Pink Taco Stadium?
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by user Manny Stiles
All the things that make Patrickburke1980 beam with glee - Advertising, naming rights, marketing, meticulously conservative team owners, forward thinking restaurantiers and debaucherous slang terms all collide in one of the more interesting stories from the Valley of the Sun.
With the recent completion of the 10th wonder of the world, Glendale Stadium (aka Cardinals Stadium) is currently going through the neccessary evil of being 'named'. Team and Stadium owners (The Bidwells) are looking for at least a 25 year naming deal for their monstrous marvel in the Sonoran semi-arid zone (it's NOT really a desert here).
In steps Harry Morton, owner of the controversially named restaurant "The Pink Taco". Harry had to go through a legal freeking mess to get his Pink Taco restaurant opened in luxurious 'Snottsdale' this summer. While the restaurant is legitimate, the name has people up at arms. Apparently "Pink Taco" could be a slang euphamism for female genitalia (can't just about everything?).
City officials blamed Morton for moral improprieties and tried to prevent his expansion into the pricey 'Old Town Scottsdale' area. Harry won his battle with Scottsdale Officials and that opened the door for Jenna Jamison to expand her Club business into the area as well. Needless to say, Harry Morton's forward thinking and constant referencing to 'getting into bed' with his business partners to close deals is rubbing certain people the wrong way.
Harry's Father and Grandfather own Morton's Steakhouse, and Harry wants to name the newly constructed dome after his soon-to-be-national chain of restaurants. He has offered $35 million dollars already and is willing to go higher (other supposed bidders include Google - O!F - the Googledome!) He has even included the caveat that the stadium could be named "Morton's Steakhouses Stadium" as long as the signage in the stadium reflects a greater percentage of Pink Taco ads and there would be Pink Taco stands strewn throughout the arena.
Morton brings up some excellent points when discussing the implications of naming rights. Hooters sponsors many sports and events and no one has ever complained about all of he wingless owls in the world. Valley company GoDaddy.com had racy Super Bowl ads, and of course nothing gets people talking like a little controversy!
It will be interesting to see. As long as Google or some other soulless megalopoly doesn't win this battle, I will be ok with it. Pat Tillman Field would have been the classy/best.easiest way to go... but we Arizonans are familiar with the Bidwells money-colored form of "class"...
The questions come down to: 1) Are the Bidwells so cheap that they won't care about 'taking a risk' by allowing their beautiful architectural achievement to be called "Pink Taco Stadium"?? Or...
2) Are the Bidwells stodgy enough to rebuke this offer? They haven't met with Morton, but sent a lower level lackey to meet with him to see if he was serious. He came with a $5 million check as a 'deposit'.
3) Harry Morton has been linked to Lindsay Lohan in the tabloids. Matt Leinart has been linked to Paris Hilton. Jamie Foxx works out at my wife's gym. Is the Valley of the Sun becoming the 'new Hollywood'???
4) Will the 2008 Super Bowl be played in the Pink Taco? We shall see...
- see also - THIS
Date
Tue 08/22/06, 6:57 am EST
correction: taco wallace, WR, Seattle Seahawks
