Urgo Hotels is an award-winning company recognized among the top 100 hotel developers by Hotel Business Magazine. Since 1981, Urgo Hotels has specialized in building, developing, owning and operating hotels across a wide range of brands. Urgo Hotels also offers a solid track record in asset management. Urgo Hotels and its affiliates presently have ownership interests in and/or operate 18 hotels within the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean.As hotel developers, investment advisors, and managers, the principals of Urgo Hotels have shown a unique ability to create and arrive at solutions for their clients and partners. Over the years, Urgo Hotels and its predecessor firm - Urgo Butts & Company - have acted as counsel and advisors to a number of institutional, development, and operating clients including, among others, the Marriott Corporation, Hilton International Hotels, Howard Johnson, Hyatt Corporation, The World Bank, IMF, OAS, City of Oakland, City of Quincy Massachusetts, the TraMMel Crow organization, Lerner Enterprises, Americana Hotels and Realty Corporation, Hanover Trust Company, The Bank of New York, The Riggs National Bank of Washington, D.C., Chemical Bank, The Travelers Insurance Company and Merrill Lynch. Airline clients have included Northwest, Pan Am, TWA, Aer Lingus, BWIA and LIAT.

Parc Paradisio S.A. operates a zoo and garden on the grounds of an ancient restored abbey in Belgium that welcomes about 510,000 visitors per year. The park's zoo includes more than 4,000 animals, birds, fish, and reptiles from all over the globe. The 55-hectare (136-acre) garden includes themed areas like a Chinese garden, a subterranean section, and an ancient forest. Parc Paradisio offers about 30 science programs focused on preserving endangered species. Its Nikitra subsidiary runs corporate incentive programs, seminars, and conferences. The Nexum division offers customized corporate team building and training from an office in Paris.

The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) operates the Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, also known as the Taj Group. The company operates approximately 60 luxury, leisure, and business lodging facilities in India; it has an additional 15 overseas locations in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Included in its portfolio is The Pierre hotel on New York's Fifth Avenue. Most properties are owned by the company or its affiliates and subsidiaries, but some are managed under contract. IHCL is part of Indian industrial conglomerate Tata Group.

Novus Leisure operates about 40 upscale nightspots in London and nine other cities in the UK. The company's flagship chain of bars, Tiger Tiger, has about 10 locations offering drinks, dancing, and food. Its other concepts, such as Strawberry Moons, Sugar Reef, and Zoo Bar, each offer a unique atmosphere for young adults out on the town. Spun off from intellectual property firm Chorion in 2002, the company was acquired by private equity firm Electra Partners in 2005.

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.

You might say this restaurant company has doubled down on the beef. Wendy's/Arby's Group is one of the largest fast-food companies in the world with more than 10,200 locations encompassing its two brands, Wendy's and Arby's. The #3 hamburger chain behind McDonald's and Burger King, Wendy's oversees more than 6,500 restaurants in the US and about 20 other countries. Arby's, with more than 3,700 eateries specializing in roast beef sandwiches, trails only Subway and Quiznos as one of the largest sandwich outlets. About three-fourths of Wendy's/Arby's restaurants are franchised. Chairman Nelson Peltz and vice chairman Peter May together own more than 20% of the company through investment firm Trian Partners.

Beef and ice cream is an unbeatable combination for this restaurant company. Formerly The Steak n Shake Company, Biglari Holdings is a multi-concept dining operator with two chains operating under the names Steak n Shake and WesterN SizzliN. Its flagship concept encompasses more than 480 company-owned and franchised family dining spots in more than 20 states, mostly in the Midwest and Southeast. The diners, open 24-hours a day, are popular for their Steakburger sandwiches and milkshakes, as well as breakfast items and other dishes. About 400 of the units are company-owned, while the rest are franchised. WesterN SizzliN, meanwhile, oversees more than 100 franchised steak buffet restaurants in about 20 states.

Snow King Resort Hotel knows how to make its guests feel like their on top of a mountain. The company owns the Snow King Resort, a 400-acre property near Jackson, Wyoming, that includes a 200-room hotel and ski area. The resort also includes two condominium developments, Snow King Condominiums and Love Ridge Resort Lodges, as well as meeting rooms, a restaurant, and a lounge. In addition to winter skiing, Snow King offers year-round activities, including golfing, hiking, and the 2,500 foot Alpine Slide. The resort has been in business since the mid-1970s.

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.

This hockey team has a multi-national roster but it is all Canadian at heart. Club de hockey Canadien owns and operates the Montreal Canadiens, one of the oldest and most storied franchises in the National Hockey League. Since its formation in 1909, the team has won a record 24 Stanley Cup championships, second only to the New York Yankees as the most successful sports team in North America. The Canadiens play host at Montreal's Bell Center. Canada's Molson family, led by brothers Geoff, Andrew, and Justin Molson, acquired the team from American businessman George Gillett, Jr., in 2009.

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