If you are a member of the media and would like more information about the Food & Shops please contact:
Danielle Terzian
Carolyn Izzo Integrated Communications
845/358-3920 x14
dterzian@ciicnews.com
THE FOOD & SHOPS AT LAGUARDIA AIRPORT AND FAMOUS FAMIGLIA ANNOUNCE FINAL CONTESTANTS FOR PIZZA EATING CONTEST
Queens, NY —
(November 12, 2009) The Food & Shops at LaGuardia Airport and New York-based pizza company, Famous Famiglia, announced the final contestants for the Pizza Eating Contest on Thursday, November 19th at 12:00pm in the Central Terminal's Food & Shops, Lower Level.
John Kolaj, Co-Founder and COO of Famous Famiglia selected the eight contestants based on their personality and winning attitude, after a thorough screening process. Each contestant created an innovative team name, which will be placed on special jerseys that they will wear for the competition. The final contestants include:
1.) Paul “The Amazing” Malichek, the Port Authority of NY & NJ
2.) Christopher “Smooth Sabz” Sabatino, InMotion Entertainment
3.) Andres “The Big Tigger” Morales, Covenant Aviation
4.) Jamey “Macho” Camacho, TSA
5.) Eddie “Bang Bang” Hernandez, Southwest Airlines
6.) Israel “Big IZ” Jimenez, TSA
7.) Jason “In it to Win it” Chavez, US Airways
8.) David “The Pizza Tank” Frank, TSA
During the contest, participants will be challenged to eat as many slices of Famous Famiglia pizza as they can, within six minutes. Contestants will be served standard size whole cheese pizza pies, with eight slices each and they must eat the entire slice of pizza, including the crust.
Participants are competing for generous cash prizes. The first place winner will receive $1,000, second place will be awarded $500, and the 3rd place winner will enjoy a $250 reward.
During the contest, a matching $1,000 First Prize donation will be presented to City Harvest, the world's first and New York City's only food rescue organization. Additionally, a canned food drive will be held at the terminal during the event.
Speakers for the contest on November 19 at noon will include Warren Kroeppel, General Manager of LaGuardia Airport and Lillian Tan, Vice President and General Manager of MarketPlace Development.
About MarketPlace Development
MarketPlace Development is the private partner with The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in the $18 million, 50,000-square-foot redevelopment of the food and retail program at the Central Terminal Building, the largest of LaGuardia’s four terminals. A Massachusetts based retail development and management company, MarketPlace Development also handles the development and leasing of all retail, food and beverage, and passenger service concessions in the seven domestic and international terminals at Philadelphia International Airport.
About Famous Famiglia
Famous Famiglia is a successful New York City based pizza company founded in 1986, by the Kolaj family. Today, the company has successfully expanded its concepts across the world with more than 100 locations; targeting captive markets such as airports, motorways, universities, shopping centers, casinos, stadiums, theme parks, and more. Famous Famiglia is “The Official Pizza of The New York Yankees”, “The Official Pizza of Madison Square Garden”, “The Official Pizza of The Palms Casino and Hotel”, and “The Official Pizza of Hershey Park”.
About City Harvest
Now serving New York City for more than 25 years, City Harvest (www.CityHarvest.org) is the world’s first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city’s hungry men, women, and children. This year, City Harvest will collect more than 25 million pounds of excess food from all segments of the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers, and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to nearly 600 community food programs using a fleet of trucks and bikes as well as volunteers on foot. Each week, City Harvest helps over 260,000 hungry New Yorkers find their next meal.
For more information on the Food & Shops at LaGuardia Airport’s Central Terminal Building, visit www.ShopLaGuardia.com. For press materials and photography, contact Danielle Terzian, at dterzian@ciicnews.com or 845/358-3920 x14.
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