Good morning, everyone.
Good morning, everyone.
Welcome to Midway International Airport.
I am Tracy Payne, First Deputy Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation.
On behalf of Commissioner Michael McMurray and our entire Midway family,
thank you so much for being here today for this momentous occasion.
In recent years, Midway has been on the move.
From a modernized security checkpoint to a revitalized central market,
from new art installations that celebrate our city's creativity
to the rehabilitation of a critical runway,
we have been hard at work behind the scenes,
making sure Midway stays competitive, efficient, and unmistakably Chicago.
Because running a great airport isn't just about getting people from point A to point B.
It's about the experience in between.
That means keeping our concessions fresh, offering travelers a lineup that reflects who we are as a city.
Bold flavors, big personality, and a little bit of that Chicago swagger.
It means having a mix of beloved institutions and recognizable brands.
So whether you're flying home or flying in, you know you've landed somewhere special.
And today, we're here to welcome another Chicago icon to these concourses.
From Orland Street and River North to Gate B14, please join me in giving a warm Midway welcome to Mr. Beef.
Last year alone, more than 18 million passengers traveled through Midway.
That's 18 million people looking for a great meal.
A quick bite or maybe just one last taste of Chicago before takeoff.
Now, thanks to Mr. Beef, they don't have to leave town without it.
They can grab an Italian beef, maybe argue about hot or sweet peppers, I say both, and still make their flight.
Their Chicago-style deep dish pizza, hot dogs with no ketchup, and now Italian beef.
all within a short stroll of this terminal.
Because at Midway, we're not just about moving passengers.
We're serving up a true taste of Chicago, and that's something we can all take pride in.
Because our airports are not just transportation hubs, they are representations of our great city.
And Midway's concessions reflect that.
Thank you, Mr. Beef, for making Midway the newest location of your iconic recipe.
And thank you to Midway Partnership for always being proactive in making sure Midway is offering the newest and the best.
And now, it is my honor to introduce a man who brings his own Chicago swagger to everything he does,
A leader who understands that our airports are more than just transportation hubs.
They're the front doors to the greatest city in the world.
Please join me in welcoming Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Well, good morning, everyone.
Thank you to our first Deputy Commissioner, Tracy Payne, for that introduction and, of course, for her leadership.
It is truly great to join you all today as we celebrate another milestone in our Southwest Side Airport's history.
This airport is a very special place to all of us.
At Chicago's first commercial airport, Midway helped put this city on the map as an aviation hub.
And while our other airport, O'Hare, has seen incredible growth,
Midway has remained a steady, constant institution in our beloved city.
Its family-friendly layout, relaxed vibe, makes Midway a favorite for travelers all over the world.
And with the expansion of the airport's concessions offerings,
it is sure to remain a favorite for many years to come.
Back in 2023, we opened the new...
Newly redesigned Central Market right here at Midway, featuring local favorites like Connie's Pizza, Riley's Daughter, and of course the White Sox Bar and Grill.
Less than a year later, we celebrated the opening of Midway's first shared passenger lounge, Club Midway.
And today, we are continuing the momentum by welcoming a new concession, the original Mr. Beef.
And now, for those of you that are not familiar with this restaurant's legacy, let me just fill you in on why this addition means so much to all of us.
Mr. Beef opened almost 50 years ago and began serving one of Chicago's iconic dishes, the Italian beef.
It's been featured on several shows, including the Food Network's Food Wars, the Tonight Show, and the PBS documentary, Sandwiches That You Will Like.
and its inspiration, of course, has been drawn from the great hit show, The Bear.
It truly is a must-try on every traveler's itinerary
and a staple for families all over the city in the Chicagoland area.
Whether you want something quick or something familiar,
the most reliable sandwich and meal in the city of Chicago, of course, is the Italian beef.
And Mr. Beef's presence here at Midway means more than offering another meal option.
In fact, it shows our commitment to empowering our local small businesses.
In fact, Mr. Beef will join the 23 local businesses on display here,
reinforcing the airport's diverse business enterprise participation rate of more than 50 percent,
the highest of any airport in the entire country.
So we have a motto here in Chicago, never done and never outdone.
and the addition of Mr. Beef shows that mantra is true even more in our airports.
Midway is the first introduction many people have to this city,
and what better way to welcome them than having an Italian beef in tow.
I want to thank all the people in the groups who helped make today possible.
It's important that our beautiful city and our history of this beautiful city,
the beautiful city that has culture and diversity,
that we're constantly on display at every single turn.
And no matter if you like it dry or dipped or whether you like sweet peppers or giardiniera, cheese added or all the trimmings that come with it, personally, you got to dip it and it's got to be spicy.
