The Chicago Blackhawks continued to expand their presence within the city and suburbs with a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 13 for the Blackhawks Restaurant in Terminal 2 (near Gate E-3) at O'Hare International Airport.
Blackhawks Restaurant is a joint effort between HMSHost and the Chicago Blackhawks. The restaurant pays homage to one of the most popular professional hockey teams and winner of four Stanley Cup championships, including the 2010 Cup.
"We are proud to partner with HMSHost and the Chicago Department of Aviation to open the Blackhawks Restaurant at O'Hare International Airport, one of the first of its kind in professional sports," Blackhawks president and CEO John McDonough said. "This unique establishment will give Blackhawks fans and hockey fans from all over the world a place to feel at home when traveling through Chicago."
The restaurant is filled with eye-catching, mostly autographed hockey memorabilia, including sticks, pucks, jerseys, pads and, naturally, replicas of the Stanley Cup.
The real Stanley Cup, and former Blackhawk player Brent Sopel, rode on the Chicago Gay Hockey Association (CGHA) float in the 2010 Gay Pride Parade.
Blackhawks Restaurant features menu items from Chicago's Stanley's Kitchen & Tap, a full-service restaurant in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Stanley's has long been known as Chicago's premier destination for watching hockey and features traditional American homestyle cooking.
Others at the ribbon-cutting included Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino and Elie W. Maalouf, president and CEO of HMSHost. In addition, several current Blackhawk players (such as Patrick Kane) as well as Hall of Famers Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito also attended.