PRLog (Press Release) –
Jan 16, 2008 – SPP is the operating arm of Australian Enterprises, L.P. (AE), the Hooters franchisee for Australia and New Zealand. SPP currently own and operate two Hooters restaurants in Australia in Parramatta NSW and Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast with a third store in Cronulla to open early April 2008 as well as two other locations planned for openings in 2008 in NSW and New Zealand.
RMD Corp of Louisville opened the first ever Hooters franchise location in Louisville, Kentucky in 1988. The RMD franchise group consists of 39 Hooters throughout Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. The transaction includes all 39 restaurants, certain real estate holdings and the future development rights for Hooters within the four states in the USA.
Mike Flinn, principal of AE and SPP stated, “The opportunity to combine our Australian operations with RMD’s will allow us to leverage economies of scale and accelerate the Australian growth. RMD has built a business over the past 20 years which has unparalleled operations, great infrastructure and a very committed team of highly qualified personnel. In addition, there is a considerable amount of growth we can pursue, in RMD’s territory, along with our existing plans for expansion in Australia and New Zealand.”
Dah Lee COO of the Australian and New Zealand operations says “one of the synergies of the new Company will mean our Australian stores will be able to host Hooters Girls and management members from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee, and in turn it will also be great to see the deep south in the United States get a taste of real Aussie hospitality when our Hooters Girls from Sydney and the Gold Coast spend time over there”.
Hooters of America, Inc. is the franchisor and operator of over 435 Hooters restaurants in 43 states and 24 foreign countries. First opening its doors in 1983 in Florida, Hooters has grown to become one of the most successful bar and casual dining restaurant franchises in the world, boasting locations in countries from China to Trinidad, newsstand magazine, credit card, hotel casino in Las Vegas, a swimsuit calendar and a professional golf tour and motor racing series.