I'm just saying it's Chicago.
If you don't eat it spicy, nothing against you, sweethearts.
I'm just saying I like my stuff hot.
All right.
But it's Mr. Beef is one way to experience Chicago.
And so now I am so proud to introduce an important partner in this endeavor to make Midway more friendly to locals and visitors.
She is the General Manager for Midway Partnership.
Please welcome Ms. Shantae Young.
Good morning, everyone.
Good morning.
As Mayor Johnson stated, I am Shantae Young, General Manager for Midway Partnership,
the team that delivers the concessions program here at Chicago Midway International Airport.
I'm thrilled to join Mayor Johnson, First Deputy Tracy Payne, our partners at the Chicago Department of Aviation,
SSP America, and the team from Mr. Beef to celebrate this great new local addition to the amenities at Midway.
Bringing Chicago icons like Mr. Beef into Midway reflects our commitment to local representation,
creating a true Chicago sense of place that celebrates the community, its flavors, and the authentic experiences travelers can only find here.
Mr. Beef joins more than 70 unique brands and guest experiences offered at Midway
and is sure to be as big of a hit in this airport as it is as a beloved street side location.
As our continued commitment since 2017, Midway Partnership, a joint venture including Vantage Group,
SSP America, and Hudson BioVolta, has invested more than $75 million,
has expanded the concession's footprint by 30,000 square feet,
and we're well on our way to doubling the number of jobs of 1,400
with over 80% of our employees coming from the local community.
Yes, yes, absolutely.
So the opening of Mr. Beef represents yet another milestone
in enhancing the guest experience at Chicago's neighborhood airport
and showcasing local flavor.
Finally, thank you, Mayor Johnson,
for not only joining us here today to celebrate this exciting milestone,
but for helping champion the local businesses that make Chicago such a vibrant and distinctive city.
With that,
I would like to thank you. With that, I would like to hand things over to George Maboya from SSP America.
Good morning. Good morning.
Let me first thank you, Mayor Johnson and Tracy, for the partnership and the opportunity for you to join us this morning.
Thank you, Midway Partnership, as we come to celebrate a moment that both Chicago, Chicago Pride and Pure Chicago Flavor.
Now, Chicago Midway is one of the most dynamic airports in the country, fast-moving, full of energy,
connected to many cities across the world, but also connected in this city.
And that's why what we offer here matters very much.
This isn't just about feeding people between flights.
It's about welcoming them.
It's about giving travelers a true sense of place, something that fills unmistakably Chicago from the first bite to the final boarding call.
There are some flavors that are uniquely Chicago.
The original Mr. Beef is one of them.
If you add that to the deep pan pizzas just down the street here that SSP also provides,
you have a true, authentic Chicago experience.
But Mr. Beef is a neighborhood legend known around the world.
Ever since the days of the TV show Bear, everybody knows Mr. Beef.
People come from far and wide to learn about Mr. Beef.
Bringing the regional Mitsubishi to Midway is exactly what this continued transformation is about
Iconic brands, an elevated passenger experience, meaningful impact to Chicago
And through our work with the Chicago Department of Aviation and Midway Partnership
We are focused on delivering a concessions program that is modern, guest focused
And proudly rooted in the community it serves
In fact, SSP America has the highest minority participation in the country
because we believe in local.
So let's talk about this.
This is about opening up jobs.
It's about training opportunities.
It's about, you know, bringing a taste of place and a flavor.
We are grateful to you, Mayor Johnson, and Commissioner McMurray, who's not here,
and Tracy, Deputy Commissioner, and for the leadership, collaboration,
and to Mr. Beef Team.
Thank you.
this is indeed
a heightening of the standards
that you bring with your taste
of Mr. Beef
so let's celebrate
and let's make sure everybody knows
that Italian beef
with giardiniera
is an official food group
here in Chicago
from now onwards
thank you
We're going to get just that for now.
I don't want to do it next to the next day.
We're going to just pull, and then we'll have someone pass it out.
We're going to pull this.
We'll take a picture.
All right, everybody here first.
Look at that Peyton right here in the middle.
All right, we got these cameras next.
Right here, please.
Can we stretch it a little bit?
There you go.
Everybody looking here, looking here.
Alright, we're going to cut off three. One, two, three.
Thank you.
Oh, perfect.
Thank you.
I did not.
Thank you.
That's what I thought, too.
I wanted to leave.
I know.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
All right.
We're going to start here first.
On three.
One, two, three.
Right here.
Right here.
Right here.
Looking good.
Awesome.
Skate it over.
Roger here, please.
Everyone with me, please.
Thank you very much.