Sovereign Center First in Berks to Offer Chickie's & Pete's

Patrons Can Enjoy Legendary Philly Cheesesteak and Crabfries® Inside the Sovereign Center

Reading, PA – SMG, the worldwide leader in convention and entertainment venue management, and the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania, are proud to unveil the Sovereign Center as the first facility in Berks County to offer the classic experience of Chickie’s & Pete’s, the legendary Philadelphia-based crab house and sports bar, including their world famous Crabfries®. Based in a completely remodeled state of the art grill stand on the Cherry Street side of the Sovereign Center, Chickie’s & Pete’s will have the themed feel of Philly’s favorite sports bar and will offer a menu replete with area favorites, including ‘real’ Philly cheesesteaks, chicken cutlets, and the iconic Crabfries®. The Sovereign Center expects the new Chickie’s & Pete’s grill stand to be up and operating for patrons attending events as early as mid-September. “We’re elated to be the first facility in this region to offer the classic Philadelphia cuisine of Chickie’s & Pete’s,” said SMG Regional General Manager Zane Collings. “We’re continually looking for new ways to increase the quality of our patrons’ experience when they visit the Sovereign Center. Of course, Chickie’s & Pete’s has been serving sports fans for years—including Eagles and Phillies fans at historic Veteran’s Stadium—and we’re thrilled to be able to offer that legendary Philadelphia sports experience here in Berks County.” “We are very excited to announce our relationship with the Sovereign Center,” said Pete Ciarrocchi the owner of Chickie’s & Pete’s. “The Sovereign Center has many great events and we look forward to being a part of them for years to come. With our success in other stadiums and arenas we look forward to enhancing the Guest experience by bringing our World Famous Crabfries® and authentic Philly Cheesesteaks to the Reading market.” First opened as a small neighborhood family run taproom on Robbins Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia, the legend of Chickie’s & Pete’s came alive in the late 1970’s when Pete Ciarrocchi began to play with a unique blend of seasonings to invent and perfect his Crabfries® recipe. Long a Sunday afternoon home for Philly football die-hards, Chickie’s & Pete’s took their magical tastes directly to the fans of Philly when they opened a new home inside famed and historic Veteran’s Stadium in south Philadelphia in 1998. With Pete’s dynamic personality—and his proprietary Crabfries®--Chickie’s & Pete’s soon became a favorite concession for the fans of the “Iggles” and “Phightin’ Phils”. Chickie’s & Pete’s hometown flavor has now expanded into thirteen full service locations throughout the Philadelphia area and New Jersey, including the 24,000 square foot former Super Fresh building on Packer Avenue in south Philadelphia—directly across from Philly’s famous stadium complex on Broad Street—complete with a 70-foot bar and 18-foot TV screen, which was recently selected as the Number One sports bar in North America by ESPN. In addition to their full service locations, Chickie’s & Pete’s also operates numerous stands and kiosks throughout the region in stadiums, arenas, amusement parks and boardwalks. More information on Chickie’s & Pete’s can be obtained by logging onto www.chickiesandpetes.com. About SMGSince 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition centers. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides construction and design consulting, pre-opening services, venue management, sales, marketing, event booking, and programming. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through an in house catering company, Savor, currently servicing more than 100 accounts worldwide. For more information visit www.smgworld.com.