GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators legend
Steve Spurrier is back on the recruiting trail, this time in search of someone to quarterback a new restaurant bearing his name.
Spurrier held a press conference Monday afternoon a few miles from Spurrier/Florida Field to announce plans to open "Spurrier's," described as a "new casual American dining restaurant concept" scheduled to open in June 2020 at Celebration Pointe.
The 74-year-old Spurrier, at the urging of his daughter Amy, said the time felt right to venture into the restaurant business and try something new.
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"A place to hopefully celebrate a lot of Gator victories,'' Spurrier said. "I definitely plan on making appearances. I'll be in and out of here a bunch. We are going to put out a first-class restaurant."
No word yet on whether there will be any rivalry-themed items on the menu.
The first step is for Spurrier to find an experienced restaurant operator to run the day-to-day business. Spurrier and his business associates are accepting applications until July 30. For more specific details,
check out SpurriersRestaurant.com.
The person selected to join Spurrier and partner Freddie Wehbe will receive a $1 million buildout for the restaurant and the opportunity to influence the proposed 8,400-square foot restaurant's menu and décor.
Spurrier's 1966 Heisman Trophy will be featured prominently in the venue as well as other memorabilia from his playing and coaching career. Spurrier is one of only four men in the history of college football to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame both as a player and coach.
Spurrier returned to UF in 2016 as the Gators' official ambassador and spent a stint as head coach of the Orlando Apollos of the short-lived Alliance of American Football this past spring.
Former UF basketball player Svein Dyrkolbotn, principal owner of Viking Companies, the company that developed Celebration Pointe, said adding Spurrier's name and reputation to a restaurant in the development adds a boost to the ongoing project.Â
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