Cubs RF SAMMY SOSA joined investor Gene Silverberg
Thursday and announced that he is "taking over" MICHAEL
JORDAN'S RESTAURANT, according to Charlie Meyerson of the
CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Plans call for Jordan's, at 500 N.
LaSalle, to close on February 1, 2000, and for "Sammy Sosa's
Chicago" to open on April 1 after "extensive renovation." A
new Michael Jordan's Restaurant would then open in the
summer of 2000 at a location to be announced later. The
switch is apparently "being made without Jordan's approval"
despite the fact that the restaurant's "popularity has been
slipping" since Jordan retired. Silverberg said that Jordan
is "not required" to make appearances at his restaurant and
"seldom" eats there, but Sosa will make appearances.
Silverberg added that the restaurant's attorneys "will
reinstate" a '97 lawsuit against Jordan for opening another
restaurant (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/23). ESPN's Bob Ley reported
that "word" from Jordan's attorney was that Jordan "will be
responding in court" ("SportsCenter," 9/23). FSN's Keith
Olbermann: "If this doesn't make Michael Jordan unretire,
then nothing will. ... And no, with every meal at Sammy's
there will not be a free side of creatine" (FSN, 9/23).
