Seminoles strike up a deal with N.Y. Yankees for chain of steakhouses

Sun Sentinel, June 18, 2008 — Take me out to the ballgame. And pass the baked potato.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida and the New York Yankees are teaming up on a chain of high-end steakhouses, the first expected to open next spring at the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The Seminoles will also build a 7,000-square-foot Hard Rock Restaurant in the stadium, executives from the tribe and the team said Wednesday.

It may seem like the oddest New York pairing since Liza Minnelli and David Gest, but it underscores the increasing clout and world recognition of the Hollywood-based tribe. In 2006, the Seminoles used their casino fortune to purchase the Hard Rock Hotel and Restaurant chain for $965 million, and they have since expanded its global footprint.