Trevor Ariza Foundation VIP gala marks grand opening of Buffalo Wild WingsÂ® at the new Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza premiering February 17 -

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All-Star weekend event to raise awareness for asthma-related illnesses

Franchisees Karim Webb and Edward Barnett
Credit: Jason Clark Foto

Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) â€“ Champion basketball player and veteran athlete Trevor Ariza brings his self-named Trevor Ariza Foundation (TAF) to Los Angeles as Host of the All-star Weekend VIP gala. The sports-themed benefit will be held in conjunction with the historic Feast of Flavors grand-opening celebration for the all-new Buffalo Wild WingsÂ® Grill & Bar in Baldwin Hills, the first casual-dining franchise restaurant to hit South Los Angeles in 25 years (soft launch debuts on January 31).

The exclusive, invite-only event will be held on Thursday, February 17 from 4-8pm, and marks a significant first milestone in the transformation of the new Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and revitalization of the Crenshaw District.

Â Professional Athletes and celebrities from music, fashion, TV, film and more will have the opportunity to stroll down the Yellow Carpet, pose for photographs, sample cocktails, get an inside look at the new Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza coming in 2011 and to exclusively sample the festival of flavors that Buffalo Wild Wings has to offer on its menu and the bar. More importantly, attendees will have the chance to come together to raise awareness and resources to combat the disease of asthma that afflicts millions of Americans and children while also taking part of the exciting, historic restaurant launch which is another highlight in the Plazaâ€™s vibrant $30 million dollar upgrade to the 43-acre property.

As part of the on-going transformation mall-owner Capri Urban Investors, LLC (“Capri”) has signed a deal that will expand the dining options available to the local community.

“We are delighted have Buffalo Wild Wings open their doors at Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza,” said Ken Lombard, President of Capri Urban Investors, LLC and Partner of Capri Capital Partners, LLC. “So much of our focus is on adding value to this facility, and one important way we do that is by providing a great mix of retailers and restaurants. The Buffalo Wild Wings franchise has a fantastic track record, and I believe the new restaurant will be very well-received in the community.”

Franchisees Karim Webb and Edward Barnett will open the very first Buffalo Wild WingsÂ® in Los Angeles, in the reconstructed home of the former Hollywood Video. The sports-themed family restaurant will feature 45 plasma screens and 10 projector screens for ultimate event and sports viewing. The franchisee owners, who also own Buffalo Wild WingsÂ® Torrance, wanted to do more for the community than just opening the restaurant with a soft launch.

“Our team is fired-up about hosting an event to highlight the great work of the Trevor Ariza Foundation and the historic redevelopment of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza,” said Webb. “We’re equally excited about bringing 110 new jobs to South Los Angeles. And, we’ll be sure to keep the enthusiasm going throughout the entire All-star Weekend and in the New Year.”

Early in his career, Trevor was diagnosed with Exercise Induced Asthma, a disease that affects many unfortunate Americans. In response to this life-altering disease he didnâ€™t let this disable him. Trevor later went on to emerge into a rising star and decided to use his celebrity to spearhead TAF, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support, information, education and advocacy of asthma disease.

“I am all about giving back to the community. I’m excited to be able to bring a quality restaurant and, more importantly, sorely needed jobs to the community that I come from,” said Ariza. “As an asthma sufferer, it’s great to be able to use this Grand Opening as a vehicle to raise awareness and funds to pay for asthma treatments on behalf of underprivileged kids.”

The primary goal of foundation is to increase awareness and educate patients and the general public about factors contributing to health problems in allergic and non-allergic asthmatic athletes and children. More importantly, TAF works to generate resources that provide asthma treatments and medications to financially challenged individuals in need because thereâ€™s nothing delicious about asthma.

ABOUT THE TREVOR ARIZA FOUNDATION
The primary goal of foundation is to increase awareness and educate patients and the general public about factors contributing to health problems in allergic and non-allergic asthmatic athletes and children. More importantly, TAF works to generate resources that provide asthma treatments and medications to financially challenged individuals in need. Learn more at www.trevorarizafoundation.com or Follow TAF on Twitter for the latest events, updates, and tips to combat asthma symptoms.

ABOUT CAPRI CAPITAL PARTNERS
Capri Capital Partners, LLC is the investment manager of Capri Urban Investors, LLC, a real estate private equity fund, which is the owner of Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza on behalf of institutional investors. Ken Lombard is President of Capri Urban Investors, LLC and Partner of Capri Capital Partners, LLC – entities behind the transformation of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza.

Headquartered in Chicago, Capri Capital Partners, LLC is an institutional real estate investment advisory firm, investing and managing commercial real estate properties and portfolios since 1992. Capri offers a broad spectrum of equity and debt products to its customers through separate account and commingled fund vehicles. Diversified assets managed on behalf of its pension fund and other institutional clients totaled $3.348 billion in fair market value as of June 30, 2010. Learn more at www.capricapital.com or www.bhcp-redevelopment.com.

ABOUT BUFFALO WILD WINGS BAR & GRILL BALDWIN HILLS
Buffalo Wild Wings is known for its 14 signature sauces, making its wings and other menu items customizable creations. Sauces include, from mildest to hottest, Sweet BBQ, Teriyaki, Mild, Parmesan Garlic(TM), Medium, Honey BBQ(TM), Spicy Garlic, Asian Zing(TM), Caribbean Jerk, Hot BBQ, Hot, Mango Habanero(TM), Wild(TM) and Blazinâ€™Â®. With Buffalo Wild Wingsâ€™ 14 signature sauces running the gamut from Mild to BlazinÂ®, every taste bud can find a flavor to crave. Its boldly flavored menu includes boneless wings, specialty burgers and sandwiches, flatbreads, ribs, finger foods, wraps, salads and Naked TendersÂ®, but the main attraction continues to be Buffalo NY-style chicken wings. A variety of limited-time special offerings will keep the menu new and fresh. Buffalo Wild Wings will also have two signature events each week; Wing TuesdaysÂ® and Boneless ThursdaysÂ®, where guests can order their favorite traditional or boneless wings at a special price. There are currently 711 Buffalo Wild Wings located in 43 states. For more information visit www.buffalowildwings.com, or follow Buffalo Wild Wings Baldwin Hills on Twitter.

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