Business
18,000 Hot Dogs, 65,000 Beers, and 1,000 Volunteers: SodexoMAGIC Reveals What It Takes to Feed More Than 90,000 Fans at Rose Bowl Stadium on January 1
GAITHERSBURG, Md., (FNN NEWS) /Sodexo/ — SodexoMAGIC, a partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises and Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company, is lifting the curtain on how it prepares to serve 90,000 fans on New Year’s Day. SodexoMAGIC provides concessions at the Rose Bowl Stadium year-round.
Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8245751-sodexo-magic-rose-bowl-stadium/
Fans can expect game-day favorites on January 1 like big pretzels and beer along with signature Rose Bowl dishes, such as the Granddaddy Dog – a quarter-pound hot dog topped with mac-n-cheese, pulled pork, bacon and barbecue sauce – and Farm to Fan Nachos – house-fried chips, seasoned beef and three locally-made salsa toppings. This year, two specialty burgers representing each team will be featured on the menu and all are encouraged to vote for their favorite team burger at @SodexoUSA.
This year, SodexoMAGIC expects to sell:
- 65,000 bottles and cups of beer
- 18,000 bottles of water
- 18,000 hot dogs, including 1,500 Granddaddy Dogs
- 15,000 souvenir cups with team logos
- 7,500 big pretzels
- 4,700 nachos, including 1200 Farm to Fan Nachos
“SodexoMAGIC is proud to partner with the Rose Bowl Stadium to provide a spectacular fan experience for the 90,000 people who come to cheer on their favorite football team,” said Kevin Hengehold, SodexoMAGIC General Manager at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
The driving force behind the event is the dedicated staff and volunteers. In addition to 300 staff, SodexoMAGIC coordinates with nearly 1,000 volunteers from local high schools, churches and community groups to help sell concessions and raise money for their organizations. SodexoMAGIC has earmarked a percentage of its game-day sales for charity, resulting in nearly $100,000 in donations per game to community groups – around $600,000 annually. Additionally, SodexoMAGIC has partnered with Pasadena Hot Meals for the past seven years to deliver food after each stadium event to people in need within the community.
SodexoMAGIC is a partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises, owned by Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Sodexo USA. It was formed in 2006 to empower communities with best-in-class food and facilities management solutions, including menus drawing on the expertise of Celebrity Chef G Garvin and healthy solutions from health expert and author Dr. Ian Smith. SodexoMAGIC recently celebrated a 10-year anniversary and boasts nearly 5,000 employees located across 49 clients and 1600 sites.
Sodexo USA is an American business that is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 80 countries. Delivering more than 100 services across North America that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life, Sodexo is a leading provider of sustainable, integrated facilities management and food service operations. It employs 123,000 Americans at 12,500 sites across the country and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional U.S. jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $30million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger.
Learn more about Sodexo USA at its corporate blog, Sodexo Insights.
SOURCE | Sodexo
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (CFHLA) hosted its 2025 Hospitality Gala on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort, recognizing outstanding leaders whose service and dedication continue to elevate Central Florida’s hospitality and tourism industry.
Nearly 1,100 CFHLA members, elected officials and community leaders attended the association’s premier year-end event. Honors presented during the evening included the Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award, Lodging Member of the Year, Allied Member of the Year and Engineer of the Year.
CFHLA President/CEO Robert Agrusa, CFHLA 2025 Board Chair Chris Mueller, David Siegel Jr., Jacqueline Siegel, Daniel Siegel, 2026 Incoming CFHLA Board Chair Jon McGavin
The evening’s highest honor, the 2025 Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award, was presented posthumously to David Siegel, founder, president and CEO of Westgate Resorts. The award was accepted by members of his family, including Jacqueline Siegel, David Siegel Jr. and Daniel Siegel. Named in honor of CFHLA’s first board chair, Charles Andrews, the award represents the association’s most prestigious recognition.
Siegel founded Westgate Resorts in 1982 with its first property built on an orange grove he owned in Kissimmee, Florida. Under his leadership, the company grew into the largest privately held timeshare company in the world and one of the nation’s largest resort developers, operating more than 13,500 rooms across 22 resorts in the United States. Prior to his passing in April 2025, Siegel announced plans to expand to more than 44 resort destinations under the VI Resorts by Westgate brand.
Throughout his career, Siegel exemplified the entrepreneurial spirit that helped transform Central Florida into a global travel destination. Westgate Resorts also became the largest private employer in the region.
Beyond his business achievements, Siegel was widely recognized for his philanthropic and advocacy efforts. He was inducted into the Central Florida Hospitality Hall of Fame in 2013 by the University of Central Florida and was honored earlier this year with the American Resort Development Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
Following the death of his daughter Victoria in 2015, Siegel dedicated himself to combating the nation’s drug epidemic. He founded the Victoria’s Voice Foundation and advocated for expanded access to naloxone through congressional outreach and public education. A military veteran, Siegel also donated more than 28,000 complimentary vacations to members of the armed services. In 2025, the Westgate Foundation distributed $1.5 million in grants to community-focused organizations nationwide.
