Pink Taco seeks to put name on Cards Stadium
Louie Villalobos
The Arizona Republic
First, it shook up the Scottsdale establishment. Now, the family behind the Pink Taco restaurant chain is rattling the Cardinals' cage.
Would you believe Pink Taco Stadium?
That's what the Morton family, famous for creating the Hard Rock Café and Morton's Steakhouse, is saying they want to name Cardinals Stadium. advertisement
They are offering $30 million as evidence of their commitment and are promising to pursue an agreement with the Arizona Cardinals.
One problem: The Cardinals, who control the Glendale stadium's naming rights, say they want no part of the name.
Harry Morton, president and CEO of Pink Taco, said his group is prepared to use the deal for $30 million over 10 years as a starting point for negotiations. Morton said Monday that his company has the "edge and cachet" that would help elevate the team's profile with a younger demographic.
He also said he would consider calling the $455 million venue Morton Stadium, provided the Pink Taco menu was prominent throughout the venue.
"We will not be the same old, boring corporate naming-rights partner," Morton said during a news conference. "We will deliver celebrity."
The family said it offered the Cardinals a $5 million good-faith check during a meeting last week to show that it is serious.
The Cardinals, however, took the presentation as a joke and dismissed Monday's news conference as a publicity stunt.
"There is zero chance of this happening," said Mark Dalton, director of media relations for the Cardinals. "We are in serious and legitimate naming-rights discussion with several companies. This is not one of them."
The restaurant, named after a slang term for vagina, caused a stir in Scottsdale when Mayor Mary Manross objected to the restaurant's opening in Scottsdale's Waterfront project.
Dalton said the team did not wanted to be associated with the Pink Taco brand but wouldn't say exactly why.
Morton said that his family is very serious about the naming deal and has no plans to go away. He plans to meet with the Arizona Cardinals in the coming days. But the Cardinals said there is no scheduled meeting.
The family dismissed the team's reaction as a "knee-jerk" one and stated the proposal was not an attempt to get publicity for the restaurant.
"We're talking about $30 million," Morton said. "That's an expensive publicity stunt."
Fans reacted swiftly to the possibility of attending games in "Pink Taco Stadium." The Cardinals' online message boards were filled support or disapproval of the name.
Joe Castellanos, a season-ticket holder from Peoria, said he would have a problem taking his son to a game in a stadium with that name.
"The Cardinals have an image thing, and that's the last thing they need," he said.
The Mortons made their money by growing the Hard Rock Café and Morton Steakhouse names. Peter Morton, Harry's father, recently sold the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for $770 million.
Though the Cardinals deal would be the biggest naming-rights deal for a pro venue in Arizona, it would not put the team at the top of the NFL.
Naming rights to Reliant Stadium, where the Houston Texans play, cost Reliant Energy about $10 million a year for 32 years. The rights extend to three other facilities, including the Reliant Astrodome.
In 1999, FedEx Corp. paid $205 million for 27 years for the naming rights to the Washington Redskins home field.
More recently, Lucas Oil Products agreed to pay $121.5 million over 20 years to put its name on the new Indianapolis Colts stadium.
Louie Villalobos
The Arizona Republic
First, it shook up the Scottsdale establishment. Now, the family behind the Pink Taco restaurant chain is rattling the Cardinals' cage.
Would you believe Pink Taco Stadium?
That's what the Morton family, famous for creating the Hard Rock Café and Morton's Steakhouse, is saying they want to name Cardinals Stadium. advertisement
They are offering $30 million as evidence of their commitment and are promising to pursue an agreement with the Arizona Cardinals.
One problem: The Cardinals, who control the Glendale stadium's naming rights, say they want no part of the name.
Harry Morton, president and CEO of Pink Taco, said his group is prepared to use the deal for $30 million over 10 years as a starting point for negotiations. Morton said Monday that his company has the "edge and cachet" that would help elevate the team's profile with a younger demographic.
He also said he would consider calling the $455 million venue Morton Stadium, provided the Pink Taco menu was prominent throughout the venue.
"We will not be the same old, boring corporate naming-rights partner," Morton said during a news conference. "We will deliver celebrity."
The family said it offered the Cardinals a $5 million good-faith check during a meeting last week to show that it is serious.
The Cardinals, however, took the presentation as a joke and dismissed Monday's news conference as a publicity stunt.
"There is zero chance of this happening," said Mark Dalton, director of media relations for the Cardinals. "We are in serious and legitimate naming-rights discussion with several companies. This is not one of them."
The restaurant, named after a slang term for vagina, caused a stir in Scottsdale when Mayor Mary Manross objected to the restaurant's opening in Scottsdale's Waterfront project.
Dalton said the team did not wanted to be associated with the Pink Taco brand but wouldn't say exactly why.
Morton said that his family is very serious about the naming deal and has no plans to go away. He plans to meet with the Arizona Cardinals in the coming days. But the Cardinals said there is no scheduled meeting.
The family dismissed the team's reaction as a "knee-jerk" one and stated the proposal was not an attempt to get publicity for the restaurant.
"We're talking about $30 million," Morton said. "That's an expensive publicity stunt."
Fans reacted swiftly to the possibility of attending games in "Pink Taco Stadium." The Cardinals' online message boards were filled support or disapproval of the name.
Joe Castellanos, a season-ticket holder from Peoria, said he would have a problem taking his son to a game in a stadium with that name.
"The Cardinals have an image thing, and that's the last thing they need," he said.
The Mortons made their money by growing the Hard Rock Café and Morton Steakhouse names. Peter Morton, Harry's father, recently sold the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for $770 million.
Though the Cardinals deal would be the biggest naming-rights deal for a pro venue in Arizona, it would not put the team at the top of the NFL.
Naming rights to Reliant Stadium, where the Houston Texans play, cost Reliant Energy about $10 million a year for 32 years. The rights extend to three other facilities, including the Reliant Astrodome.
In 1999, FedEx Corp. paid $205 million for 27 years for the naming rights to the Washington Redskins home field.
More recently, Lucas Oil Products agreed to pay $121.5 million over 20 years to put its name on the new Indianapolis Colts stadium.