and the Sports Arena, challenging fans with a variety of interactive and competitive attractions, including several proprietary games developed exclusively for ESPN Zone.

The nearly football field-sized Chicago ESPN Zone is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, such as: two 12-foot satellite dishes; three 3-foot satellite dishes; 28 satellite receivers; 3 video cameras; 260 speakers; 40 amplifiers; 165 video monitors (including more than a dozen in the bathrooms); a radio studio and full live television broadcasting capabilities.

ESPN Zone launched at Baltimore's Inner Harbor in July 1998. Additional sites opened in Chicago in July of 1999 followed by a location in New York's famed Times Square in September. Venues are planned for Atlanta in January 2000 (to coincide with Super Bowl XXXIV); and Washington, DC in the spring of 2000.

Disney Regional Entertainment also operates DisneyQuest, an indoor interactive theme park, which opened in Chicago in June 1999, and is under development in Philadelphia; and Club Disney, community family playsites now open in Southern California, Phoenix, and Denver.