Jun 3, 2014

First PGA Tour Grill Opens at San Diego International Airport

Partnership between HMSHost and PGA TOUR celebrates healthy eating and history of the game

SAN DIEGO, CA — Next on the tee at San Diego International Airport: The PGA TOUR Grill. Today marked the grand opening of the first location of this brand new restaurant, a partnership between global restaurateur HMSHost and the PGA TOUR. “Eat Smarter, Play Harder” is the motto the PGA TOUR Grill is built on, which showcases the restaurant’s focus on providing a healthy menu fit for active lifestyles. Located at the airport’s recently renovated Terminal 2 West, the PGA TOUR Grill gives travelers an inside look at the region’s storied history with the PGA TOUR and adds a new dimension to the airport’s dining program.

“We’re excited to welcome PGA TOUR Grill’s first airport-based restaurant to San Diego International Airport,” said Thella F. Bowens, President/CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. “With San Diego’s rich golf history, PGA TOUR Grill fits seamlessly into the airport’s brand new concessions core, which strives to bring customers some of the best local, national and international shopping and dining options.”

“We are thrilled to be in a licensing partnership with HMSHost for the development and operation of the PGA TOUR Grill chain of airport restaurants,” said Tim Hawes, SVP of Retail Licensing for the PGA TOUR. “The PGA TOUR always seeks to partner with the very best players in any given licensing category and HMSHost certainly meets that definition. Their dedication to product quality, culinary excellence and customer service combined with their national brand presence makes them the perfect match.”

The PGA TOUR Grill is unlike anything found in airports today. It’s a brand new dining experience that captures travelers of all demographics. As a healthy lifestyle destination with a focus on nutrition, health and quality, the PGA TOUR Grill is a bold and innovative restaurant concept that will be a sight for sore eyes to travelers. The menu incorporates a wide variety of healthy ingredients that pack a punch of flavor many people may not think possible in healthy eating. Dishes like the Shrimp & Mahi Ceviche and the Vegetarian Crispy Kale, Avocado & Hummus, will leave travelers craving for more. Salads like the Power Salad, with quinoa, garbanzos, edamame, fresh herbs, champagne vinaigrette, sunflower seeds, grilled red pepper, butter lettuce and red grapes; and the Chopped Kale, with pomegranate vinaigrette, fresh avocado, local herbed goat cheese, paprika pumpkin seeds and dried Bing cherries, are creations not typically found in an airport and make travelers feel like they are sitting on the patio overlooking the 18th green, not in one of the nation’s busiest airports. Don’t want chips or fries as a side? The PGA TOUR Grill also offers fresh fruit and berries or a kale salad.

“We couldn’t be more excited to kick-off our partnership with the PGA TOUR with the opening of the first PGA TOUR Grill in San Diego International Airport,” said Anthony Alessi, Vice President of Business Development at HMSHost. “We are honored to have worked with the PGA TOUR to develop this club-house style restaurant and we can’t wait to deliver this experience to more airports and passengers throughout the country.”

Golf-centric travelers need not worry about missing any action while traveling: the PGA TOUR Grill is loaded with flat-screen TVs that will feature live tournament action from across the globe, highlights from the previous week’s tournament and programming from the Golf Channel. Looking for some tips to fix that snap-hook you developed over the weekend? Interactive iPads feature golf tips, as well as information on the healthy content of the menu, a great way to escape the hectic airport environment.