The Cincinnati Bengals professional football franchise traces an elite heritage, having been formed by Hall of Fame coach Paul Brown in 1968 as part of the American Football League (AFL). Cincinnati joined the National Football League in 1970 when the AFL and NFL merged and went on to make two trips to the Super Bowl (losing both times to the San Francisco 49ers). The team plays host at Paul Brown Stadium, which opened in 2000. Brown's family, led by his son Mike Brown, continues to control the Bengals.

Athletics Investment Group makes sure Oakland baseball fans get all A's. The company owns and operates the Oakland Athletics professional ballclub, a charter franchise of the American League that formed in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics. Better known as the A's, the team moved to Kansas City in 1955 before settling in the Bay Area in 1968. The franchise plays host at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, which it shares with the Oakland Raiders football team; Oakland boasts nine World Series championships and 15 AL pennants. Los Angeles real estate developer Lewis Wolff (co-founder of Maritz, Wolff & Co.) has controlled the A's since 2005.The Athletics Investment Group owns the Oakland Athletics franchise, one of the most storied and controversial teams in major league baseball history. Located for 54 years in Philadelphia, and for 12 in Kansas City, Missouri, before moving to Oakland, California, the Athletics (A's) have won 14 divisional titles, 15 American League pennants, and nine World Series Championships. The team makes its home in Network Associates Coliseum (formerly the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum) although their future in Oakland remained uncertain. Sharing the relatively small Bay Area sports market with the National League's San Francisco Giants, the A's financial situation has long been unstable. For at least five years, The Athletics Investment Group has been searching for a buyer for the team. Still, the company realized an estimated $96 million in revenues in 2002.

MTR Gaming Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the racing, gaming, and entertainment businesses. It owns and operates Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in Chester, West Virginia; Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie, Pennsylvania; and Scioto Downs in Columbus, Ohio. The company operates slot machines, poker tables, and casino table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and other games, as well as offers live thoroughbred horse racing and on-site pari-mutuel wagering. MTR Gaming Group also operates Racelinebet.com, an account wagering service that provides online and telephone wagering on horse races. MTR Gaming Group, Inc. was formerly known as Secamur Corporation and changed its name to MTR Gaming Group, Inc. in 1996.

You might say people queue up for dining and billiards at these restaurants. JCB Entertainment Holdings is a leading operator of restaurant and entertainment complexes with about 15 Jillian's Billiards Clubs in 10 states. Aimed at adults and families, the fun centers offer casual dining and drinks along with such game room venues as the 9 Ball Lounge, Hi-Life Lanes (bowling) and Amazing Games (interactive and video games). The restaurants serve mostly traditional American fare, along with full bar service and beer on tap. The Jillian's chain was started in 1988. JBC Entertainment is owned by private equity firm Gemini Investors.

Jumeirah, which began operations in 1997, is a member of Dubai Holding, a collection of Dubai-based businesses and projects. The Dubai-based international hospitality firm Jumeirah Group manages about 10 luxury hotels and resorts primarily in the Middle East, but also in London (the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel), and the US (it acquired the Essex House in New York's Central Park South in 2006 and renamed it the Jumeirah Essex House). The group's portfolio also includes Wild Wadi, a water park located in Dubai, and The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management.

Dodger Properties never dodges the spot light. The off-Broadway theatrical production company has won nearly 50 Tony awards and produced musical hits such as Into the Woods (1987), The Music Man (2000), and Jersey Boys (2005). More recently, the company scored a hit with its production of Jersey Boys. The organization also teaches educational workshops and offers group events. Dodger Properties was founded by Michael David, Des McAnuff, Rocco Landesman, and Edward Strong at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1978. (Landesman later became owner of rival company Jujamcyn Theaters, and then went on to head the NEA under President Barack Obama.)

NH Hoteles company is becoming one of Europe's leading hotel operators, with a collection of about 340 owned, leased, or managed properties (totaling more than 50,000 rooms) in some 20 countries. Most of its hotels are in Europe, but the company also has made inroads into other areas, specifically Latin America. NH Hoteles operates properties ranging from four-star establishments to budget hotels. Its nhow hotel brand features a modern design and hosts art exhibits and fashion shows. The firm also owns 51% of Italian hotel operator NH Italia (Intesa Sanpaolo owns 49%); it additionally owns Italian hotel operator Jolly Hotels.

Boston sports fans don't need St. Patrick to draw them to the TD Garden (formerly TD Banknorth Garden). Built in 1995 as a replacement for the revered but aging Boston Garden, the TD Garden serves as the home for the NBA's Boston Celtics and the NHL's Boston Bruins. The $160 million, 755,000 square-foot arena boasts a maximum capacity of about 19,600 seats, three full-service restaurants, 90 executive suites, and 1,100 club seats. In addition to sporting events, the arena also hosts concerts and other events among its 200 annual bookings. TD Garden is owned by concessions company Delaware North Companies, which is controlled by Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs.

Holmes Place is the place to be for fitness and health. The company operates some 15 upscale fitness clubs in Europe (in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). Holmes Place fitness clubs feature a range of classes (from aerobics to holistic teachings) and such amenities as swimming pools, bars, and restaurants. The company has about 60,000 members. It decreased the size of its business considerably when it sold its UK health clubs to Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Active fitness clubs chain in 2007. As a result, more than 45 clubs were rebranded from Holmes Place to Virgin Active.

The Second City is the leading brand in improv-based sketch comedy. With theatres in Chicago and Toronto, Training Centers in those cites as well as Hollywood, 11 full time touring ensembles, thriving corporate communications and theatricals divisions as well as television and film operations, The Second City has been called "A Comedy Empire" by the New York Times. Second City seating is Cabaret Style seating so please be prepared share a table, make new friends, and have a lot of laughs. On our website you can buy tickets to shows, sign up for classes or reach out for more information on bringing The Second City to you.

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