The ballclub was founded in Illinois as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks of the National Basketball League in 1946. The team joined the NBA in 1949, shortened its name, and roosted in Milwaukee and St. Louis (winning its only title in 1958) before settling in Atlanta in 1968. The Hawks were playoff contenders in the 1980s and 1990s, thanks to players such as Dominique Wilkins, but never made the Finals. Investment group Atlanta Spirit, which also owns the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team and operates Atlanta's Philips Arena, has owned the Hawks franchise since 2004.

Over 25 years ago we opened a little restaurant in St. Paul Minnesota named Concourse 7. It quickly became apparent that burgers, beer, and sports were never going out of style. We shifted our focus a little, invested in a bunch of big screen TV's and renamed the restaurant, Champps.At the time when everyone else in America was coming up with ways to downsize and think small, we were thinking bigger and better. Our philosophy is simple. Make burgers from scratch and pile them high. Fill our bar with TV's and turn the volume up for games. Bring in a DJ and have a party every night. It wasn't like anything else and the people loved it. That slightly irreverent attitude has become our calling card over the years, doing things the way we always have regardless of convention. We're still making fresh hand-crafted burgers, roasting our own turkey and chicken, slow-basting our falling-off-the-bone-tender ribs, and hiring the friendliest people to be part of our team.The party is still going strong today. The burgers are still huge, the beer is still cold and we're the best place to watch the game. No matter what part of the country you're in, you are sure to find a neighborhood Champps nearby.

The Mirage Casino-Hotel imagines itself an oasis in the desert of Las Vegas. Part of the MGM Resorts International (formerly MGM MIRAGE) family of about a half dozen Vegas resorts, The Mirage offers guests more than 3,000 rooms and 100,000 square feet of gambling space along with a spa, over a dozen restaurants, shops, and a handful of attractions including the famed Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden and the Kim V Salon. The $630 million Mirage Casino-Hotel had its grand opening in 1989. Parent MGM Resorts is controlled by founder Kirk Kerkorian.

Fans of hot wings can give a hoot about this company. Texas Wings is a leading operator of Hooters restaurants, with more than 40 locations around Texas. The eateries, franchised from Hooters of America, feature the popular chain's signature chicken wings, as well as other appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and seafood dishes. Texas Wings opened its first Hooters location in the West End entertainment district of Dallas in 1989; the location is often touted as "the world's largest Hooters." Controlled by president Kelly Hall, the company has agreed to be acquired by Chanticleer Holdings.

The United States Basketball League (USBL) operates an association of professional basketball teams that play a 30-game schedule from April through June. The league encompasses a half dozen teams, including the Brooklyn Kings, the Dodge City Legend, and the Kansas Cagerz, which compete with 11 players each. The USBL generates revenue mostly through franchise fees and marketing sponsorships. It is intended to be a development league for recent college graduates and international players to showcase their skills for scouts from National Basketball Association teams. The founding Meisenheimer family controls about 90% of the USBL.

Welcome to SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a unique collection of 10 parks where connections are made, wonder is celebrated and fun comes in all shapes and sizes. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment provide authentic, inspiring “real world” experiences with up-close exotic animal encounters, the best roller coasters and thrill rides and the most innovative and exciting shows and attractions. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment care for an animal collection that's among the largest in the world. Since 1965, we've rescued more than 17,000 stranded, sick or injured animals including endangered and threatened species. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment conservation work and zoological expertise extends to every corner of the globe.

Arnold Palmer Golf Management tries to keep its courses out of the rough and on par with the best in the world. The company owns or manages more than 35 courses in more than a dozen states and offers services in acquisitions, franchising, joint ventures, leasing, and new course development. Golfing legend Arnold Palmer formed a company to manage golf courses in 1984. In 2005, former ClubCorp CEO Jim Hinckley acquired the Arnold Palmer Golf Management brand through Century Golf Partners, an operating partner of Chicago-based real estate investment firm Walton Street Capital.

If you're holding too much weight, 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide has the solution. It owns and operates more than 400 fitness centers that offer aerobic, cardiovascular, and weight lifting activities to the company's more than 3.5 million members. Some facilities also feature squash, racquetball, and basketball courts; swimming pools; steam and sauna rooms; tanning rooms; and whirlpools. It is one of the only fitness chains open 24 hours a day. The centers are located in more than 15 states in the US, as well as throughout Asia. (It has some 15 clubs in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan). Forstmann Little & Co owns 24 Hour Fitness, which was founded in 1983.

Gators might come to mind first when you think of Florida sports, but these big cats have a following, too. The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the National Football League as an expansion franchise in 1995, along with the Carolina Panthers. The team quickly gained respect by securing playoff berths the following four years, but the Jags have struggled to be a consistent contender in the years since. The team plays host at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Wayne Weaver, chairman and majority owner of retailer Shoe Carnival, owns 48% of the team, while a group of local businessmen owns the rest.

International Speedway Corporation (ISC) doesn't believe in slow and steady. The company is the top motorsports operator in the US with more than a dozen racetracks hosting more than 100 events annually. Its race facilities include Daytona International Speedway (home of the Daytona 500), Talladega Superspeedway, and Michigan International Speedway. In addition, ISC operates the Daytona 500 EXperience theme park and museum and it owns 50% of motorsports merchandiser Motorsports Authentics with rival Speedway Motorsports. Former CEO James France and his family own about 70% control of the company. Events sanctioned by NASCAR, also controlled by the France family, account for about 90% of sales.

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