CFHLA also recognized several industry professionals for excellence and leadership:
Barb Bowden, area managing director of Loews Hotels at Universal Orlando, received the 2025 CFHLA Lodging Member of the Year Award.
Glen Lyons, president of ATMFLA Inc., received the 2025 CFHLA Allied Member of the Year Award.
William “Bill” Mathews, director of engineering at the Sheraton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Resort, received the 2025 CFHLA Engineer of the Year Award.
Together, these honorees exemplify the leadership, innovation and community commitment that continue to drive Central Florida’s hospitality and tourism industry forward.
LAKE COUNTY, Fla. (FNN) — AdventHealth will host a grand opening ceremony for its new hospital in Minneola, marking a major expansion of health care services for South Lake County. Local elected officials, community leaders and residents are expected to join AdventHealth executives for the celebration.
The new facility is part of a broader effort to bring world-class, whole-person inpatient care closer to home for families across Minneola and the surrounding communities. South Lake County has faced a significant shortage of physicians across nearly every specialty, and the new hospital aims to help meet that growing demand.
AdventHealth Minneola is located within a newly developed district that will feature shopping, entertainment, housing and green space, creating a centralized hub for both residents and visitors.
WHEN:
Tuesday, Dec. 9
Arrival time: 10 a.m.
Program begins: 10:15 a.m.
WHERE:
1800 North Hancock Road
Minneola, FL 34715
MIAMI, Fla. (FNN) — Distinguished leaders, cultural icons, tourism executives, and community champions from across the Caribbean and its Diaspora are set to gather for the 2025 Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) Leadership Awards—an afternoon dedicated to excellence, service, and the advancement of the region.
This year’s ceremony will feature a landmark moment: the presentation of the inaugural CMEx Lifetime Achievement Award to Sir Baltron Bethel, one of the Caribbean’s most influential tourism visionaries and a national icon of The Bahamas. Sir Baltron is recognized as the first and longest-serving Bahamian Director General of Tourism and a key architect of the region’s tourism growth and policy development.
Honoring Caribbean Changemakers
The 2025 CMEx Leadership Awards will recognize an exceptional roster of laureates whose work continues to shape Caribbean tourism, culture, and economic development. Honorees include:
Carole Alexis (Martinique), Dave Chang (Carnival Cruise Line), May-Ling Chun (St. Maarten), Ronella Croes (Aruba Tourism Authority), Laura Davidson (LDPR), Muryad de Bruin (Curaçao Tourist Board), Cathleen Decker (The Decker/Royal Agency), Loreto Duffy-Mayers (Barbados), Monique Hamaty-Simmonds (Cayman Islands), Clarisa Jiménez (Puerto Rico Hotel & Tourism Association), Luce Hodge-Smith (British Virgin Islands), Janelle Hopkin (Grenada), Vonulrick “Von” Martin (Caribbeana Communications), Shomari Scott (Health City Cayman Islands), and Marcus Simmonds (Tortuga International Holdings).
“These exceptional honorees embody the spirit of leadership, innovation, and service that defines the best of the Caribbean,” said Bevan Springer, President of CMEx. “Their contributions across tourism, business, culture, and community development continue to transform the region.”
Regional and Global Dignitaries to Attend
The ceremony will welcome an array of regional officials and global tourism leaders, underscoring the event’s significance. Confirmed attendees include Lady Betty Hopkin (Grenada); Jennifer Matarangas-King (U.S. Virgin Islands); Cardigan Connor (Anguilla); Dona Regis-Prosper (Caribbean Tourism Organization); Latia Duncombe (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism); Joy Jibrilu (Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board); Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace (The Bahamas); Vanessa Ledesma (Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association); Wendy McDonald (Royal Caribbean Group); and Dr. Lisa Indar (CARPHA).
Tourism directors from Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, and Grenada will also be in attendance. Adding a cultural highlight, Bahamian vocalist Simmone Bowe will return as the featured performer, bringing her blend of jazz, reggae, R&B, and gospel to the stage.
Committed Partners and Sponsors
The 2025 CMEx Leadership Awards and Fundraiser is supported by a coalition of corporate, governmental, and destination partners whose contributions help sustain CMEx programs focused on youth development, education, and professional training throughout the region.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation serves as the Platinum Sponsor, with major sponsors including the Nassau & Paradise Island Promotion Board, British Virgin Islands Tourist Board & Film Commission, Tropical Shipping, Unique Vacations Inc., The Decker/Royal Agency, Grenada Tourism Authority, Barbary Pyle Foundation, Tortuga Rum Company, Carnival Corporation & plc, Rodman Marketing Guru, and the St. Maarten Tourist Board.
Additional supporting sponsors include Calabash Cove Resort & Spa, Coco Palm, Comfort Suites Paradise Island, Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Jade Mountain, Ladera Resort, Marketplace Excellence Corporation, Mount Cinnamon Beach Resort, Park Hyatt St. Kitts, Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Tropical Attractions, and Villa Kaya.
The CMEx Leadership Awards celebrate individuals whose achievements span hospitality, cruise tourism, medical tourism, sustainable development, destination marketing, and media—fostering collaboration and a shared vision for a thriving Caribbean future.
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