The San Jose Sharks professional hockey franchise represents the San Francisco Bay Area in the National Hockey League, having joined as an expansion team in 1991. Despite some success in reaching the playoffs the past several years, fans are still waiting for an appearance in the Stanley Cup finals. The team plays host at HP Pavilion, affectionately known as "The Shark Tank." George and Gordon Gund, former owners of the Cleveland Cavaliers, were originally awarded the NHL franchise; Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, an investment group led by veteran sports executive Greg Jamison, has owned the team since 2002.

Grévin & Cie operates the Parc Astérix (also the firm's former name) amusement park just north of Paris. Based on Astérix, a legendary French comic, the park offers a variety of attractions including a scale-model park France Miniature, wax museum Grévin, St-Malo's Grand Aquarium, and magic entertainment venue Bagatelle. In addition to its flagship location, Grévin & Cie has expanded aggressively and now owns about 20 parks in France, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. Ski resort operator Compagnie des Alpes owns the company.

From politicians, celebrities and out-of-town visitors, to generations of Washingtonians, one thing is for sure: Clyde's Restaurant Group attracts D.C.'s most discerning people. People who insist on a stimulating, one-of-a-kind venue but who won't compromise taste. Clyde's taste. It's what makes us different. Clyde, Inc., which does business as Clyde's Restaurant Group, operates more than 15 upscale dining establishments in and around the nation's capital, including its small chain of Clyde's locations. It also owns the historic Old Ebbitt Grill and its lunch-oriented offshoot, Ebbitt Express, as well as the posh 1789 Restaurant. In addition to dining, the company offers catering services through many of its restaurants.

Cooking up some Old World flavors is bringing in the dough for Il Fornaio (America). Il Fornaio (America) Corporation operates a chain of more than 20 upscale Italian restaurants under the Il Fornaio (Italian for "the baker") banner. The dining spots, located mostly in California, offer authentic regional cuisine for lunch and dinner (some locations also feature a breakfast menu), along with catering and banquet services. Many of the locations also sport an in-restaurant market offering baked goods, coffee, and other food items. In addition, the company owns Corner Baker Cafe operator CBC Restaurant Corp. Il Fornaio was established in Italy in 1972; Il Fornaio (America) Corporation is owned by private equity firm Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill, & Co.

Lone Star Steakhouse restaurants deliver an authentic Texas themed experience, offering truly unique and flavorful food and outstanding service to every guest. What made Lone Star famous is our mesquite-grilled steaks, which are hand-cut fresh daily at each restaurant. Our menu includes "Texas-sized" portions of food and great value. Our menu offers great variety beyond steak … salmon, ribs, sandwiches, burgers and more.We offer a great fun and casual atmosphere, perfect for any size group, and we also offer a fun full-service bar at all locations. Lone Star is a “destination restaurant.” That is, if your destination is good food and big fun. Upbeat country music, Texas artifacts, and our excellent service standards enhance the Lone Star experience. After a December, 2006 acquisition by an affiliate of a private equity firm, the Lone Star brand began a new and exciting era. Our commitment to quality and service is unwavering and we have created some new excitement and continue to focus on marketing, remodeling, conversion of existing restaurants and ultimately the expansion of the Lone Star brand.

In 1983, Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. was founded by Michael Mack through the acquisition of the first two Souplantation restaurants. As we continued to grow, we began to pursue growth beyond our core Southern California markets. In order to enhance our brand and reflect our dedication to fresh, wholesome ingredients, we adopted the name Sweet Tomatoes for new restaurants outside Southern California. With 112 company-owned restaurants in 15 states, over 300 million guests since 1978 have helped us to be #1 in fresh produce and salads, made-from-scratch soups, hot-tossed pastas, freshly baked breads and muffins, fresh fruit, frozen yogurt, and more.We pride ourselves on offering an all-you-care-to-eat dining experience where each of our guests can create a meal tailored to their needs. Of course, you can count on fresh, high-quality ingredients and daily made-from-scratch menu items.

Tarsadia Hotels operates about a dozen mostly upscale hotels in California (in Anaheim, Los Angeles, Napa Valley, San Diego, and San Francisco), including the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego. The company's brands (such as Marriott, Hilton, and Doubletree), are in high-end tourist areas and are a cut above the usual limited-service establishment. Tarsadia Hotels also offers sales, marketing, IT, HR, and accounting services to hospitality companies. Tarsadia Hotels was founded in 1976 when B.U. Patel and his sons Mike and Tushar acquired the 20-room Dunes Motel in Anaheim in 1976.

Pacers Basketball, which does business as Pacers Sports & Entertainment, owns and operates the Indiana Pacers professional basketball franchise of the National Basketball Association along with Indianapolis' Conseco Fieldhouse, the team's home arena. The franchise was formed in 1967 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association by a group of investors that included Richard Tinkman (who also helped found the ABA) and joined the NBA in 1976. Indiana has made just one appearance in the NBA Finals. The sports franchise is owned by shopping-center magnate Herbert Simon, who purchased the Pacers with his brother Melvin in 1983. Melvin Simon died in 2009.

Nath Companies owns and operates a chain of about a dozen casual-dining restaurants in the Twin Cities area under the names Axel's and Axel's Bonfire. Its Axel's locations feature mostly steaks, seafood, and pasta, while Axel's Bonfire serves Southwestern-styled cuisine. The company also owns a small portfolio of family-dining restaurants franchised from Denny's, as well as three hotels in Minnesota and Tennessee. Other operations include property management, accounting and financial services, and payroll outsourcing. CEO Mahendra Nath and his wife, Asha, started the company in 1980 as a real estate firm.

SimEx-Iwerks simulates sight, sound, and motion. The firm designs motion-simulation machines for such venues as museums, zoos, shopping centers, and theme parks. SimEx-Iwerks markets models in both open- and closed-cabin designs, which seat 6 to 51 people. Its library of more than 150 simulator films are produced by subsidiary SimEx Digital Studios. SimEx-Iwerks machines and films are used in attractions by such clients as Universal Parks & Resorts, the Dolly Parton Entertainment Park, and the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Founders Michael Needham, F. Gerald Townsend, and Shiori Sudo collectively own about 23% of the company.

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